Sabbath School Lesson for September 15-21, 2018
Outline
Paul’s two-year confinement at Caesarea in Herod’s praetorium (or official residence) gave him several occasions to share his faith (stories found in Acts 24-26)…
- before Governor Felix (Sunday’s lesson)
- before Governor Festus, successor of Felix (Monday’s lesson)
- before King Agrippa and his sister Bernice, during a state visit to Caesarea (Tuesday’s lesson)
We also examined Paul’s defense before these rulers (Wednesday’s lesson) and their response (Thursday’s lesson).
Introduction
Due to threats on his life, Paul found himself imprisoned in the town of Caesarea, near Jerusalem, for two years. There was so much animosity toward Paul, and his preaching about Christ, that Jerusalem would have to be off-limits for the apostle for an indeterminable time.
The Jews, both Judean and Jews from Asia, were convinced that Paul was responsible for the feelings of prejudice against Jews everywhere. And they would like to see him eliminated from the face of the earth. So great was their desire for vengeance that Paul finally thought it best to appeal to Caesar, rather be released into their hands.
But God was not through with his chosen servant. From this point on, Paul had many opportunities to share the gospel with a whole new audience. His desire to witness in Rome and even Spain would become partially fulfilled, with his influence ultimately being felt in every part of the Christian world today.
As we read of his missionary adventures and are motivated to follow his example of sacrifice, Paul’s legacy is almost without measure. We, too, strive to be like Paul…except for his chains.
Memory Text: ” ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am–except for these chains.’ “ Acts 26:29 NRSV
Sunday: Before Felix
See Acts 24.
The temple priests and rulers lost no time in arranging a hearing about Paul before Governor Felix in Caesarea. Just five days after his arrival there, Ananias, the high priest, showed up with a host of elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. (This was the only known time that a professional lawyer was hired by the Sanhedrin to present their case.)
Tertullus began his argument by falsely expressing appreciation for Felix’s peaceful and prosperous reign. (Actually, his repressive rule had fomented the Jews’ extreme hatred and backlash against the Romans, which had caused an undue amount of unrest in Jerusalem.) Tertullus ended up trying to convince Felix that a violent measure was also needed to rid their country of a dangerous man, namely Paul.
Their charges against Paul were
- mostly religious in nature,
- not verified with witnesses, and
- certainly not worthy of the death penalty that they were demanding.
But Felix, lacking moral fortitude, adjourned the court until further notice.
The fact that Felix’s wife Drusilla was Jewish, and must have been familiar with Christianity to some extent, does indicate that the governor knew that this was a purely fabricated charge, and that Paul was being unjustly accused by his religious opponents.
Felix showed his tendency to accept a bribe, be swayed by compliments that appealed to his ego, and to procrastinate his duties. Paul, therefore, knew that his chance for a fair trial would not come with this unprincipled ruler.
Discussion Questions:
Read Acts 24:5-9. How would you defend Paul of these charges? How could it have been shown that they were false?
Read Acts 24:22-23. How are we shown by Felix’s treatment of Paul that he doesn’t believe he is dangerous, and therefore not guilty of the charges brought against him?
Read Acts 24:24-27. What do these verses tell us about the character of Felix and the chance of Paul having a fair trial under his jurisdiction?
Monday: Before Festus
See Acts 25:1-12.
Felix’s successor, Festus, was governor for only two years, but Paul had similar misgivings for his chance to have a fair trial with this vacillating ruler.
After meeting with the Jerusalem authorities shortly after he became governor, he did refuse to send Paul to them to be tried in Jerusalem. (This was fortunate for Paul, because the Jews were planning an ambush to kill Paul before he even got there.)
But after hearing the case of the Jews back in Caesarea and wanting to please them, he asked Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there.
Paul, after claiming his innocence once again, felt that the only way not to be delivered into the hands of his enemies was to appeal to Caesar. After all, he had already gotten special treatment and a fair trial by announcing his Roman citizenship.
Discussion Questions:
Read Acts 24:27 and 25:1-4. Why were both Felix and Festus so intent on doing favors for the Jews? What are some better ways for those in leadership positions to achieve power and lasting influence?
Read Acts 25:6, 7. Why is it only necessary to prove one’s guilt, rather than one’s innocence, in a court of law today? Should there be proof of our right-doing, however, if we claim to be a Christian? What tangible proof did Paul have of his innocence?
Read Acts 25:10-12, 26:31, 32. What are your thoughts about whether Paul should have appealed to Caesar? Was it just to save his life? What other reasons might there have been?
Tuesday: Before Agrippa
See Acts 25:13-27.
Festus, knowing that he would be required to send a letter with Paul, when he arrived in Rome to be tried before Caesar, desired a consultation with King Agrippa to help him know what to write to the emperor.
Agrippa and his sister Bernice came to Caesarea for a state visit and to hear Paul’s case. After hearing the charges brought against Paul, they agreed, with every other ruler before them, that the man was not guilty of the death penalty.
It was obvious to them that this was a religious matter, pertaining to the Jews. Paul and his preaching of a risen Savior did not set well with the Sadducees, who did not believe in a resurrection. Nor did it appeal to the Pharisees, who did not feel they were guilty of killing the Messiah.
These two groups, which made up the Sanhedrin, felt their powers were threatened by the preaching of Paul, and did all they could to silence him, even if it meant calling for his death.
