We discovered last week that Paul finally had a chance to confront his accusers from Jerusalem in front of Governor Felix. And we discovered that for the next two years, Paul had many opportunities to share with Felix and his wife Drusilla about Jesus, and just possibly, they had come to faith in Christ during those meetings. Meanwhile, as Paul was waiting in prison, Luke took it upon himself to travel throughout Israel, interviewing hundreds of eyewitnesses who could testify to the life and ministry of Jesus. And, as we know, the written accounts of Luke’s interviews form the essence of his letter to Theophilus, Paul’s defense attorney waiting for them in Rome. And, again, this letter to Theophilus has become what we know as the Gospel of Luke.

Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem to meet with the chief priests and elders who had previously brought charges against Paul. They requested that Paul be brought up to Jerusalem with the false intention of meeting with him, but in reality, they had planned to ambush him on the road and kill him. Then Festus informed them that he was leaving for Caesarea shortly and would take many of the influential Jews with him if they wanted to bring more accusations against Paul in a Roman court rather than a Jewish one. Paul would not be brought back to Jerusalem!

Upon their arrival in Caesarea, Festus took his seat in the “courtroom” and ordered Paul to be brought in. At this point, the accusing Jews also entered the room, bringing many charges against Paul, none of which they could prove. And then Paul said in his own defense,

“I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar” (Acts 25:8).

Wanting to please the Jews who were present, Fesus asked Paul if he was willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before the Sanhedrin on these bogus charges, but Paul replied,

“I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. If then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar” (Acts 25:10-11).

And then Festus replied with these “famous” words,

“You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go” (Acts 25:12).

Then Luke tells us that King Agrippa (the grandson of Herod the Great) arrived in Caesarea with his wife Bernice, at which point Festus shared with him about his time in Jerusalem and the subsequent arrival of Paul’s accusers who brought charges against Paul. Festus continued by saying,

“When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting, but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar” (Acts 25:18-21).

It is interesting that before Agrippa arrived in Caesarea, the accusers from Jerusalem had already shared with Festus Paul’s message about a “dead man who had come to life.” As we know, this was the real point of contention, that is, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul’s accusers used the so-called “desecration of the temple” as a major issue against Paul, but the real issue was the Good News of Jesus Christ.    

After Festus brought Agrippa “up to speed” on the accusations against Paul, Agrippa told Festus that he would like to hear with his own ears what Paul had to say, and arrangements were made for Paul to present his defense before Agrippa the following day. As it turned out, it was a day of “great pomp” as Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium, accompanied by the commanders and prominent men to the city. It was Festus who spoke first saying,

“King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. For it seems absurd to me to send a prisoner and not indicate the charges against him” (Acts 25:24-27).

I find it interesting that although Festus was planning to send Paul to Rome to be tried under Caesar, he needed to have some definite accusations against him in order for Paul to “appeal to Caesar.” Festus already determined that Paul had done nothing deserving of death according to Roman law, but he needed a concrete accusation, something that would not make him look like a fool before Ceasar by accusing Paul of something that was restricted to Jewish law or practice. He needed to accuse him of some offence committed against Rome, not just against the Jews, and Festus was hoping that such an accusation would present itself as he stood before King Agrippa, with the Jewish accusers also present. Just maybe, Festus thought, some new accusation would be presented, maybe an accusation against Paul for being disobedient to Roman law.  

What was driving Paul to make his defense before Caesar, who just happened to be Nero at the time? We do know that the Lord had told Paul in a dream that he would testify before Caesar in Rome, and Paul held on to that vision, knowing that Jesus wanted him in Rome. Have you ever felt that God had confirmed His calling in your life, and you were not only compelled to answer His call, but also knew that God would clear the path for you to answer that call? We all need to remember that when God calls, He also provides the means for us to fulfill that calling. Whether it is a specific call to which He has confirmed in your own heart, or the general call of all believers to be faithful to follow Christ, He will give you the means and the resources to follow that calling. May we all commit our lives to following Him wherever He leads us.

Next week, we will look at Paul’s defense before King Agrippa. I hope you will join me.