Bookmark Daily Bible Reading Calendar By: Ehimwenma E. Aimiuwu – Please LIKE us on Facebook
Acts 24:
The high priest and elders of the Jews went to the Roman governor, Felix, to bring charges against Paul. They claimed that they had enjoyed peace under Felix’s leadership, but Paul has being going about causing trouble for Jews all over the world. Paul then explain that he had been away for a while and returned to Jerusalem just to serve the poor, but caused no disturbance whatsoever. Paul also stated that the Jews had no evidence for their claims against him because he was alone during his period of cleansing in the temple and not with a crowd. Governor Felix detained Paul several times expecting a bribe from him. Felix left Paul in prison for 2 years just to please the Jews until a new governor, Festus, came in.
Acts 25:
It seems Caesarea was the Roman capital of Judea, but Jerusalem was the religions capital for the Jews. So the chief priest and the elders tried to convince Festus to send Paul to Jerusalem from Caesarea so that they could secretly ambush him on the way, but Festus refused because he wanted to try Paul in Caesarea. Paul maintained his innocence about the Jewish law, Jewish Temple, and to Caesar while refusing to be handed over to the Jews in Jerusalem because he appealed to Caesar in Rome. King Agrippa came to pay his respect to Governor Festus and Governor Festus discussed the issue with him. Festus claimed that the Jews had no charge on Paul except for some minute religious difference and Paul claiming that the dead Jesus was alive. Festus soon presented Paul to Agrippa claiming that the Jews wanted Paul dead in both Jerusalem and Caesarea. Festus found no charge against Paul, so he could not send him to Rome without documented charges and hoped that Agrippa would find something.
Act 26:
Paul informed King Agrippa that the Jews knows that he had being raised in the strictest sect of the Jewish way, the Pharisee, but they put me on trial today because of my hope in what God promised our fathers – the resurrection of the dead Jesus. I even stood against the Christians and condemned them to prison, punishment, and persecution, even on foreign soil with the permission of the Jewish chief priests. Jesus converted me on one of these persecuting missions to become a messenger to the Jews and Gentiles by turning their faith to God. Paul makes it clear that even the prophets and Moses acknowledged the Christ to suffer, resurrect, and save all people to the light of God. The Roman Governor felt that Paul was insane, but Paul told him to ask the Jewish King Agrippa, who was aware of the basics of what he was saying. The King considered Christianity and confessed to the Governor in private that Paul would have been set free had he not wanted a trial in Rome.
