From The New Moody Atlas of the Bible by Barry J. Beitzel (©2009). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission.
Once, when walking down a certain street in Chicago, D.L. Moody stepped up to a man, a perfect stranger to him, and said, “Sir, are you a Christian?” “You mind your own business,” was the reply. Moody replied, “This is my business.”
—D. L. MOODY1
Paul and his group leave Miletus and sail down the coast of Asia Minor, then board a ship headed for Tyre to unload its cargo. They seek out the disciples in Tyre, who warn Paul through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem. After staying in Tyre a week, the disciples accompany them outside the city to the beach, where they all pray together and say goodbye.
Continuing south along the coast and arriving at Ptolemais, they greet the believers and stay with them for a day. This city got its name during the intertestamental period when the Ptolemies of Egypt occupied the area after Alexander the Great’s empire was divided following his death.2 Still traveling south, they arrive the next day at Caesarea and go to the house of Philip the evangelist—one of the seven men the apostles had chosen to distribute food—whose four unmarried daughters have the gift of prophecy. Philip is called “the evangelist” because of his fruitful work in winning souls in Samaria (Acts 8:4–13) and along the Mediterranean coast (8:40), and possibly even founding the church in Caesarea.3
A few days later Agabus, a prophet from Judea, comes to Philip’s house. He takes Paul’s belt and binds his own feet and hands with it, saying, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.” The phrase “handed over to the Gentiles” mirrors Christ’s statement that He was going up to Jerusalem to be delivered over to the Gentiles (Luke 18:31–32). Agabus’s use of visual signs is in the pattern of the Old Testament prophets Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, who repeatedly employed this technique to warn Israel of its coming exile if it did not repent (Ezek. 4:1–12, 12:3; Isaiah 20:2–3; Jer. 13:1; 27:2).4 Old and New Testament prophets functioned differently in that the former were mainly engaged in revealing the coming Messiah, the impending exile, and other future events, whereas the latter, like Agabus, mostly predict events in the immediate future.5
Despite pleas from his group, Paul cannot be dissuaded. He asks, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” The men yield, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.”
These warnings from the Holy Spirit not to go to Jerusalem are curious in light of Paul’s own promptings from the Holy Spirit to go there (Acts 19:21; 20:22). Why would the Holy Spirit send conflicting messages? As John Calvin asks, “Here ariseth a question, how the brethren can dissuade him by the Spirit from doing that which Paul did testify he doth by the secret motion of the same Spirit? Is the Spirit contrary to himself, that he doth now loose Paul whom he held bound inwardly?”6 There is no inconsistency, however, because although the prophets are forewarning Paul of imminent danger, Paul knows his higher calling requires him to subordinate his own safety unless the danger will imperil his mission. Calvin suggests the prophets’ admonitions were evidence of God’s grace designed to prepare Paul for difficulties he would encounter as he pursued his Spirit-led mission. John Polhill comments, “The warnings along the way prepared Paul for the imprisonment and hardship that did indeed befall him there, fortified him for the experience, and convinced him that God was in it all.”7
Thus, like Jesus, Paul is determined to go on to Jerusalem despite the danger (Luke 9:51). Moreover, Paul is no stranger to suffering for Christ’s sake and never yields to it. “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities,” he writes. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). Furthermore, he declares,
Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:7–11).
Finally, he exclaims, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3–5). Without minimizing Paul’s commendable spirit of sacrifice, it’s noteworthy that he is fortified by the Christian fellowship he experiences in every town he visits. It’s a biblical testament to the enduring importance of Christian community and the strength each of us receives from our Christian friendships. Paul writes from experience when he says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11).
Significantly, Luke and the other believers finally capitulate—not based on Paul’s power of persuasion, but because they know that despite the prophets’ spirit-led warnings, God’s will is that Paul complete his mission.
Soon they pack and leave for Jerusalem. Some believers from Caesarea go with them and take them to the home of Mnason of Cyprus, an early believer, where they are warmly welcomed. The next day they go to meet James (the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church) and all the Jerusalem elders. Paul provides them a detailed account of what God has accomplished through him in his ministry to the Gentiles. Again, Paul’s humility shines through, as he credits God rather than himself. Hearing this news, they praise God and inform Paul that thousands of Jews have also become believers while still earnestly following the Law of Moses. These Jewish Christians have heard that Paul is teaching the Jews who live among the Gentiles to abandon Mosaic Law and to refrain from circumcising their children or following other Jewish customs. They ask Paul, “What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.” James and the elders support Paul’s mission but are concerned that his attitude toward the Law is hindering their own mission to the Jews.8
They answer their own question, telling Paul he should go to the Temple with four men who have completed their vow, join them in the purification ceremony, and pay for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then people will realize that Paul does in fact observe Jewish laws. Meanwhile, Gentile believers should continue following the rules decided at the Jerusalem Council, of which they were informed by letter: abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming the blood or meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.
Paul complies and accompanies the men to the Temple the next day, probably caring more about restoring harmony to facilitate the advance of the Gospel than about vindicating himself. Paul is not withdrawing from the rules established by the Jerusalem Council, which dealt with whether Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved. However, though observance of the Law does not contribute toward anyone’s salvation, there is nothing wrong with Jews continuing to observe their customs as part of their national identity or as cultural expressions of piety.9 Paul doesn’t want to impose stumbling blocks for Jewish believers, and as long as these ritual observances cause no theological confusion (concerning salvation by faith alone) they should do no harm.
