An Introduction to
The Acts of the Apostles
(Lesson 9 – Dec 3, 2024) Chs.: 23-25
CHAPTER 23
Vv. 1-11 Paul’s defense before the Sanhedrin.
o
The incident where Ananias the high priest has
Paul struck during his trial is similar to the blow to Jesus before Annas (Jn
18:10-24)
V. 1 “I have conducted myself with a clear conscience before
God to this day”
V. 3 The high priest Ananias, son of Nedebaeus
(47-59 A.D).
Josephus reports that he
was later assassinated in 66 A.D. at the beginning of the first revolt.
V. 5 Paul, because of his reverence for the law (Ex 22:27),
withdraws his accusation of hypocrisy, “whitewashed
wall” (Mt 23:27)
V. 6 “I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees...for his belief
in the resurrection of the dead, angels and spirits.
Vv. 12-35 Plot against Paul and his transfer to
Caesarea but it was the Roman who protected him.
V. 13 (40 men took an oath not to eat and drink until they
killed
Vv. 26-30 The letter emphasizes the fact that Paul is a
Roman citizen and asserts the lack of evidence that he is guilty of a crime
against the empire. The tone of the letter implies that the commander became
initially involved in Paul’s case because of his Roman citizenship, but this is
not an exact description of what really happened (see Acts 21:31-33; 22:25-29)
CHAPTER 24
Vv. 1-21 Paul’s trial before Felix
V. 6 “..he creates dissension among Jews all over the
world and is a ringleader of the sect of the sect of the Nazoreans. He even
tried to desecrate our temple...”.
- An early Jewish name for
Christians was “Nazoreans”
- It is a parallel
false charge against Jesus to Pilate: that he incites revolt, opposes tribute to Ceasar, and claims to be
king (Lk 23;2)
Vv. 10-21 Ananias employs an advocate Tertullus
(v. 24:1). It is self-defense of Paul.
- He
stresses the continuity between Christianity and Judaism.
- Christianity is seen as a form of Jewish worship and expectation of
resurrection.
- Jewish presentation to Gentiles usually stressed judgment after
death based on how one lived. Paul’s witness to Jesus’ resurrection comes under
the general theme of the resurrection of the dead.
V. 17 Why he enter
the Temple??? He ends the speech by saying, “After many years, I came to bring
alms for my nation and offerings”. It was for the Church of Jerusalem.
Vv. 22-27 Captivity
in Caesarea
Vv. 24-25 The historian Josephus says that Felix had
stolen his wife Drusilla from her first husband.
- Felix, entered
into an adulterous marriage with Drusilla, daughter of Herod Agrippa I. This
marriage provides the background for the topics Paul speaks about and about
which Felix does not want to hear because of his sexual morality.
- It reminds us of John the Baptist’s rebuke of Herod for
his adulterous marriage – Philip, Herodias, Salome’
- The first and
second centuries often focused on righteousness, self-control, and the coming
judgment (Act 24:25).
Felix knew Paul was innocent. But why did he not free Paul? Luke notes that
Felix was (1) expecting a bribe; (2) he wanted to please Jews.
Paul is an example for Christians of suffering for
refusing to perform an unjust practice.
CHAPTER 25
25: 1-12 Trial before Festus and appeal to the Emperor
-
Luke frequently parallels Paul’s trial with Jesus’ trial.
- Only his Gospel
mentions all the following: Jesus before the crowd that captured him, the
Sanhedrin, the Roman governor (Pilate) twice, and the Jewish king Herod
(Lk22-23). Likewise, Paul addresses the mob that seized him, the Sanhedrin, two
Roman governors (Felix and Festus), and the Jewish Herodian king Agrippa (Acts
21-16)
Vv. 9-12 Paul refuses to acknowledge that the
Sanhedrin in Jerusalem has any jurisdiction over him now (v. 11). Paul uses his
right as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to the jurisdiction of the Emperor
{(Nero A.D. 60; (vv. 12)}. This move broke the deadlock between Roman
protection custody of Paul and the plan of his enemies to kill him (v.3).
Vv. 13-27 Festus invites
Agrippa to hear Paul
- King Agrippa and
Bernice – brother and sister, children of Herod Agrippa I whose activities
against the Jerusalem community are mentioned in Acts 12: 1-19.
- Agrippa II was a petty
ruler over small areas in northern Palestine and some villages in Perea. His
influence on the Jewish population of Palestine was insignificant.
- Only Luke
23:6-12 mentions Pilate inviting Herod Antipas to try Jesus.
- Members
of the Herod dynasty: Agrippa II to try Paul.
Herod the Great (Mt 2; Lk 1:5)
Herod the Tetrarch (=Herod
Antipas) who killed John the Baptist and appeared in Jesus’ passion in Lk 23,
Herod in Acts 12 (= Herod Agrippa I)
who killed James.
Agrippa (= Agrippa II) son of Herod from
Acts 12 and judge at Paul’s hearing in Caesarea in Acts 25-26
V. 19 Pilate in Luke 23:15, 22 declared the innocence of
Jesus. So also Festus and many others asserted Paul’s innocence. Festus
considered charges against him were mere intra-Jewish squabbles, “about a
certain Jesus who had died but whom Paul claimed was alive”.
A BRIEF REVIEW (Acts. Chs. 23 – 25)
1. What did the Sadducees believe that the Pharisees did not? Acts
23:7-8
Pharisees: Resurrection. Angels, Spirits.
Sadducees….
2. How many Jews took the vow against Paul? Acts 23:12
3. What was the plot? Acts 23:15
4. Who helped Paul and what did the commander tell him? Acts 23:15;
23:22
5. What were the charges brought to Felix? Acts 24:5
6. What did Paul preach to Felix? Acts 24:25
7. Why would Felix send for Paul again? Acts 24:26
8. What did Festus decide about Paul? Acts 25:7
9. What is said in Acts 25:9-12
10. An early Jewish name
for Christians was ……
11. Why was Paul in Jerusalem Temple? Acts
24:17
12. How does Luke compare
Felix and Herod Acts 24:24-25
