Daily Writing

Acts 25:27

Charlie Garrett Acts, Acts (written), Daily Writing, Writings

Plant urn, 1 each. Wisconsin Capitol.

Saturday, 16 March 2024

“For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.” Acts 25:27

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, Festus noted that he had nothing certain to write to Caesar concerning Paul. Hence, he was looking for something to write based on the examination. With that, he next says, “For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”

Paul’s appeal to Rome placed Festus in a most embarrassing position. How could he send him to Rome without submitting a reason for sending him? Paul was tried by him, and yet he still found no way to specify any charges with which to justify elevating the matter to Caesar.

But Paul is the one who had appealed to Rome for his protection which was based on Festus’s suggestion to have him taken to Jerusalem for inquiry. As Jerusalem had no authority over him, and especially because they had failed to make any valid case against him, there was a vacuum left because of a person who had appealed to a higher authority, while at the same time, there was nothing with which to justify such an appeal.

For this reason, Festus’s words that it was “unreasonable to send” Paul as a prisoner to Rome are perfectly stated. Not only was it unreasonable, but it was also quite possibly career-ending for him. And yet, Paul had to be sent based on the decision of the trial.

Life application: It would make no sense for Festus to send Paul to Rome as a prisoner without charges laid against him. He would arrive in chains with a guard next to him, and they would ask, “What has this person done?” When the guard says, “I don’t know, they didn’t give me a reason,” it would cause a giant stir.

If you “send” the message of Jesus out to others, saying you are His bondservant, people may say, “Why are you telling me this? What authority over you does a dead guy have?” How are you going to explain Jesus’ authority to them?

It may seem like a silly proposition, but it is exactly why Peter says –

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15

Their response may be, “You claim to have a hope, you state that Jesus is your Lord, and you are His bondservant, and yet, you cannot explain why? What kind of hope is that!”

It is up to us to not only know these things are true but also how to explain to others that they are so. It can be hard at first. People ask unexpected questions that you may not be able to answer. You might feel silly when you cannot reply properly. But that is ok. The next time, you will be prepared for that answer. Another unusual question may arise, but don’t worry! Eventually, you will have an answer to every question that comes your way.

We all have to start somewhere, so don’t be afraid to start! Tell others about your hope. Unless they hear, they cannot also share in it.

Glorious Lord God, give us the inner desire to get the saving message of Jesus out to others. Help us not to be timid or reticent. Instead, may we be willing and ready. There are people who need to hear this word. May we be a part of sharing it. Yes, Lord, help us in this noble endeavor. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts 25:26

Charlie Garrett Acts, Acts (written), Daily Writing, Writings

Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Wisconsin Capitol.

Friday, 15 March 2024

“I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. Acts 25:26

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Festus just noted to Agrippa that he had found nothing deserving of death in Paul. But more, because of the situation, Paul had appealed to Caesar. Therefore, Festus decided to send him. However, there is a problem with this, which he now explains with the words, “I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him.”

It was obvious there were no valid charges against Paul from the perspective of Roman law. He may have offended the Jews, but that was not something that concerned Rome in the slightest. However, having appealed to Caesar, he could not be denied his right to a trial there.

Imagine someone offending his employer at the local grocery store. That is a matter for the store to determine whether he should be fired or not. However, the store manager calls his friend the mayor and says he wants the guy arrested. The mayor calls them both in, finds out that this is a business matter where he has no jurisdiction, and says, “Are you willing to go back to the store for a trial?”

This won’t do. The accused knows that the other employees promised to beat him to death if they got hold of him, and so he appeals to the governor, which is his right in this particular country. What is the mayor going to tell the governor? There are no legal charges against the guy, and yet he now falls under the protection of the state. This is like what has happened to Paul. As such, Festus says, “Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa.”

With nothing certain to write in a necessary report to the court of Caesar, Festus saw an opportunity to use Agrippa as a way of alleviating the box he had gotten himself into. And the arrival of Agrippa made the calling of all of the others a valid reason to attend.