As the purification ritual has already begun, Paul publicly announces the date when the men’s vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them. When the seven days are almost completed, the Jews from Asia see Paul. They stir up the crowd and lay their hands on Paul, shouting out that Paul has been disrespecting the Law and the Temple. There is no small irony here in that two of these allegations were made against Stephen (Acts 6:13), in whose persecution and death Paul participated, as he freely admits. They accuse Paul of bringing Gentiles into the Temple and defiling it because they have previously seen the Ephesian Trophimus with him in the city and assume Paul has brought him into the Temple. Gentiles are not allowed to enter the Temple but only the outer courtyard, which is aptly called the court of the Gentiles.10 These charges incite the crowd, which seizes Paul and drags him out of the Temple.
As they are trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment learns of the uproar and leads his soldiers into the mob, saving Paul. The commander arrests him, has him bound with two chains, and asks the crowd who he is and what he’s done. The people give varied answers, so the commander orders that Paul be taken to the barracks. When he comes to the steps, the soldiers carry him to protect him from the violent mob, which is following and shouting, “Away with him!”—the same words the mobs screamed at Jesus (Luke 23:18; John 19:15).11
As they are about to enter the barracks, Paul asks the commander for permission to speak. The commander asks him if he speaks Greek and whether he is the Egyptian who recently incited a riot and led four thousand assassins into the wilderness. Paul answers that he is a Jew from Tarsus and begs him for permission to speak to the people. After receiving permission, Paul stands on the steps and addresses them in Aramaic, the common language of Palestinian Jews.12
Paul asks the people to listen to his defense, and when they hear him speaking in Aramaic they grow quiet. He says He is a Jew born in Tarsus but brought up in Jerusalem. He seeks rapport with his audience, emphasizing that he spent his formative years in Jerusalem, and instead of attending the prestigious colleges in his hometown of Tarsus, he studied under the renowned Jewish teacher Gamaliel, who taught him the strict manner of the Jewish Law. Gamaliel, you will recall from Acts 5:34–39, is the venerated rabbi who intervened at the Sanhedrin to prevent the Jews from killing Peter and the apostles, arguing that the matter would resolve itself—if God had not inspired their cause, it would naturally implode, but if He had, they would not be able to stop it.
Paul admits that in his zeal for God he persecuted and killed Christians and sent many men and women to prison, which the high priest and the Sanhedrin can confirm. Paul makes the same case in his epistle to the Galatians: “For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers” (1:13–14). He says he obtained letters from the Jewish rulers to arrest Christians in Damascus and return them to Jerusalem to be punished. Then he recounts his conversion on the road to Damascus and tells how afterward Ananias, a devout and well-respected man among the Jews, restored Paul’s sight and told Paul that “the God of our fathers” had appointed him to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice, and that he would be His witness for Him. The phrase “the God of our fathers” is meant to help Paul further identify with his listeners and to force them to deal squarely with the magnitude of their error in condemning him. For how dare they punish one whom God—the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—specifically appointed as His messenger?
Paul says Ananias told him to rise and be baptized and have his sins washed away in the name of the Righteous One. Paul’s baptism was important as the outward and visible sign of his spiritual rebirth in Christ and the inner cleansing power of His blood.13 Paul continues, relating that when he returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the Temple, he fell into a trance and saw Christ, who told him to leave Jerusalem quickly because the Jews would not accept his testimony about Him. Paul told Christ that the people knew he had imprisoned and beaten people who believed in Him, and that he watched approvingly when Stephen was stoned. Christ told him to leave, as He was sending him far away to the Gentiles.
The crowd has listened to Paul to this point, but they suddenly shout that he isn’t fit to live and throw off their garments. It’s clear what agitates the crowd: Paul told them God had commanded him to bring salvation to the Gentiles—which confirms their assumption that he’s a spiritual traitor and probably that he has, in fact, taken a Gentile into the inner courts of the Temple.14
The commander orders Paul be brought into the barracks and examined by flogging to determine why the crowd is so angry with him. As they are about to flog him, Paul asks whether it’s legal for them to beat a Roman citizen who hasn’t been convicted. Hearing this, the centurion asks the commander what he’s doing. Then the commander asks Paul if he’s a Roman citizen. Paul affirms he is; the commander says he himself paid a huge price for his own citizenship, and Paul responds that he is a citizen by birth. The interrogators withdraw immediately, and the commander fearfully realizes he has unlawfully bound Paul.15
The next day the commander unbinds Paul and orders the chief priests and the Sanhedrin to meet. He brings Paul to them, understanding the charges against Paul involve whether he violated Jewish Law and that such issues must be submitted to the Sanhedrin. If Paul were found innocent, the commander could release him, and if found guilty, he would go before the Roman governor.16 Just as Pilate initially passed off the question of Jesus’ fate to Herod, the commander, Claudius Lysias, wants to wash his hands of this matter. He will do so shortly.17
Looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul declares he has lived his life before God with a clear conscience, whereupon the high priest Ananias commands those standing by Paul to strike him on the mouth. Paul is not trying to provoke them. He is merely telling them what he has told so many others—that he has a clear conscience. He is recorded as saying it more than twenty times (e.g. Acts 24:16; Romans 9:1; 1 Cor. 4:4, 2 Cor. 1:12, 1 Tim. 1:5; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3)18 He is hardly claiming to be sinless—he says quite the opposite in his letters (cf. Romans 7:15, 19). But since his conversion, he has faithfully performed all the duties God has assigned him. What better way to stress his veracity than to look them straight in their eyes and speak forthrightly? After all, he has no one else speaking on his behalf. In this hearing, his accusers and his judges are the same people. While he desperately wants to be released to continue his mission, he is not about to compromise the truth to pander his way to liberty.
