Acts 25:1-12

(Acts 25:1-12)

 

Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cæsarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cæsarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and 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 Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.  For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar.  Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? unto Cæsar shalt thou go.

 

This part begins with the scene where Festus, who became governor of Judea following Felix, goes up to Jerusalem when Nero was emperor. The high priests and high-ranking Jews accused Paul. The high priests and the Jews asked the governor of Festus, who had been delegated power, to falsely ask for favor. They want to send Paul, who has been imprisoned for two years, to Jerusalem with the intention of killing him. Seeing that the high priests and the Jews first brought up a conspiracy to kill Paul through their request to the governor of Festus, we can guess how much their anger and anger toward Paul over the past two years. However, Festus said that Paul was safely imprisoned in Caesarea, so if he wanted to accuse him, Festus would go down with him.

The high priests and the higher of the Jews asked Festus, the governor of Judea, who had a higher and stronger power to do a favor. Through goodwill, he was trying to solve what he wanted. And he would have tried to regard it as charis, or grace. On the other hand, in the past two years, Paul has not begged for a higher and stronger person for any favor. In verse 24:26, Felix, the former governor, was thinking of doing Paul a favor and receiving money. But Paul never begged for favor. Because Paul was a man of grace.

 

Festus spent about 8-10 days in Jerusalem and went down to Caesarea. The next day, when he called Paul and put him on the judge, the Jews from Jerusalem surrounded him and charged him with various charges. However, they did not find enough evidence. And as Paul defended himself in front of the council in 23:1, and as he defended before Governor Felix in 24:16, he argued in 25:8 in the same way.

 

『While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all. 』Paul argued that there was no sin at all in front of the Word of God, in the faith community, and in the law of the world.

Then Festus also asks Paul to get the hearts and favors of the Jews, that is, charis, from the people. 『But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? Nya] But the apostle Paul refused firmly.

 

For that reason, first, the apostle Paul knew of his clear mission. And, he already knew that he would go all the way to Rome because of God's entirely free grace. kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 』

Paul established many churches as apostles of the Gentiles through three evangelistic trips, stood before the kings and preached the gospel, and knew that he would go to the Roman emperor now.

 

Second, that night the Lord stood by Paul and said, ``And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. 』

When Paul testified in the council, the Lord had already given him a mission. Finally, the Apostle Paul spoke steadfastly and boldly before "the Jews from Jerusalem, full of hatred and anger, not found sin," and before "Governor Bethdo, who was willing to settle this or that with favor." 『For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar.. “I appeal to Caesar,” that is, Paul declared that he would go to Rome. And he declared that he would stand confidently in front of the emperor.