Paul Before Governor Felix
Paul Before Felix at Caesarea
24 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. 2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:
“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”
9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.
10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:
“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— 19 they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, 21 other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”
Paul Kept in Custody
22 But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”23 Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.
24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.” 26 At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
Paul's Nephew Thwarts the Plot to Murder Paul
Man, I love this stuff. Luke tells us here that Paul’s sister lives in Jerusalem. The details about Paul’s nephew’s attempt to thwart the murder plot against his uncle here are just so cool.
A Plot to Kill Paul
12 When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who made this conspiracy. 14 They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food till we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore you, along with the council, give notice to the tribune to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16 Now the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to tell him.”18 So he took him and brought him to the tribune and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to say to you.” 19 The tribune took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more closely about him. 21 But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him, who have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him. And now they are ready, waiting for your consent.” 22 So the tribune dismissed the young man, charging him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of these things.”
Paul Sent to Felix the Governor
23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” 25 And he wrote a letter to this effect:
26 “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was being accused about questions of their law, but charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it was disclosed to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”
31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 And on the next day they returned to the barracks, letting the horsemen go on with him. 33 When they had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34 On reading the letter, he asked what province he was from. And when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” And he commanded him to be guarded in Herod's praetorium.
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” 4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God's high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
[Acts 22:30-23:11]
Paul and the Roman Tribune
I love Paul’s interactions here with the Roman Tribune:
37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
[Acts 21:37-40]
And then, after Paul’s speech about Jesus to the assembled mob riles up the crowd, the tribune decides to take Paul and have him flogged:
“22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.”
[Acts 22:22-29]
One of the things that Luke wants us to see with Paul’s trials and imprisonment is that the authorities don’t even follow their own rules and principles. Paul wants to abide by the rules, but the authorities still see him as a threat. Why?
Paul Arrested in the Temple
Today we begin the final section of the book of Acts—Paul in prison. From his imprisonment in today’s reading, he is never a free man again through the rest of the book. Almost 1/3 of the book is devoted to Paul’s various trials and interactions with the authorities. The question is, Why? What is Luke trying to tell us?
Paul has arrived in Jerusalem despite the warnings he has received along his journeys that imprisonment and suffering await him there. He was insistent to complete his mission, which was to bring the money he had collected from the Gentile churches to deliver to the Jerusalem church. On his arrival, James and the other Jewish Christians warned him that the rumors were that he was telling Jews to stop following the Torah, and Paul goes to the Temple to allay their concerns.
There are thousands and thousands of Diaspora Jews in Jerusalem for Pentecost, including many of the Jews with whom Paul had argued in the various cities around the Mediterranean. A few days previously, Paul was walking around Jerusalem with a Gentile Christian rom Ephesus named Trophimus, and some of Paul’s Jewish enemies start the rumor that Paul had brought Trophimus with him into the Temple, a forbidden act. It isn’t true, but nonetheless when Paul does enter the Temple, a riot breaks out and a mob tries to kill him on the spot. The Romans intervene and take Paul into custody to protect him from the mob.
There is lots more to say about the final section of Acts, but I think one of the things Luke wants us to understand is that—just like Paul and Jesus before him—there will be times when Christians are unfairly maligned in public. When the happens to you, take courage and keep going.
Unity Without Uniformity
I find this whole scene fascinating.
Paul arrives in Jerusalem and goes to see the leader of the church: James, the brother of Jesus. James and the others tell Paul that the rumor in Jerusalem is that he is telling folks not to obey the Law, i.e., the Old Testament teaching that set Jews apart from the nations. The implication here is important—James takes for granted that it is a good thing for Jewish Christians to continue to observe Jewish ethnic practices. In order for Paul to show that he is in fact still an observant Jew, James and the others tell him it would be a good idea to observe the practice of 7 day purification before he visits the Temple, and that it would be a nice touch for him to pay for the purification of a few other men as well. Paul does as they suggest.
