The Shipwreck - Acts 27

²⁷ On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. ²⁸ They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. ²⁹ Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. ³⁰ In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. ³¹ Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” ³² So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

14 days in a violent storm!  Wow.  That is frightening.  No wonder these men were hopeless.  Now we have an attempted mutiny by way of just leaving the ship to its own destruction.  Yet Paul intervenes saying they have to all stay together or God won’t save any of them.  The centurion and soldiers believe Paul.  They are now all following God through the man of God.  There are no atheist in a foxhole and these men are becoming believers now that their lives are in jeopardy and they see no hope in any other place.  

³³ Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. ³⁴ Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” ³⁵ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. ³⁷ Altogether there were 276 of us on board. ³⁸ When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

Paul urges them to eat so they will live.  He reassures them that none of them will die.  Everyone witnesses Paul thanking God for the meal.  They have been in a violent storm for two weeks; they have lost all their cargo; they have lost hope of staying alive; they have even attempted a mutiny; they haven’t eaten much at all in two weeks just trying to survive; and now they witness Paul thanking God for the food.  They must have marveled at Paul’s worship!

³⁹ When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. ⁴⁰ Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. ⁴¹ But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. ⁴³ But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴ The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

The ship is wrecked and all make it to shore.  I imagine there was a lot of arguments and disagreements over killing the prisoners, yet the centurion won the conversation.  I also imagine that everyone was really, really happy to get off that ship and stand on land.  That must have been a very welcome experience no matter how it happened.

When you’re on a boat and something happens, mechanical problems or you get sick, the single greatest thing is the first step on land.  Your mind rests because it knows that you’re safe.  So much can go wrong on the water.  Getting to land is a sense of salvation in the physical world.  You gain some hope.  We are all wrecked in a sea of sin and in danger of being lost.  It is only through Jesus that we are saved and brought onto dry land.  He alone is our only hope.

The Storm - Acts 27

¹³ When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. ¹⁴ Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. ¹⁵ The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, ¹⁷ so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. ¹⁸ We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. ¹⁹ On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

The “Nor’easter” is a reference to a violent windy storm lasting several days coming over water from the northeast direction.  The term is Euroclydon in other interpretations.  The ship gets caught into this and they are just trying to survive.  They go to great lengths to stay afloat.  They have thrown their cargo over and lost all hope of economic profit in order to sit higher in the water.  They have removed and thrown over anything of weight trying to avoid hitting bottom and losing the ship.  They have even put ropes around the bottom to hold it together.  They are worried about dragging bottom and the ship tearing apart leaving them in the sea in the middle of the storm.  The storm is so large and long that they haven’t seen the sky for days.  They have lost hope for survival.

²¹ After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. ²² But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. ²³ Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me ²⁴and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ ²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. ²⁶ Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

Paul stands up and says “I told you so.”  Was it his intent that they know that he was right for his sake?  No, only so that they might listen to him now.  He is saying, “Hey guys, God showed me this would happen and you did not believe me.  Now He is showing me that all of you will live, so don’t be hopeless, this will happen because I have faith.”  It is a testimony to them of the God he serves.

Paul Sails for Rome - Acts 27

27 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. ² We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

Luke uses personal pronouns throughout this trip of Paul’s to Rome.  It is obvious that Luke accompanied Paul on the trip.  This trip could be called Paul’s 4^th missionary journey.  While he is bound by chains, the gospel message and Spirit of God within him is not bound.

³ The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.  

I imagine that families or friends of prisoners were responsible for clothing and food for them, otherwise they were getting rags and scraps.  In Haiti, which is what I imagine the standard of living to be somewhat like, family members and friends are responsible for welfare of you in the hospital and prison.  Otherwise, you are not taken care of.   

⁴ From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. ⁵ When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. ⁷ We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. ⁸ We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

They are having an extraordinary difficult time sailing across the Adriatic.  They are moving very slow, even for a sailing ship. 

⁹ Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them, ¹⁰ “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” ¹¹ But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. ¹² Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.

