Why Did Paul Appeal To Caesar?

Tom:

This is our Understanding the Scriptures segment, we’re in the Book of Acts, and we’re in Acts chapter 25 and we’ll pick up with verse 1: “Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.2) Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, 3) And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.”This could be these guys that—no actually it couldn’t—I was thinking it might have been the guys who took the vow.But seriously Dave, they want to kill Paul.

Dave:

Right.

Tom:

And there’s no way around it.

Dave:

Right, exactly as they wanted to kill Jesus.

Tom:

Right.

Dave:

And they would have stoned him if they could, but that was not what the Scriptures said would happen, and that would not fulfill that he was the Lamb of God.The Scriptures said…you could go back to Leviticus 16, I think it is or 17 somewhere around there.I never remember exactly where, but without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.By the way Tom, (I don’t want to get off the track here, but I think Utah is still the only state where they have execution by firing squad if you wish and that’s because of the Doctrine of Blood Atonement and you are really saving some one…you kill them…you are really doing them a favor if you shed their blood because then by their own blood they can enter in to heaven.

Tom:

According to Mormon teaching.

Dave:

Right.I don’t think that doctrine has been changed, although they don’t always adhere to their doctrines, such as no one who is married to only one woman can enter heaven.That was a very clear Mormon teaching, but anyway, I guess the United States government persuaded them not to adhere to that any longer.They must still believe it though.

Tom:

So these guys are still after Paul verse 4: But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.5) 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.

Dave:

He’s a wise judge.Whether he suspects some ulterior motive behind all this.He must have because he must have heard why Paul was taken to Caesarea in the first place.He must have heard about these men who had taken a vow to kill him, but later on he’s going to give into these—to their persuasion.

Tom:

Verse 6: And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; 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.8) While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all.9) 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?10) Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I out to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as though very well knowest.So once again, Dave we have politics here and greed.Looking for money, looking for favor and so on.

Dave:

Yes, now on the one hand, Jesus said if anyone smites you on one cheek, turn to him the other one.Don’t defend yourself and so forth, but on the other hand we are to defend ourselves.So we have to find a balance.In other words, I am not protecting my rights, but when the law of the land is being violated; when the law of God is being flaunted; then I think we are supposed to stand up for it.The Scripture also says the righteous falling down before the wicked is like a troubled spring—a corrupted spring.So Paul is defending himself and he knows why they want him to go back to Jerusalem.And so he says he believes that God has called him to Rome.

Tom:

Well Jesus told him that very thing when He stood by him in jail.

Dave:

Right, so he is doing his part to see that that happens.

Tom:

Verse 11, Paul continues: 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 Caesar.12) Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

Dave:

Paul knows his law.He’s a Roman citizen, he knows his rights and he has the right to appeal to Caesar.And he knows otherwise he’s going to be killed.He knows that the Lord doesn’t want him killed yet, because he is going to testify as Jesus told him in Rome.These Emerging church people want stories.Well, here’s a story for you.It’s very dramatic.You could make a movie out of this.This is great stuff, but it also has some deep lessons.
Tom:

But Dave, [do] you really want to make a movie out of the Bible?

Dave:

No, absolutely not!That’s the downward path, because it’s written in words and we’re saved by the Word of God.This is the Word which by the gospel is preached to you.Yes, thank you for that mild correction there, Tom.Actually, I was speaking rhetorically.

Tom:

I just wanted to make it clear for our listeners.Dave, King Agrippa and Bernice…what I know about the Herods, or actually any of these guys, it’s pretty confusing, but you’ve got some information there on Agrippa?

Dave:

Yes, Tom, this was a political move of course, it’s a potato too hot to handle.And he doesn’t want this back in his jurisdiction.

Tom:

Yes, you don’t know what Rome is going to say about it.That could be a problem.

Dave:

So he’s turning it over to Caesar—that’s the highest authority.And I have here John McArthur’s Study Bible.I love John.We have some serious disagreements.If we went to I Timothy 2:4 in his study Bible, he would tell you that “who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”—how do you get around that as a Calvinist (and John is a 5 point Calvinist)?Well he explains that God really has two wills: a will of desire and a will of decree.He really desires that all men be saved, but he doesn’t decree for all of them.And I would say that doesn’t make sense.And I would stand on that.But here….

Tom:

But he’s got some good content in his commentaries.Well, not so much his commentaries, but although some of those are pretty good, but also he’s got some good information in there.

Dave:

Yes, so here he is giving us the historical information, which I couldn’t even pretend to remember, so we’ll read it:Herod Agrippa II, son of the Herod who killed James and imprisoned Peter, was the last of the Herods, who played a prominent role in New Testament history.His great uncle, Herod Antipas, was the Herod of the gospels (Mark 6:14-29; Luke:3:1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
See All...; 13:31-33; 23:7-12), while his great-grandfather, Herod the Great, ruled at the time Jesus was born (Matt:2:1-19 [1] Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. [3] When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. [5] And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, [6] And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. [7] Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. [8] And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. [9] When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. [11] And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. [12] And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. [13] And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. [14] When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: [15] And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. [16] Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. [17] Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, [18] In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. [19] But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
See All...; Luke:1:5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
See All...).Though not the ruler of Judea, Agrippa was well versed in Jewish affairs. And so forth, it goes into the details of the incestuous relationship etc., which we don’t need to recite at this time.So…

Tom:

So, Festus, Felix, Agrippa, Bernice, it was kind of a family affair wasn’t it.Well, Dave next week we’ll see that Paul has appealed to Rome and to Rome he’s going to go, but we’ll pick up on the details next week, Lord willing.