moving up the line

Good morning brothers and sisters,
We've read about Paul's appeal to the Roman Emperor. Today we see the beginnings of how that's going to happen. Felix here is a classic official. He knows he needs to send Paul to the emperor, but he doesn't know what to say to his superiors about why he's sending him. That's not surprising, since over and over again Roman officials have agreed that Paul isn't breaking any Roman rules. They don't care, so it's hard for Felix to explain why he's sending Paul on for trial. So they examine Paul again, this time along side the Jewish king Agrippa and his sister Bernice. On the other hand, we'll see that Paul has something to say too, so he doesn't mind having another opportunity to speak.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 25:23-27, 26:1-8

²³So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then Festus gave the order and Paul was brought in. ²⁴And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵But I found that he had done nothing deserving death; and when he appealed to his Imperial Majesty, I decided to send him. ²⁶But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write— ²⁷for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”

Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself.’ Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself: 2 ‘I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defence today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently.

4 ‘All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. ⁵They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. ⁶And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, ⁷a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews! ⁸Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

A king and a governor

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
Today we remember the men and women who lost their lives 12 years ago. I bet we all remember where we were when we heard the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. It was truly a painful moment and we still grieve the lives lost. I pray that out of that suffering can grow new compassion for others.

Our reading today brings us Governor Festus talking with King Agrippa. Agrippa was the last king in Herod's dynasty. He ruled with Roman approval, but was Jewish. Like Paul, he bridges two worlds, Jewish and Roman, so he is very interested in what Paul has to say. We'll see how he and Paul get along tomorrow.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 25:13-22

13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. ¹⁴Since they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, ‘There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix. ¹⁵When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him and asked for a sentence against him. ¹⁶I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defence against the charge. ¹⁷So when they met here, I lost no time, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought.

¹⁸When the accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the crimes that I was expecting. ¹⁹Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. ²⁰Since I was at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. ²¹But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of his Imperial Majesty, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to the emperor.’ ²²Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear the man myself.’ ‘Tomorrow’, he said, ‘you will hear him.’