Friday May 22, 2020
Acts of the Apostles
Chapter 23, 24, 25 & 26
Paul begins his address to the Sanhedrin in a fraternal manner, calling the members “brothers;” in the next breath he calls them “whitewashed walls” (not so fraternal). Using some of the shrewdness we saw in our last reflection, Paul gets his opponents arguing among themselves. The Roman authority steps in again to rescue Paul from a brawl. That night, Jesus encourages Paul and tells him that more work awaits him in Rome. A plot against Paul’s life is thwarted by “The son of Paul’s sister.” (Full disclosure: After years of hearing/reading Acts, this is the first time it dawned on me that Paul’s nephew is a character. Somehow, it made Paul seem more real to me). In the middle of the night the Romans sneak Paul to Caesarea to appear before the procurator, Felix (not the Cat).
In Chapter 24, we find another name for the believing community: the Nazoreans (the way Paul’s opponent uses it is not complementary). Paul speaks before Felix who seems to be intrigued, but also uncomfortable with what he hears. (God’s Word sometimes makes us squirm a bit). Felix dismisses Paul and doesn’t contact him for two years. A new procurator (a kind of governor) arrives in Caesarea, Porcius Festus (now that’s a name). Paul’s opponents make him re-open Paul’s case. Closing his defense, Paul exercises his right as a Roman citizen: “I appeal to Caesar.” (Kind of like: “Let me talk to your supervisor” when we’re getting nowhere with a salesperson).
Before Paul can leave for Rome and the emperor, King Agrippa II (we met his father, Herod Agrippa in chapter 12, 20-24) arrives. Festus asks Agrippa to render an opinion about Paul (sounds like he’s trying to pass the buck). When Paul speaks before this petty king. He tells the story of his conversion (this is the third time the story is related in Acts (chapters 9, 22, 26). For the first time we hear that the Risen Jesus spoke to Paul in Hebrew, his own native language. Paul affirms that it was Jesus Himself Who sent Paul to bring the Good News to Gentiles (chapter 26, 17). Accused of being mad (illogical, crazy, unreasonable) Paul responds that he is speaking truth and reason. (There’s nothing unreasonable about choosing to believe.) Did you notice that Paul refers to the Lord as Jesus the Nazorean (26, 9)? Paul must have used this name in his preaching for his earlier opponent (chapter 24, 5) to pick up on it.
There is irony in the close of chapter 26. The “higher-ups” agree that Paul is innocent and can be set free, if only “he had not appealed to Caesar.” Once Paul spoke those words, the chain of event was set in motion. He was going to Rome. But, that is where God needed him, to bring the Good News to the very heart of the known world, the capital of the Roman empire.
Something to consider:
Keeping in mind, the twists and turns of Paul’s life, read Romans 8 ,28. It sounds like he’s talking from experience, doesn’t it?
What might that say about our own experiences of twists and turns?
Homework: Read Chapters 27-28
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