In other words, the pronoun “you” is plural. In essence, it says “before you all.” But the attention is especially on Agrippa. Festus is making an open explanation to the entire court, seemingly in hopes of having not just Agrippa but also anyone else who could provide input do so. Festus then says this would be “so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.”

Here, the word translated as “examination” is a noun found only in this verse, anakrisis. It means a judicial examination or a preliminary inquiry. This is the purpose that Festus has for the king and witnesses to listen and consider what has taken place.

Concerning the term “my lord,” kurio, when speaking of Nero in the first clause, Vincent’s Word Studies gives Luke an A+. He says it is “… an instance of Luke’s accuracy. The title ‘lord’ was refused by the first two emperors, Augustus and Tiberius. The emperors who followed accepted it. In the time of Domitian it was a recognized title. Antoninus Pius was the first who put it on his coins.”

Life application: Luke’s meticulous documenting of even simple terms like “my lord” shows his devotion to accuracy in what he has recorded. But this should not be surprising. If the Spirit inspired his writings, then they will be exactly what God wants in His word. It is certain that what is penned will be accurate in what the words convey.

It is true that there are many difficult verses and passages in Scripture. Things seem to be wrong, misworded, ill-placed, and so forth. But with careful study, we find that these things are not so. Rather, through such study, we find a perfection of thought and harmony of transmission that brings the entire Bible into a cohesive and amazingly constructed testimony to what God is doing in redemptive history, all centering on the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

When we see this, it will solidify, not weaken, our faith in what is penned there. Don’t be afraid to spend the necessary time checking things out. And don’t be afraid to question the text, as if it would mean you are somehow lacking faith that this is truly the word of God. Rather, question it all the more stringently.

Each time you find an answer to your question, you will be bolstered in your faith that it is what it claims to be! God is anticipating spiritual strength in His people. That comes through care, contemplation, testing, and proving. So be about it! In this, He will be pleased, and you will be more firmly set in your faith.

Lord God, how wonderful it is to check out Your word and find that what we questioned has been validated through careful study. We are then strengthened in our faith, and we can have a greater resolve in the matters of faith that Your word proclaims. When we are grounded in Your word, we will be grounded in the Subject of Your word, our Lord Jesus! With this, nothing will pull us away from our devotion to You. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Acts 25:25

Charlie Garrett Acts, Acts (written), Daily Writing, Writings

Capitol grounds, Wisconsin.

Thursday, 14 March 2024

“But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. Acts 25:25

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The words are better translated as, “And I, finding nothing he has done worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Augustus, I judged to send him” (CG).

Festus has just explained to Agrippa that the whole assembly of the Jews was in a snit over Paul and that they had petitioned him, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. However, Festus continues, saying, “And I, finding nothing he has done worthy of death.”

Depending on the source text, the verb is either a present or an aorist participle. Either way, the statement should be considered as an emphatic one, as Festus’ trial found the accuser’s case lacking. Their argument failed to sustain their charges. However, a monkey wrench was tossed into the situation, complicating things. Festus next tells Agrippa, “and he also himself having appealed to Augustus.”

As Paul had appealed to Augustus, Festus had to include a full report concerning the appeal that he made. It would make no sense for a prisoner to appeal something, claiming he was innocent, and yet he was then sent by Festus to Caesar without citing what evidence he had to support the claim.

However, Paul’s appeal was made because of where the location of the trial would be, meaning Caesarea, not Jerusalem. When Jerusalem was suggested, the appeal was made. This caused a certain amount of difficulty concerning what to report.

As such, and as Festus was not schooled in such matters concerning Jewish life, he sought King Agrippa’s assistance in the matter. This will be revealed in the next verses. For now, and because Paul had every right to appeal to Caesar, Festus next says, “I judged to send him.”

His judgment was actually exactly what had to take place. Paul, as a Roman, could not be denied his right to appeal, especially when it involved the matter of jurisdiction. Once the matter of moving the trial to Jerusalem was raised, it opened up the path to Caesar’s judgment seat.

