Lesson #30

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 89:14

• FELIX, THE ROMAN GOVERNOR, KEPT PAUL UNDER HOUSE ARREST FOR TWO YEARS. WE DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THESE TWO YEARS IN PAUL’S LIFE, OTHER THAN THE FEW VISITS WHEN FELIX MET WITH PAUL. THEN FELIX WAS REPLACED BY FESTUS.
• IN FRUSTRATING, STAGNANT SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, THE CHRISTIAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE LEARNING TO DEVELOP HIS CHARACTER. WE WILL DISCUSS THIS ASPECT AT THE END OF THE LESSON.

• READ ACT 25:1-12 FESTUS AND A NEW JEWISH PLOT
• AS SOON AS FESTUS TAKES OFFICE HE GOES TO JERUSALEM WITH THE HOPES OF BEING ACCEPTED BY THE JEWS.
• THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP WANTED PAUL BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM FOR TRIAL. HOWEVER, THEIR PLAN WAS TO AMBUSH PAUL AND KILL HIM.
• FESTUS INSISTED HAVING THE TRIAL IN CAESAREA.
• THIS DECISION KEPT PAUL PROTECTED.
• THE TRIBUNAL OF FESTUS:
• AS WAS SUGGESTED BY FESTUS, THE JEWS SENT JEWISH LEADERS TO CAESAREA TO APPEAR AT PAUL’S TRIAL.
• NOTICE THAT THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE JEWS HAVE NO PROOF OF ANY CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.
• THE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL WERE THE SAME ONES THE JEWS HAD AIRED BEFORE GOVERNOR FELIX TWO YEARS BEFORE.
• THE FIRST TWO CHARGES ARE RELIGIOUS CHARGES THAT FESTUS HAS NEITHER AUTHORITY OR KNOWLEDGE TO WHICH TO SIT IN JUDGEMENT.
• THE THIRD CHARGE IS A POLITICAL CHARGE THAT THE JEWISH SANHEDRIN HAS NO AUTHORITY TO PASS JUDGMENT.
• #1 CRIMES AGAINST THE MOSAIC LAW
• #2 CRIMES AGAINST THE JEWISH TEMPLE
• #3 CRIMES AGAINST THE ROMAN EMPEROR
• WHAT IS PAUL’S APPEAL BEFORE FESTUS? (9-11)
• PAUL MAKES A LEGAL APPEAL TO HAVE HIS CASE HEARD IN ROME. WHY?
• PREVIOUSLY PAUL WAS WILLING TO DIE IN JERUSALEM. (ACT 21:13) NOW HE KNOWS GOD WANTS HIM IN ROME.
• PAUL KNOWS IT IS GOD’S WILL THAT HE GO TO ROME. BY FAITH HE IS WAITING FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
• THEREFORE, PAUL MAKES A LEGAL APPEAL AS A ROMAN CITIZEN.
• BECAUSE THE CHARGES ARE A MIXTURE OF RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL CHARGES, PAUL’S CASE REALLY HAS NO SOLUTION.
• GOVERNOR FESTUS WANTS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JEWS AND A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH ROME. HE KNOWS THE JEWS HAVE NO SOUND LEGAL CASE AGAINST PAUL, BUT HE IS A POLITICIAN WHO DOES NOT SEEK JUSTICE BUT OPPORTUNITY.
• TO APPEAR TO DO A FAVOR FOR THE JEWS FESTUS ASKS PAUL TO HAVE HIS CASE HEARD IN JERUSALEM.
• FESTUS KNOWS PAUL IS INNOCENT, BUT HE WANTS TO USE PAUL FOR HIS OWN POLITICAL PURPOSES TO GAIN FAVOR WITH THE JEWS.
• OF COURSE, PAUL KNOWS THAT THE JEWS PLAN TO KILL HIM, BASED ON THE PREVIOUS PLOT IN CHAPTER 23.
• FESTUS, LIKE ALL PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS, SEES THAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO PASS THE PROBLEM TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY.
• WHY DOES PAUL THINK HE WILL GET A FAIR TRIAL IN ROME WHEN NERO IS THE EMPEROR?
• AT THIS POINT IN NERO’S CAREER AS EMPEROR, HE PROMOTED LAW AND JUSTICE. NERO’S REPUTATION TO THIS POINT HAD BEEN A GOOD ONE.
• THE JEWS WERE SOMEWHAT OUT OF FAVOR WITH NERO IN ROME. THEREFORE, PAUL’S TRIAL WOULD NOT BE COLORED BY THE HATRED THE JEWS HAD FOR HIM.

