Acts 25:1-12

 Acts 25:1-12

The end of the governorship Felix begins the rule of Festus. Festus arrived in a hotbed of troubles. Conflicts between Rome and the Jews were on the increase and the Roman puppet, Agrippa and a high priest were in conflict. Festus needs to strike a difficult balance. He needs to uphold Roman authority while at the same time developing favor with the Jews. In AD 66 the great Jewish rebellion would begin. This is a mere 6 to 8 years after Festus’ appointment. The political situation was already getting tense. In terms of all that was going on the conflict between Paul and a high priest must have seemed of little importance to Festus. What better way to curry the support of the priest than by having a show trial and turning Paul over to them?

What Festus did not and could not have known was that he was a part of God‘s plan. It was God‘s plan to have Paul appear before the emperor and Festus was only a small part of that grand design. What we often imagined to be a great moments of history are nothing more than a footnote. What we would imagine as being trivial details are the hinge pens on which the great moments swing.

We should also note that Paul would use whatever privileged position he might have for the benefit of the kingdom. He is first and foremost a disciple but if his Roman citizenship could benefit his discipleship he would use it to that end. At this point in story Rome is a good guy. Paul has by now written his letter to the church in Rome calling them to be good citizens and to submit to the authorities of the state. But within 40 years the Revelation will describe Rome as a drunken whore sitting on seven hills. All nations and all forms of government are to be judged based on one matrix, do they benefit or harm the church. A monarchy or a dictatorship that benefits the church is superior to a liberal democracy that hurts or undermines it. Paul’s, and our, loyalty to the Lord and his church is before and above our loyalty to the state, to the government, to nations, or political theories.

“Help me, Lord, to never confuse or misunderstand what is my first loyalty. AMEN”