Acts (Written)

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.

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.

Our precious little Hanna. She was a a very good dog.

Monday, 11 March 2024

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” Acts 25:22

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).

A more literal translation is, “And Agrippa to Festus, ‘I was desiring also to hear the man.’ ‘Tomorrow,’ he says, ‘you shall hear him.’”

In the previous verse, Festus noted that Paul had appealed to Caesar. Therefore, he commanded that Paul be kept till he could be sent. Having said that, it next says, “And Agrippa to Festus.”

Luke leaves a verb out, making it seem as if the conversation is occurring right in front of the reader. Agrippa responds to Festus with the words, “I was desiring also to hear the man.”

The verb is imperfect indicative. Thus, it means that he had already wanted to hear Paul. His desire wasn’t formed at the time of this meeting. The Berean Literal Bible gives a good sense of the exchange, inserting the word “said” in italics, “Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I have been wanting also to hear the man myself.’”

Because Agrippa was a Jew, and because he knew more than what Festus would have known, and also because he had certainly heard about Jesus and the faith that had stemmed from Him, his curiosity piqued. He was surely excited to be able to speak to one of the known apostles of the faith.

As such, speaking to Paul would be a fantastic opportunity to spend at least a portion of his time finding out what the things he had heard about Jesus meant. In response, Festus obliges the king, granting him his desired audience. As it says, “‘Tomorrow,’ he says, ‘you shall hear him.’”

Life application: Even though Paul was not with Jesus during His early ministry, the words of the Lord to the apostles still apply to Paul. In Matthew 10, Jesus said –

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

This is exactly what is occurring now. Paul has been delivered up to councils. He has been mistreated in the synagogues and by Israel’s leaders. He has been brought before governors, and now he is to be presented before a king. He is certainly being used as a testimony before Gentiles. During these events, we can be sure that the Spirit of the Father was with him and speaking in him.

Therefore, when we read Acts, we are reading things that were inspired by God. We can be certain that because of Luke’s careful attention to the details of his writings we have just what God wants us to know.

But remember to be careful to take Acts in its proper context. It is a descriptive account of what occurred. We are not being given any prescriptions to follow. Paul’s letters, which stem from his knowledge and life experiences, are given for our doctrine. Taking the Bible in the proper context will keep us from many flawed doctrines.

Therefore, as you read, keep asking what is being conveyed, to whom are the words directed, what is the dispensation in which it is occurring or prophesied to occur, and so forth. In maintaining the proper context, you will be much sounder in your handling of Scripture.

Handle the Bible carefully and responsibly. It is a treasure for us if we do so. It can be a great harm to our doctrine and to others if we fail to do so. Remember the context as you read.

Lord God, we know that we are saved by grace through faith. But we have a walk that must occur after that day. If we don’t properly pursue Your word, our walk will not be in accord with Your will for us. So, help us in this, O God. Be with us as we study and consider Your wonderful word. Amen.

Our new dog Hannah. Picked her up in Racine. 2010.

Sunday, 10 March 2024

“But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.” Acts 25:21

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 asked Paul whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem to be judged concerning the matters he was charged with. Festus now tells Agrippa, “But when Paul appealed to be reserved.”

The words “to be reserved” refer to Paul’s desire to be judged in Rome instead of Jerusalem. It was Paul’s appeal, and it was his right to so appeal. Because of this, the order was given by Festus (after checking with his counsel) to have him kept until that request could be effected. As for Paul’s appeal, it was “for the decision of Augustus.”

The words translated as “of Augustus” are tou Sebastou (τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ), literally, “the august.” Thus, it is a translation of the name Augustus. It is not a proper noun, but rather the title of the emperors of Rome. Augustus here is Nero. As a point of history, and which pertains directly to one of our 12 calendar months, Charles Ellicott explains the name Augustus –

“The title is the Greek equivalent, as seen in the name Sebaste (= Augusta) given to Samaria, for the epithet which, like our “his majesty,” had become a kind of official title of the Roman emperor. It had first been given by the Senate to Octavianus (Sueton. Aug. c. 7), and was adopted by his successors. As connected with ‘augur,’ it had originally, like Sebastos, a religious connotation. The month of August, dedicated to the first emperor as July had been dedicated to Julius, and the names of Augsburg and Sebastopol, arc interesting as perpetuating its memory.”

Concerning Festus’s response to Paul’s appeal, he next tells Agrippa, “I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.”

After consulting with his legal counsel, Festus determined that Paul was to go to Rome. He had exercised his legal right to be presented to Caesar. Therefore, he could not be sent to the leaders in Jerusalem without violating his rights as a Roman citizen.

