PT-2 "The Consultation Regarding Paul's Testimony" (Acts 25:13-22)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/12/2018 7:58 AM

 

My Worship Time                        Focus:  PT-2 “The Consultation Regarding Paul’s Testimony”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                       Reference:  Acts 25:13-22

 

          Message of the verses:  “13 Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. 14 While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, "There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 “I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 “So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18 “When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting, 19 but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 “Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. 21 “But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar." 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him."

 

          Now that we get an idea of what kind of couple we are dealing with we will move on today and look at what transpired while they were in the company of Festus for what the text says were “many days.”  While they were there giving congratulations to Festus for being appointed governor the case of Paul came up.  Festus knew little about the Jewish religion or the law that is involved with it and so he was hoping that Agrippa and even Bernice would be able to shed some light on what happened with Paul’s case and so Festus spoke to him and perhaps her about this case.  He told them about how the Jews brought charges against Paul as they came up to speak at Paul’s second trial with Festus proceeding over it.  We read “When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation upon him.”  John MacArthur writes “Festus’s words throw new light on the Jews’ request (25:3).  From his perspective, they did not want a fair trial for Paul but a summary judgment of condemnation.  Steeped in the proud tradition of Roman justice, Festus properly ‘answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.’  Although Paul had already faced his accusers before Felix (and was not convicted of any crime), Festus wanted to discharge his duty and hear the case himself before rendering a verdict.”  I find it very interesting to see the hand of God working in the heathen government officials of Rome in order to accomplish what it was that He wanted to accomplish, and in this case to keep a promise to Paul that he would go to Rome, even though as we continue along in the book of Acts we will see that there are more barriers that will be in his way that God will see him through.

 

          We have spoken about Festus’s promptness unlike Felix being prompt we see that Festus came to Caesarea as he continues to tell Agrippa ““So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.”  John MacArthur makes another important point and with that we will close this SD.  “Festus did not understand the issue or its implications and so was not qualified to rule on such matters, which in any case did not belong in a Roman court.  The refusal of Gallio, the Roman governor of Achaia, to hear a similar case had established a legal precedent that could have been applied (18:12-16).” 

 

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Samson” (Judges 14:5-18).

 

Today’s Bible question:  “The Jewish day was measured of what period of time?”

 

Answer in our next SD.

 

9/12/2018 8:36 AM