Paul’s voyage and shipwreck and encouragement (Acts 27) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Paul’s voyage and shipwreck and encouragement (Acts 27)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

 

Paul’s voyage and shipwreck

Scriptures reading Acts 27

 

¹ When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.² We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

³ The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. ⁴ From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. ⁵ When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. ⁷ We made slow head way for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. ⁸ We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.

⁹ Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, ¹⁰ “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” ¹¹ But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. ¹² Since the harbor wa unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.

¹³ When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. ¹⁴ Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island.¹⁵ The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. ¹⁷ When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. ¹⁸ We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. ¹⁹ On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

²¹ After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said; “ Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. ²² But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. ²³ Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me ²⁴ and said, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” ²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. ²⁶ Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”     

²⁷ On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. ²⁸ They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. ²⁹ Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. ₃₀ In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. ₃₁Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” ³² So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away.

³³ Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food you haven’t eaten anything. ³⁴ Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” ³⁵ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. ³⁷ Altogether there were 276 of us on board. ³⁸ When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

³⁹ When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. ⁴¹But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. ⁴³But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. ⁴⁴ The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.

           

Verse 2 Adramyttium. A port on the west coast of Asia Minor (Modern Turkey), just south of Troas.

             Verse 4 to the lee of Cyprus. The prevailing early autumn winds came from the northwest, making headwinds difficult for a coastal vessel to handle in open ocean. So, the ship sailed around the east end of Cyprus, the lee side, and headed north for the coast of Cilicia, where it would then head west, close to shore for many miles.

          Verse 9 it was after the Fast. Only one fast was prescribed by the law and that was on the Day of Atonement (Lev.16:29-34). If this was the year 59, the fast was on Oct.5. This means Paul left Caesarea in August or September and did not arrive in Rome until the following March.

Verse 14-25 The apostle Paul found himself a passenger on a storm-tossed ship. The timbers of the ship were popping as it floundered in the sea. Death rode the dark waves that night. The crew had given up hope. But an Angel of God appeared to Paul to minister for him, and Paul was able to tell the passengers they would all be saved. Paul had four anchors of faith that helped him have confidence in the face of danger. And these anchors will also hold your life steady when the fury of life’s storms roar against you. First, Paul told them, “I belong to God” Paul, as a covenant man realized that he was God’s property and the devil couldn’t harm him. Second, he said, “I serve God.” As a covenant man, he would do everything God wanted him to do and then God would do what He said He would do. Third, he said, “I am God’s witness.” God calls us to be witnesses of Him too. That’s why He promised us His Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). When we are obeying God, we can fulfill His plan for us and finish our course. Fourth, Paul said, “I believe God.” The fact that God had spoken caused Paul to put his faith on God’s word. He believed it in his heart, did not doubt, and spoke the word: I believe God. (Mark11:23,24 gives us the faith formula Paul used here, and which we can use every day of our lives.)

            Verse 44 “The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.” The people on the boat benefited from Paul’s covenant with God even though they themselves were not in the covenant. When you have a covenant with God, your family and loved ones will also benefit from it. God will pour out His blessing on you, and much of it will spill over on the people around you! 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 assures you that even your unsaved loved ones are blessed when you are in a covenant with God. I call my covenant: My Blessing-Pact with God. It means everything to me as a Christian. And I believe every one of my partners who I have it with, have it because it works!

 

Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible (KJV), Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

  

Paul’s defense before King Agrippa (Acts 26) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Paul’s defense before King Agrippa (Acts 26)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce  

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

 

Paul’s defense before Agrippa  

Scriptrues reading (Acts 26)

¹  The Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: ² King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. ⁶ And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. ⁸ Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

⁹ I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ And that is just what I did in Jerussalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put ot death, I case my vote against them. ¹¹ Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

¹² On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³ About noon, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” ¹⁵ Then I asked, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied.

¹⁶ “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. ¹⁷ I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them. 

¹⁸ To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” 

¹⁹  So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. ²⁰ First to those in Damascus, then to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. ²¹ That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. ²² But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen –²³ That the Christ would suffer and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.

²⁴ At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” ²⁵  “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, “ Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. ²⁶ The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” ²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long-I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me  today may become what I am, except for these chains.”³⁰ The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. ³¹ They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, “ This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.” ³² Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

 

Verse 14 A goad on a plow is a sharppointed stick used to subdue and prod an ox yoked to the plew. The Lord’s word here signifies that Saul was already yoked to the plow and had no choice but to take the Lord’s yoke obediently for the carrying out of the Lord’s commission. It was hard for him to kick against the goads on the Lord’s plow.