As for the word translated as “decision,” it is diagnósis.  It is a noun that is the same as our medical term. It is used only here in the New Testament. It means “judicial examination” or “decision.” It is a thorough examination, just as a doctor would do today.

Life application: Learning the etymological roots of our words today can actually help open up the Bible in wonderful ways. It can also help us understand our own language and why it is the way it is.

One good practice is to learn what the root of particular names is. For example, you might meet someone named Shoshanna. If you know that it is derived from the Hebrew word of the same spelling and that it means Lily, you now have an opportunity to engage them about Jesus –

“Shoshanna, what a beautiful name. Do you know what it means?”

“No.”

“It means Lily. It is a Hebrew word found in the Bible, such as in the love poem The Song of Songs.”

“Really, I didn’t know that! Wow! How did you know that?”

From there, you can then go on to tell this precious Lily about Jesus. You might be surprised at how many names in our language are derived from Hebrew and Greek words. Keep this in mind and try to remember these things. It is a marvelous way of starting a conversation that may change the direction of someone’s life.

Lord God, thank You for Your wonderful word that is given to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Help us to use it in a manner that will bring glory to You by sharing its wonderful details with others. May we be attentive to this all the days of our lives. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

One of my very best friends, Ejner Lee with Geri. Ejner has gone on to the Lord.

Saturday, 9 March 2024

“And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. Acts 25:20

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).

A more literal translation is, “And I, being perplexed at the question concerning this, bid if he be willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these” (CG).

In the previous verse, Festus noted the dispute between the Jews and Paul. It concerned questions against him about their own religion, and about Jesus who had died but whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Because of these things, Festus continues, saying, “And I, being perplexed at the question concerning this.”

Festus uses a word translated here as “being perplexed,” aporeó, which means “at wit’s end,” or “at a complete loss.” There was more than doubt concerning the things he had heard. Rather, he simply didn’t understand how to proceed.

This gives a reason for his now asking Agrippa, who was a Jew, to give insights on the matter and even maybe help in what judgment should be rendered. As for his judging the matter during the court session, because of his lack of ability to understand what the sides were arguing over, Festus “bid if he be willing to go to Jerusalem.”

Paul stood in Caesar’s court. That dealt with matters of Roman law and infractions committed under it. If nothing else, Festus knew that these disputes between Paul and the Jews had nothing to do with his jurisdiction.

Or, at best, the dispute may ultimately be judged in a Roman court, but only after the lesser issues between the parties were hammered out. Because of this, there might be a resolution to some of the issues in Jerusalem. If so, he asked if Paul was willing to go there “and there be judged concerning these.”

Before seeking Agrippa, which comes later, but also before Paul is sent to Rome, Festus made the suggestion of going to Jerusalem to have the matter revealed through a trial.

Some scholars see this as a statement of doubt as to Paul’s innocence. Others see it as a pretext Festus used based on verse 9, where it said that he wanted to do the Jews a favor. As it is impossible to know his true intentions, we can only speculate as to what his motives were. What seems likely is that he simply wanted to do the Jews a favor while, at the same time, he wanted to get a more competent court setting to explain just what the Jews felt Paul had done wrong.

Life application: There are many things in Scripture that are uncertain, such as the motivation of Festus for asking Paul to go to Jerusalem. It is certain that he had no idea what to do about the dispute between the two parties. But his ultimate motivation for asking for a trial in Jerusalem cannot be known.

As such, speculation is necessary to comment further. However, when speculating, it is appropriate to identify it as such. Pastors will often make claims from the pulpit about things that simply cannot be known, but they state them without such qualifiers.

The problem with this is that the congregants probably have no idea that the pastor is speculating. From there, if they were awake and paying attention during the sermon, they will always think that what they heard is something right out of the Bible. This should not be.

Anytime a teacher or preacher is speculating, he should state it explicitly – or use words such as might have, may, etc., – to show that he is guessing about what he is saying. Further, it is never inappropriate to ask a pastor, preacher, or teacher to explain his words. He is there to teach. If he is teaching, he is also to be held accountable for his words if they do not align with Scripture.

At the same time, there is no need to be arrogant or overly wordy when asking to clarify what has been stated. Putting a teacher on the spot in an embarrassing manner is simply inappropriate. Have tact when asking for clarification.

Lord God, help us to be sound in our doctrine and questioning of the things we hear concerning Your word. If we hear something that seems like it needs further clarification, may we use tact and courtesy as we dig to find a resolution to our questions. Help us in this so that we will be rightly instructed in Your word. Amen.