Life application: As noted above, there is a difference in the tense of the first verb of the verse being evaluated. There are also a few other small differences in the Greek texts. They really don’t change the intent of what is said in any grand way, but it is still good to know what is different and to try to determine how such things may have occurred. Note the difference in that first verb:

Κατελαβόμην [katelabomen]
Καταλαβόμενος [katalabomenos]

Imagine reading a paper and seeing, “I have risen to tell you about Jesus.” However, another paper about the same town hall meeting says, “I have arisen to tell you about Jesus.” That is a small difference, and the meaning is essentially unchanged. But you want to know how that change came about.

Studying the reason for scribal errors is an immense field. This is because there are innumerable texts to be referred to. They are also incomplete at times. Different handwriting styles, splotches, degradation of the document, and so forth can all make it difficult to know exactly what has been written.

Further, scribes are just people. They get tired, they get distracted, and so forth. Errors such as haplography, dittography, transposition, etc., can affect a text. Margin notes concerning texts may creep into the text itself by the error of the next scribe.

Watching videos or reading books about textual criticism can help you to understand what is going on and why. Too often, people take a faulty stand on such things, claiming that those who read one version or another are doing the devil’s bidding by reading a compromised translation. But those same people fail to understand that there are variations even in their own translation.

For example, the KJV is not a single translation without variation. There is the original 1611 edition, which is almost impossible for a modern reader to understand. John 3:16 alone will give you a headache –

“¶ For God so loued þe world, that he gaue his only begotten Sonne: that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life.”

There is a Cambridge edition and an Oxford edition. There are innumerable changes between them. But more, if you decide on the Cambridge, there are variations in it. There are differences in the 1629, 1638, 1760, 1873, 1900, etc. editions.

If there is this much variation in a translation, imagine how much variation exists because of scribal errors in thousands of Greek texts. Critical scholars of manuscripts should not be excoriated. They should be applauded for the tedious and thankless work they carry out to bring us the most accurate text possible.

God has, through the multitude of biblical texts available, ensured that we have His word. Our job is to study and show ourselves approved concerning this invaluable gift that He has safely maintained throughout the ages for His people to read and cherish. Praise God for His superior word!

Lord God, we know that the contents of Scripture are a faithful and reliable testimony to what You have done and are doing in the stream of human existence. Thank You for those people who faithfully keep and maintain this word, doing their best to present it to us in an understandable way so that we can know You better with each page we turn. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts 25:24

Charlie Garrett Acts, Daily Writing, Writings

Pulling up to the Wisconsin capital.

Wednesday, 13 March 2024

And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.  Acts 25:24

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, the entrance of King Agrippa and Bernice was accompanied by much pomp. The audience included commanders and prominent men of the city. With that introduction, the narrative now continues directly into the words concerning Paul. Luke records, “And Festus said: ‘King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us.’”

Festus addresses Agrippa as the principal in the gathering. He then also notes all the men. He doesn’t say anything about Bernice in his address. Bengel seems to see this purposeful omission as a way of avoiding the presentation of a prisoner to a woman. That seems to stretch things. As Bernice is the wife of the king, she is implicitly included in the address to the king.

Regardless of this, however, Festus next notes, “you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me.”

The expression “the whole assembly of the Jews” includes the legal counsel, the Sanhedrin, and any others with which he had direct relations. It could even be inclusive of the entire nation, if he was told the specifics of Acts 22:22, where the whole assembly cried out for him to die.

The entire nation seemed to want Paul removed from the face of the earth. As Festus was the newly appointed governor, it was his duty to figure out what was going on and to administer justice to the nation he was appointed to lead. And yet, he was also responsible for the care of each and every Roman citizen under his authority. Therefore, he had to tread carefully in his handling of such an important matter. Understanding this, Festus next notes, “both at Jerusalem and here.”