Because of the slow trip, they are now sailing at a time of the year when the winds and storms are known to be difficult and dangerous.  Also, Paul is a prophet.  He is given glimpses into the future by God as he walks with God.  So, out of concern for the men with regards to their profits in trade and their very lives, he advises them not to travel.  However, the centurion listens not to the prisoner, but to the captain of the ship, which is reasonable by man's wisdom. 

People do this every day.  They listen to the wisdoms of the world and take their best guess on if they should go or not go.  The world is doomed without God.  Only God knows when we should go or not go.  He alone holds the future in His hand.  He alone protects us and guides us in tomorrow.

Paul Witnesses to King Agrippa - Part II - Acts 26

¹⁹ “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. ²¹ That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. ²² But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul again is leaning in here.  After such a profound experience, he followed the instructions.  He has been preaching to the Gentiles just as he was shown to do.  And this is why the Jews want to kill him.

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”

Festus, knowing the peculiarity of the Jews to believe God’s blessings are for them alone, erupts against Paul’s claim that Moses said God’s Message is to the Gentiles.  No Jew would say that the Messiah they have been waiting on came not just for them, but for everyone also.  Blasphemy!  But it is the what Jesus did as He is the Truth.

²⁵ “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶ The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

Paul, who anyone would reason should be more interested in making his defense to not be in chains and a prisoner, is working to witness directly to the king and whoever is willing to hear the Message of salvation.  He is singularly focused on presenting the gospel in any way that he can.  Verses 28 and 29 are better presented in my opinion in the NKJV:

²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

²⁹ And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

These two interpretations have different meanings in my opinion.  One infers that the king is tempted and intrigued regarding belief.  One only mentions that he recognizes that Paul is trying to convince him.  One mentions time, yet one doesn’t mention it at all.

³⁰ The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. ³¹ After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”

³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Paul has now spoken to kings and he has suffered much for Christ.  He has once again witnessed to Jesus and testified of Jesus in his life.  He has simply presented his story of how Jesus met him and changed him.  Paul’s story is part of Jesus’ story.  There is still more suffering to bear unfortunately.  He has been found innocent by the king and governor of the region.  How does Jesus in your life add to the story of Jesus?  If you were put on trial, what would be your witness and testimony?  Is Jesus in it?

No matter what the king decides about the gospel, it is clear that Paul is going to Rome now.

Paul Witnesses to King Agrippa - Part I - Acts 26

26 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”

So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

His defense is for any Jew from anywhere that might have something to say against him.

⁴ “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. ⁶ And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. ⁸ Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

He is on trial because of his hope in a promise from the God of the Jews, his God.  This hope is in the resurrection of the dead.  King Agrippa knew the Mosaic Law and the Jewish background.  He knew they were awaiting a Messiah, a Savior. 

⁹ “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.  ¹¹ Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

He worked for them and did their work.  They know him well.  He was very diligent in opposing those who follow Jesus.  He was more diligent than even the chief priests were prosecuting those of the Way. 

¹² “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³ About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

¹⁵ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

Paul leans in as he tells this part of his testimony.  He refers to “King Agrippa” several times.  He is speaking directly to him and it infers how personal this part of the story is to him.  It is as if he is saying ‘listen closely to this’, it is miraculous.  Paul is also witnessing directly to the king.

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ¹⁶ ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. ¹⁷ I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them ¹⁸ to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Paul centers his testimony on the intervention of Jesus into his life.  He is the center of Paul’s story.

Who is in the center of your testimony?  Is it you?  Is it others?  Or is it Jesus?  If you are a Christian, it should the intervention of Jesus into your life.  He should be at the center of your story.

Festus Consults King Agrippa and Paul Stands Before Agrippa - Acts 25

¹³ A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. ¹⁴ Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. ¹⁵ When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.

¹⁶ “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. ¹⁷ When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. ¹⁸ When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. ¹⁹ Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. ²⁰ I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. ²¹ But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”

Now, Paul will witness to a king, just as he had been told he would by Jesus when he was in Damascus. 

