Acts 24:10-21

Summary retelling of Acts 24:10-21

               

Felix tells Paul that it is his time to defend himself.  Paul begins by laying out the facts.  It has been no more than twelve days since he went to Jerusalem.  For the first few days, they had no reason to arrest him because he wasn’t stirring up any trouble.  Paul then asserts that just as he didn’t cause trouble when he first got to Jerusalem, they can’t prove that he caused any trouble on the day that they actually rioted against him.  Instead, it is Paul who brings religion back into the case.  He asserts once more that the real reason that they rioted is because they are upset about the fact that he is teaching that there will be a resurrection of the dead.   Paul also mentions that the reason that he was in the temple area in the first place was to bring a gift that he had been collecting for the orphans and widows in Jerusalem.  He had purified himself before going into the temple, but some Jews from Asia Minor are the ones who brought trouble to him.  Paul points out that these Jews from Asia Minor are not even present at the trial to answer for their involvement in the temple riot.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Notice that Paul does not begins with flattery.  Of course, Paul has been in Felix’s care for several days now, so perhaps there was no need to flatter the judge.  But the reality is that Paul is not interested in winning the case because he was able to flatter the judge.  Paul wants the case to be based on truth and righteousness, not false words from a silver-tongue.

How does the realization of how Paul begins his speech make you feel about how Tertullus began yesterday?  How does this make you feel about yourself whenever you begin to try and get your way through flattery?

Second Thought:

Paul illustrates quite plainly that he wasn’t doing anything wrong in the temple.  He had not been involved in any riots before going in.  He had taken the time to purify himself first.  He had even come bearing a gift to the orphans and widows as a demonstration of God’s love and action in the world.  He had not come to cause trouble – but it was trouble that found him.

Have you ever felt this way?  Have you ever tried to do something good but found yourself caught up in a bad situation through no fault of your own?  How do you typically react in those times?

Third Thought:

Paul does well to point out that the real troublemakers were not brought down from Jerusalem to answer for their involvement.  This shows some deceit on behalf of the delegation of Jewish leaders.  They likely knew that if those Jews had been brought that it would not end well for them.  Thus, the delegation of Jewish leaders left them in Jerusalem to protect them – as well as being able to have an easier time shaping the truth according to the way they desire it to be seen.

How much experience do you have with people who manipulate the truth so that it says what they want it to say?  Are you ever guilty of doing this?  Do you even manipulate the circumstances around you so that your version of the truth is easier to believe?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 24:22-27