“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. 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!” (v.10-11)
Acts 24 ended with Paul still in prison and a transition of the governorship from Antonius Felix to that of Porcius Festus. Felix was undoubtedly a bad man, but history tells us Festus was a basically good man. He governed well, despite all the problems left him by Felix. We can now see that Paul’s generous imprisonment in Caesarea was actually a providential provision of protective custody against the murderous intentions of the religious leaders. It was also a season of rest and replenishment after his years of hard missionary service, preparing him for the challenges in the years ahead.
Now here in chapter 25 we see that the case of Paul was still important to his accusers the religious leaders. They hoped to make Paul appear before them again in Jerusalem, knowing that Paul would be acquitted in any fair trial. Therefore, they requested Festus to summon Paul to Jerusalem. Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea: We don’t know if Festus knew the intentions of the Jewish leaders or not. Either way, he refused to grant their request for a change of venue, and this was another way that God protected Paul. Festus was willing to put Paul on trial again, to resolve the matter. Yet he insisted that it would happen in Caesarea, not in Jerusalem.
Though he was a good man, Festus also understood that it was important for him to have and keep a good relationship with the Jewish people of his province. Festus found it difficult to decide the case. Paul’s standing as a Roman citizen apparently prevented Festus from commanding the trial to be moved to Jerusalem, so he asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?" So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged…I appeal to Caesar.”
Passion is a powerful thing. When you are passionate about something, you have no issue being bold to support it. Paul was passionate about spreading the Gospel, and his boldness is evident here where he is on trial and could be sentenced to death, but because he believes in his actions and his purpose, he speaks boldly.
Paul’s passion for spreading Jesus’ message made him willing to face anything — even death. This kind of passion for the Gospel can change our communities (and eventually the world), one soul at a time. All we need to do is, exercise it.
The Truth: “And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