Verse 16 Not only a minister but also a witness. Aminister is for the ministry; a witness, for the testimony. The ministry is related mainly to the work, to what a minister does; a testimony is related to the person, to what a witness is. “I have appeared unto thee for this purpose.” Millions of people wake up every morning and don’t want to get up. They don’t have a purpose in life. They don’t have a reason for being. Saul of Tarsus was a man who had lost his reason for being. He lay on the ground, blinded by a light from heaven, hurting inside because he’d been fighting against God. But God said to him: “ Rise, and stand uppn thy feet” For I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness.” God was saying to him, “ get up, stand up, and stay up, for I have a purpose for your life.” And Paul received that commission as the beginning of a whole new way of living. Jesus is saying to you and me, “Get up on the inside…listen to My voice inside you…agree with My Word…put your faith to work…and I will make something of your life.”

Verse 18 This was to carry out the fulfillment of God’s jubilee, the acceptable year of the Lord, proclaimed by the Lord Jesus in Luke 4:18-21 according to God’s New Testament economy. The first item of the spiritual and divine blessings of the New Testament jubilee, which are the blessings of the gospel of God, is to open the eyes of those who are fallen and turn them from darkness to light, that they may see the divine things in the spiritual realm. To see these things requires spiritual sight and divine light. Darkness is a sign of sin and death; Light is a sign of righteousness and life (John1:4;8:12). The authority of Satan is Satan’s kingdom, which begs to darkness(Matt.12:26) . “ to God” to the authority of God, to God’s kingdom, which belongs to light. “ forgivness” The base of all the blessings of the New Testament jubilee.

            “an inheritance”  Lit., a portion; referring to a portion of an inheritance. This inheritance is the Triune God Himself with all He has, all He has done, and all He will do for His redeemed people. The Triune God is embodied in the all inclusive Christ (col.1:12). The Holy Spirit, who has been given to the saints, is the foretaste, the pledge, and the guarantee of this divine inheritance (Rom.8:23;Eph.1:14), which we are sharing and enjoying today as a foretaste in God’s New Testament jubilee, and which we will enjoy in full in the coming age and for eternity (1Pet.1:4). In the type of the jubilee in Lev.25:8-13, the main blessings are the liberty proclaimed and the returning of every man to his own possession. In the fulfillment of the jubilee here, liberation from the authority of darkness and the receiving of the divine inheritance are the primary blessings.

“Sanctified” not only positionally but also dispositionally (Rom.6:19). To be sanctified positionally is only to have a change in position and purpose; to be sanctified dispositionally is to be transformed in nature by and with the holy nature of God (2Cor.3;18). To be sanctified is to be saturated with God as our possession for our enjoyment today. Our sanctification will consummate in our maturity in the divine life that we may resemble God and be qualified to fully possess and enjoy Him as our inheritance in the coming age and for eternity.

Paul was under compulsion to preach the gospel. “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” ( 1 Corinthians 9:16). He even dared to speak in King Agrippa’s court. See his flashing eyes, hear his vibrant voice, his piercing word. Feel the fire of his soul, the anointing of his being, the spirit of his message. Grasp the purpose of his preaching, the conviction of his spirit. if you do you will know how King Agrippa felt when he cried, “Almost thou persuades me to be a Chrsitian.” My prayer is, “God, help us to stir up your gift is us…help us make You our Source…to plant our seeds of faith and expect our miracle –harvests.”

Verse 19  Not a doctrine, a theory, a religious creed, or any theology, but a heavenly vision, in which the apostle saw the divine things concerning the dispensing of the Triune God into His chosen, redeemed, and transformed people. All his preaching in this book and his writing in his fourteen Epistles, from Romans through Hebrews, are a detailed description of this heavenly vision seen by Paul.

Verse 22 or, assistance . The Greek word originally meant alliance. This implies that the apostle was allied with God and realized God’s assistance in this alliance.

Verse 23 light  Indicating the enlightenment of God, who is light (1John1:5), shining in Christ, who is the light of the world (John 8:12;9:5), through the preaching of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2Cor.4:4,6).

Verse 24 you are out of your mind,Paul! Festus, a Roman, simply could not comprehend Paul’s line of thought and language. Agrippa, a Jew, had no such semantic problems.

Verse 26 Agrippa, a Jew by religion, knew the things of the Old Testament and of resurrection.

Verse 32 In this section 21:27-26:32, a long narration of the Jews’ final persecution of the apostle, the genuine characteristics of all the involved parties were made manifest: (1) the darkness, blindness, hatred, and hypocrisy of the Jewish religion, (2) the injustice and corruption of Roman politics; (3) the transparency, brightness, faithfulness, and courage of the apostle; and (4) the Lord’s encouraging care for His witness and His sovereignty over the entire situation for the carrying out of His divine purpose. “ not appealed to Caesar”  But without his appeal to Caesar, the apostle might have been killed by the Jews through Festus’s unjust handling of him and thus his life might not have been preserved to that day.

Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible (KJV), Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

 

 

Paul’s defense before Festus (Acts 25)By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Paul’s defense before Festus (Acts 25)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce  

 Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

Paul’s defense before Festus (Acts 25)

Scriptures reading Acts 25

 

¹ Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, ² Where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. ³ They urgently requested Festus, as a favor 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 press charges against the man there, if he has done anything wrong.”

⁶ After spending eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. ⁷ When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.

 ⁸ Then Paul his defense: “ I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” ⁹ Festus wishing to do the Jews a favor, 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!” ¹³ A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.¹⁴ Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said, “ There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. ¹⁵ When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he becodemned.

¹⁶ I told them that it is not the Roman custom ot hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges. ¹⁷ When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. ¹⁸ When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. ¹⁹ Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. ²⁰ I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. ²¹ When Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caear.”

²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said, “ King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesared, shouting that he ought not to live anylonger. ²⁵ I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”

Verse 1 to Jerusalem. Since there was much unrest, Festus thought it prudent to make an early visit to the religious capital, Jerusalem. The Jews saw in this an opportunity to ask that Paul be returned there. If the request were granted they would try to kill him on the way (v.3).

Verse 9 gain favor with the Jews, this exposed the corruption of another Roman politician.

Verse 11 I appeal to Caesar. Festus’s suggestin that Paul appear in Jerusalem for trial (v.9) provoked this appeal to Caesar. Paul relized that the trial would not be impartial if conducted by Festus, especially if the case were transferred to Jerusalem, and that he would be in great danger if he was returned to the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin. The right of appeal was one of the most ancient and cherished rights of a Roman citizen. For his defense Paul wanted to appeal to Caesar. This would allow him to fulfill his desire to see Rome for the furtherance of the Lord’s testimony (19:21) and was according to the Lord’s indication to him (23:11). Without this appeal he would have been killed by the Jews who plotted against him (23:12-15;25:1-3,9) and would not have been able to write his last eight Epistles. Before his appeal to Rome, he had written only six Epistles: 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Galatians, Romans, and 1 and 2 Corinthians. During his first imprisonment in Rome he wrote Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon. After that imprisonment he wrote 1 Timothy, Titus and Hebrews. Then, during his second imprisonment he wrote 2 Timothy. With out these last eight Epistles, what a lack the divine revelation would have and what a loss the church would have suffered! His appeal did render great profit and benefit to the Lord’s interest.

Verse 12 The council of a Roman province, composed of the councilors or assessors chosen by the governor of the province, with whom the governor usually consulted concerning an appeal like Paul’s .

Verse 13 A grippa. Herod Agippa II, son of Herod Agrippa I (12:1),  both of whose territories he ultimately ruled under Rome’s jurisdiction. Herod Agrippa II, who reigned over the region north and east of Galover the region north and east of Galilee, a Jew by religion. Bernice, the sister of Drusilla, Felix’s wife (24:24). She was also a sister of Agrippa, with whom he was living incestuously.This again showed the corruption of the politicians in the circle of Roman politics. Paul was not required to defend himself before them, since he had already appealed to Caesar, but he took this opportunity to witness to the Jewish king.

 

Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible (KJV), Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Paul’s defense before Felix (Acts 24) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Paul’s defense before Felix (Acts 24)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

Scriptures reading Acts 24

Accused by the Jew’s advocate          

¹ Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea, with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. ² When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. ³ Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude.⁴ But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.

⁵We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect ⁶and even tried to desecrate the temple, so we seized him. ( and would have judged according to our law.⁷ But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, ⁸ Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: (kjv)) By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.” ⁹ The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.

¹⁰When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so, I gladly make my defense.¹¹ You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. ¹³ And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. ¹⁴ However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, Which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, ¹⁵ and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶ So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

 ¹⁷ After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. ¹⁸ I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. ¹⁹ But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to charge if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin — 21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: “It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.”

²² The Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceeding. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “ I will decide your case. ²³ He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.

²⁴ Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess, He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.²⁵ As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 

²⁶ At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. ²⁷ When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

 

Verse 1 Ananias headed the group that presented the complaint against Paul. Tertullus (Roman name) was probably a lawyer hired by the Jews in Caesarea to present their case. A spokesman, one who knew Roman legal procedure.

