Session 13

Paul on Trial – Rel. 3.0Last week Porcius Festus conducted a third trial of our hero.

After deliberating with his advisors, he chose to send Paul to Rome to have his case heard in the Imperial Court.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0Before he could send Paul, Festus had to write up a document clearly defining the charges against Paul, the evidence presented by both sides, and his own recommendation for disposition.

As you might guess, this was much easier said than done. Paul had really and truly done nothing wrong.

So Festus decides to consult with King Herod Agrippa II (Marcus Julius Agrippa) who was in town to pay his respects to the new Roman procurator.

He asks Herod to listen to Paul and help him determine how he (Festus) was to present Paul’s case to the Imperial

Court.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0King Herod Agrippa II was an interesting individual.

He was the son of King Herod Agrippa I

of Judea who tried unsuccessfully to kill Peter and

died quite miserably in Tyre shortly after Peter’s

escape from prison.

Agrippa II was only about 17 years old when

this happened – too young to be crowned king over his

father’s realm, he was given a small postage

stamp sized “kingdom” in northern Galilee

called Chalcis.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0As young Herod Agrippa grew in age and governing

ability, his fiefdom was gradually increased to a respectable size.

Herod served as king solely at the pleasure of the Romans.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0To the best of our knowledge, Agrippa was unmarried.

Palace gossip suggested that he lived in an incestuous relationship with his sister Bernice.

She was the widow of their uncle (Agrippa I) whom Herod Agrippa II succeeded.

Drusilla, the wife of the disgraced procurator Felix was also their sister.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0Paul’s fourth trial became a huge affair of state.

Everybody who was anybody was there.

Festus began by stating that he could find no reason for Paul to be punished (killed) but that he had to have something to write to Rome.

Agrippa told Paul to present his case.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0Paul began by relating his entire story:

He was once a Pharisee the strictest sect of Judaism.

He was on trail for his hope om the age-old promise God made to their ancestors.

In the beginning, he too persecuted the church sending many to prison or worse.

On the road to Damascus he had seen the Risen Lord Jesus

Here he was given the commission to preach the Good News to the Gentiles.

They were to repent of their sins and turn to God.

To a couple (supposedly) living in sin, this would have been a disturbing message.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0But that was the focal point of the argument of the Jews.

Paul’s rhetoric did not fall on deaf ears. Many in the audience would have been stricken by his bold discourse.

Somewhere along the line, Festus became fed up with Paul and his talk of Jesus and declared him insane.

Agrippa asked Paul if he was trying to make a Christian out of him?

Paul responded that he wished all who heard him would become Christians – except of course for the chains.

Paul on Trial – Rel. 4.0With this Agrippa stood up and ended the audience.

After retreating to their chambers, Agrippa told Festus that Paul had done nothing wrong.

Had it not been for his appeal to Caesar, he should be set free.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!Festus agrees and plans to send Paul to Rome.

By this time it is late in the year and sailing season is just about over (Acts 27:4).

The “normal” sailing season was from mid-May until mid-September. Sailing after that was dangerous and sailing in the November to March time frame was considered suicidal.

Paul is handed over to a centurion named Julius from the Imperial Regiment.

The Imperial Regiment was most likely charged with delivering official correspondence and transporting prisoners and government officials

across the empire.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!Being a person of some distinction, Paul was allowed two traveling companions.

The Bible specifically mentions Aristarchus of Macedonia (Thessalonica) and by his use of first person plural pronouns, we believe Luke the physician was the second companion.

Julius found a ship headed north along the Palestinian coast and west along the southern coast of what we know

today as Turkey as far as the city of Myra.

Necropolisat Myra.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!A typical Roman sailing vessel.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!A typical Roman sailing vessel.

Most vessels had a round hull design.

Round hulls and square sails made them very difficult to sail into the wind.

The Roman navy patrolled the Mediterranean Sea to prevent piracy which fostered trade by sea routes.

The intricate Roman road system was built to handle foot and horse traffic and was not easily used by large wheeled vehicles.