One of the important conclusions we can draw from here is one I’ve been obsessed with recently, namely that in the early church, Jewish Christians kept being Jewish and Gentile Christians kept being Gentile and they were all united in the Messiah Jesus.
Unity without uniformity.
Imagine what that might look like today.
The Last Time They Ever Saw Paul in This Life
Today’s Reading: Acts 20:17-38
Paul is on his way to Jerusalem, carrying the collection he has taken up from his Gentile churches in Europe and Asia back to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem who are suffering the effects of a famine. He stops off near Ephesus and has some of the leaders of the Ephesian church meet him. He tells them they will never see his face again, and I find what happens next really moving:
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. [Acts 20:36-38]
Paul was obviously a great preacher and a courageous leader, but what made him successful was how he loved his people. And they knew it.
The Time the Kid Fell Out the 2nd Story Window
Today’s Scripture: Acts 20:1-16
Luke gives us a clue that he joined the group at this point in Paul’s journey:
These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. (Acts 20:5-6)
And the story of the young man falling from the window has all the marks of an eyewitness.
(The boys name—”Eutychus”—means “Lucky,” by the way.)
The Riot in Ephesus
Today’s Scripture: Acts 19:21-41
You know you’re making progress when the entrenched powers get angry at you. Paul has been so successful in preaching against idolatry in Ephesus that the idol-making silver guild is losing money. A riot ensues.
If there were a spiritual awakening in America today, which sectors of the economy would change the most?
What Would You Have Said on Mars Hill?
Today in our reading (Acts 17:16-34), the Apostle Paul goes to one of the most famous places on earth—the ancient city of Athens, where he speaks to the philosophers and denizens of Mars Hill, otherwise known as the Areopagus (Ares is the Greek name of the god of War, known as “Mars” in Latin, and “pagos” is how you say “hill” in Greek).
The entire speech is worth reading in full.
My question to you, however, is this:
What would you have said if you were there? Or, better yet:
“In a paragraph or less, how would you talk about Jesus to someone in our time who had been raised in a completely secular environment?”
Post in comments, or reply as an email. I’m sincerely curious. I know it’s a hard assignment, so just give it your best shot.
Factchecking for Yourself
My apologies for light posting of late. The power outages really knocked me behind, and my book manuscript is due to the publisher in exactly one month—April 1.
Also, I’m planning on teaching an online Bible study on all this stuff on the next 2 Tuesdays, 8:00-8:45 PM. Mark your calendars.
When Paul and Silas show up in Berea (in Macedonia), they do what Paul always does—they first go to the synagogue to try and evangelize the Jews living in that place.
I love what Luke tells us about the Berean Jews:
“They received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” [Acts 17:11]
It’s always amazing to me how often we just accept what people tell us without examining the scriptures for ourselves. This is one of the many reasons why I believe so strongly in daily Bible study—the more we know, the more we will be able to discern truth from falsehood in the world.
When’s the last time you investigated the scriptures for yourself?
Is it Saul or Paul?
Coming to you from my neighbor’s warm house. Our power is still out as of this writing (5 PM on Monday, been off basically since 3:30 AM this morning), and so we abandoned ship and had our kind, hospitable neighbors come rescue us. Please, Lord, protect our pipes from freezing and get our power back on soon!
Today’s reading is Acts 13:13-52.
In yesterday’s reading (Acts 13:1-12), Luke gives us this interesting detail:
“Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said….” (Acts 13:9)
Saul was his Jewish name, but many of the Greek-speaking Jews also had a Greek name they used in Gentile contexts. So, this is the point in the narrative that Luke starts calling him “Paul”, because this is the point when Pau’s missionary journeys take him mainly in front of Gentile audiences.
Make sense?
Every Christian Has to Be a Missionary
In today’s reading (Acts 13:1-12), Barnabas and Paul begin the first of their so-called “missionary journeys”.