But Paul’s declaration is particularly offensive to the Jewish authorities because he is not merely proclaiming his innocence; he is accusing them of wrongdoing. In essence, he is calling them liars, challenging their worldview and their entire reason for existence. They, the paragons of virtue and spiritual discernment, are unable to see that the Messiah their prophets had promised has already come. Couple that with what we learn about Ananias from Jewish historian Josephus—he is an insolent and ill-tempered Sadducee19—and it’s no surprise Ananias reacts violently. Paul says 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?” This recalls Jesus’ exclamation that the Pharisees were “like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt. 23:27–28).
Paul is hitting them squarely in their hearts—they are full of righteous appearances, but morally hollow inside. This infuriates Ananias. Those standing by Paul rebuke him for disrespecting the high priest, and Paul responds that he was unaware Ananias is the high priest, as he would not intentionally violate the biblical admonition against speaking evil of a ruler (Exodus 22:28).
Paul, realizing that some of the group before him are Sadducees and others Pharisees, shrewdly pits them against each other by claiming he is on trial because of his hope in the resurrection of the dead. To be sure, he is still denying his heresy from Pharisaic Judaism, which has now found its fulfillment in Christianity.20 But in the process, he can hopefully divide the two groups and also evangelize—always his heart’s foremost mission. He has squarely placed the centerpiece of Christianity—Christ’s resurrection—at the forefront of the debate.
Immediately, a dispute arises between the two groups because the Sadducees don’t believe in the resurrection, angels, or spirits, and the Pharisees do. A major uproar ensues, as some scribes among the Pharisees say they find nothing wrong with Paul, noting that it’s possible a spirit or angel has spoken to him. Astonishingly, the Pharisees are so adamant about the resurrection and their theological differences with the Sadducees that they acknowledge Paul may be innocent. When the situation becomes violent the commander, fearing for Paul’s safety, orders the soldiers to take him to the barracks. Appearing the following night, Christ stands by Paul and says, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Paul must be profoundly reassured by Christ’s reaffirmation that His hand of protection is on him. Christ will send him to Rome to preach the Gospel after all. Jesus isn’t promising Paul freedom from suffering, but confirming that he will be allowed to complete his long-anticipated task of witnessing in the heart of the Gentile world.
Any calm in the action, however, is short-lived. Forty Jews bind themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they have killed Paul. They inform the chief priests and elders of their plan, telling them to join the Sanhedrin in notifying the commander to bring Paul before them. They pretend they will examine his case more thoroughly, but plan to kill Paul on his way there. Paul’s nephew hears of the plot and tells Paul, who instructs one of the centurions to take his nephew to the commander to inform him. Upon learning of the scheme, the commander orders the nephew to tell no one else about it.
The commander—Claudius Lysias—orders two centurions to prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to take Paul sixty miles to Caesarea at 9:00 that night to see governor Felix. Lysias writes a letter to Felix summarizing these events, reporting that he has rescued the Roman citizen Paul from a Jewish plot to kill him. He says the charges against Paul involve Jewish Law and do not warrant his death or imprisonment. Lysias tells Felix that when he learned of the plot he arranged to send Paul to him immediately, ordering Paul’s accusers to bring their case before Felix.
The solders take Paul that night to Antipatris, some thirty-five miles from Jerusalem and a little over halfway to Caesarea, and send Paul with the horsemen the rest of the way. When they reach Caesarea and deliver the commander’s letter to Felix, they also present Paul to him. Felix reads the letter and asks Paul what province he is from. Paul replies that he’s from Cilicia, a Roman province united to the province of Syria, which is ruled by Felix’s superior.21 Accordingly, Felix says he will give Paul a full hearing when his accusers arrive, then commands that he be guarded in Herod’s headquarters.
Ananias and the elders come to Caesarea five days later with their lawyer Tertullus and present their case against Paul to Felix. After flattering Felix about his good governance, Tertullus describes Paul as a plague and a ringleader of the Nazarene sect who incites riots among Jews throughout the world and attempted to profane the Temple. Note that the Jews had previously accused Paul of profaning the Temple, but now they allege he merely attempted to do so.
F. F. Bruce argues that had the Jews found a way to produce any witnesses that Paul had taken a Gentile into the inner sections of the Temple, the Sanhedrin would have acquired jurisdiction over the case. But since no witnesses came forward, they now hoped to twist facts and convict Paul of the lesser offense of attempting to profane the Temple. This is still a gravely serious charge, because the Romans gave the Jews wide latitude on matters involving offenses against their Temple. Although the Jews have no general authority to impose capital punishment, the one exception to this is cases involving the sanctity of the Temple.22 Indeed, Jewish historian Josephus reports that the Romans appeared to have authorized the Sanhedrin to execute perpetrators of blatant sacrilege.23 At any rate, Paul’s accusers charge that he was trying to take a Gentile into the Temple but was thwarted when the authorities arrested him. This is a lie; he was actually stopped by a riotous mob based on their false assumption that he’d profaned the Temple, as described above.24
At the hearing, Paul’s opponents—just like Jesus’ accusers at His trial—attempt to frame their theological dispute as a criminal and political matter, preposterously depicting Paul as a threat to the peace and security of Rome.25 Nor, for that matter, is Paul a traitor to the Jews, as he would seek to clarify in his remarks. But it’s fascinating that Jesus’ Jewish enemies also charge Him with sedition and being a threat to the state, along with their bogus claims that He blasphemed and threatened to destroy the Temple.26 And just like Jesus, who did not challenge Rome’s political authority (“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” [Matt. 22:21; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25]), Paul advocates submitting to governmental rulers: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1). The Gospel that Paul preaches, then, threatens neither Roman law nor Jewish Scriptures, but upholds them. Paul might challenge the Romans’ misuse of their authority and the Jews’ misinterpretation of their laws, but he does not dispute their authority or the integrity of the Law.27
Tertullus tells Felix he can confirm the charges by examining Paul. The Jews then level their charges, after which Felix permits Paul to respond. Paul tells Felix that, contrary to the Jews’ claims, he was in Jerusalem for more than twelve days worshipping and neither got into arguments nor stirred up the crowds in the Temple, synagogue, or anywhere else in the city. He confidently asserts that his accusers cannot prove their charges against him.
