Paul’s Hearing Before the Procurator Festus

“Then Paul said, ‘I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.’ Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, ‘You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!’ “ – Acts 25:10-12 (NKJV)

Portius Festus was the new procurator of the province of Palestine, succeeding Felix. He ruled his domain from Caesarea, a seaport town on the Mediterranean Sea. This officer in the Roman government was a powerful figure with official capacities to issue death warrants and to have coins struck in his own name. Three procurators mentioned in the New Testament are Pilate, Felix and Festus. Festus had only a two-year tenure, from A. D. 60 until his death in 62. Festus still had a prisoner, a controversial one, Paul the Apostle. We might say the problem of Paul was left over from Felix’s time in office. Three days after taking office, Festus traveled to Jerusalem to hear the Jews’ accusations against Paul. They wanted Festus to send the prisoner back to Jerusalem, for they secretly had a plot to kill Paul as he traveled. We have to give Festus credit for his Roman sense of justice. He told the Jews that if they had complaints, they would have to make them at Caesarea in the court there. Then Festus heard Paul. He told the ruler that the Jews were accusing him wrongly of heresy, sacrilege and sedition. Festus offered to go to Jerusalem and be present at Paul’s trial, evidently to assure he had a fair one. But Paul, knowing the Jewish intent to get rid of him, appealed to the emperor, a right of every Roman citizen faced with serious charges such as the Jews had leveled against Paul. “I appeal to Caesar!” Paul said.

Festus, as Rome’s regional procurator, had to honor Paul’s request. In God’s great plan, even one’s citizenship to a particular country is important to His great purpose. Paul had felt a strong urge to go to Rome to preach the gospel. He may not have chosen to go as a prisoner, but even in chains Paul used his Christian testimony and declaration of his calling as a powerful means of witnessing for Christ. God was in it all, saving Paul’s life and directing his steps. As a prisoner in Rome, Paul would productively write many of his epistles, the means, even today, of our Christian theology, of our learning about God’s work and His way. Festus had a short time in office, but his stand for justice and for Paul’s fair trial were highly important in God’s overall plan. May we be aware of all the circumstances God allows to work together for good in His cause, for the Christian’s benefit, and for His glory. Amen.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, May 11, 2010