Introduction: Very few people look forward to a trial. When we last
left Paul, the Governor told him, “I will hear your case when your
accusers get here.” In our study this week, Paul’s accusers arrive
and we study the charges and how Paul defends himself in not one but
two trials! Let’s plunge into our study of the Bible and learn more!
- The Trial Before Felix
- Read Acts 24:1-4. Have we seen the Jewish leaders hire a
lawyer before to bring charges against Paul? (Not that I
recall.) - Why do they hire a lawyer this time? (They want to be
rid of Paul. It might also reflect that this is a
more formal setting.) - How does the lawyer Tertullus start his case against
Paul? (He starts out complimenting Governor Felix.) - What does this tell us about Felix? (He is vain
and perhaps not too smart. Felix should realize
this has nothing to do with the charges against
Paul.) - Have you ever heard a lawyer argue? If so, did you
hear a promise to be brief? (This is a promise often
made and often broken.) - Read Acts 24:5-9. What are the charges against Paul? (He
creates trouble and starts riots. He is a leader of the
Christian church. He tried to desecrate the temple.) - Are these charges true? (It is true that the Jews
often riot when they hear Paul’s message. So do
others. This, of course, is a crime on the rioter’s
part, and not Paul’s crime. It is true that Paul is
a leader in the Church. The last charge has changed,
compare Acts 21:28-29.) - Read Acts 24:10. Is Paul also starting with an irrelevant
statement? (Paul is saying that Felix knows the Jewish
leaders are trouble. He is not complimenting Felix, he is
telling Felix to consider his own experience with these
leaders.) - Read Acts 24:11-13. Does this meet the rioting charge
against Paul? (The charge is that Paul is starting riots
everywhere. Paul denies that he was stirring up the crowd
in Jerusalem twelve days earlier.) - Who has the burden of proof here? (Paul asserts that
the Jewish leaders have the burden of proof.) - Read Acts 24:14-16. What does Paul say about the charge
that he is a leader in the Church? (He admits it.) - Paul goes on to talk about theology. Why is that
important? (Read Acts 23:29. This is part of the
letter from Claudius Lysias to Governor Felix. Lysias
says that the charges against Paul have to do with
religion, not some civil charge worthy of
imprisonment or worse. Paul is reinforcing that
conclusion.) - Read Acts 24:17-21. We find here a defense to the charge
of riots around the world. What is Paul’s defense? (Those
who made the original charges are not here. There is no
first hand testimony about this. Paul did nothing wrong
when he was in the temple in Jerusalem, so nothing in his
current conduct would suggest wrongdoing in other places.) - Of what charge did the Sanhedrin find Paul guilty?
(Read Acts 23:9-10. The Sanhedrin did not reach a
verdict because the place broke out in a riot.) - Read Acts 24:22-23. Why would Felix wait for Lysias? Will
Lysias add anything? He already wrote a letter stating
that Paul is not guilty. - How are we to understand the statement that Felix
knows a lot about Christianity? - Read Acts 24:24-25. Is there any legal problem here?
(Felix the judge, is listening only to Paul’s side of the
case. In an American court of law, both sides are supposed
to be present.) - Why would the judge become afraid? Does this teach us
something about the way that we should witness? (This
shows that Felix is not a good man. He does not want
to hear about self-control or “the judgment to
come.”) - Paul is a big proponent of grace? What does
this say about grace? (Grace does not free us
to live any way that we want. God has right
living in mind for us.) - Read Acts 24:26. Why would Felix think that Paul might
offer a bribe? (Re-read Acts 24:17. Paul is bringing money
to the poor, perhaps he might bring some to Felix. This,
of course, if further proof that Felix is a bad man.) - Read Acts 24:27. What is the most important factor in this
trial? (Not a search for the truth, but rather political
considerations.) - Why would God allow this? Remember that this is the
same God who walked Peter out of prison. See Acts
12:6-10. (We know that God has the power to free
Paul. Thus, God has His reasons for leaving Paul in
custody.) - The Trial Before Festus
- Read Acts 25:1-3. What would motivate Festus to agree to
this? (He was new to the job. An important part of his job
was to keep peace with the Jews.) - Read Acts 25:4-5. On what basis does Festus decide to
reject the proposal of the Jewish leaders? (It seems like
the convenient solution for everyone except the Jewish
leaders.) - What presumption does Festus express with regard to
Paul’s trial? (He presumes him innocent.) - Read Acts 25:6. Notice that within two weeks of starting
the job, Festus hears the case against Paul. What does
that suggest? (Paul’s case is important. Imagine all the
other things that Festus is supposed to do in his new
job.) - Read Acts 25:7-11. How is it a favor to the Jews to move
the trial to Jerusalem if Festus is still going to be the
judge? - Recall that in Acts 25:3 we learned that the Jews
wanted to kill Paul during the transfer. Do you think
that Festus understood this? (I doubt it, unless he
had been briefed on the previous plot against Paul in
Jerusalem.) - Why would Festus seek Paul’s consent for the transfer
to Jerusalem? (If Paul agrees it is a simple
decision.) - Why does Paul not agree? (In Acts 25:11 he
refers to being handed over to the Jews. Paul
knows they will have more practical power over
him in Jerusalem.) - How do you think the trial is going so far for Paul?
(Very well.) - If it is going well, why does Paul appeal to
Caesar? - Read Acts 25:12. Is this an easy decision for Festus?
- Read Acts 25:16-21. Now we learn the private thoughts of
the judge! Why was Festus willing to let Paul be
transferred to Jerusalem if Paul consented? - How would Festus have decided the case if Paul had
not appealed? (Paul would have won.) - Read Acts 25:23-27. What is the most pressing problem for
Festus? (He cannot even put together a reasonable
statement of the charges against Paul.) - In Acts 26:1-21 Paul recites his conversion story and the
gospel mission given to him by God as his defense to the
charges made against him. Notice that at this hearing Paul
has no accusers. Read Acts 26:22-24. What has made Festus
think Paul is out of his mind? (The talk about Jesus being
the first to rise from the dead.) - Is there a compliment in Festus’s charge? (Paul is a
man of great learning.) - Read Acts 26:25-28. Does King Agrippa think Paul is
insane? (Quite the opposite. He merely says that he is not
convinced.) - Read Acts 26:29-32. Was it a mistake for Paul to appeal to
Caesar? - Read Acts 28:17-19. What do you think about Paul’s
explanation for his appeal? - Let’s revisit something we have already read. Read
Acts 23:11. Do you think these words from Jesus
motivated Paul? - Friend, these trials and hearings show that Paul is
innocent of any criminal charges, yet he continues to be
confined. Have unjust things happened in your life? Were
they the result of your obedience to God? Will you
determine that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remain
faithful to God even when unjust things happen to you? - Next week: Journey to Rome.
