Pastor's Sermon Notes: Paul’s Appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:1-12)

Paul’s Appeal to Caesar

Acts 25:1-12

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.

Outline:

I. The Murderous Attempt to Change the Venue from Caesarea to Jerusalem (25:1-5)

II. The Preliminary Hearing Before Festus at Caesarea (25:6-8)

III. The Startling Conclusion of the Hearing (25:9-12)

I. The Murderous Attempt to Change the Venue from Caesarea to Jerusalem (25:1-5)

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.

1. The Jewish Leaders Appeal to Festus (25:1-3)

2. The Response of Festus to the Appeal (25:4-5)

1. The Jewish Leaders Appeal to Festus (25:1-3)

1) Means: Formal Charges Brought Before the New Governor (25:1-2)

2) Opportunity: Change of Venue Requested (25:3a-b)

3) Motive: Murder by Ambush (25:3c)

1) Means: Formal Charges Brought Before the New Governor (25:1-2)

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,

Here it is the formality of the charges that is being emphasized.

In contrast to the Temple and Council scenes with Claudius Lysias, and the rhetorical display of Tertullus before Felix, the leaders of the Jews are attempting to get off on the right foot with the new procurator. There seems to be an attempt to impress him with their willingess to do things the right way, and to take a potential problem off his hands.

2) Opportunity: Change of Venue Requested (25:3a-b)

And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem

3) Motive: Murder by Ambush (25:3c)

laying wait in the way to kill him

2. The Response of Festus to the Appeal (25:4-5)

1) The Request for a Change of Venue Denied (25:4)

2) An Invitation Granted (25:5)

1) The Request for a Change of Venue Denied (25:4)

But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

2) An Invitation Granted (25:5)

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.

II. The Preliminary Hearing Before Festus at Caesarea (25:6-8)

 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.

1. The Failure of all Counts in the Indictment (25:6-7)

2. The Simple Self-Defense of Paul (25:8)

1. The Failure of all Counts in the Indictment (25:6-7)

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.  

Here it is the number and the weight of the charges that is being emphasized.

This may be viewed in contrast to the formality of the original charges presented to Festus in Jerusalem (25:2). There may be an indication in this that the Jews were not just ganging up around Paul (25:7), but ganging up with their charges in an attempt to “stack the deck” out of desperation due to a perception that once again they were losing ground.

In this setting their tactic — knowing that they were presenting false accusations that were void of proof — appears to be to inundate Festus and his advisors with so many and such serious charges that they would be forced to conclude that where there was so much thick smoke there surely must be a fire somewhere in that massive indictment.

2. The Simple Self-Defense of Paul (25:8)

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.

“Paul’s threefold claim to be innocent with respect to the law…the temple and Caesar argues that he has not disturbed the peace at any level. This was the standard charge made against early Christians (Luke 23:2; Acts 17:6-7). The charges here are emphatically denied, with the Greek conjunction oute repeated before each charge.”

— NET Bible note, on Lumina at https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Acts+25 [accessed 7 APR 2015].

III. The Startling Conclusion of the Hearing (25:9-12)

 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.

1. The Request by Festus (25:9)

2. The Denial by Paul (25:10)

3. The Appeal by Paul (25:11)

4. The Judgment of Festus (25:12)

1. The Request by Festus (25:9)

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?

What is remarkable at this point is that Festus may have been swayed by the tactic of the Jewish leaders, at least to the point where he was entertaining a concession concerning the venue for the next hearing. He certainly may have been impressed with the seriousness of the Jewish indictment.

What is also remarkable is that he asks Paul to go along with him in this, and to agree to the change of venue from Caesarea, back to Jerusalem. Festus appears to be trying to start off on the right foot with the Jewish authorities by sacrificing Paul through caving in to their demands, but has to get Paul to agree to go along with it first. It is almost as if he is saying to Paul, “Come on. Work with me on this. What harm could be done if, as you say, you are innocent anyway. I will go along, and ensure that everything is done all nice and legal. How about it, Paul? What difference can it make whether it is here or there anyway?”

2. The Denial by Paul (25:10)

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.

There is no legal basis for the change of venue to be granted. Paul insists on the basis of the very nature of the court in Caesarea that Festus is presding over as Caesar’s representative. Festus is well aware of this. He is only playing politics.

3. The Appeal by Paul (25:11)

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. 

This is not politics for Paul, since capital offenses are involved. Paul is will to die, but he is not willing to let Festus off the hook. There is no legal basis that would allow Festus to turn Paul over to the Jews. There is an emphasis here on the unfulfilled conditions in the “if” clauses, and then on the “no man.” Paul is insisting on his rights here, and make clear publicly and legaly where the wrong lies in this consideration.

He had previously “played the Roman card,” and now he plays “the Caesar card!”