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”

Paul gets to witness to the king and rulers with all the pomp and circumstance of it.  This had to be a regal setting.

Festus is in a bind here.  If Paul is guilty of sedition he should be put to death.  If he is not guilty, he should be freed.  Festus admits that there is no proof of the charges against this man.  He has appealed to Caesar but I have no charges to list.  He is also saying, I don’t want to rule him innocent when all of the Jews hate him and cause riots and mobs against him.  This is what he is really saying and he is putting that decision up the ladder.  He would rather the Jews despise Agrippa whom they never see rather than him who they will see often and have to respect his authority daily.

Paul is given this regal setting before this king.  He does not use it to defend himself.  He uses it to present the gospel message.  He is intent upon presenting Jesus to the king and all who are present.

Paul's Trial Before Festus - Acts 25

25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, ² where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. ³ They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. ⁴ Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. ⁵ Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”

Two years later, Paul gets to defend himself in another trial with another regional leader.  The Jewish leaders again come to make charges.  Festus makes a very diplomatic visit with the Jewish leaders as a means for peaceful leadership change and in an effort to maintain peace.

⁶ After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. ⁷ When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.

⁸ Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”

⁹ Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?” 

Even though none of the charges against Paul can be proven and the fact that Paul is a Roman citizen, Festus's desire to be liked having just spent over a week in Jerusalem with these Jewish leaders, persuades him to try to do this.  He is rewarded when the people in his region have order.  He is seeking to do them this favor of transferring Paul to Jerusalem.  

¹⁰ Paul answered: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. ¹¹ If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

¹² After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

Paul says to heck with these Jews and their court.  I’m in a Roman court and it can be ruled here now.  But since no one will rule because it is not politically expedient, Paul takes it out of their hand.  He is using his Roman citizenship to do the will of God.  Paul was told with encouragement from God that he would go to Rome.  This appeal to Caesar is the ticket to Rome.  Also, the further away from the Jewish leaders he gets, the less their accusations have meaning.  They are unable to stir up riots and create mobs outside of Jerusalem and around Roman authority.  Like it is, they’ve had two years to get witnesses from Asia to witness to his sedition there and do not have any.  The Roman authority care about their laws and courts, not about Jewish law which is outside of the Roman law.  Without a mob, the Jewish leaders know they will not get Paul convicted.  This is the last time we hear from the Jewish leaders.

Paul Witnesses to Felix and Drusilla - Acts 24

²² Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” ²³ He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.

Paul is in prison, but he is given a lot of liberties.  Felix wanted to hear more about the Way.  The Jewish position was very non-compelling to Felix and since they brought up the commander Lysias, he would hear from him.  I don’t know if Felix ever talked to Lysias because Felix never decided on Paul’s case.  Felix should have freed Paul because there is no proof he has broken a Roman law.  But Felix is a politician and he wants peace in his region.

History writes that Felix was a freed slave.  He had forged his way to the front through cruelty and brutality.  The Roman historian, Tacitus, says that Felix “through all cruelty and licentiousness he exercised the authority of a king with the spirit of a slave.”  He as a brutal person who enjoyed great pleasures.

Drusilla, his wife, was the daughter of Herod Agrippa I.  Her father killed James as is recorded in Acts 12.  Her great uncle killed John the Baptist and her great grandfather tried to kill the Lord Jesus Christ.  (per J. Vernon McGee commentary)

This is the judge for Paul.

²⁴ Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

Paul is now witnessing to those in regional authority.  He has access to the those with the most power in that region.  He is also witnessing to someone who has interest in this Way.  Somehow, a seed has been planted in their life so they want to hear more.

Why does teaching about righteousness, self-control and judgment scare people?  Because everyone knows they aren’t righteous, they don’t have self-control, and a judgment could be true!  Felix and Drusilla get a personal witness from Paul about Jesus.  This is an amazing demonstration of God’s grace to provide this opportunity to them. 