This reveals that their petition to have him executed was not limited to his time in Jerusalem but also the meeting that was held at Caesarea. This is something that was unstated in Luke’s record of that meeting. Everywhere he went, the nation was in an upheaval over the existence of this one man. It was a challenge that could not go unaddressed.

Therefore, he desired that the king himself hear the matter and consider what was to be done. As for the Jews, he next notes that wherever he went, they were “crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.”

There was the call for capital punishment upon a Roman citizen. This means the jurisdiction lay solely within Festus’ realm of authority. But so did the maintenance of the Jewish people. As this was true, a resolution had to be obtained, or things would only devolve over Paul’s state. This is especially true because Paul had been incarcerated for more than two years, and yet the matter before Festus continued to fester.

Life application: Festus had an obligation to secure the rights of the Roman citizens under him. This is true of leaders in America today. They are obligated to do what they can to secure the rights of citizens of the United States.

And yet, this has not been happening. US citizens have been attacked, beaten, robbed, raped, and murdered within the borders of the United States by a flood of illegal immigrants who have come across her borders. These illegals are not deported, many are simply released without a trial, and the rights of the citizens in obtaining justice are denied.

This has also been occurring in European nations. There is a global agenda to replace vast swaths of the population of these nations with people who have no rights to the benefits enjoyed by the citizens of any given nation. And yet, they are given benefits that the citizens are denied.

This is setting up the end times prophesied in the Bible. In Daniel 2, the Bible speaks of a line of kingdoms that would come upon the earth that would have control over the affairs of Israel. The fourth kingdom refers to the Roman Empire. It existed in the past, and it is being revived in our times. Daniel records this –

“And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.” Daniel 2:40-43

The Roman Empire was formed from many people groups. They would not adhere to one another because their priorities, religions, and cultural expressions were not cohesive. Because of that, the empire could not stand. Learning from this lesson, the globalists have an agenda to destroy national sovereignty by flooding individual nations with people whose priorities are completely different than those within the nations they are coming to.

By doing this, the seed of these people will not intermingle properly. Chaos will be the inevitable result. Out of this chaos will come calamity, death, and destruction. This is the goal of the globalists. In reducing the population of producing people groups, there will be those who are more easily subjugated. Or, at least, this is the hoped-for intent.

However, the calamity coming upon the world will be greater than they can control. Isaiah prophesies that man will become as scarce as fine gold. Jesus says that if those days were not cut short, none would survive. What is happening in civilized nations of the world today is intentional, but its results will go beyond the ability of the globalists to control.

As you see your nation being destroyed by an influx of people who are not like you, it is depressing, even maddening. And yet, the Bible prophesied that it would be this way. Because of this, we know that the coming of the Lord is at hand. Despite the sadness of seeing longstanding nations destroyed, rejoice that a greater and eternal state lies ahead.

Man without Christ is hopeless. But thank God for Jesus. He provides a better hope and a new and eternal kingdom for those who await His coming.

Heavenly Father, it is difficult to see the world devolve into the chaos produced by the rabid people who are in control. But we know that this is a part of what must occur before You come for Your people. Soon, the world will destroy itself because of its rejection of You. For those who wait for You, however, there is the prospect of eternal joy. Thank You for the hope we possess beyond this fallen, sin-filled world. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts 25:23

Charlie Garrett Acts, Acts (written), Daily Writing, Writings

Wisconsin State Capitol.

Tuesday, 12 March 2024

So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in.  Acts 25:23

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, Agrippa said that he would like to hear Paul. Having said that, Festus responded that the king would hear him the next day. With that remembered, it now says, “So the next day.”

Just as promised, Festus had the meeting prepared accordingly. He was careful to discharge his duties and to do so with a touch of panache. That is evident in the next words, “when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp.”

It is a word found only here in Scripture, phantasia. It signifies pomp, imagination, outward appearance, etc. It is where we get our word fantasy from. The Pulpit Commentary notes, “It is of frequent use among medical writers for the outward appearance of diseases.” It comes from phantazó, to cause to appear, make visible, etc. That is also only used once, in Hebrews 12:21, concerning the sight which Moses saw at Mount Sinai.