• READ ACTS 25:13-22 FESTUS AND HEROD AGRIPPA II. THE DATE IS 60-61 AD.
• WHO WAS HEROD AGRIPPA II?
• HE WAS THE SON OF HEROD AGRIPPA I, WHO BEHEADED JAMES AND HAD PETER PUT INTO PRISON.
• HE WAS PART JEWISH IN THAT HE WAS DESCENDED FROM THE MACCABEAN PRIEST KINGS.
• HEROD AGRIPPA II WAS ORTHODOX IN HIS JEWISH BELIEFS AND THE KEEPING OF THE LAW, THOUGH HE DID NOT LIVE HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
• HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE JEWISH TRADITION, THE JEWISH LAW, AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE JEWISH TEMPLE IMPRESSED THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP.
• WHEN HIS FATHER DIED IN ACT 12:20-23, HE WAS TOO YOUNG TO RULE.
• HE WAS EDUCATED IN ROME AND GIVEN TERRITORY AND THE TITLE OF KING BY EMPEROR CLAUDIUS.
• HEROD RULED TERRITORY TO THE NORTH EAST OF THE TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY FESTUS.
• HEROD AGRIPPA II’S SISTER, DRUSILLA, WAS MARRIED TO FELIX, THE PREVIOUS GOVERNOR BEFORE FESTUS.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT BERNICE?
• BERNICE WAS THE SISTER OF DRUSILLA AND HEROD AGRIPPA II.
• BERNICE WAS PREVIOUSLY MARRIED TO HER UNCLE, ALSO A HEROD. WHEN HER UNCLE DIED, SHE REMARRIED BUT LIVED IN AN INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH HER BROTHER. FINALLY, SHE LEFT HER HUSBAND TO LIVE AS KING HEROD AGRIPPA II’S QUEEN.
• THIS IS THE SITUATION WE SEE HER IN HERE IN ACT 25.
• LATER SHE BECOMES THE MISTRESS OF ROMAN EMPEROR VESPASIAN.
• LATER STILL SHE BECAME THE MISTRESS OF VESPASIAN’S SON, EMPEROR TITUS.
• HEROD AGRIPPA II AND BERNICE CAME TO VISIT GOVERNOR FESTUS TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS NEW POSITION.
• HEROD AGRIPPA HAD MORE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH JEWISH AFFAIRS THAN FESTUS. THEREFORE, FESTUS TELLS HEROD AGRIPPA ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH PAUL.
• FESTUS DISCUSSES THE CASE AGAINST PAUL WITH HEROD AGRIPPA II. (14-21) WHY?
• WHEN FESTUS SENDS PAUL TO ROME FOR TRIAL, HE MUST ALSO SEND A PAPER SPELLING OUT THE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL.
• BECAUSE OF THE MIXTURE OF RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL CHARGES, HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THIS PAPER IS WORDED CORRECTLY FOR HIS OWN POLITICAL BENEFIT. THEREFORE, HE SEEKS HEROD AGRIPPA’S EXPERTISE IN JEWISH AFFAIRS.
• IN REVIEWING THE SITUATION SINCE FESTUS TOOK OFFICE, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE CHARGES AGAINST PAUL WERE A SURPRISE TO FESTUS. HE DID NOT EXPECT RELIGIOUS CHARGES.
• FOR THE FIRST TIME WE SEE THE NAME OF JESUS WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE TRIAL BEFORE FESTUS. (19)
• WHAT ONE REFERENCE DOES FESTUS MAKE TO JESUS CHRIST?
• THE JEWS SAID JESUS WAS DEAD AND PAUL SAID JESUS WAS ALIVE.
• THE CENTRAL ISSUE IN PAUL’S IMPRISONMENT IS STILL THE RESURRECTION.
• THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST WAS THE TESTIMONY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK OF ACTS.
• THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST WAS THE CENTRAL ISSUE OF THE GOSPEL THAT SPREAD FROM JERUSALEM TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH.
• THE FACT OF A RESURRECTION DIVIDED THE PHARISEES AND THE SADDUCEES.
• THE ISSUE OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS KEEPING PAUL IN PRISON.
• WHAT DO YOU THINK FESTUS BELIEVED ABOUT CHRIST?
• FESTUS BELIEVED THAT JESUS WAS DEAD ALONG WITH THE JEWS, BUT HE HAD NO PROOF. ONLY PAUL SEEMED TO THINK JESUS WAS ALIVE.
• THEREFORE, FESTUS CONSIDERED THE MATTER BEYOND HIS KNOWLEDGE. (20)
• WHAT WAS KING AGRIPPA’S REACTION TO THE SUMMARY THAT FESTUS GAVE ABOUT PAUL’S CASE?
• HEROD AGRIPPA II HAD HEARD ABOUT PAUL AND HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO TALK TO HIM.

