Paul Appeals to Caesar (Acts 25)

After becoming the governor of Judea, Festus goes up to visit Jerusalem. 1

Festus was a good governor during his short stint in office.

He only held the position for between 2-4 years.

He was generally liked.

We can see his care for the people by the fact that he goes to Jerusalem to meet with the Jewish leaders.

While he’s there, the Jewish leaders try to concoct a scheme whereby they might kill Paul themselves. 2-3

Remember, Paul has been in prison for 2 years by this point.

You would think that this amount of time would have lessened the Jews hatred and anger towards Paul.

It is amazing to me that they are still so committed to this.

Festus, however resists their attempts. 4-5

He tells them that Paul will stay in Caesarea.

He is willing to work with the Jews, but he is not willing to upend his schedule to bring Paul up to Jerusalem for a trial.

However…Festus is going back there in a few days, and the priests are welcome to accompany him back to the city.

There, Festus is willing to reopen the case for further examination.

The Jews take what they can get, and after 10 days they follow Festus back to Caesarea. 6-7

Paul is called up from prison to face his accusers for the second time.

Once again, the Jews throw lots of mud at Paul.

Once again, nothing sticks.

They have no proof for any of their complaints.

Two years on, it would have been even harder to prove the things that they failed to prove the first go round.

So, Paul simply denies and reiterates his innocence. 8

He has done nothing against the law of the Jews.

He has not defiled the Temple.

He has not acted against Caesar.

Paul is trying to reframe the case away from Jewish law.

He is a Roman citizen, protected by Roman law.

He knows he will not get a fair trial from the Jews.

He also knows he has one nothing to undermine the Emperor.

Festus, though, is still trying to gain the favor of the people he was newly tasked to govern.

So, he ventures an idea to Paul. 9

He asks Paul if he would consent to moving the trial to Jerusalem.

It seems that Festus intends to provide oversight for a trial conducted by the Jews.

Or, that Festus would preside over a council made up of Jewish leaders to try Paul.

Paul, isn’t foolish, he discerns that this option will result in his death.

Festus does not intend this.

He is trying to appease the Jews.

He is trying to insure Paul, a Roman citizen, gets a fair trial.

Paul is not willing to play along. 10

He had stood before the Jews already.

They had nearly torn him apart.

That’s why he had been sent to Caesarea in the first place.

Now that his case was before a Roman court, why would Paul want to go back to a Jewish one?

Paul insists that his examination and trial remain in a Roman context.

If Rome decides that Paul is worthy of death, then so be it. 11

He is confident that Rome will not find that to be the case.

He is also confident that the Jews would kill him whether he deserved it or not.

So…what is Paul going to do?

Two governors have examined his case and been unable to condemn him, but unwilling to release him.

Felix and Festus had the authority to set Paul free.

Felix wanted a ransom.

Festus wanted the approval of the Jews.

Should Paul wait another two years for the next governor and hope that he will set him free?

Should he try to find someone that can and will actually do something about his situation?

Is there a higher authority that Paul could appeal to?

The answer is yes.

In verse 11, Paul tells Festus that there is no valid reason to turn him over to the Jews.

There is also, apparently, no chance of Festus setting him free.

Paul, therefore, formally appeals to be tried by Caesar.

This legal stunt had evolved throughout the Roman Empire’s history.

It had begun as an appeal to the people.

It became an appeal to the Emperor.

Then, it became a source of corruption.

During this time, though, Roman citizens could still present themselves to the Emperor.

He was the highest power.

He was unhindered by the petty concerns of other officials.

If you could gain his favor, then no one else’s opinion of you mattered.

Festus is most likely taken aback by Paul’s appeal.

He goes to confer with his counselors.

Though later in Roman history things did change, at this point there is really nothing Festus can do now.

There is nothing that the Jewish leaders can do either.

Paul is now removed from their reach.

Festus comes back to Paul and announces his ruling.

You have appealed unto Caesar.

Unto Caesar you shall go.

When Paul appealed to Caesar, there was nothing that either his enemies or his current authority could do about it.

They both had to relinquish their desire to act as Paul’s judge to the one person who had the ultimate authority to judge Paul.

The danger in this moment, from a human perspective, is that Paul is placing a certain amount of faith in the justice of then emperor, Nero.

Now, you may or may not have a pre-conception of Nero, but at this point in history, Nero was thought to be a fair-minded ruler.

Paul was presented with an opportunity to be be judged by a fair judge versus an incapable one or a prejudiced one, and I think we can all see the reasonableness of Paul’s actions.

I don’t know if you realize this or not, but we are faced with a very similar decision.

Allow incapable prejudiced judges weigh in on our lives, or allow the supreme, just judge to rule on our lives.

I see this applying to two areas of our lives.

First, I see this applying to our salvation.

How many “judges” are there available to tell you how you should live your life, what the purpose of life is, how to get the most out of life, or what happens at the end of life?

They’re almost infinite.

Most are incapable of actually giving you those answers.

Some are prejudiced against you and any suggestions they make are meant to harm you.

There is one judge, however, who both capable and just to who we should appeal.

That judge is God.

He is just.

He has provided a means by which you can be judged innocent in His court.

Once you are proclaimed innocent in His court, no other court matters.

Second, I see this applying to our lives after we are saved.

We still allow people to judge us after our salvation.

We will change our behavior and try to gain the approval of judges who do not matter.

They are incapable, prejudiced judges.