August 23rd, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

The Law In Action

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Gracious Lord, You are the Divine Potter in my life. Today is in Your hands. Teach me and lead me.

Read Acts 25:1-22

[1] Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, [2] where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. [3] They 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 if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.” [6] After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. [7] When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them. [8] Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law 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 the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. [16] “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the 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] But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.” [22] Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

Is today going to be an active day, or just a reactive day for you? Consider how you’ll live it for Christ.

Think Further

Festus, the successor to Felix, is a much more efficient figure. Instead of keeping Paul locked up in what we might call protective custody, he decides to push things along; “justice delayed is justice denied,” the saying goes. He is also under pressure from the chief priests of the Jews whom he governs. They are after a favor: to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem. This may have been just to get publicity for their capital, but it turns out to be so that they could get a hit squad after Paul. But Festus is no Pilate. He asserts his own wishes for justice over those of the subjects (16), and seems strong enough to deal with any backlash. He is willing to grant the Jewish leaders a favor, but once Paul appeals to the emperor, that’s where he goes.

We can reflect on this story in two ways: First, it’s often seen as part of God’s providential plan to get Paul to Rome, to witness in the heart of the Roman Empire. Second, it is also one of the many examples in the New Testament of honest people of power and influence acting with integrity. We know how important they are to the way our countries run, and what chaos ensues when the culture of honesty and public service is not dominant. When Paul in his letter to the Romans calls us to be subject to the “governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1), he is probably thinking of people like Festus. Perhaps, like me, when you pray for your political leaders, you sometimes have to bite your lip when you disagree with what they’re doing. It might be better to simply pray for all in authority, including your local judges and your boss at work, that they will be energized to act with integrity and justice.

Apply

Make a plan to pray regularly for those in authority. Make those prayers as specific and as honest as you can.

Closing prayer

Lord, sometimes I allow partisan politics to influence my prayers. Forgive me, and help me pray for all those in authority, that they may serve with integrity and justice.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store