DISTURBERS OF THE PEACE?
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Opening Prayer
Father, I come to you today, thanking you for the riches that are mine in Christ Jesus.
Read ACTS 24:1–21
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Paul’s Trial Before Felix
24 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.
5 “We 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 6 and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. [7] [a] 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”
9 The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.
10 When 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 ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will 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 be here before you and bring charges 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— 21 unless 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.’”
Footnotes
- Acts 24:7 Some manuscripts include here him, and we would have judged him in accordance with our law. 7 But the commander Lysias came and took him from us with much violence, 8 ordering his accusers to come before you.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘… we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.’1
As far as we can tell, Paul was alone to defend himself, with no witnesses—unlike Ananias, who had elders and a lawyer with him (v. 1). Paul’s life has been threatened, and no matter how confident he is that God wants him in Rome, no matter how brilliantly he defends himself, this must be a dreadful, lonely time. Felix is acknowledged both by Ananias (vv. 2, 3) and Paul (v. 10) as having governed his province well and peaceably. Ananias emphasizes the threat to peace, accusing Paul of being a disturber of that peace. The false accusation that Paul deliberately desecrated the temple courts has stuck (v. 9). These religious leaders are willing to break one of the Ten Commandments (do not bear false witness against a neighbor) to destroy Paul and the Way. Their justification must have been that they had a higher purpose. The implication in their argument is that ‘the Way’ (v. 14) or the ‘Nazarene sect’ (v. 5)—like other sects Rome suppressed—is a threat to peace, both for the Jews and for the Roman world.
In many ways this is true—the gospel is a disturber of the world’s peace. Jesus did warn us of the disturbing force of the gospel.2 Throughout history, it has radically changed communities, policies, laws, and nations. In the twenty-first century, much of this radical transformation has been reappraised in the light of the horrors of colonialism. It is sad to think that the gospel itself is falsely accused of desecrating human freedom when in fact it is the bringer of peace with God—the hope of humanity—as the trial of Paul exemplifies (v. 21).
We are ministers of this gospel. We may face accusations of disturbing people’s peace by sharing what we believe, but we have a gospel that brings true peace with God.
Apply
Let’s follow Paul’s example of striving to keep our conscience clear before God and people (v. 16).
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, giver of peace that passes all understanding, help me to share about that peace you have given me with grace and conviction, no matter what the cost.
1 Rom 5:1, 2 2 Matt 10:34, 36
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