Paul emphasizes his central theme: Christians worship the same God as his accusers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and believe everything written in the Old Testament Scriptures, including that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. He is involved in no sect, but upholds the sanctity of the Jewish Scriptures. Paul tells Felix, just as he had told the Sanhedrin, that he strives to maintain a clear conscience toward both God and man. This is not merely Paul’s proclamation of innocence, but constitutes further proof that he’s in sync with the people of God—the Jews—who also seek to observe the Law and do good works.28
Paul aims to shame his accusers for bringing false charges against him. He says that after several years, he returned to bring alms to his people and to present offerings, and they found him purified in the Temple without causing any disturbances. He was observing and honoring the holiness of the Temple, not desecrating it. He notes that if the Asian Jews have anything against him, they should be there to argue their case. As they are not there, it falls upon the Jews who are there to make their own case against him—which they cannot do, other than to show that he confessed his hope in the resurrection of the dead. This is brilliant, because if Paul is guilty of believing in the resurrection, so are the many Pharisees who are members of the Sanhedrin.29
Admittedly, however, Christians differ from Pharisees on the resurrection as well. Christians believe in the resurrection not just as an abstract hope, but a reality that has already begun in Jesus Christ.30 As Paul writes to the Corinthians, “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order; Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor. 15:21–23). Moreover, Christians believe their resurrection to eternal life depends not on their righteousness from following the Law but on their faith in Jesus Christ (Philipp. 3:9–11).
Here, Paul has artfully narrowed the relevant issue to one exclusively involving religion, not politics. Is Jesus the Messiah—the Way, the Truth, and the Life? For Paul and the other Christians say He is the only way, and the Jews say He is dead. You couldn’t have more diametrically opposed positions, and these cannot be resolved by the Roman authorities, because not only have they ceded jurisdiction over such internal matters to the Jewish authorities, but they are wholly unequipped to pass on such decidedly sectarian issues.
Felix, who is well acquainted with “the Way,” adjourns the proceedings and announces that he will make his decision when the commander Lysias arrives. Felix orders the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to attend his needs. This is obviously a dodge, as Lysias has already stated in his written report to Felix that this is a matter of Jewish Law, and that he doesn’t believe Paul is guilty of criminal wrongdoing warranting death or imprisonment. Moreover, as subsequent events prove, Felix has no intention of deciding the matter, especially not in the near future. There’s a reason for that: the Jews manifestly have not made their case against Paul, but Felix does not want to acquit Paul and alienate them. This could lead to more unrest and chaos, which Felix wants to avoid at all costs.31
A few days later Felix brings his Jewish wife Drusilla, and also sends for Paul, seeking to speak to them about Paul’s faith in Jesus Christ. Paul’s explanation of righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment alarms Felix, who tells him to go away and that he will summon him later when it’s convenient. Hoping Paul will offer him a bribe, Felix sends for him frequently. This is a fascinating turn of events. While Felix is seeking a bribe and wants to placate the Jews, he and his wife are also intrigued by the Gospel and want to learn more about it from one of its foremost authorities. They seem truly troubled by Paul’s statements about righteousness and self-control (we know from Josephus that the couple had a marital history tainted by promiscuity)32 and about the coming judgment. John Polhill likens this scene to a genuinely tragic plot. “A thorough skeptic,” writes Polhill, “would have dismissed Paul’s reference to the judgment as sheer fantasy, but not Felix. His fear was genuine. He was at the point of conviction. But he was never willing to go beyond that point and take the leap of faith. In the end his pride, his greed, his lust, and his desire to preserve his power carried the day.”33
How many people have we met who fit that description? Who can deny the tragic nature of this all too frequent scenario? After two years, Porcius Festus succeeds Felix in office, but to placate the Jews, Felix leaves Paul in prison.
Three days after Festus arrives in Caesarea, he travels to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and Jewish leaders present their case against Paul and urge him to summon Paul to Jerusalem. Still obsessed with the case after two years, they are jumping on the first opportunity to revive the matter once Festus is in office. But of course, their true motive, as Luke makes clear, is not to secure a change of venue from Caesarea to Jerusalem but to ambush and kill Paul while he is being transferred for trial. Festus replies that Paul will remain in Caesarea and that he himself will return there shortly, so if they want to bring charges against Paul they may go back with him.
A week and a half later, Festus goes to Caesarea, convenes the court, and orders Paul to appear before him. When Paul arrives in Jerusalem, Jews attempt to make their case against him. Their evidence has not strengthened after two years, but perhaps they are hoping a new judge will decide differently.
Paul defends himself with a simple denial of each charge, proclaiming his innocence of any offense against the Jewish Law, the Temple, or Caesar. Festus, seeking to appease the Jews, asks Paul if he wants to be tried before him in Jerusalem. Paul replies that he should be tried before Caesar’s tribunal, which is the appropriate venue. He maintains he has done nothing wrong to the Jews, as Festus well knows. Paul adds that if he has committed any wrongdoing for which he deserves to die, he will not seek to escape the death penalty. On the other hand, if the Jews’ charges against him are spurious, he must not be turned over to them. Paul declares, “I appeal to Caesar.”