Verse 2 Tertullus’s word from here to the end of v.3 displayed his baseness, his lack of any ethical standard. (23.1)

Verse 5 Tertullus broadened the charge, and made it more serious in Roman eyes by, for the first time, accusing Paul of being an insurrectionist (stirring up riots).

Verse 6 many ancient MSS omit the section from this word through come to you in v.8

Verse 8 Tertullus now argued that Lysias had exceeded his authority in removing Paul from trial by Jewish authorities on the charge of profaning the Temple.

Verse 15 The resurrection of the righteous will occurs before the millennium at the Lord’s coming back (1Cor.15:23;1Thes.4:16). This will be the resurrection of life (John 5:28-29 and Dan.12:2a) and the resurrection of reward (Luke 14;14), which includes the first, or the best, resurrection (Rev.20:4-6)  the out –resurrection (Phil.3:11) The resurrection of the unrighteous will occur after the millennium ( Rev.20:5). This will be the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29b) and of shame and everlasting contempt (Dan.12:2b) and will be for the judgement of eternal perdition upon the unrighteous (Rev.20:12-15). It was concerning this judgment that the apostle warned the unrighteous Felix in v.25. 

Verse 22 adjourned the proceedings. Because Lysias wasn’t there to be heard from.

Verse 23 To give him some freedom. Paul was under a relatively loose military confinement.

Verse 24 A daughter of King Herod Agrippa. She was persuaded by Felix, who became enamored of her, to forsake her husband and marry him. This showed the intemperance and corruption of Felix, a Roman politician.

Verse 25 reasoning concerning Lit., saying thoroughly, discussing (in argument or exhortation), disputing the same as in 17:2;18:4,19). 

Verse 25 Righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come.  Felix was afraid. Realizing Felix’s unrighteousness (vv.26-27) and intemperance, the apostle reasoned with Felix regarding righteousness and self-control, the control of passions and desires, especially, here, sexual desires. The coming judgment is related to the resurrection of the unrighteous, which the apostle preached in v.15. The apostle reasoned with Felix regarding the coming judgment also, this was a warning to Felix. Through this, Felix became afraid. Felix had stolen Drusilla from her first husband. He also was corrupt as a governor (v.26), and Paul may have challenged him concerning his low morality.

Verse 26 This indicated the Roman politician’s corruption.

Verse 27 Luke does not disclose what the apostle did during these two years. He might have used the time to be with the Lord for His move on earth. If so, this might have influenced the Epistles he wrote during the time of his appeal in Rome-Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians-which are the most mysterious, most profound, and riches in the divine revelation. The supply that they have brought to the church throughout the generations cannot be fully told.

Verse 27 Festus, Felix’s successor as the governor of Judea. The change came about A.D.58. A Roman magistrate could decide when a case would be called; often the delays were long, as here.

Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible (KJV), Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

 

Paul encouraged by the Lord, transferred to the Roman Governor Felix (Acts 23) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Paul encouraged by the Lord, transferred to the Roman Governor Felix (Acts 23)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospek music

Scriptures reading Acts 23

¹ Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” ² At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”

⁴ Those who were standing near Paul said, “ You dare to insult God’s high priest?” ⁵ Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: “ Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.” ⁶ Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “ My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead.” ⁷ When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.  ⁸ (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)

⁹ There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously, “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “ What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” ¹⁰ The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him ino the barracks.

Paul escorted to Caesarea; Encouraged by the Lord

¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

The Plot of the Jews

 ¹² The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ More than forty men were involved in this plot. ¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

Transferred by the Commander to the Roman Governor Felix

¹⁶ But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “ Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” ¹⁸ So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, “ Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

¹⁹ The Commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?”²⁰ He said: “ The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. ²¹ Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.”

²² The commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” ²³ Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy hoursemen and two hundred spearmen” to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. ²⁴ Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.” ²⁵ He wrote a letter as follows:

To His excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. ²⁷ This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. ²⁸ I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. ²⁹ I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. ³⁰ When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him.

³⁰ So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brough him as far as Antipatris. ³² The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. ³³ When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. ³⁴ The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, ³⁵ He said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

 

Verse 1 After man’s fall and his being sent out of the garden of Eden (Gen3:23), God in His dispensation wanted man to be responsible to his own conscience. But man failed to live and walk according to his conscience and fell further into wickedness (Gen.6:5). After the judgment of the flood, God ordained that man should be under human government (Gen.9:6).Man failed in this also Then, before fulfilling His promise to Abraham concerning the blessing of the nations in his seed, Christ (Gen.12:3;Gal3:8), God put man under the test of the law (Rom.3:20;5:20). Man failed this test utterly. All these failures indicate that man has fallen from God to his conscience, from his conscience to human government, and from human government, and from human government to lawlessness; that is, man has fallen to the uttermost. Hence, to conduct oneself in all good conscience before God, as Paul did, was a great return to God from man’s fall. Paul spoke this word to vindicate himself before those who accused him of being a lawless and even reckless person. In his defense he referred again to his conscience in 24:16. This showed his high standard of morality, in contrast to the hypocrisy of the Jewish religionists and the crookedness of the Roman (Gentile) politicians.