Felix postpones his decision to believe in Jesus for a more “convenient time”.  It should be noted that there is never a convenient time for sinners to believe.  “Today is the day of salvation.” Unfortunately, he cannot let go of the world of politics and there is no mention of Felix believing.

²⁷ When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

Two years.  And we think our court system is slow.  Two years in prison “as a favor” to the Jews.  How would you like to be in prison as a favor for someone else for nothing more than believing and preaching about Jesus?  The real question is, would you be willing to do that for your Lord?

Paul's Trial before Felix - Acts 24

24 Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. ² When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. ³ Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. ⁴ But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.

The Jews are spending a good amount of time indicating to Felix that they have had a long period of peace under him, which is good for Felix, and they lift up Felix so he is flattered and can see the benefit of prolonged friendship with the Jewish council.  They play on the ambitions of Felix as a politician that he wants this peace for his own benefit.  In a sense, it is a form of blackmail.  They are saying that he needs a good relationship with them or they can make trouble, the very thing they are accusing Paul of doing.  It is incredibly ironic, but it shows their hearts.  The same was true in their prosecution of Jesus.  They hung Him on a cross because He claimed to be God.  Yet, as Jesus pointed out to them, they take the role of God by making their own rules so they can do what they want to do and be in a separate class above the people.  They worshiped themselves and they killed Jesus for the crime they were actively doing.

This is very true today for those who oppose Christianity or the principles of the Bible.  They accuse Christians of many things and in so doing are always doing the exact action of their accusation.  For example, many say that Christians are judging others when they refuse to let homosexual persons be leaders in their church.  Yet, they judge Christians and their beliefs when they say Christians are guilty of judging.  This is only possible when people do not have a singular truth.  For Christians, the Truth is a person and that is Jesus Christ.  For those who do not believe in Jesus as the Son of the one true living Lord, the truth moves on a sliding scale and is not stable.

⁵ “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect ⁶ and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.  ⁸ By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”

⁹ The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.

The charge they make against Paul is that he is a mover of sedition.  He purposely incites riots through speech or organization.  So they start with flattery to Felix with regard for the peace they’ve enjoyed (good for Felix) and charge Paul with the opposite (bad for Felix).  They know that Roman leaders are ambitious and they are playing their prosecution of Paul to it.

There is a missing verse 7 in the NIV version of the Bible.  This verse makes a slight complaint regarding the commander Lysias saying the violence associated with the riot was his cause not theirs.  They would have handled Paul among themselves (killed him).  They unknowingly show that they have no respect for Roman law, but think they are saying how peace would have been maintained.

¹⁰ When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. ¹¹ You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. ¹³ And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. ¹⁴ However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, ¹⁵ and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶ So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Paul defends himself as before the court, they must have proof of their accusation, of him committing this crime.  He further describes to the Romans that he has the same hope his accusers have, but believe differently and this is the real disturbance.  Romans would be familiar with this aspect of overreaction from the Jews regarding their beliefs against those who disagree. 

Paul also centers on resurrection, this is the central topic of the Christian church.  The resurrection of Jesus and this is the argument with which they disagree.

The real disappointment is that there are not defenders of Paul from the church in Jerusalem, or Antioch.  They have left Paul to defend himself.  Obviously Luke is there, and maybe a few others with Luke, but the larger Christian church doesn’t send representatives.  If they are there, there is no mention of it.

¹⁷ “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. ¹⁸ I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. ¹⁹ But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin— ²¹ unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”

Now Paul acknowledges he has been in Asia and indicates that they might have something against him since that is where he has been for many years.   If he has stirred up sedition there, where are those accusers and why aren’t they in the room?  Why aren’t they here if these accusations are true. He hasn’t been in this area long enough to have done what they are saying.

Paul Transferred to Caesarea - Acts 23

²³ Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. ²⁴ Provide horses for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”

This is a huge detachment for the protection of just one man in custody.  This is more of a show to the Jews that they will not get to Paul and he will be tried by their law.  This is Romans protecting a Roman citizen.  I can associate this with the American military coming to rescue a citizen from the jihadist with a lot of force and then escorting the citizen out with a lot of force.  The commander moves Paul out by cover of darkness and gives him a horse to ride on so they can move quickly.