After conferring with his advisers, Festus replies, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar shall you go.” Roman citizens had long enjoyed the right to appeal a magistrate’s decision to the people (perhaps since the founding of the republic in 509 BC),34 and when Rome became an empire, the appeal began going to the emperor directly, replacing the former jury of peers35—although apparently, in some cases, there is no right of appeal. In any event, the right is limited to Roman citizens, and when there is a right of appeal, the magistrate is required to transfer the case to Rome.36 By contrast, there is no such right to appeal for provincial subjects of the empire. Even as late as 112 AD under Pliny, Roman citizens convicted as Christians are sent to Rome for examination and judgment by the emperor, but non-citizens are summarily handled.37
It seems Paul really has no choice but to appeal to Caesar. The last thing a wrongly accused party wants is for politics to corrupt the legal process. It would be imprudent for Paul to consent either to be tried by the Jewish authorities or to have the Roman proceeding moved to Jerusalem, with all its attendant hatred and bias against him. Even if Festus were an honorable man, there would be immense pressure on him to find Paul guilty irrespective of the evidence, which is obvious from Festus’ newfound willingness to move the location of the trial. How could Paul reasonably expect fair treatment from the local authorities when he has been held in prison for two years, though completely innocent?
Some days later, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice, who are living together incestuously,38 arrive in Caesarea and greet Festus. During their lengthy stay, Festus explains Paul’s case to Agrippa, conceding that he didn’t know how to investigate such issues, so he asked Paul whether he wanted to be tried in Jerusalem. This seems disingenuous, because Festus knew these religious charges were irrelevant in his tribunal, and he indicated he was going to remain the trier of fact even if he transferred the case to Jerusalem. He wasn’t confused; he just didn’t have the courage to declare Paul innocent, which was the only honorable option.39 But since Paul requested to be tried by the Roman authorities, Festus kept him in custody until he could send him to Caesar. Agrippa then tells Festus he would like to hear from Paul, and Festus agrees to make that happen.
The next day, Agrippa and Bernice arrive with great pomp, entering the auditorium with their military officers and prominent city officials. At Festus’ command, Paul is brought into the room. Paul is not physically imposing. One extra-biblical account describes him as “a man little of stature, thin-haired upon the head, crooked in the legs, of good state of body, with eyebrows joining, and nose somewhat hooked, full of grace: for sometimes he appeared like a man, and sometimes he had the face of an angel.”40 What Paul lacks in physicality, however, he more than compensates for with his grace and intelligence. Addressing Agrippa and others present, Festus reports that the entire Jewish community both in Jerusalem and in Caesarea has petitioned for Paul’s death. Festus allows that he has found no conduct of Paul deserving of death, but has decided to send him to Rome because Paul appealed to Caesar. He explains that he has convened this assembly to ascertain facts that he can include in a letter to Rome specifying the charges against Paul. Knowing that Agrippa has deep knowledge of Jewish customs and laws,41 Festus hopes Agrippa can give him wise counsel.
It’s clear that this conference before Agrippa is not a trial. Festus was divested of authority to hear the case officially the moment Paul appealed to Caesar.42 Yielding to pressure from the Jews, Festus has created a dilemma for himself—he wants to mollify the Jews without perverting Roman justice. He’s looking for some way out of it, and is probably hoping that despite the lack of credible evidence against Paul, something might develop from this hearing to justify sending the case to Rome.43
Agrippa grants Paul permission to speak in his own defense, and Paul begins by acknowledging his good fortune in appearing before Agrippa on these charges, as he is familiar with Jewish customs and controversies. After asking Agrippa to listen patiently, he articulates his defense. I notice that Paul repeatedly implores his audiences, whether Church congregants or judicial tribunals, to listen intently to his words. This is neither a clever device to mesmerize them nor the plea of one who protests too much; it is an expression of sincerity, emanating from a heart devoted to God. He has nothing to hide and appeals to his listeners to pay close attention because the truth will always vindicate him.
Paul rehearses his own relevant biographical background, from being a devoted Pharisee to his transition to preaching the Gospel and its core hope in the resurrection of the dead—a hope he claims is at the heart of his trial, which many of his Jewish accusers actually share. As in previous hearings, Paul is establishing his bona fides as a conservative Jew—an expert in the Law and Jewish customs and traditions, and therefore an authority on the issues under consideration. He didn’t acquire his knowledge secondhand but through experience.44 He is the real deal, capable of going toe-to-toe even with these zealots who crave his death.
Paul adroitly segues from the Old Testament to the Gospel, again demonstrating the unmistakable continuity between the two—a thread of redemption that anyone but the blind or dark-hearted can see. The Gospel is not a radical departure from the religion of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is act two in a two-part play, which has begun with Christ’s coming in their lifetimes. Paul notes the irony in his being tried for perverting the true religion when in fact he is accurately expounding it. It is his accusers who fail to understand the complete picture of their religion. Paul is direct and explicit: “Now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!” This promise on which Paul stands, of which he preaches, and for which he is on trial, is the same one God’s Old Testament prophets made to their fathers and which the twelve tribes of Israel long to realize. He has not hijacked their sacred faith; he is its most faithful steward, and they would do well to open their eyes to God’s progressive revelation through Jesus Christ and His apostles.