There was pageantry and showiness given to welcome the king and his wife as they “had entered the auditorium.”

The word translated as auditorium is also used only here, akroatérion. It indicates the courtroom for hearing cases. As for the display in this hall, one can almost hear musicians playing as they do today with the arrival of distinguished guests. The scene would have been something Cecil B. Demille could have studied for his next big film. There were probably people bowing and standing by the chairs where the king and his wife would sit, ready to lend them a hand as they were then seated.

Along with their arrival also came “the commanders and the prominent men of the city.”

The word translated as commanders is the Greek word chiliarchos, commanders of thousands. The pomp wasn’t just adorned on the bodies of the king and queen. Rather, it was also shown in the many high-level officers who were in attendance. It would be like a state visit filled with admirals and generals.

The prominent men of the city probably would have included civil officers and people of high influence such as businessmen, lawyers, etc.

Everything was arranged to elicit the sense of great honor being bestowed upon the king and his wife. However, with all of these notable people, the center of attention was actually not on any of them at all. Rather, it next says, “at Festus’ command Paul was brought in.”

All of these people were gathered because the king had asked for a hearing with a prisoner. It was probably rather unexpected for some of those attending. Whatever they thought they were being called together for, they must have suddenly wondered what type of magic trick or interesting performance this prisoner could come up with to impress the visiting dignitary.

This verse shows the certain eyewitness nature of the event. It also has to be considered the highest of ironies to flow from Luke’s pen. Here we have the flash and pomp of Agrippa and Bernice, Jews clinging to the things of this world, dressed in fine clothes and attended by followers of various sorts. And yet, they were bound under the yoke of the devil.

On the other hand, there stood Paul, the chained prisoner who had been freed in Christ from the world of sin. While they live lavishly, he had endured so much, suffering with the sufferings of Christ to bring a completely different type of life to the world’s people. The pomp of these two is reminiscent of Luke 16:15 –

“You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Life application: This gathering was certainly an immense chance for Paul to speak the gospel to the people of Caesarea. However, Charles Ellicott makes a most profound connection to this verse and that of Acts 12:20-23 –

“There is an almost tragic pathos in the thought, which must have been present to the mind of the historian, and perhaps, also, to that of others, that this display of the pride of state was exhibited in the very city that had witnessed the terrible chastisement of a like display in his father [Agrippa I]. The vice was inherited: the lesson had not been learnt.”

His thoughts support the idea of the self-inflicted generational curse. Too often, Christians get misled by the thought of a generational curse being laid upon themselves, as if God is somehow angry at them because of the misdeeds of their ancestors.

It is true that such misdeeds transfer from generation to generation. However, this is not something actively being brought upon people by God. Rather, such instances are passed on by parents who were unwilling to change from the sinful ways of their own parents. They then pass on the vices or abuses they learned to their own children. And the cycle continues.

Often, only with a clean break from the environment in which a person is found will there be a change in the direction of that person. In other words, in the debate of nature vs. nurture concerning how people will succeed or fail, it is nurture that leads to the seemingly incessant generational curse.

Once a person is taken out of that environment, either by chance, force, or personal choice, will he then have a possible change in direction? The new life will hopefully bring in new possibilities. The supposed curse is ended, not by God lifting His oppressive hand off the person, but by the person being removed from the oppressive hand of generational nurturing.

And of all of the changes that can occur within a person’s life, the greatest is the change from being property of the devil to a saved believer in Christ. With this change, anything is possible in that new life. No wonder the devil is so intent on focusing his attention on young believers! This is a prime reason why discipleship must come quickly into the lives of those who come to Christ.

Lord God, we thank You that, in Christ Jesus, all things are new. We can have a complete break from the lives we once lived. We can have a new direction from broken families, failed societal norms, and cultural customs that are opposed to right living in Christ. May we look to the word, determine what is proper in our Christian life, and then conduct our lives according to how You direct us there. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.