https://youtu.be/Rws2gGNSf_A
June 26, 2022
Acts 25:1-22
“Providence in Politics”
Service Overview:
Some Jews, once again, try to con the Romans into transferring Paul to Jerusalem in hopes that they could ambush his transfer and kill him without a trial. But this ambush, once again, is thwarted by both providence and the politics that are at play in the life of Paul.
Memory Verse for the Week:
“For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.” Psalm 11:7 (NIV)
Background Information:
- This section (vv. 1-12) is crucial because in it Paul appealed to Caesar. It sets the direction for the remainder of the book and also shows how the apostle reached Rome. (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 422)
- If a Roman citizen felt he was not getting justice in a provincial court, he could appeal direct to the Emperor. Only if the man was a murderer, a pirate, or a bandit caught in the act, was the appeal invalid. In all other cases the local procedure had to be insisted and the claimant had to be dispatched to Rome for the personal decision of the Emperor. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 173)
- The Caesar that Paul was asking to hear his case was none other than Nero, known as the Wild Beast in the first century. Nero came to power in the year A.D. 54, and we are told by both Josephus and Tacitus that between A.D. 54 and A.D. 59 Nero was tutored by the stoic philosopher Seneca, whose works are read and studied still today. Seneca instructed Nero how to judge and rule, and, for the first five years of Nero’s reign, he was a model emperor. Then, for reasons we do not know, he became the bloodiest, most ruthless, most corrupt emperor in the history of Rome. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 355)
- The King Agrippa referred to here was Agrippa II, son of Herod Agrippa I (12:1) and a great-grandson of Herod the Great (Matt. 2:1). At this time he was a young man of about 30 years of age and the ruler of territories northeast of Palestine with the title of King. Because he was a friend of the Roman imperial family he was awarded the privilege of appointing the Jewish high priest and also had been made the custodian of the temple treasury. (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 423)
- Bernice was [Agrippa’s] sister. When she was thirteen (A.D. 41), she had married her uncle, Herod Chalcis, who died in A.D. 48. Then she became a mistress to her brother, Agrippa II. In A.D. 63, she married King Polemon of Cilicia, but in the early 70s, she became mistress to Emperor Vespasian’s son, Titus. Here Agrippa and Bernice were making an official visit to Festus, to pay their respects. Agrippa, of Jewish descent, could help clarify Paul’s case for the Roman governor. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 414)
The question to answer…
Why appeal to Caesar? Why didn’t Paul just face the music in Jerusalem?
Answer…
Because Paul wasn’t stupid, and knew God wanted him to make it in one piece to Rome.
What should stand out about those involved in this case?
- The harbored hatred of the religious power-brokers.
(vv. 2-3, 7 | Leviticus 19:17; Prov. 10:12, 18; 26:24-26; John 3:20; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 4:31)
The Jews in this setting illustrate what I would call the corrupting effects of religion when it is not actually in contact with God. We tend to look upon religion as a good thing. We say, “Even if a person isn’t really born again, even if she or he doesn’t really trust God, isn’t it at least better to be religious than not be religious?” That is not necessarily the case. It can be. But religion can also be very corrupting. This is because if the life of God is not actually present in the worshiper, then his or her religion can become a mere veneer, hypocrisy, and can be used as an excuse for doing what is obviously evil. History teaches that some of the worst things that have ever been done have been done by people who claimed they were doing the will of God—that is, by religious persons. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 395)
The Jews in Jerusalem had not given up. They still considered Paul their archenemy and wanted his death. So they took advantage of the new governor, Festus, with the intent of seeking a new opportunity for carrying out their plots. (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Location 8619)
- The political posturing and passivity of Festus.
(vv. 1, 4-6, 9, 20 | Leviticus 19:15; Ps. 106:3; Prov. 21:15; Is. 1:17; Amos 5:24; Zech. 7:9)
On the whole, Luke pictures [Festus] as generally honorable in his ideal of justice, but not immune to the pressures toward compromise. In that he was not unlike great numbers of his modern political counterparts. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 273)
Festus was a good administrator. Yet he had his own serious flaw, and in this respect he was much like his predecessor. He wanted to please the people. He wanted to show the Jews a favor. A person might say, “Well, that is just a part of what it means to rule well. When you’re in charge of something you have to get along with those you govern.” That is true, of course. But this was a legal matter. Paul was on trial. Any giving of favors in this situation was in reality a perversion of justice and the abuse of an innocent man. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 396)
Paul was a Jew whose countrymen wanted to kill him, and he was a Roman whose government did not know what to do with him. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 401)
- The patience and persistence of Paul.
(vv. 8, 10-11, 19 | Proverbs 24:16; Matthew 10:22; Galatians 6:9; Phil. 3:14; James 1:12)
What led Paul to make that wise decision? For one thing, he knew that his destination was Rome, not Jerusalem, and the fastest way to get there was to appeal to Caesar. Paul also knew that the Jews had not given up their hopes of killing him, so he was wise to stay under the protection of Rome. By appealing to Caesar, Paul forced the Romans to guard him and take him to Rome. Finally, Paul realized that he could never have a fair trial in Jerusalem anyway, so why go? (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 402)
Conclusion… What values might we look to embrace in considering Paul from this account?
