Wed, 25 January, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourselves know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Continuing with Paul’s saga, we see that Paul has now been in Roman detention for two years. Now Paul is given the option of returning to Jerusalem for trial and possible exoneration. But there is a plot afoot to kill Paul when he is taken to Jerusalem. Therefore, Paul, invoking his rights as a Roman citizen, requests a trial before Caesar in Rome. Paul knew that God intended him to go to Rome, and so it probably was easy for him to make the request.
What do we learn from this?
It is not wrong for us to exercise our rights as citizens. We can bring charges against those who commit crimes against us or our property. We can vote. We can take part in the political process. All these we can legitamately do as Christians. And if false charges are brought against us, as in Paul’s case, we can make use of the legal system to vindicate our name.
But once again, we see God’s purpose being furthered even in the difficulties of life. In yesterday’s chapter we saw Paul explaining the gospel to Felix and his wife Drusilla. Tomorrow, we will see Paul bringing the gospel to Herod the Great’s great-grandson, King Herod Agrippa II. Paul, though in custody, is by God’s providence enabled to bring the gospel to people who would otherwise never have heard.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Paul uses his time well. Given the chance to talk freely, as we will see tomorrow with Agrippa, he will tell people about Jesus Christ. We will follow him in his trip to Rome as he talks about Jesus Christ to the people he meets on the way and those he meets in Rome. He doesn’t lament his difficult circumstances, but makes the most of what God gives him in order to point others to Jesus Christ.
