Acts 25: 1 – 27
You must have misunderstood me
25 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. 4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.” 6 And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. 7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, 8 while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.” 9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?” 10 So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!” 13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. 14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction[b] before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ 17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, 19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” 23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
Here is a warning that needs to posted on your refrigerator: BEWARE Of People Whose Words Don't Match Their Actions
Being able to predict someone’s actions beforehand is an invaluable skill. It makes life easier to understand, creates opportunities, and enables you to be able to protect yourself from further emotional harm. Change the outcome of your future by learning and adapting from past negative experiences from people whose words do not match their actions.
In order to know what someone is thinking, pay attention to their actions before their words. First, let’s list some characteristics of insincere people. Here are some red flags to look out for to know you are dealing with someone who is insincere:
. Talks big but does very little.
Consistently breaks promises.
Their values and opinions change like the wind.
Their words and actions don’t match up.
They only co-operate when it’s convenient for them
Another way of describing actions and words is to say talkers and doers. The difference between talkers and doers isn’t difficult to spot. Do you know somebody that often talks a big game but when pressure is applied they can’t rise up to the occasion? Bragging and trying to validate one’s self-worth through others shows insecurity. If they talk a lot and have failed on many occasions to back it up, there is a high likelihood that behavior will continue in the future.
Some people will say anything in order to win you over. They often say things they don’t necessarily mean. After they get what they want, they are gone. They are self-serving people looking to emotionally manipulate you. They only see you as a means to an end. This type of interaction is referred to as ‘The politician syndrome’. It is contagious and if you know anyone like this, if you are wise then I advise you to avoid them at all costs lest their behavior rubs off on you.
I’m sure at one point in your life you have let one person’s insincerity run your life. You must take every individual for their word until it comes to the point where their word doesn’t mean anything. When meeting people for the first time I suggest that you give them the benefit of the doubt until they prove that they don’t deserve it. Don’t be so quick to judge someone based on a one-time experience. Give them plenty of
Best thing about learning to judge others based on their actions: You elicit behaviors you want to see out of people and start to practice them yourself. “Get people to remember you by your action because that speaks louder than words. When you do speak, speak the truth. You should have strong beliefs yet leave enough room to modify them according to each situation. Keep your words consistent with your actions so as to not send the wrong message to people. Everything you do and say affects your credibility.
Today we are going to see a good example of a person whose words do not match his actions. I am talking about The Roman leader that took over for Felix – Festus.
25 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, 3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.
Once Festus arrived in the province he almost immediately ‘went up’ to Jerusalem from Caesarea in order to bring matters under control there, for it was in Jerusalem that the main political body of the Jews, the Sanhedrin, operated. This resulted in the chief priests and other leaders of the Jews speaking to him of Paul, to Paul’s detriment, and requesting that Paul be sent for and brought to Jerusalem for trial. Time may have passed but they had not forgotten him. You did not call Ananias a ‘white wall’ in public and get away with it.
This instant approach about Paul might serve to confirm that throughout his imprisonment his influence had continued to be felt throughout Judaea, and that he had thus been brought continually to their minds. Otherwise they would surely not have seen him as of such prime importance that it was one of the first things that they wanted dealt with.
But nor could they forgive the fact that he was a Christian Jew, who was prominent in winning people to the new faith, and for going to the Gentiles. Their continuing purpose was that Paul might be killed at some time while on the way to Jerusalem; for they recognized that really they could produce no case against him. They had already tried and failed. So things had not changed. The cessation of activity had not been due to their dropping their case, but due to their recognition that while Felix was in power they would get nowhere. They now hoped under the new procurator to resolve the matter by getting rid of Paul once and for all.
4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly.
We do not know whether Festus was a little suspicious about this request or not. He did, however, decline it. He pointed out that Paul was being held in Caesarea, and that he himself would be going there shortly. Even if he did not know about it, God did. Luke wants us to realize that God was still in control. Festus’ reason might well have been that as a new arrival in the province he did not want to be away from Caesarea longer than was necessary in these first few days as the new procurator.
5 “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.”
He pointed out that if they had any charge that they wished to bring against Paul then those in authority could go with him to Caesarea, and they could pursue their case there.
6 And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
The matter having now been drawn to his attention Festus, having remained a few more days in Jerusalem, ‘went down’ to Caesarea, and the next day took his place on the seat of judgment and commanded that Paul be brought before him.