Before returning to his personal history of persecuting Christians, Paul raises a difficult question: “Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises from the dead?” As we’ve seen, the Pharisees, though not the Sadducees, believe in resurrection. Believing that, and having longed for the Messiah for thousands of years, why are they so incredulous now that the true Messiah has come? Why are stories of Jesus’ resurrection so hard to believe? It’s because they had always anticipated a different kind of Messiah, one who would conquer their political and military enemies, not one who would allow Himself to be hanged on a tree and thereby accursed (Deut. 21:22–23). Jesus came to sacrificially die for man’s sins so that those who believe in Him can live with Him eternally, thereby fulfilling God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham (Gen. 22:18). Jesus is Whom they’ve been waiting for. They just can’t see it. With this argument, Paul has strategically turned the tables and put them on defense, using his intimate knowledge of their faith to expose them. His work is cut out for him, however, for the Bible also foretold that the Jews would be resistant to the Gospel, and this prophecy is being fulfilled through his own agonizing experiences.
Paul then recites his background as a persecutor of the Way, culminating in his conversion on the road to Damascus, during which the Lord told him, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
Paul says he obeyed Christ and began preaching—first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all of Judea, and finally to the Gentiles—that they should repent, turn to God and prove their repentance through their good works. Let’s not miss the boldness of this statement. Paul is not boasting about his obedience. He is underscoring Christ’s command itself: that he must preach the Gospel throughout the world. This order is not subject to interpretation, debate, or compromise; it’s an inviolable directive from God—the God they worship. Paul had no choice. This may seem odd to Paul’s accusers; it may contradict their expectations. But none of that matters. God is sovereign, and He has revealed Jesus as the Messiah, therefore He is. This is not just Paul’s opinion; it is the truth grounded in Paul’s firsthand experience. He encountered Christ Himself, Who called Him. He is not called to twist the Old Testament Scriptures to conform to some radical new ideas. It is to spread the Good News that the promises the Jews have always relied on are now being fulfilled.
Paul is not guilty of heresy; he is vindicating the God they worship. What’s more, this Gospel Paul preaches is based on Christ’s earthly ministry, His unjust crucifixion, His resurrection from the dead, and His multiple resurrection appearances to multitudes of people. The Way is not a cult based on some abstract, manmade philosophy. It is grounded in history and fact. Paul has preached only the truth, “saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” Yet for obediently spreading this message with God’s help every step of the way, the Jews seized him in the Temple and tried to kill him.
As he is speaking, Festus yells to Paul that he is out of his mind and that his great learning has driven him mad. Paul assures Festus he is sane and that he is speaking true and reasonable words. “For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.” Paul then confronts Agrippa directly, exclaiming, “Do you believe in the prophets? I know that you believe.”
Paul has raised the stakes and made his message personal—boldly turning to Agrippa and telling him that he knows he’s aware of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Agrippa can pretend otherwise, but he would have had to be in a cave to miss these things, for they were not done in a corner—a claim Paul would not have made and Luke would not have recorded unless it were true, because Agrippa could contradict him and make his life miserable if it were false.
He has put Agrippa on the spot. It would be awkward to ignore the question because people might draw the wrong inferences from his silence. He can either say he doesn’t believe in the prophets and lose faith with the Jews, or he can say he believes, which could be tantamount to confessing he believes that Jesus is Who Paul claims He is, because Paul has just demonstrated that the Jewish prophets foretold of Jesus.45 Even if he does believe, it’s unlikely he will admit it in public and expose himself as a lunatic for believing such madness.
Agrippa deflects the question, asking Paul whether he thinks he can persuade him to be a Christian so quickly. Whatever else we may say about Agrippa’s response and the possible reasons for it, it’s a classic case of human pride on display. John Calvin expresses this poignantly, writing, “The apostle prevailed thus far at least, that he wrung out of King Agrippa a confession, though it were not voluntary, as those use to yield who can no longer resist the truth, or at least, to show some token of assent. Agrippa’s meaning is, that he will not willingly become a Christian; yea, that he will not be one at all; and yet that he is not able to gainsay, but that he is drawn after a sort against his will. Whereby it appeareth how great the pride of man’s nature is until it be brought under to obey by the Spirit of God.”46
In other words, deep down Agrippa knows—and is almost tacitly admitting— that he believes Paul’s message, but his pride prevents him from openly admitting it and acting on it. The trappings of his worldly power are too great to risk. My friend, Christian apologist Frank Turek, often asks unbelievers, “If you discovered that Christianity is true, would you become a Christian?” Frank tells me that 90 percent of such people say no—because believing in God would preclude them from being gods of their own lives.
We have all encountered people whose infernal pride bars them from allowing the truth to seep into their souls. Toward such stubborn people, a different type of witnessing is required. As the psalmist writes, “In the pride of his face, the wicked does not seek him, all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God’ ” (Psalm 10:4). Rev. Joseph Exell comments on this phenomenon and of Agrippa, “Paul made a favorable impression on Agrippa, but the spiritual testimony was disdainfully rejected. How often is this history repeated. There are those who come to acknowledge the reasonableness of Christianity, but still reject it as the spiritual rule of their lives. Persuasion has overpowered the intellect, but it has not overcome the pride of the heart.”47 This is why we say a person cannot be argued into the kingdom. You may break down every last one of his intellectual obstacles, but unless he is willing to accept Christ, he will be no more a believer than the demons who clearly recognize Christ for Who He is.
God does not look favorably on this resistance because every person, at some level, whether consciously or not, knows God exists, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19–20).
Undeterred by Agrippa’s skillful parrying of his question, Paul responds by ministering to him directly and in earnest, thereby showing that spreading the Word, in obedience to Christ’s commands, is of greater importance to Paul even than protecting himself. Paul says, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for ‘these chains.’ ” There you have it. Paul wants Agrippa and all who are listening to become what Paul is—a Christian—except without the chains binding him. He wants them to share what he has (his faith) but not his circumstances (his bondage). To lose one’s liberty is horrific, but for Paul it would be more than that—incarceration would hinder his missionary activities.