Discussion Questions:
Read Acts 25:18, 19. Why were the Jews opposed to Paul’s teachings? What specifically did they object to, and why?
Read Acts 25:23-25. Why do you think these rulers were so interested in Paul’s case? What opportunities did it bring to Paul for spreading the gospel?
Read Acts 25:26, 27. How difficult would it have been to write a letter about Paul’s charges? Why would the charges have sounded foolish to the Roman mind? What was Festus’ really worried about?
Wednesday: Paul’s Defense
See Acts 26.
To answer the charges against him, Paul once again used the opportunity to proclaim the power of God in his conversion. What he was actually trying to convey to his listeners was the reality that God was his defense. And a mighty good one!
It was God who delivered him from his miserable life as a persecutor of God’s people and brought him now to the feet of his own persecutors. His miraculous encounter with God on the road to Damascus never ceased to thrill Paul and those who heard it. It was the turning point of his life, and Paul never tired of sharing the story and the glory of God that was revealed to him on that important day.
Paul’s speech to King Agrippa, and others, was a good model for us in giving our testimony. We should tell
- what our life was like before conversion,
- how we were converted (or turned around), and
- how our life is different after conversion.
It’s a simple formula that has worked for countless Christians over the ages. Every changed life that has been touched by God is the greatest tool one has for sharing the gospel. What other miracle do we need to see the power of God and the hope of salvation than the simple conversion of one lost soul?
Discussion Questions:
Read Acts 26:1-3. Why did Paul appeal to King Agrippa’s good side in this way? Was he being too polite? What was Paul’s motive for what appears at first to be over-the-top flattery? In what way might this be a good witnessing strategy for us?
Read Acts 26:15, 16. What are some other ways we all persecute Jesus? What would God rather see us do, and are we all called to the same mission as Paul was?
Read Acts 26:17, 18 and 9:4-6. When might God have revealed some of these things to Paul that he is expressing here to Agrippa? Does our testimony have to contain only precisely accurate details? How does the Holy Spirit contribute to the delivery and content of our testimony?
Thursday: Paul Before the Leaders
Now that we’ve examined Paul’s method of defense, simply giving his own personal testimony about how God can change our lives, we are curious to discover the response of his listeners.
Keep in mind that the Romans, influenced by the Greeks and every other pagan religion before them, were steeped in philosophies that only recognized the immortality of our lives. This misguided concept reflected the original claim of Satan in the Garden of Eden, “Thou shalt not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).
It was demonstrated clearly in Egypt through the building of the pyramids. The emperors’ belief in life after death caused them to go to great lengths to ensure their comfort in the after-life. Even now, most of the Christian world has been convinced that we immediately go either to heaven or hell upon our death. Sounding more and more like the pagans’ belief in the immortality of the soul.
Therefore, we can appreciate how difficult it would be for some of these rulers, hearing Paul’s case, to understand his teaching about the resurrection of a man, Jesus Christ, who also claimed to be our Savior. To be resurrected would mean that someone had actually died, and this was contrary to all they had heard all their lives. It would be confusing, at best, and totally unfathomable, for some to believe in a resurrection of any kind.
But, Agrippa, and others, appeared to be intrigued by Paul’s teachings. They were desirous to know more, but they clearly procrastinated making any kind of choice in the matter or even of learning more of this strange, new doctrine. We have no record of any of them becoming converted later, and therefore assume that their procrastination was permanent, and they may have lost, perhaps, their only opportunity to have a relationship with the true God.
Discussion Questions:
Read Acts 26:24, 1 Corinthians 1:23, and 2:14. Why would Festus make such a statement about Paul’s mental state? What was there about Paul’s testimony that would make him feel this way?
Read Acts 26:25, 1 Corinthians 4:9-13, and 2 Corinthians 18:9. How did Paul know he wasn’t mad? In what way are we also “spectacles” to the world and angels?
Read Acts 26:3, 26-28. Why should King Agrippa have been closer to an acceptance of Christ than other rulers Paul had spoken to?
Conclusion
Look at the violent lineage of Agrippa II…
- his great-grandfather Herod had all those babies killed in Bethlehem after Jesus was born
- his great-uncle Antipas had John the Baptist’s head brought to him on a platter
- his father Agrippa I was responsible for the martyrdom of the apostle James
Agrippa II, the last monarch of the Herodian dynasty, although quite familiar with the Jewish religion by then, doesn’t seem to display any religious qualities in his behavior and lifestyle. The pomp and pageantry displayed on the day of Paul’s hearing (Acts 25:23), coupled with the common belief that there was an incestuous relationship going on between he and Bernice (his sister), certainly do not indicate any true, Jewish upbringing.
And yet, Paul readily agreed that Agrippa was quite familiar with Jewish customs and beliefs (Acts 26:3). He should have known that his example for his subjects was less than stellar.
How often do we know all the “customs” of the religion of our parents and grandparents, and even agree with the truth of their teachings, yet fail to exemplify them in our own lives?
How often do we procrastinate making the changes we know are right? Is it ever safe to procrastinate following God? Whether the God of our fathers, or newly discovered truths about God?
Procrastination of anything has consequences; but we must agree that procrastinating religious decisions and changes carries with it the worst consequence of all.
Next Week’s Lesson: Journey to Rome
To read the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly or see more resources for its study, go to https://www.absg.adventist.org/
All Outlook blogposts by Teresa Thompson, are at http://outlookmag.org/author/teresathompson/