7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,
Present also in the court were the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem for the purpose of bringing against Paul ‘many and grievous charges which they could not prove.’ It was, however, a rule of Roman justice, as of Jewish justice, that a man could not be convicted on accusation alone. There must be evidence and a case must be proved.
8 while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”
Paul was therefore given the opportunity to defend himself, and he declared that he was guilty of none of the charges, neither in respect of the Law of the Jews, nor in respect of the Temple, nor with regard to Caesar. Among other things he had clearly been charged with being a man who disregarded local law, who had violated the Temple, and who had been involved in activities against Caesar, none of which, as we know, were true.
9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”
We all need to stop and consider some things. Remember that Paul was a free Roman citizen. During this time in history 3 out of every 4 people in the world were not consider free. So Paul should have received all the benefits of being a legal citizen. Please notice how this Roman judge wanted to do favors so he could derive other benefits.
Do you see the same thing happening here in this country? Today those who have said they wanted to serve the interest of their citizens are seeking self pleasures instead of honoring the oath they took. I like the story about it being so cold outside today that I saw a politician have his hands in his own pockets. Today we are dealing a lot with illegals. These people are in violation of the US laws and amazingly they are receiving better treatment than US citizens. I promote allowing people who seek freedom to come to our country. I put the blame on the worthless politicians who cannot come up with a good plan to allow this action to the benefit of our country.
We see here how Festus wished to conciliate the Jewish leaders in order to be seen in a good light, the better to enable him successfully to carry out his duties. Thus, no doubt under continued pressure from them (for after all who did Paul represent?), he suggested that Paul might consider ‘going up’ to Jerusalem to be tried there before him. Festus was inevitably unaware of why this would cause some real problems. He may well have summed up the Jewish leadership but he probably never considered that they themselves would be involved in an assassination attempt. Is seems pretty clear that he had probably not yet gathered how unscrupulous they people were. A fair-minded man always has difficulty in understanding evil schemers.
10 So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
Paul on the other hand was very well aware of what might happen to him once he was in the hands of his onetime colleagues. He was under no illusions. He could remember back to what he had done and been himself. Nor did he see a Jerusalem court, even if he got that far, as being anything but set up to prevent justice as far as he was concerned. Every trick, every effort, would be put into proving what was undoubtedly untrue. Only Festus would stand between him and a whole nation which would set out to prove him guilty by any means whatsoever, both fair and foul. And he was not confident that Festus would be able to take the pressure. He had Pilate before him as an example of Roman justice in Jerusalem under pressure.
Having presented his case to Festus, which should have resulted in his release, Paul was aware that Festus also was not doing what was right. He was clearly too eager to please those over whom he had responsibility, and whose cooperation he would require, and he was putting that before straightforward justice. It was not surprising that he should be like this.
He pointed out to Festus that it must already be apparent to him that the Jews had nothing tangible against him. They had failed to produce any witnesses or any evidence. There was clearly no case to answer ‘as you also very well know’. His last comment demonstrated what he really thought about the situation. He did not want to be judged on the basis of expediency. He did not want to be ‘given up to them’, which was what Festus was doing. What he wanted was justice. And it seemed that Festus did not want to give him justice.
He had done nothing wrong against the Jews, as the lack of any tangible evidence proved. He had already been put on trial twice before the Jews with nothing had been decided against him. So why then should he once more be judged by a Jewish court? If he had done wrong he was quite willing to be punished for it, but what he wanted was a fair and unbiased trial. Why then could he not be judged where he should be judged, here in Caesarea before a properly set up Roman court? It was, however, apparent that this was not to be allowed to him. He therefore had no alternative but to appeal to Caesar, where he expected to be given the fair treatment that was being refused to him here. This was the implication of his words. From Luke’s point of view they had the advantage that they clearly and unequivocally emphasized Paul’s confidence in true Roman justice and in the emperor. They made clear that Christians were not against the authority of Rome.
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”
Festus was probably a little annoyed. It would be quite clear to him that Paul was doubtful whether he would get justice here. But an appeal to Caesar by a Roman citizen was not something he could refuse. He then covered himself by calling his advisers together and seeking their opinion. A man could not be sent to Caesar unless the crime was serious enough. Festus did not want to look bad in the thoughts of Caesar especially since he did not know exactly the severity of any crime having been committed.
Nevertheless it must be noted that Festus did have another alternative. He could have ordered Paul’s release. So, He was not quite as fair-minded as he probably liked to think he was. He was too sensitive about offending the Jewish authorities on who might depend upon for the success of his office.
13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.
