A Forensic Defense

It is amazing how far technology has come over the years especially in the field of forensics. With the emergence of digital technology to smart phones, and now AI. But for all of this technology there is one bit of technology that strikes me as odd, and that is the use of origami to do initial crime scene investigations. Not kidding investigators use a very simple and cheap instrument called a paper scope. It is actually nothing more than a glorified paper folded microscope with some lenses that can then be attached to a cell phone or camera to form a makeshift microscope.

Forensics is concerned with the gathering of evidence to figure out what happened at a crime scene. The word forensics comes from the Latin “forensis” which means a place of assembly or forum. In the ancient world it was a place where evidence would be brought for a case and best argument would prevail. Though the evidence that is brought to court today can be evidence that lies beneath the surface the procedure is the same.

Paul here is on trial, well sort of as we learned from last week they would have beat him to death without any sort of trial if the Romans had not intervened. But as we will see in verse 1 Paul is giving a defense against the actions they have accused him of.

Last week in our narrative we left Paul outside on the steps of Antonia’s Fortress where the Roman Barracks was.

Paul is questioned by the Tribune Claudius Lysias. Probably still fresh on his mind was one particular false-messiah figure the Egyptian who had convinced a number of men to encamp outside of the Mount of Olives. He convinced the people that the walls of Jerusalem would fall down and that he would be set as king. These assassins who were known as dagger-men were famous for carrying daggers concealed under their cloaks, would strike without warning and disappear as quickly as they came. The Romans preemptively attacked them before they could carry out their plan, killing 400 and capturing 200 more. Unfortunately the Egyptian had escaped them, and evidently.

The exchange between Paul the tribune has garnered much conversation with many noting that for a Jew to be called an Egyptian was likely equivalent to a racial slur. Which to the surprise of the Tribune Paul was a citizen of Cilica, and was of a social status higher than him.

Paul having assured Claudius that he was not the man he was looking for was granted permission to speak to the crowds.

Paul addressed the crowds more than likely in Aramaic which was a Semitic language closely connected to ancient Hebrew and the common language of Palestinian Jews in this time period. Jesus himself spoke Aramaic and it is one of the three languages of the original bible.

The Zeal of Paul

Paul is desperately trying to show these men with out comprise to the truth that he is actually just like them that he is not against them or the law, or Moses.

Zeal for the law.

Paul throughout this passage gives proof and drops names of people whom they would know that were as they themselves ... devout Jews. Paul though born in Cilicia was raised up as a strick Paharisee under the instruction the well repsected Gamaliel in Jerusalem. Acts 5 paints Gamaliel him as a level headed member of the Sanhedrin who gave prudent advice the the council regarding the apostles after they had been arrested. It is interesting that this is contrasted with Paul’s “zeal” in persecuting believers.

Philippians 3:4–6 ESV

though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Zeal for God

“as all of you are this day” Paul is appealing and seeking to identify with his listeners so that they will re-evaluate Paul, Christ and like wise turn to Him.

The reality is that if these men were really zealous for the Lord, they would have believed Paul and his message.

But Paul for all of the Zeal he had for God could not deny that his zeal was severely misguided.

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans “Zeal Is like Fire”

Zeal is like fire: in the chimney it is one of the best servants, but out of the chimney it is one of the worst masters.

Zeal is one thing, but zeal has led men to do atrocious things including murder. This zeal for God and the law when it was unchecked lead to horrific consequences. An atomic bomb is harmless and meant only as a deterrent… until it is detonated. And the fuse had been lit. But the Lord would channel and harness and Paul once again for His purposes.

But Paul did not loose his zeal like so many of us. We go through the Christian life and when we first get saved, we are like a lion that has just been let out of its cage, but we soon begin to cool off and become tame. Its not all bad, we need to learn temperance as believers but we have typically go from red hot to cold hard steel.

In one sense Paul is arguing to these Jews that he was just like them they had zeal for the law and even for God Himself, but eventually that zeal was blinded not by the light of Christ but by their own traditions. What should have lead them to Christ became a stumbling block to them.

Galatians 3:24–29 ESV

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Zapped by the Light of Christ

The fingerprints of God’s calling are all over Paul. What advantage would it be to Paul who loved these things and had such promise and zeal for the law and for God to abandon them for this movement called the way? Definitely would not be a good career move. What could not be denied is that something had happened to Paul that changed him, there were other men with him. And besides this Paul leverages his association with Ananias that he makes sure to mention was a devout Jew well spoken and zealous like Paul for the law.

Paul calls himself the chief of sinners and understanding his past we can see that in his zeal this was no exaggeration.

1 Timothy 1:15 ESV

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

But our passage this morning teaches us this… That there is no sin that is beyond the grace of God, there is not sinner beyond forgiveness. If God can forgive a man who relentlessly persecuted the people of God even to the point of death. If God could forgive Paul then he can forgive you too.

Infact this entire passage shows the transformation of this once murderer turned preacher. The Chief of sinner is now the chief apostle and herald of the Gospel. Paul is the one who gave more to Christian church than another.

This man who earlier had been converted to Christ to was now standing before the same people who had crucified the Messiah and calling them to do the same.

And now Why you wait???? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.

CONCLUSION

What evidence would there be for you? If you were put on trial for your faith, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

The reality is this that these men were the ones in the hot seat not Paul, and certainly not God. They were the ones who were to stand in judgement by God, for having rejected their Messiah. As we will see the truth eventually makes it to the forefront this trial has nothing to do with the customs or the law, nothing to do with the defiling of the temple.

Acts 23:6 ESV

Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”