A. The value of persistence.
(Proverbs 12:27; Matthew 10:22; Romans 2:7; 12:12; 1 Cor. 15:58; James 1:12; 5:11)
Here is a clear and powerful warning against the deadliness of uncontrolled anger. When we allow anger to turn into fury, when we do not submit our emotions to God, we risk becoming consumed by bitterness and blind rage. Do you have any unresolved anger in your life? Until it is dealt with, it will continue to surface. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 410)
B. The value of fearlessness.
(Ps. 27:3; Is. 41:10; John 15:18; Rom. 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 4:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:7; Ja. 1:2-4; 1 John 4:17-18; Rev. 2:10)
We can’t really live until we are free of the fear of dying. Our culture has sandbagged us into a tenacious grasp on this life as if it were all we had. Often we face sickness and danger with little more courage than people who have no faith. The assurance, not only of Christ’s resurrection, but our own, diffuses that anxiety. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 330)
Real gold fears no fire. (Randy Alcorn, Safely Home, 149)
You and I are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of a hostile world, and the only way we are going to be able to stand against the world when it pressures us is if we are willing to give up everything to follow him. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 400)
C. The value of integrity.
(Ps. 7:8; Prov. 8:13; 10:9; 21:3; Luke 16:10; 2 Cor. 8:21; Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:23; 1 Peter 3:16)
To use the structure to escape a just condemnation, even death itself, is wrong for a Christian, Paul declared. On the other hand, a Christian does not blindly invite or tolerate injustice. There was no hope of justice at Jerusalem. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 274)
Do that which is good, without fear, and without limit or reserve. What right have we to blame the government when we do not do that which is good ourselves? (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 262)
Gospel Application…
The fact that Jesus is alive is still the single greatest issue that confronts every person.
(v. 19 | Daniel 12:2; John 11:25-26; 14:19; Acts 24:15; Romans 8:11; 10:9; 1 Peter 1:3)
Even in his spiritual blindness Festus had instinctively gotten to the heart of the matter and had put his finger upon the one towering issue in the whole case. That was when he had noted that the accusations seemed to focus on the matter “of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive” (v. 19). That was the core of the controversy. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 278)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- Outside the Bible, who serves as an inspiration to you regarding matters of persistence, fearlessness, and/or integrity? What about their story do you find so compelling and inspiring?
- Have you ever experienced a prolonged period of “waiting on the Lord?” What was the situation and what was it like? What did you learn from it?
- How might you encourage others who are in a season of waiting for the Lord to move regarding something?
- Have you ever felt “backed into a corner” regarding something you believe? What was it like? How did you stand? How can we learn to remain faithful when pressure mounts around us?
Quotes to note…
Though God had promised that Paul would preach the gospel in Rome (23:11), the great apostle had to endure more than two years of Felix’s refusal to decide his fate. In addition to this custody (24:27), Paul was subjected to other long stretches of time during which he could do little but trust God and wait for him to act. What do you do when it comes to the issue of waiting on God? Do you become anxious? angry? discouraged? Few things test our patience and faith like being forced to wait—which perhaps explains why our sovereign God often puts us in situations where we have no other choice. (Osborne, Acts, 409)
[Paul] was not afraid of Rome, or Caesar, or death. He could make his appeal to Caesar because his ultimate appeal had been made years before to Christ. He had been acquitted by grace. After that, there was nothing left for him to fear, and there was everything to anticipate. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 331)
This is how wickedness spreads, and it is why we always have to be on guard against it. It is easy for religious people to go astray and then claim God’s authority for their disobedience. (Boice, Acts, 395)
To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee. (William H. Walton)
Unbelievers in this post-Christian culture do not understand Christian doctrine or terminology. Christian theology and presuppositions are completely foreign to them. Even the word “God” means something vastly different to a secular audience. If we are to communicate the gospel effectively, we can no longer assume anything. Take the time to understand the so-called “postmodern worldview,” and ask the Spirit of God to help you learn how to take the old, old story to a new and rapidly changing culture. (Osborne, Acts, 416)
Anxiety is really fear of losing some aspect of life. We can’t say, “For to me to live is Christ” until we really believe that “to die is gain.” Surely, it is part of our stewardship of the gift of life to take care of our bodies. The Lord does not want us to contribute to the shortness of life. Nor does He want us to live so cautiously in our spiritual life that we miss the adventure of living while we are alive. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 330)
How many right actions have been bartered away because those who knew to do right wanted to please someone else or at least not offend people they considered to be important? That is not just something that happens in the world, either. It is done by Christians and the church. Perhaps it has been done by you. If so, it is something of which to repent. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 396)