• READ ACT 25:23-27 PAUL BEFORE FESTUS AND HEROD AGRIPPA II
• THE SCENE IS DEPICTED IN THE BIBLE WITH ONE WORD, “POMP”. (23)
• THE HEROD FAMILY WAS KNOWN FOR THEIR POMPOUS ATTITUDE AND THEIR CONSUMING PRIDE.
• REMEMBER THAT HEROD AGRIPPA I WAS JUDGED BY GOD FOR HIS PRIDEFUL ATTITUDE IN ACT 12:20-23.
• FESTUS DECLARES THAT HE BELIEVES PAUL IS INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGES CALLING FOR DEATH. THIS IS A STRONG DECLARATION OF PAUL’S INNOCENCE.
• WITH THAT STRONG DECLARATION, FESTUS SHOULD HAVE SET PAUL FREE.
• HOWEVER, FESTUS KNOWS THAT DEATH IS WHAT THE JEWS HAVE IN MIND.
• NOTICE THE IMPLICATION FESTUS GIVES IS THAT ALL THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE CALLING FOR PAUL’S DEATH. (24)
• OF COURSE THIS IS AN EXAGGERATION BY FESTUS TO MAKE THE SITUATION APPEAR MORE IMPORTANT IN THE EYES OF HEROD AGRIPPA II.
• FESTUS IS EMBARRASSED BY PAUL’S LEGAL APPEAL TO ROME. WHY?
• BECAUSE FESTUS BELIEVES PAUL IS INNOCENT, HE IS GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME EXPLAINING WHY HE IS SENDING THE CASE TO ROME.
• BECAUSE PAUL IS INNOCENT AND HAS APPEALED TO ROME, FESTUS MUST NOW SEND THE CASE TO ROME ALONG WITH A PAPER OF FORMAL CHARGES. BUT HOW DOES ONE WRITE FORMAL CHARGES AGAINST AN INNOCENT MAN?
• IT IS EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM THAT FESTUS HOPED HEROD AGRIPPA II WOULD SOLVE FOR HIM.

• APPLICATION:
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER ABOUT HUMAN JUSTICE?
• HUMAN JUSTICE IS NOT JUSTICE AT ALL. WHY?
• MAN IS SHORT SIGHTED AND NOT ALL KNOWING LIKE GOD.
• HUMAN JUSTICE SELDOM GETS AT THE REAL TRUTH.
• HUMAN JUSTICE IS, ALL TOO FREQUENTLY, PERVERTED BY SELF-INTEREST AND WRONG MOTIVES.
• THE ONLY TRUE JUSTICE IS GOD’S JUSTICE.
• HOWEVER, GOD NEVER PROMISES THE CHRISTIAN THAT LIFE WILL BE FAIR.
• WHAT SHOULD BE THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHRISTIAN IN AN UNJUST, UNFAIR WORLD?
• READ PHI 4:11-12

• IF THE CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE SHOULD BE ONE OF CONTENTMENT IN WHATEVER SITUATION, HOW DOES PHI 4:11 TELL THE CHRISTIAN HOW TO OBTAIN THIS ATTITUDE?
• WHAT IS IT THAT THE CHRISTIAN CAN LEARN IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION?

HOMEWORK
ACTS 26
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 25
• IS THERE ANY SITUATION IN YOUR LIFE ABOUT WHICH YOU CAN SAY YOU ARE NOT CONTENT? IF YOUR ANSWER IS YES, EXPLAIN.
• IN PRAYER ASK GOD EVERY DAY THIS WEEK TO SHOW YOU WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE SITUATION IN WHICH YOU FIND YOURSELF. WRITE DOWN SOME POSSIBLE CHARACTER QUALITIES YOU CAN LEARN.

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 26
• READ ACT 26:1-32
• WHY IS PAUL SO HAPPY THAT HE SAYS NICE THINGS ABOUT HEROD AGRIPPA? (1-3)

• WHICH VERBS DID PAUL USE TO DESCRIBE THIS PART OF HIS LIFE? (9-11)

• WHAT WAS PAUL’S LIFE MESSAGE? (20 AND 23)

• WHAT WAS FESTUS’ REACTION TO PAUL’S MESSAGE?

• WHAT WAS HEROD AGRIPPA’S REACTION TO PAUL’S MESSAGE?

• WHAT WAS THE CONCLUSION OF THE GOVERNMENT RULERS?

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 26:8