Verse 2 ordered …to strike him. Ananias (high priest about A.D.48-58) was reportedly insolent and overbearing. He was probably angered at Paul’s bold claims and ordered him struck.

Verse 5 I did not realize that he was high priest. Some think Paul’s weak eyes caused him to fail to recognize the high priest; however, the remark may have been sarcasm –“ I didn’t think the high priest would ever speak like that!”

Verse 6 in effect Paul said, “ I a Pharisee by inheritance and trainin g, can hardly be regarded as a subversive teacher!” He then proceeded to split the Sanhedrin into its two factions.

Verse 10 This was the Lord’s sovereighty exercised to rescue Paul from the hand of the Jews. Through the riot of the Jews in Jerusalem, God delivered Paul out of the predicament into which he fell when he took James’s comprmising proposal and participated in the Nazarite vow. Now through the commander of the Roman cohort, God in His sovereignty again rescued Paul, this time from the hand of the rioting Jews, who had attempted to kill him, that He might separate him from all the dangerous situations and entrapments and send him to a quiet prison. This was to afford him a quiet environment and give him tim, whether in Caesarea (24:27) or in the city of Rome (28:16,23,30), that through his last Epistles he might release exhaustively to the church throughout the generations the revelation of the mystery of God’s New Testament economy that he received from the Lord. The benefit and profit that the church throughout the generations has received from these Epistles will take eternity to measure.

Verse 11 Christ appeared to Paul four times. At his conversation (9:5), in Corinth (18:9-10), on his first visit to Jerusalem (22:17-18), and here during his last visit to Jerusalem.

According to the Jewish calendar, sundown is the beginning of the next day. The Lord was living all the time in Paul essentially (Gal.2:20). Now to strengthen and encourage him, the Lord stood by him economically. This showed the Lord’s faithfulness and good care for His servant. The Lord admitted that the apostle did bear a solemn testimony concerning Him in Jerusalem. A testimony differs from mere teaching . To carry out His heavenly ministry for the propagating of Himself that the kindom of God might be established for the building up of the churches as His fullness, the ascended Christ wanted to use not a group of preachers trained by man’s teaching to do a preaching work, but a body of His witnesses, martyrs, who bore a living testimony of the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ . Satan could instigate the Jewish religionists and utilize the Gentile politicians to bind the apostles and their evangelistic ministry, but he could not bind Christ’s living witnesses and their living testimonies. The more they bound the apostles and their evangelistic ministry, the stronger and brighter these martyrs of Christ and their living testimonies became. In His appearing to the apostle, the Lord indicated that He would not rescue him immediatedly from his bonds but would leave him in bonds and bring him to Rome that he might testify concerning Him, as he had done in Jerusalem. The Lord encouraged Paul to do this.

Verse 12 The plot in vv.12-15 manifested the falsehood and satanic hatred (John8:44; Matt.23:34) in the hypocritical Jewish religionists. To put themselves under a curse means that they would keep their vow, and that if they were to break the vow, they were willing to be cursed.

Verse 14 Lit., We have cursed ourselves with a curse. This means that they were bound under a curse and could not break their vow. It is a very strong expression.

 Verse 16 son of Paul’s sister. Only here is any memtion made of Paul’s immediate relatives. This too was the Lord’s sovereignty exercised to secretly rescue Paul’s life.

Verse 24 Governor Felix. Roman procurator of Judea (A.D.52 to probably 58 ) with headquarters in Caesarea.

Verse 31 A place about forty Roman miles from Jerusalem and about twenty-six from Caesarea.

Verse 34 What province he was from. Roman law required that this question be asked at the opening of a hearing, for Paul had the right to be tried in his home province or in the province where the alleged crime was committed. Tarsus was in Cilicia. Felix was a deputy of the legate of Syria and Cilicia, and so claimed the right to conduct the hearing, whichever choice Paul made. Such a detail is strong proof that Luke was with Paul at the hearing.

Verse 35 The palace of the former kings, built by Herod the Great. It became the official residence of the governor of the Roman province of Judea. Paul was guarded there leniently, not confined in the common prison.

 

Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible (KJV), Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.