²⁵ He wrote a letter as follows:

²⁶ Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency, Governor Felix:

Greetings.

²⁷ This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. ²⁸ I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. ²⁹ I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. ³⁰ When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.

³¹ So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. ³² The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. ³³ When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. ³⁴ The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

Paul awaits trial in a much nicer place than a prison.  The commander has done well to remove Paul from the mob so that his case can be heard in a much less violent location.  The commander never understood what Paul was guilty of except that it was of a Jewish law.  In his eyes, Paul was not guilty of any Roman law.  However, his job is to maintain order, so moving Paul does exactly that.  It also allows him to move the responsibility up the chain of command.  It is now in the hands of Governor Felix.

The Plot to Kill Paul - Acts 23

¹² The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ More than forty men were involved in this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him to the commander.

The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

¹⁹ The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”

²⁰ He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. ²¹ Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

²² The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

Here we learn that Paul had a sister and a nephew.  They obviously kept in touch. 

We also learn that 40 Jews agreed not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.  That is a large group to make such a dedicated stand.  They obviously had judged Paul’s soul and found it wanting, something they were unqualified to do and had no authority to do.  Only Jesus can judge a man’s soul, and He will.  Since the text mentions the chief priests and the Sanhedrin, it is reasonable to assume that all of them are working together to murder Paul.

Paul is hated because he follows Jesus.  They violently protest against him directly and have now plotted to kill him.  All because he follows Jesus.  What has following Jesus cost you?  Should you ask yourself, are you following Jesus with all your heart, mind, and spirit?

Paul Speaks to the Chief Priests - Acts 23

³⁰ The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

Since the commander knows that Paul is a Roman citizen and is being accused by the Jews, he wants to know what crime he has committed and if he will be in trouble for holding a Roman without cause.  I wonder if the Jews knew that Paul was a Roman citizen and would have this influence regarding his treatment.  The commander is forcing an unofficial "trial" to see if there is any validity with regard to Roman law for holding Paul.

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” ² At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. ³ Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”

⁴ Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

⁵ Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

Paul again begins by saying “my brothers”.  He has done this before as a point telling them that he is a fellow Jew.  He says that he has in good conscious followed God’s instruction to that very moment.  How many of us can say the same?  Why can't we?  We should endeavor everyday to fulfill our duty to God in all good conscious.  Are you looking for a purpose today?  There it is.  Look no further.

At just Paul saying that the high priest demands he be struck.  This is an appalling rudeness.  Paul's criticism of the high priest is nearly the same as Jesus's criticism in Matthew 23.  Paul rebuts this action as a point of order.  In Roman law, no man could be punished until there had been a judgment.  There had been no judgment.  Paul is catching the high priest at odds with the laws of Rome.

Paul then quotes the law.  The same law that the high priest should have followed and not indicated for Paul to be struck.  This is also an indication for the Romans that these Jews are following their own laws above the Roman law.  This would put the Romans against the words of the Jews.

⁶ Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” ⁷ When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸ (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)

Paul, who knows all of their theologies, gets them to argue violently among themselves.  This is a genius method that shows they do not know what they are doing to the Romans.  As ordered as the Romans are in their law, this would have looked like wild children to them and this would lead them to a better reverence towards Paul and away from the Sanhedrin.

⁹ There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰ The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.

The Jews are so confused that they cannot maintain order and conduct themselves reasonably at this time of supposed unity against Paul and the followers of Jesus.  Again, to the western style of learning of the Romans, this had to look like untrained children, chaos.  The single purpose of discovering what the crime was against Paul has only revealed the incompetent leadership of the chief priests and Sanhedrin.

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

This personal encouragement from the Lord is a good indication that Paul was not outside of God’s will and was indeed following the Spirit.  It must have also been a great assurance to him from God to know that God had a purpose for him where he was, which was a prisoner hated by his own people.