During his two years in prison in Caesarea, Paul continued to have an impact. His ministry was not stalled or thwarted while in prison. He did not feel stifled or unable to live into his calling. He didn’t try to get out. It was all about God’s calling and purpose for his life…
1 Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, 2 where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul.
6 About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in. 7 When Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn’t prove.
8 Paul denied the charges. “I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government,” he said.
9 Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?”
10 But Paul replied, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews. 11 If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!”
17 “When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 18 But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. 19 Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.
24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. 25 But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death.”
Acts 25:1-2, 6-12, 17-19, 24-25 NLT
Paul had been in prison in Caesarea for two years when Festus became the governor. There is some thought that he wrote epistles to the churches from here, but it seems most believe he wrote the ‘prison epistles’ – Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon – from Rome.
No matter whether he was writing letters which we now have as part of our Bible, or simply teaching and encouraging from his cell, Paul was able to have visitors and be cared for during his time in prison. Felix had left him in jail for the two years to gain favour with Paul’s accusers (Acts 24:27).
I think it is accurate to say, however, that Paul’s accusers were not satisfied with him being in jail. Remember, they wanted him to die for his role in spreading the message of Jesus. And here in Acts 25, we see that within three days of taking office, Festus went to Jerusalem. Upon arrival, the religious leaders immediately made their case against Paul.
Hold up. You mean to say that nothing significant happened during the two year period of Paul’s imprisonment that was worth raising with the new governor? This missionary cult leader was the most important issue to deal with? This tells us something.
We know from this response that during the two years of Paul living in jail in Caesarea, he was continuing to have an impact. His ministry was not stalled or thwarted while in prison. He did not feel stifled or unable to live into his calling. He didn’t try to get out.
Paul knew that the Spirit was going to send him to Rome to preach the gospel there. So whatever would help accelerate that journey was Paul’s goal. A trial in which he could appeal to Caesar would be just the thing.
And Paul knew that Felix and Festus and Agrippa knew (vs. 25): He had done nothing deserving death…
Amen.
Marc Kinna
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