Morning Light – Acts 25: Paul Appeals to Caesar and Meets King Agrippa

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Today: [Acts 25:] Paul Appeals to Caesar and Meets King Agrippa: After Paul is held for trial before Governor Felix he then falls victim to the consequence of regime change as Festus comes to power in Felix place. Festus attempts to deliver Paul to the Jews, but Paul appeals to Caesar. Before departing to Rome, Paul meets king Agrippa, descended from Herod the Great and readies himself to stand in defense of the kingdom once again. When we read these things it should give us pause to reflect on exuberant exclamations about the return of the “days of the Acts of the Apostles.” Are you sure that is what you want? If you are to experience an Acts revival in your city, you better have an attorney on retainer because this also is a feature and characteristic of an Acts outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
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[Act 25:1-12 KJV] 1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, 3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. 4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly [thither]. 5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with [me], and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. 6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. 7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. 8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. 9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. 11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
After Paul stands before Felix in chapter 24, Felix is soon relieved of command and Festus is put in his place. Festus is willing to leave Paul in custody in order to gain favor with the Jewish hierarchy in Jerusalem. This continues for two years until once again the high priest and the chief rulers of the Jews travel to Caesarea to accuse Paul once again hoping to bring about his death. The request is made that Paul be transferred to Jerusalem for trial as before. This was done in order to accommodate a plan to lie in wait to kill Paul on the 70 mile journey from Caesarea in the north to Jerusalem in the south. Festus at first in unwilling to agree to this and calls the Jews once again from Jerusalem to stand before him with their complaints. Festus is reminding the Jews that he is in charge and will not deliver Paul to them without due consideration (or a bribe, as was the custom of Felix before him).
When the Jews from Jerusalem stand to accuse Paul there are many charges and complaints none of which they can prove. Paul answers these accusations insisting that in no way has he offended the temple or spoken against Caesar or any other thing by which he has been challenged. Festus hears Paul and knows quite well he is innocent but still seeks a way to curry favor with the Jewish leadership by asking Paul if he is willing to transfer to Jerusalem and stand before him there to answer these charges. Paul as Roman citizen demands to be taken to Rome and stand before Caesar himself. This is a desperate move because the Emperor is none other than Nero himself a well-known despot who delights to persecute the newfound faith in Jesus the Christ. Festus upon hearing this responds to Paul “have you appealed unto Caesar? Unto Caesar shall you go!”
Who was Festus? He was governor of Judea from AD 59 to 62. Again, he succeeds Felix after Felix fell from favor with Rome.
Paul is imprisoned in Caesarea and held for trial there during the time of Felix’ decline and Festus installment as procurator of Judea. Paul is entrapped in the political intrigues involved in this transition and winds up languishing in Roman custody in Caesarea which is located in the region of the modern-day Golan Heights near the Syrian border. The national climate in Judea at this time was one of increasingly inflamed sentiment against Rome. The Jews were pressing for greater autonomy of their nation, and the scene is being set for the war against Caesar that will lead to the destruction of the temple and the expulsion of all Jews from the newly created province of Palestine. Paul being imprisoned at this time is caught in the vice of tension inflaming the peoples at this time and saw his only hope is to stand at the judgment seat of Caesar himself.
[Acts 25:13-27 KJV]
13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. 14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me], desiring [to have] judgment against him. 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. 17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: 19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked [him] whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. 22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. 23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth. 24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and [also] here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes [laid] against him.
About the time that Paul is ready to leave for Rome king Agrippa and his wife Bernice come to Caesarea to visit Festus. Who was Agrippa? While Festus was the Roman ruler over the entire region, Agrippa was the appointed king of the Jewish people, the fifth and last in the line of Herod the Great to bear the title king of the Jews. In just a few short years after introduction to Paul, the Jewish state will revolt, Jerusalem will fall after which Agrippa lives on in obscurity, dying childless and alone.
Upon arrival in Caesarea for a social visit with his counterpart Festus, Paul is brought out to stand before Agrippa to break the boredom of a long afternoon. Festus flatters Agrippa with his knowledge of Jewish customs asking him to give his sense of what he proposes is a troubling case in the instance of Paul’s incarceration.
A great show is made of bringing Agrippa and Bernice his queen before the principal men of the city and Paul is brought forth bound with a chain as though he is a dangerous felon. The charges once again are read out against Paul at which point Festus in false impartiality insists that he finds no guilt offense worthy of death and again asks Agrippa to give his judgment.
Have you ever faced circumstances and shook your head asking “where is God in all of this?” Undoubtedly this was Paul’s sentiment as he stands before Agrippa, chains clinking at his ankles watch these two prideful leaders and the queen Bernice preening themselves before the crowd in this mock judicial proceeding. Remember that in his earlier trial before Felix Paul was given liberty of the city under a bodyguard and winds up in a private setting with Felix and his wife, Drusilla. Paul preaches the gospel to them without flinching and Felix trembles before Paul as he speaks under the anointing of the Holy Ghost. This is the assertion of the kingdom in the midst of all the intrigues surrounding Paul’s then imprisonment. There is a regime change and many long days in prison for Paul and now once again Paul will answer for himself not just speaking in his defense but taking the opportunity to preach the gospel to these men who might never hear the claims of Christ in their lifetime if it wasn’t for Paul’s boldness to speak up not only for himself but for Jesus and the message of the kingdom.
What will you do in similar situations? Eph. 4:11-12 tells us that the five-fold ministry is given by God for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry. Despite Christian traditions, these leaders are not our ministers only but are given by God to train you for ministry. If you are a born-again believer, you are a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ as called and chosen for service as the Apostle Paul himself. What if Paul had lifted himself up off the ground on the road to Damascus and quietly returned to his trade of making tents? What about you? Did the trajectory of your life change when you accepted Jesus? Or did you merely go back to business as usual with a little “Jesus” salted into to your everyday life like a spiritual condiment? As Paul answered his call, so God calls upon you and the Holy Spirit tugs at your heart to answer the call over your life.