Tag Archives: Festus

No Way, Festus!

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NO WAY, FESTUS!

“About eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea. The next morning he took his place in the courtroom and had Paul brought in. The minute he walked in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem were all over him, hurling the most extreme accusations, none of which they could prove.

“Then Paul took the stand and said simply, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong against the Jewish religion, or the Temple, or Caesar. Period.’

“Festus, though, wanted to get on the good side of the Jews and so said, ‘How would you like to go up to Jerusalem, and let me conduct your trial there?'” Acts 25:6-9 (The Message).

Oh no! Not another crowd-pleaser! Paul might have had high hopes that Festus would give him justice, but he was turning out no better than Felix.

What was it with these Roman governors? Was it their fear of the volatile Jews who could stir up a riot in a flash that kept them from doing the right thing? Was there anything in it for them other than their maintaining their position by keeping the peace in Israel? They all seem to have been tarred with the same brush.

Festus was giving him the option of being tried in Jerusalem instead of in Caesarea when, a few days before he had insisted that Paul remain in Caesarea where he, Festus had jurisdiction over Paul. Jerusalem was the turf of the Jewish hierarchy where they had power and influence. Paul knew that at all costs he must stay away from Jerusalem.

He had been whisked out of Jerusalem in the dead of night because his life was in danger there, and now Festus wanted to send him back into enemy territory? Paul was well aware of Festus’ strategy. Sacrifice Paul for peace so that Festus could look like a good governor in the eyes of Rome. As long as there was no trouble in this little colony, internal issues did not matter, especially petty religious ones!

“Paul answered, ‘I’m standing at this moment before Caesar’s bar of justice, where I have a perfect right to stand. And I’m going to keep standing here. I’ve done nothing wrong to the Jews, and you know it as well as I do. If I’ve committed a crime and deserve death, name the day. I can face it. But if there’s nothing to their accusations — and you know there isn’t — nobody can force me to go along with their nonsense. We’ve fooled around long enough. I appeal to Caesar.’

“Festus huddled with his advisors briefly and then gave his verdict: ‘You’ve appealed to Caesar; you’ll go to Caesar!” Acts 25:10-12 (The Message).

Paul held the trump card. As a Roman citizen he had the right to a fair trial before Caesar. If Festus did not have the guts to do the right thing, he was certainly not going to subject himself to any more abuse from the Jews. It was with an air of contempt that he made his decision. Festus was too lily-livered to stand up to the Jews. He, Paul, was not going to be a pawn to be pushed around on their little chessboard. Caesar was his only option to get out of checkmate.

That pulled the rug from under Festus’ feet! He was obligated to grant Paul his request. This was a legally binding appeal and once granted, like the law of the Medes and Persians, it could not be changed. Paul was actively co-operating with God’s plan to move him to Rome. Did the penny drop for him at that moment? Did he have a flash of understanding, remembering the assurance from the Lord Himself that he was on his way to Rome in spite of all the carry-on in Jerusalem?

Slowly but surely God’s plan was coming together. Throughout all the seemingly impossible circumstances, and the long drawn-out process, Paul was exactly where and when God wanted him, putting all the structures in place to plant His son right in the palace of Caesar himself. There’s no getting away from it — God is smart!

God In The Shadows

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GOD IN THE SHADOWS

“Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take up his duties as governor, he went up to Jerusalem. The high priests and top leaders renewed their vendetta against Paul. They asked Festus if he wouldn’t please do them a favour by sending Paul to Jerusalem to respond to their charges. A lie, of course — they had revived their old plot to set an ambush and kill him along the way.

“Festus answered that Caesarea was the proper jurisdiction for Paul, and that he himself was going back there in a few days. ‘You’re perfectly welcome,’ he said, ‘to go back with me then and accuse him of whatever you think he’s done wrong.'” Acts 25:1-5 (The Message).

Like the proverbial elephant, the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem had not forgotten about Paul. Felix’ indecision had not let him off the hook as far as they were concerned. He was still a thorn in their side and they were determined to annihilate him whatever it took. There was new blood in control and now was their opportunity to get around Festus before he could hear Paul’s side of the story.

Grabbing the chance to get him off guard, the religious leaders casually asked Festus to send Paul back to Jerusalem on the pretext that they would give him a hearing there, but they knew that, once Paul was dead, Festus could do nothing about it. It would not be their fault if he were murdered on the way to Jerusalem.

Fortunately for Paul, Festus didn’t buy that one! He was either too familiar with the rules of his job to agree to their request or he smelt a rat and chose to protect Paul and give him a fair hearing. Once again, there was a Higher Hand guiding Paul’s affairs so that he would not fall into the hands of his murderous opponents. Rome had no issue with him, so it was better for him to remain in Caesarea until someone had the courage to make a decision. God said he was going to Rome and that settled it!

When one takes a step back and on hindsight, one can see that, as long as Paul remained in the territory of Israel, he was not safe. Had he been acquitted and released, the Jews would have made sure their assassin was in place before he had a chance to get out of the country. God was surely watching over His son and, as unpleasant as it was for him to be imprisoned indefinitely, he was safe where he was until his passage to Rome under Roman guard, was assured.

Paul’s story should be of great encouragement to God’s children. King David assured us, and that after years of experiencing God’s protection through many dangerous situations, that all the days ordained for us were written in His book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16 – NIV). Not only has He ordained the length of our days, but He has also planned each day in advance.

That does not mean that He treats us as puppets or as pawns on a chess board. He honours His gift of choice far too much to do that, but it does mean that every day He has given us is packed with the potential to live it with Him and for Him.

Paul had come to know, through the hazardous life he had lived as a missionary in a hostile world, that he was indestructible until his work was done. He did not waste time worrying about his safety. He lived to the full in the assurance that it was God’s responsibility to take care of him, and he could get on with the business of God’s kingdom without wasting energy on what he could not control.

We live in the shadow of the Almighty. We cannot see where He is going but we can see where He has been and what He has done. Is that not enough to convince us that “Our God reigns”?