Therefore sea trade was important for transporting bulk goods (e.g. grain) over long distances.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!Travel by sea was certainly safe but not certain.

Each passenger would have his/her own tent, mattress and a couple of weeks worth of food and water.

There were no passenger boats, so travelers hitched rides on cargo ships.

Each traveler would be given a small section of deck area that was theirs for the duration. This is where they pitched their tent at night, and stayed by day.

Meals could often be prepared in the ship’s galley.

Travelers stayed on the open deck – rain or shine.

The boats ranged in size from 45 to 120 feet in length and about 15 to 30 feet in width.

These ships could carry 400 to over 1,500 tons of cargo plus passengers.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!In Myra, Julius found a grain ship bound for Rome. There

they boarded the ship – 276 souls.

Head winds prevented sailing directly across the Adriatic Sea and forced Paul’s company to head for Crete.

With some difficulty, Paul’s company reached the eastern tip of Crete and the port of Salmone.

From there they maneuvered along the southern coast until they reached Fair Havens.

Fair Havens was a small port with no provisions for the crew or passengers. If they stopped here for the winter they would almost certainly have to stay on board. Not a pleasant alternative.

The captain wished to continue and attempt to winter in Phoenix a much more suitable port.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!Julius called a meeting of the principles involved, including

Paul.

Against Paul’s advice the decision was made to attempt to reach Phoenix.

As they made their way west along the coast a huge storm arose.

The small ship was no match for the violence of the storm as they tried to make for the small island of Cauda.

Wrapping the rigging around the timbers of the ship to help keep it together, the passengers and crew surrendered themselves to the mercy of the storm.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!Day after day, night after night, the small vessel was tossed by the storm driven seas.

The passengers and crew did all in their power to lighten he ahd heard from an angel of the boat and save themselves.

Finally, Paul told them that all was not lost, that an angel of the Lord had spoken to him and told him that they would all

be safe (Acts 27:21-26).

As they approached the island of Malta, Paul encouraged everyone to eat something as they would need their

strength to get to shore.

Once they got close to shore, several soldiers decided to kill all of the prisoners to prevent them from escaping. Julius ordered them not to do so as they headed into the beach.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!The ship made its way toward shore in the storm. Suddenly it struck a sandbar and began to break up.

All of the ship’s crew and passengers made it safely to shore on Malta, just as Paul had promised.

The islanders showed great hospitality and built a fire to get them warm and welcomed the mariners.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!As the passengers and crew warmed themselves by the fire, Paul tossed an arm load of sticks onto the fire.

A snake came out of the sticks and bit Paul on the hand.

The islanders believed Paul to be a criminal. But when he suffered no ill effects from the snake bite, they then thought him a god.

Paul, Aristarchus and Luke stayed with the chief magistrate, Publius, for three months waiting for sailing season to open.

Paul on Trial – To Rome!

Paul and his company board an Egyptian grain ship bound for an Italian port.

With the advent of good weather the journey from Malta to the port city of Puteoli.

From here they traveled overland to Rome.

Because he had committed no violent crime and was not considered dangerous, Paul was allowed to rent a small house

and stay there instead of the Mamertine Prison. Mostly likely he was chained to a Roman soldier to assure he didn’t take off.

Paul on Trial – In RomeWhile technically a prisoner, Paul would have been afforded the liberty to receive visitors and move about in a limited manner.

From his rented house, Paul once again began to evangelize. Following his usual pattern, he started with the Jewish leaders.

They had not heard anything bad about Paul and were interested in hearing what Paul had to say.

Paul on Trial – In RomePaul remained in his rented house for two years proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about Jesus.

During his Roman captivity, Paul not only preached and taught, but he communicated with the churches in Greece and Asia by letter.

Ephesians – about 60AD

Colossians – about 60AD

Philemon – about 60AD

Philippians – about 61AD

Paul on Trial – In RomeAfter spending two years under “house arrest,” Paul was most likely freed.

Remember, Paul had committed no crime.