An event then occurred that helped to resolve his dilemma, the arrival in state of King Agrippa II with his sister Bernice. He was Agrippa II, son of the Herod Agrippa mentioned in chapter 12, On Festus’ official appointment as Procurator he came to see him, bringing his sister Bernice, in order to congratulate him.
14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix,
Festus saw Agrippa as a Godsend. Agrippa was seen by the Romans as an expert on Jewish affairs. Who better then to sort out these problems about the charges brought against Paul? So while Agrippa and Bernice were staying with him ‘many days’ he took the opportunity of laying the case before the king. His words to Agrippa reveal his puzzlement and the dilemma he found himself in. He had been left by his predecessor with a prisoner that he was finding it difficult to make anything of. On the one hand all the Jews could accuse Paul of were religious matters. On the other Paul, for some reason, did not want to be judged in Jerusalem, and thus had appealed to Caesar. And as he did not really understand what the charges were against the man, he did not know what on earth he was going to give Caesar as the reason why he had sent him to him.
15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’
Do you see the hypocrisy here? How can a fair judge allow unsubstantiated charges to go this far? Festus continually said one thing and in his heart was determined to do something else. Now he was in a dilemma. He should have freed this innocent man. It should not have come down to this being such a big problem.
17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, 19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
So now Festus is going to stretch the truth. He turns on the smooth talking by speaking highly of his performance as being an efficient professional judge who performed properly.
If Agrippa had any common sense relative to legal proceedings he might have been thinking to himself regarding Festus’s actions then why on earth would you not have any concrete evidence against one so charged as Paul was. And that was Festus’s dilemma for instead of charging the man with recognizable crimes and wrongdoing of the kind that might be expected, the Jewish religious leaders had instead charged him with what they saw as religious misdemeanors not any crime which would be a capital offense. It had all been about ‘not observing the Law of Moses’, and ‘violating the Temple’ (although no specific example had been proved by witnesses) and about a man called Jesus, whom the Jews were quite certain was dead, while Paul claimed that He was alive. It was all very strange.
20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.”
The result was that perplexed about how to deal with such matters he had asked Paul if he was willing to put himself in the hands of a Jewish court, with Festus himself presiding to ensure proper justice, so that these matters could be decided by Jewish experts. This had seemed to him the best solution. Who better to decide such matters? (He was as yet unaware of the intricacies neither of the Jewish mind; nor of the makeup and different beliefs of that court and the deep divisions within it; Nor of how skilled the chief priests were at obtaining their own way; nor was he yet aware of the strong national feeling and religious bigotry that existed among the Jews.
Now playing the innocent politician Festus whines that Paul had not been happy with such a suggestion and had appealed to Caesar to decide the matter, which was his right. Thus he had commanded that he be kept in custody until he was able to send him to Caesar. But now he had the dilemma of what charges he was to ask Caesar to judge him on.
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
Agrippa, who probably discerned in all this a good deal more than Festus, knew the intricacies of the Jewish court and the evil schemes of the chief priests, and knew also something about the Way (Christianity), and so he announced that he would like to hear Paul for himself.
23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in.
Festus was no doubt pleased to have a ‘Jewish expert’ look at the case who he could say was not prejudiced against the prisoner and that he did the whole thing on a proper diplomatic way by showing courtesy to the king for his visit. So he called together the prominent influential people of the city displaying to all a great ceremony. The examination of Paul was going to be somewhat of a spectacle
24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.
Festus then presented Paul. He pointed out to Agrippa and all present that here was a man whom all the influential large numbers of Jews, both in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, had pleaded that he be put to death as someone who did not deserve to live any longer.
25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.
Oh, really Festus, you decided to send him to Caesar? Your words do not match you actions. You wanted to set Paul up at Jerusalem because you wanted some future favors from these Jewish Priests. You had no other choice because by law Paul had sought out this decision because he felt that he was not given a proper Roman law treatment.
26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.
Take a look at Festus’s comment – ‘have nothing certain to write to my lord.’ Who was his ‘Lord’? Festus’s ‘Lord’ was a man who somehow God allowed to be ruler. It was not the only true Lord Who Is Jesus Christ.
27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
You have to appreciate all the smooth flattery that goes on in the political and legal world. It would not only be unreasonable it would also be stupid for Festus to send to Caesar a person who would take his valuable time to judge without even knowing why the guy was sent to him. If this happened Festus would most likely also get a command not an invitation to come and see Caesar. And we both know that the outcome would not be pleasant for Festus.