A missionary is someone who is sent; every Christian who takes Jesus seriously has been sent as a missionary:
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Followers of Jesus are supposed to go everywhere and teach everything Jesus taught.
Where are you going this week?
To the office? A Zoom call? The grocery store?
No matter where you go, you are going as a missionary.
How can you share the Good News when you get there?
Join me LIVE online at 9:30 AM CST this morning
Unfortunately, we are cancelling our outdoor communion services at Munger this morning, 2/14.
Instead, join me LIVE online for a Bible study on Acts.
9:30 AM CST.
Watch through Facebook or on our Munger live site: mungerplace.live
Hope you can join.
This Detail Could Only Come From An Eyewitness
Today’s Reading: Acts 12:1-25
This kind of detail could only come from an eyewitness report about an event that actually happened:
12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place. (Acts 12:12-17)
Telling us that the servant girl’s name was Rhoda is a completely irrelevant detail, so why does Luke give us her name? Because that’s what the eyewitnesses—John Mark? His mother Mary? Peter himself?—remembered!
I love these sorts of little details—Mark’s Gospel is full of them—because they both bring the story alive and remind me: this stuff is real.
Remember that, and be encouraged today.
The 10 Year Period When Paul Goes Dark
The last we heard of Saul [Paul] is in Acts 9—after the Damascus Road experience, he starts preaching Jesus, eventually has to leave Damascus, goes to Jerusalem, and eventually has to leave Jerusalem; he heads back to his hometown, Tarsus.
There is about a 10 year gap between that return home and the next we hear of him in Acts 11.
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Through the church in Antioch, Gentiles start to trust in Messiah Jesus for salvation—in our language, they become Christians.
The Jerusalem Church hears about this startling development—remember that all the Jerusalem Christians are Jewish Christians—and they send Barnabas—a total stud—to check it out.
He must be both impressed by what the Spirit is doing in the Antiochene Church, and burdened by the need to train up these new Christians in the faith. “Ah,” he thinks, “I need someone who knows the story of Israel”—the Old Testament—”backwards and forwards, someone who is an effective preacher, and someone who is able to communicate well with Greek-speaking Gentiles. I have just the guy—that firebrand Saul.”
So Barnabas travels to Tarsus to find him!
For almost 10 years Saul has been in Tarsus and has dropped out of the story, but now Barnabas finds him and brings him back to Antioch, and the next part of the Gospel’s movement begins.
Those 10 years must have raised lots of questions in Paul’s mind—”What are you up to, Lord?” But I expect those 10 years were important years of development for Paul. And when Barnabas showed up at his door one day, he was ready.
How might God be preparing you now for what he wants to do then?
Don’t despise today—assume God has you where he needs you.
Peter Reports to the Church
Today’s Reading: Acts 11:1-18
1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Do You Understand the Gentile Controversy?
The so-called Gentile controversy is the most important topic in the New Testament books that are not the Gospels. The Gentile controversy is what Bible scholars call the debate in the early church over whether you had to become a Jew before you could become a Christian.
I’d like to post tomorrow an explainer of the controversy, but I’d like to hear your questions first so I can know what to be sure and address.
Why is it such a big deal that Peter meets with Cornelius? What is the point of the vision with the sheet and the animals? What is the difference between the Old and the New Covenants? Why did some Christians think you had to become a Jew first? Etc.
Put your thoughts and questions in the comments, or else reply to this email.
Today’s reading: Acts 10:34-48.
Fear+Comfort=Growth
Today’s reading is Acts 9:32-43, but I’m not going to talk about that until tomorrow.
Instead, I want to focus on the closing verse from yesterday’s portion:
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Acts 9:31
They feared God more than man, but they weren’t afraid, because the Holy Spirit gave them comfort.
I think there is something there for us today.
Do you and I fear man more than God? No wonder we live such anxious lives.
Instead, if we would fear God, we would be unafraid, and our lives would be fruitful.