“The Apostle was not thinking at the moment about his freedom,” R. C. Sproul writes. “His heart was burdened by their chains, not by his.”48 We must note, however, that in Rome, as we’ll see, Paul’s evangelism flourished, even while under house arrest. After all, God is sovereign.
The king rises, and then the governor, Bernice, and those sitting with them follow suit. After they leave the room, they agree that Paul has done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. Agrippa remarks to Festus that Paul could have been set free had he not appealed to Caesar.
When it’s time to sail for Italy, Paul and other prisoners are placed in the custody of the Roman officer Julius. They set sail from Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia, with scheduled stops along the way. We know from the previous chapter they are headed for Rome, so why does Luke say they set sail for Italy without specifying the city? It’s probably because visitors to Rome often traveled by sea to the southern part of Italy and then walked the rest of the way.49 The next day when they arrive at Sidon, Julius graciously allows Paul to go ashore and visit friends who will attend to his needs. When they leave, they meet strong headwinds that threaten to blow them off course, so they sail north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland, passing along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia and landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There Julius finds an Egyptian ship from Alexandria bound for Italy. After several days of slow and difficult sailing, they near Cnidus—but as the wind is against them, they sail across to Crete and along the coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. They continue with difficulty along the coast until they reach Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
Paul warns the ship’s officers that it would be dangerous to proceed as winter approaches. But Julius defers to the ship’s pilot and owner. As the harbor is not suitable for winter, they decide to sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, and spend the winter there.
When a gentle south wind begins to blow they start to sail along the shore of Crete, but soon a hurricane force wind called the Northeaster sweeps down from the island. As the ship cannot head into the wind, they let it drive the ship along. Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, they struggle to secure the ship’s lifeboat. After hoisting it aboard, they undergird the ship with supports. Then, fearing they will run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lower the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. They take such a battering from the storm that they throw cargo overboard the next day, and the day after they throw some of the ship’s gear overboard as well.
The storm continues several more days. They haven’t eaten for a long time and are beginning to lose hope. Paul says they should have heeded his warning not to leave Crete but should be encouraged; they will all survive, though the ship will be lost, he says. An angel of the God he belongs to and worships said to him, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.” So Paul assures them, based on his faith in God, that they will arrive safely, though they will be shipwrecked on some island.
At about midnight on the storm’s fourteenth day, as they are being pushed across the Adriatic Sea, the sailors suspect they are nearing land. They take soundings, and find the water is 120 feet deep, falling to ninety feet a little later. Fearing they will be driven against the rocks along the shore, they throw out four anchors from the back of the ship and pray for daylight. The sailors, planning to escape from the ship, lower the lifeboat into the sea while pretending they are going to lower some anchors. Paul warns the centurion and the soldiers that everyone will die unless those men remain aboard, so the soldiers cut the ropes and let the lifeboat drift away.
Close to dawn, Paul urges everyone to eat and gain strength, assuring them that although they have gone without food for fourteen days, none of them will die. He then breaks bread, gives thanks to God, and begins to eat. All 276 people aboard are encouraged and begin to eat. Afterward, they throw wheat overboard to lighten the ship’s load. When day breaks, they notice a bay with a beach; they don’t recognize the land, but decide to run the ship ashore there. The men cast off the anchors, leave them in the sea, and loosen the ropes that tie the rudders. Hoisting the foresail to the wind, they head for the shore but strike a sandbar, which causes the vessel to run aground. Then the bow becomes stuck, and the pounding surf breaks the stern to pieces. The soldiers are planning to kill the prisoners to prevent any from escaping, but the centurion stops them because he wants to save Paul. He orders those who can swim to jump overboard and head for land, and has the others float to shore on planks or pieces of the ship. All make it to land safely.
Paul’s voyage to Rome
From The New Moody Atlas of the Bible by Barry J. Beitzel (©2009). Published by Moody Publishers. Used by permission.
John MacArthur sees this voyage as a striking example of biblical leadership from Paul. At the beginning of the journey, Paul is a prisoner with no special status or responsibilities. But when adversity strikes, Paul rises to the occasion and earns the respect and trust of passengers and crew, essentially becoming their leader.50 By this time, Paul has already endured incredible hardship and persecution for his faith and answering Jesus’ call. Violent storms are not going to defeat him; nothing else has. He writes, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Cor. 4:8–10).
Paul also instructs that we are to rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces endurance, character, and hope (Romans 5:2–4). Likewise, James writes, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4). Peter adds, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6–7).
The centurion Julius observes how Paul’s character has been refined by the trials he’s endured. When Paul’s unheeded warning came to fruition, Julius and the group obviously regretted that they had not listened, and Paul’s stature increased in their eyes. Indeed, when they encountered difficulties, Paul told them they should have listened to him before. But he did not hector them—rather, he sought to spare them from further unnecessary troubles. Moreover, his overall message was encouraging, telling them, based on direct assurances from an angel of God, that they would all survive, though the ship would be damaged.