“The appeal to Caesar was known as the provocatio ad Caesarem. It was a Roman citizen’s right to ask for a direct judgment by the emperor (Pliny the Younger,  Letters 10.96). It was one of the oldest rights of Roman citizens.”

— NET Bible note, on Lumina at https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Acts+25 [accessed 7 APR 2015].

The Lord Jesus Christ has chosen his vessel well! Here is no Galilean fisherman, or Judean tax collector. There is a unique greatness to what Christ is doing through this one man in the face of rabid opposition and absolute earthly powers. Here is one who can move in all cultural centers and political realms of the empire, and use all of his learning and experience towards one end — getting to Rome to bear the testimony of Jesus Christ there. The Jews have one agenda. Festus has another. Paul’s agenda is set by the Lord of lords, and trumps all others. This trial was over before it began!

4. The Judgment of Festus (25:12)

Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

Paul has slammed the door shut on the Jews plotting. The will not get their ambush. They will be unable to murder Paul on the way to Jerusalem. Festus will not be able to satisfy the Jews now, since he is between a rock and a hard place with no choice. He even double checks with his advisors, but he must have already seen the hand writing on the wall as soon as those words came out of Paul’s mouth. He will gain no political capitol with the Jews by returning Paul to Jerusalem to stand trial there, but at least he can kick this hot potato upstairs to Rome where it will not be his headache anymore. “Good riddance!” may have been his thought.

Complete outline:

I. The Murderous Attempt to Change the Venue from Caesarea to Jerusalem (25:1-5)

1. The Jewish Leaders Appeal to Festus (25:1-3)

1) Means: Formal Charges Brought Before the New Governor (25:1-2)

2) Opportunity: Change of Venue Requested (25:3a-b)

3) Motive: Murder by Ambush (25:3c)

2. The Response of Festus to the Appeal (25:4-5)

1) The Request for a Change of Venue Denied (25:4)

2) An Invitation Granted (25:5)

II. The Preliminary Hearing Before Festus at Caesarea (25:6-8)

1. The Failure of all Counts in the Indictment (25:6-7)

2. The Simple Self-Defense of Paul (25:8)

III. The Startling Conclusion of the Hearing (25:9-12)

1. The Request by Festus (25:9)

2. The Denial by Paul (25:10)

3. The Appeal by Paul (25:11)

4. The Judgment of Festus (25:12)

[Sermon preached 12 APR 2015 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]

Appendix 1 — Resources on Acts

G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.

Paul Barnett, The Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005).

Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).

                                                  

F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).

Dennis E. Johnson, The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1997).

I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).

David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).

John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).

W. C. van Unnik, “The ‘Book of Acts’ the Confirmation of the Gospel,” in Novum Testamentum 4:1 (OCT 1960), pp. 26-59; reprinted in The Composition of Luke’s Gospel: Selected Studies from Novum Testamentum, compiled by David E. Orton, Vol. 1 of Brill’s Readers in Biblical Studies (Leiden: Brill, 1999), pp. 184-218.

William H. Willimon, Acts, in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).

Appendix 2 — Resources on Paul

Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians  (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011).

F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).

D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 496-501.

W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged American ed. (New York: E. B. Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Adolf Deissmann, Paul: A Study in Social and Religious History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson (New York: Harper Torchbooks, n.d.).

F. W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul (New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and Letters”, in The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R. Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), pp. 283-325.

Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., "Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center on Westminster Theological Seminary at http://wts.edu/resources/media.html?paramType=audio&filterTopic=5&filterSpeaker=10&filterYear=2005 [accessed 20 MAR 2013].

Frank J. Goodwin, A Harmony of the Life of the St. Paul According to the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Epistles (New York: American Tract Society, 1895); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry And Message Of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).

Richard N. Longenecker, Paul, Apostle Of Liberty (New York: Harper & Row, 1964).

Richard N. Longenecker, ed., The Road From Damascus : The Impact Of Paul's Conversion On His Life, Thought, And Ministry (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).

Richard N. Longenecker, Studies In Paul, Exegetical And Theological (Sheffield : Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2004).

J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul's Religion: The James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925).

Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955).

John Pollock, The Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969, 2012); also published as The Man Who Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York: Doubleday, 1969).

Stanley E. Porter, Paul in Acts, in Library of Pauline Studies, gen. ed. Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999; 2001 reprint of The Paul of Acts: Essays in Literary Criticism, Rhetoric and Theology, in Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 115, by Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen).

W. M. Ramsay, The Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on his Life and Thought (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, Pauline and Other Studies in Early Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, The Teaching of Paul in terms of The Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York University (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The Missionary: Realities, Strategies And Methods (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008).

Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology, trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).

Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001).

James Stalker, The Life of St. Paul, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 7 FEB 2013].

James Ironside Still, St. Paul on Trial (London: Student Christian Movement, 1923).