Trial of Caesarea

 Acts 24:1-16; 5/26/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

 Introduction

The high priest’s plan to kill Paul in Jerusalem failed when the tribune received a report from Paul’s nephew that the Jews wanted to kill Paul at the Sanhedrin.  The tribune sent 470 soldiers to escort Paul to Antipatris, a military camp near Caesarea.  Early the next morning, seventy horsemen were sent to take Paul to Caesarea.  So, what will be waiting for Paul?  Let’s look at the first point:

 Spokesman’s statement

Apparently the tribune’s precautions worked.  Five days later, the high priest Ananias and the elders came to Caesarea to sue Paul.  First, a spokesman named Tertullus.  The so-called spokesman uses sophistry as a tool, confuses right and wrong as a means, and even uses deception as a purpose to confuse the public.  Of course, this is a concept I wrote for debaters,   and there is some suspicion of interpretation.  In the original text, the meaning of debater is a speaker, an eloquent, and a defender, which is a bit like today’s lawyers.  The Roman Empire adopted the orator system to inherit the progress of Greek civilization.  However, the two sides of civilization include degradation and destruction.  As the defender of the law, the fact that the high priest asked the defenders to help expressed the deceitfulness in his heart.  On the other hand, Paul calmly accepted all the promises given by the Lord: “for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. (Luke 21:15)”

Secondly, two major crimes were charged.  Judging from the defense arguments, the accusations against Paul are nothing more than two major crimes:  First, Paul “stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world.”  For a ruler, this was extremely easy to impress Governor Felix.  Because maintaining stability is the weakness of all those in power.  Once the political situation becomes unstable, their status and life will be at stake.  Therefore, the cost of maintaining stability in any authoritarian regime is extremely high.  Second, he said Paul  “even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him.”  Have you noticed that the high priest has run out of skills and even started to accuse Paul’s intentions?  The Romans gave the Jews the privilege of allowing the high priest to execute executions on Gentiles who entered the temple without authorization.  The spokesman’s defense was that Paul wanted to defile the temple.  With the thought, but didn’t do it yet, ends up becoming Paul’s crime.

Lastly, why bother without excuses.  The fact is that Paul led four Gentile believers back to Jerusalem on the advice of James and other church elders, and performed a cleansing ceremony in the temple.  Even so, there was no mention of bringing Gentiles into the temple. Because there is no need to enter the temple where the cleansing ceremony is performed, but those who make false accusations for the sake of false accusations will not have martial ethics.     They said that Paul wanted to defile the temple, which meant that it was not defiled.  So, how do you know what Paul was thinking?  This is called accusing one’s intentions!  They said, “We have captured him.”  This is true, but they only captured Paul, not the four Gentile believers.   That is a false accusation made out of nothing!  Let’s look at the second point:

 Paul’s defense

Finally it was Paul’s turn to speak, and out of nowhere the high priest could get the confirmation.  Asking the governor to ask Paul would get the result they expected.  The spokesman Tertullus said: “By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”  Governor Felix nodded and asked Paul to speak,    and Paul began his defense.  First, deal with the governor’s authority.  Paul said:   “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation.”  It means that “I know that you know the culture, religion and history of the Jews.  This is the premise and basis for our dialogue,”   “so I cheerfully make my defense.”  Neither inferior nor arrogant, Paul is establishing a basis for dialogue with each other.  In contrast, the words of the spokesman Tertullus are full of flattery.    He said:  “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.”  In fact, during the five years of Felix’s rule, there was abuse of violence, corruption and suppression of frequent riots.  Comparison between the two helps us understand the boundaries and attitudes towards authority.

Second, state the facts of what happened.  Stating the facts itself is full of power.  When what a person states is fact, even his enemies will say Amen and agree with him.  When Paul faced the accusation from the high priest, he just said softly: “You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.”  Let me ask you, for someone who has not been back to Jerusalem for more than ten years, how can he “stir up riots among all the Jews throughout the world” in twelve days?  Furthermore,  “they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city.”  If so, could you please provide evidence?

Finally, tell the truth of the Bible.  Paul said, since “neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. ”  I would like to ask, what words can stand up?  It stands to reason that if Paul simply wanted to escape, he could have stopped there, and then the governor should have acquitted Paul.  However, Paul’s heart and mind were all on the gospel, and he used the word “yet” that Jesus Christ used when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He said, “However, this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, “    Paul’s asking for trouble was to lead them to God.  Let’s look at the third point:

 A clear conscience

It is extremely difficult to live a whole life with a clear conscience.  Facing the high priest who occupies the ceiling of religious status, Paul at least lived a life without fear through the chief administrator of the province of Judea.  First, acknowledge the preached word. Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord in front of others has always been a risky thing.  Peter denied the Lord three times before others.  What about you and me?  Have you ever been afraid to thank the Lord for meals and pray in public, and have you been afraid to preach the gospel to others, especially to strangers?  We might as well try, go out on the streets and say to strangers: Jesus loves you!  Or say: Jesus Christ is Lord!  Just try it and you will know that it is possible for you to deny yourself.  Paul confessed that the gospel he preached was what the high priests called heresy.  But, or rather, everything I, Paul, did was biblical.

Secondly, the Word of death and resurrection.  Since it is consistent with the Bible, it satisfies the truth that Jesus Christ is God.  What Paul wants to emphasize in particular is that  the most important truth in the New Testament is the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  In fact, the Pharisees who accused Paul also believed in the resurrection.  Of course, the resurrection that the Pharisees believed in was a humanistic resurrection.  It is the resurrection of dying even after being resurrected.  The resurrection mentioned in the Bible is the eternal resurrection, the glorious resurrection, the resurrection of the righteous, and the resurrection of believers.  Verse 15 says:   “having a hope in God, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. “  It is a statement made against the Pharisees and leads to the biblical view of resurrection.

Finally, the way of clear conscience.  Paul had strict requirements for himself.  He said: “So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.”  This means that I, Paul, do not mean that I am perfect and will no longer sin.  For if anyone says that he will never sin again after believing in the Lord, he calls God a liar.  However, I must try my best not to sin!  Of course, if you commit a sin, you should quickly confess and repent, turn back to God,   quickly pursue God, and keep up with God’s footsteps.  We must always have a good conscience before God and men.  Otherwise, it will be difficult to bear witness.

 Conclusion

Well, thank the Lord!  God led Paul to rush from Jerusalem to Caesarea, going through risks and twists and turns, just to bear a beautiful witness to God here.  Ananias, the high priest, together with several elders, Tertullus the defenders, and Paul, each testified before the governor Felix that Jesus Christ was a God who had risen from the dead.

  Let us pray……

 

Acts 24:1-16

1 And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. 

2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 

3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 

4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 

5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 

6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. 

8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.”

9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so.

10 And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 

11 You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, 

12 and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. 

13 Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. 

14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 

15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. 

16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.