ON TRIAL

PROCLAMATION

“… Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea … And when he had tarried … ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and the next day, sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.  And when he was come, the Jews … laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.  While he answered for himself, ‘Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all.’ ”  Acts 25:4-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the acts of the apostles of Jesus, The Christ, as written by Luke, the physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Luke recorded that when Paul was arrested, Felix was governor.  After two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. (Acts 24:27)  Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went from Caesarea to Jerusalem where he met with the chief priests and the Jewish leaders. (Acts 25:1-2)  They wanted Festus to transfer Paul to Jerusalem because they were preparing to ambush and kill him along the way. (Acts 25:3-5)  After he had spent about ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea.  Soon after he go there, he convened court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. (Acts 25:6-7)  The Jews who had come down from Jerusalem brought charges against Paul but could not prove them.  In his own defense before Festus, Paul said that he had done nothing wrong against the Jews or Caesar. (Acts 25:7-8)  Paul appealed to Caesar and, after conferring with his council, Festus declared that Paul be taken to Caesar. (Acts 25:9-12)  King Agrippa came to Caesarea to pay his respects to Festus.  When Festus told the king about Paul, he wanted to hear from Paul for his self. (Acts 25:13-22)   Paul was brought before Festus  and King Agrippa with great pomp and fanfare.  Festus told Agrippa that Paul had appealed to Caesar but Festus said that he did not know to say in his letter to Caesar to explain why he was sending Paul to him.  He hoped that Agrippa might tell him what to say since he could not find any crimes to charge him with. (Acts 25:23-27)

 

APPLICATION

The apostle Paul was on trial by Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and King Agrippa for false accusations against him by the Jews.  Today, Christians are on trial by the non-believing people of the world.  They don’t share our beliefs and they don’t believe us.  They say that our actions and our words are not consistent.  We need to do a better job with our Christian walk.