Slices
Prepare
Turn on the news, or read an online newspaper – ideally one you don’t usually consume. Where do you find misplaced priorities and long-term injustice towards individuals or people groups? Pray that God will deepen your understanding.
Bible passage
Paul’s trial before Festus
25 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. 3 They requested Festus, as a favour to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. 4 Festus answered, ‘Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. 5 Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.’
6 After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. 7 When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood round him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.
8 Then Paul made his defence: ‘I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.’
9 Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favour, said to Paul, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?’
10 Paul answered: ‘I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11 If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!’
12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: ‘You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!’
Explore
Even the passing of two years with Paul absent from Jerusalem has done little to pacify the Jewish leaders’ desire for him to be firmly dealt with. Yes, that’s a euphemism. Their petition to the new governor, Festus, is another thinly veiled assassination ploy (v 3).
Again, we plainly see Paul’s innocence set against the backdrop of status‑hungry authorities in pursuit of political favours rather than desire to see justice done (vs 4–8). What parallels do we see today? How do we react? It’s simplistic just to consign all politicians, faith leaders and journalists we don’t agree with to the ‘bad apple’ silo.
We don’t discover whether Felix had left handover notes for Festus. (What a read they would be!) We do learn it’s only three days into his tenure when the new incumbent is faced with the ‘Paul dilemma’. The quandary Festus faces is multi-faceted: Jerusalem the second most important city in his patch, the Jewish leaders influential, if misguided.
Paul sees the tawdry power play and shrewdly matches it with an unarguable bid for his rights as a Roman citizen to be honoured (vs 10,11).
Respond
Consider what ‘first impression’ people form of you. What do you think that might be? Do people see Jesus in you, even if they don’t know him themselves? Ask God to hone your character
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 21–23; Ephesians 4
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Mission Partner Beverley Schools Christian Trust as they seek new funding to sustain and grow the primary and secondary schools’ work. Give thanks for new volunteers from local churches and pray for energy and inspiration for staff as they develop and deliver ministry in schools.
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