Perhaps Paul had an additional motive for telling them about the angel’s visit. Could he have been planting a missionary seed that they would remember later when they arrived safely, as God had promised? How could this fail to have a dramatic impact and possibly lead some of them to faith, just as other miraculous deeds of Jesus, Paul, and Peter had done for others? Luke is silent on this, but it’s worth considering. John Calvin writes, “Seeing angels coming down unto him from heaven, they may easily gather that his cause is approved of God. Therefore, there is in these words a secret commendation of the Gospel.”51 Similarly, Lutheran Pastor Richard Lenski asks, “Is God not telling them that through Paul’s mediation they, too, like him, are to be this true, God’s own, in order to serve him? They were to see and to hear much more about God, and we may, indeed, conclude that many of these men ‘sailing with Paul’ came also to be saved in the higher sense.”52
Throughout the rest of the journey, Paul demonstrates the same leadership skills. He remains calm, unflappable, and in control for the entire voyage, mainly, as John MacArthur observes, “because he had absolute trust in God’s promise (through the angel) to save all those on the ship.”53 Even as they are struggling to land on the island, it is Julius’ acquired trust in Paul that spares all the prisoners, as Julius keeps his men from killing them out of concern for Paul.
F. F. Bruce remarks that Luke’s narrative of this voyage and shipwreck is “a small classic in its own right, as graphic a piece of descriptive writing as anything in the Bible. It has long been acknowledged as “one of the most instructive documents for the knowledge of ancient seamanship.”54 Some commentators interpret this dangerous voyage allegorically, comparing it to the challenging storms of human life. Though Luke was reporting history, there are still valuable life lessons to be gleaned from this chapter. Its overarching message, though, concerns God’s sovereignty and the outworking of His will. No matter what obstacles may arise, God is in control. It is His will that Paul preach the Gospel in Rome—the very epicenter of the Gentile world55—and He will not be thwarted by any obstacles, manmade or supernatural. He reigns over all.
Once they are on shore, they discover that the island, which is just south of Sicily, is called Malta.56 The residents are unusually kind, building a fire and welcoming them when it’s raining and cold. Paul places a pile of brushwood on the fire and a viper, escaping the heat, fastens on his hand. Talking among themselves, the islanders say that Paul must be a murderer who is receiving his due from the goddess Justice. But after Paul shakes off the snake and shows no symptoms from the poison, the people change their minds and conclude he is a god.
Publius, the chief official of the island, welcomes them to his home and shows them hospitality for three days. His father is bedridden with fever and dysentery, so Paul visits him, places his hands on him, prays for him, and he is healed. Thereafter, every sick person on the island comes to Paul for healing, and he cures them all. The islanders are kind to them for three months, providing them with all the supplies they need when they are ready to sail.
They leave on an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of twin gods Castor and Pollux, patrons of navigation often worshipped by sailors.57 They first stop at Syracuse and stay three days before leaving for Rhegium. The following day, the south wind comes up, so the day after they sail up the coast to Puteoli, where they find some believers who invite them to stay for a week. Luke mentions this casually, but it’s quite significant because it illustrates that the Gospel has already spread beyond Rome to this seaport.58
Continuing toward Rome, they encounter Christians who have traveled a long way to meet them at the Forum of Appius (a market community about forty-three miles from Rome) and the Three Taverns (thirty-three miles from Rome). This encourages Paul, and he thanks God. Imagine Paul’s exuberance in meeting fellow believers after the hardships he has recently endured. When they arrive in Rome, Paul is placed in private lodging under a soldier’s guard. Three days later, he calls together the local Jewish leaders and tells them he has done nothing against the Jews or the customs of the Jewish fathers, but that Jews delivered him to the Roman authorities. He tells of how, after examining him, the Roman authorities wanted to release him because he committed no offense warranting the death penalty. But because the Jews objected, he was forced to appeal to Caesar, though he has no intention of bringing charges against his own people.
Paul has asked to speak with them because the hope of Israel—the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises to Israel—is why he’s in chains.59 The people say they have received no letters from Judea about him and none of the Christians who have come from there have criticized him. But they tell Paul they want to hear his views because the Christian sect has been denounced everywhere.
Many people come to Paul’s house, where he speaks to them all day on the kingdom of God, taking them through their Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) to convince them of Jesus. Some believe and others don’t. After they have argued among themselves and are about to leave, Paul says, “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet, ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
This is a familiar passage to them, and Paul uses it to make his point, even if it’s lost on many of them. Paul has satisfied his duty to preach the Gospel to the Jews, and as the prophets foretold, they have largely rejected it. But Paul’s conscience is clear because he has given it his all, and he will now turn almost exclusively to the Gentiles, who have been his special calling since his conversion.
Paul is confined to this private house in Rome for two full years. He lives at his own expense and welcomes everyone who comes to him, “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” Paul’s evangelism thus makes enormous headway despite the restrictions on his mobility.
Acts abruptly ends at this point, leaving us to piece together Paul’s subsequent fate from other sources. It’s generally agreed that Paul was martyred in Rome, probably by sword, though the precise date is uncertain. Many scholars place his death around 62 AD, at the close of his two-year house arrest in Rome, while others say it could have been in 64 AD, and still others as late as 66 AD after a second arrest.60
Of course, Paul’s influence did not end with his death, since he did more than anyone besides Jesus to expound and clarify the Gospel. Indeed, Paul’s “true greatness is attested by the abiding power of his liberating messages,” declares Pauline scholar F. F. Bruce. “Time and again, when the gospel has been in danger of being fettered and disabled in the bonds of legalism or outworn tradition, it has been the words of Paul that have broken the bonds and set the gospel free to exert its emancipating power once more in the life of mankind.”61 Additionally, Paul left behind untold numbers of Christian converts who followed his example and continued to implement Christ’s command to spread the Gospel to the end of the Earth.
Finally, his epistles to local Christian churches, as enshrined in the New Testament, provide tremendous historical insights into the development and challenges of early Christianity. Let’s now turn to these letters for a glimpse of the issues Paul faced and the controversies he addressed as fledgling churches gained their footing in Christ.