NOTES for Act 25:18-19
18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: |
19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. |
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Representatives of Roman authority, like all pagans of the Roman Empire who had no connection with the Synagogue and no special interest in Judaism, had a very vague idea of matters so significant for the Jewish world. They were all secular people, and they understood little of the finer points of the Jewish religion, or nothing at all.
The one thing that drew everyone's attention was the intrigue surrounding Jesus Himself: He had been executed, and suddenly a man appears claiming that he had seen Him alive, and he was apparently not the only one. It would seem that beginning the preaching in such a criminal-adventurous context was not easy: the preaching about the Kingdom began with an almost detective story, at least in the listeners' perception. Yet it was an opportunity for testimony, and Paul did not lose it. He was invited to speak, and he testified. This is one of the traits of every servant of God, and especially of an apostle: he is always occupied with only one task.
Everything else - different places, different platforms, different situations that make it possible to speak - is only a form for the main task. Even in court Paul speaks of one thing: the Kingdom. Everything else has no meaning for him. It would seem that in such a case a person must inevitably turn into a fanatic of one idea or one thought, obsessively preoccupied with it. And that really does happen if service becomes a function for a person, something he is occupied with, something he does.
Service that has become activity is a serious spiritual danger for everyone. Only the one who, like Paul and many other true servants, lives by what he does can avoid that danger. For such a servant, his service is not an activity and not a job, though outward signs may resemble both, but the mode of his own existence. As a philosopher would say, an anthropological mode of being.
Simply put, a person does one thing or another not because he must, is obligated, or promised something to God and people, but because he has no other way to exist in this world. Then persuasiveness remains, and fanaticism does not appear: it usually arises precisely from the rupture between outward activity, functioning, and that deep Life which alone is worth writing with a capital letter. The Life where God and the Kingdom are. Paul always lived this way, and when he did not, he strove for such a life. That is why he became God's servant and a true witness of the Kingdom.
Other notes
For Act 25:19
19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. |
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For Act 25:19
19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. |
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For Act 25:1-27
1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. |
2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, |
3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. |
4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. |
5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. |
6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. |
7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. |
8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. |
9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? |
10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. |
11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. |
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. |
13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. |
14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: |
15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. |
16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. |
17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. |
18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: |
19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. |
20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. |
21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. |
22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. |
23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth. |
24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. |
25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. |
26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. |
27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him. |
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Readings for 3 November 2022
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