Acts of the Apostles (52)
Introduction
As the crow flies, Caesarea was around 47 miles from Jerusalem. But because of terrain and available roads, it was around 65 miles for actual travelers. Paul in Roman custody away down in Caesarea was therefore out of the reach of the Jews. But he was not far enough away to be out of their thinking. Two years later, he was still very much on their minds.
The Text
“Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, and desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him . . .” (Acts 25:1–27).
Summary of the Text
When Festus replaced Felix, he came to Caesarea first, and then three days later he went up to Jerusalem (v. 1). One of the first things that the high priest and leading Jews brought up was the outstanding matter of Paul (v. 2). They requested he be brought back to Jerusalem, not having abandoned the idea of a murderous ambush (v. 3). Festus declined since he was leaving for Caesarea shortly (v. 4). They could come down to Caesarea to accuse Paul there (v. 5). So after 10 days, Festus headed home, and the day after that he ordered Paul to appear before him (v. 6). When he appeared, the Jews from Jerusalem swarmed and made numerous accusations which they couldn’t prove (v. 7). Paul’s response was simple—he denied everything. He hadn’t broken anybody’s laws (v. 8). However Festus didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with the Jewish leaders, and so he asked if Paul would be willing to have his hearing up in Jerusalem (v. 9). Paul replied that he belonged in the Roman system, having done no wrong—as Festus knew quite well (v. 10). Paul did not refuse capital punishment if he deserved it, but he didn’t deserve it—so he appealed to Caesar (v. 11). Festus conferred with his people and then granted the appeal (v. 12).
A while later, Agrippa and Bernice (brother and sister) came to offer Festus an official welcome (v. 13) After they had been there some days, Festus brought Paul’s case up (v. 14). When he was at Jerusalem, the Jewish rulers had sought a judgment against him (v. 15). Festus replied that the Romans did not execute anybody without giving them a chance to defend themselves (v. 16; Prov. 18:17). So Festus had set it up for the day after he got back to Caesarea (v. 17). The accusers then astonished him (v. 18). It was a religious matter—they said Jesus was dead, with Paul claiming He was alive (v. 19). Festus didn’t know what to do, so he asked if Paul would go up to Jerusalem (v. 20), which is when Paul appealed to Caesar (v. 21). Agrippa said something like “this sounds interesting,” and Festus said he could hear Paul the next day (v. 22). Agrippa entered the next day with great pomp, together with his sister, and all the bigwigs of Caesarea were there (v. 23). Paul was then brought out. Now remember that God had told Ananias that Paul was going to testify before kings, and here we are (Acts 9:15). Festus said they should all look at the man that the multitude of the Jews wanted to see dead (v. 24). But Festus disagreed—he said he had found nothing worthy of death, and because he had appealed to Caesar, that was going to happen (v. 25). But Festus still had a problem. He had no idea how to write the cover letter for this. Maybe Agrippa might be able to help out (v. 26). Festus thought, rightly, that it would be crazy to send a prisoner to Rome with no summary of the charges (v. 27).
The Jews had not given up on their plot to waylay any group that was escorting Paul anywhere. Even though a few years had gone by, they were still hot after Paul. On top of that, Luke was aware that this was still their plan, and we know this because he recorded the fact (v. 3). Paul had known for a while that the larger plan was to get to Rome (Acts 23:11), but apparently you couldn’t just wing off and appeal to Caesar. Paul waited until such an appeal would provide Festus with a convenient off ramp.
The Pecking Order
Festus held the ultimate authority in the region, with Agrippa serving as a local client king. Compared to his predecessors (and successors), Festus was a competent and wise ruler. He subdued bandits, restored fiscal order, and was praised highly by Josephus. Nevertheless, though he was an honest pagan (unlike Felix), he was still a pagan at the end of the day. He respected Paul highly, particularly his learning, but he did not understand Paul at all (Acts 26:24).
Agrippa was around 30 years old at this time. He had been brought up in Rome, in the court of Claudius Caesar. Under the Roman governors, he had religious authority in Palestine—appointing the high priest, having custody of the Temple treasury, etc. The Roman governors would consult him on matters of religious law, as here. He had an incestuous relationship with his sister Bernice, who was a woman who lived in a profligate way. And the way they made their entrance, with “great pomp,” perhaps tells us a bit more about their attachment to vanities.
The Point of the Narrative
Although we are dealing with lower authorities and appeals courts, Luke is very careful to record their tentative judgments. He records the assessment of Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:29). He records the willingness of Felix to free Paul in exchange for a gift (Acts 24:26). He records the judgment of Festus, who said that Paul had done nothing deserving of death (Acts 25:25). And after Festus consulted with a local king, who was more acquainted with these matters, King Agrippa came to agree with Festus on this same point (Acts 26:32).
Christ and Caesar
As a practical matter, the religious concerns of the Jews and the Christians were under the control of Rome. Paul did not object to this and labored faithfully within those constraints. The established authorities were God’s deacons, appointed by Him to reward the righteous and punish the wrongdoer (Rom. 13:1-7). If Paul had done wrong, he did not refuse the penalty, even to the point of death (Acts 25:11). In other ways, he functioned within the de facto system around him. He used his Roman citizenship at Philippi (Acts 16:37). He used his Roman citizenship later on with Claudius Lysias (Acts 22:25). And here he plays the ultimate trump card that a Roman citizen had—he appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11).
He did all of this knowing that Caesar only had jurisdiction in a limited way. That which had God’s image on it had to be rendered to God instead (Matt. 22:21). Paul, the faithful Christian and apostle, was also Paul the faithful Roman. Note again what he says in v. 8. “Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.”
Why are Christians, who are dutiful citizens, and not scofflaws, such a threat to secular rulers? The reason is not because Christians are lawless, but rather because we understand that law must have a transcendent basis. If the source of law is outside the world, as it is, and if Christ is at the right hand of the Father, as He is, then this means that Caesar is as much under authority as we are. He has no authority to touch certain things because he is God’s deacon. This means that Jesus is Lord and Caesar isn’t. Caesar is Caesar, but Caesar too is created in the image of God. That means that he must render to God the things that are God’s.