Acts 25 - A Study Guide by Kevin Scott

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                         "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

                          Chapter Twenty-Five

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To consider the circumstances in which Paul appealed to Caesar

2) To observe Paul before King Agrippa

SUMMARY

Shortly after Festus arrived in Caesarea, he went to Jerusalem.  The
high priest and chief men informed Festus of Paul.  They petitioned him,
asking Festus a favor, to bring Paul back to Jerusalem.  The Jews
planned an ambush to kill Paul along the road as he traveled.  Festus
indicated that he would shortly be traveling back to Caesarea, and
invited those Jews in authority to travel there as well.  They could
accuse Paul there.  After remaining in Jerusalem about ten days, Festus
returned to Caesarea.  He called Paul before the judgment seat the next
day.  The Jews attended and laid serious complaints against Paul;
however, they could not prove them.  Paul answered, "Neither against the
law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I
offended in anything at all."  Festus then asked Paul if he would go to
Jerusalem with him.  He suggested that he would judge Paul there.  This
was recommended to Paul because Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor.
Paul responded that he stood at Caesar's judgment seat, "where I ought
to be judged."  He told Festus he had done no wrong to the Jews, "as you
very well know."  Paul was willing to die, if he had committed anything
worthy of death.  But, he had no guilt of the things for which the Jews
accused him.  Paul was not going to be delivered to the Jews - he was a
Roman citizen.  Paul then appealed to Caesar.  Festus replied, "You have
appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!"  (1-12)

A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet
Festus as the new governor, replacing Felix.  Festus laid Paul's case
before Agrippa.  He noted that Felix had left Paul a prisoner with his
case not resolved.  He recalled that the chief priests and elders of the
Jews informed him about Paul during his recent visit to Jerusalem.
Festus recounted to Agrippa that he had told the Jews that it was not
Roman custom to deliver the accused for "destruction" without the
accused having the opportunity to answer the charges face to face.  Upon
Festus' return to Caesarea, he had Paul come before the judgment seat.
He discovered nothing wrong in Paul, other than there were some
questions about "their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had
died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive."  Festus asked Paul to go to
Jerusalem, since he was "uncertain" about these matters.  At that point,
Festus noted that Paul appealed to Caesar.  After Festus' explanation of
Paul's case, Agrippa requested to hear Paul himself.  Festus said to
Agrippa, "Tomorrow you shall hear him."  Paul was brought before King
Agrippa the next day, following much pomp upon the entry of Agrippa and
Bernice into the auditorium with the commanders and other prominent men
of the city.  Festus explained the situation to Agrippa and the others.
He reported that the Jews claimed Paul was not "fit to live any longer."
However, Festus stated that he found Paul had committed nothing
deserving death.  He noted that Paul had appealed to Caesar, and he was
going to send him.  Festus indicated that he had nothing to write to
Caesar about Paul.  He hoped that after Agrippa's examination of Paul,
he may have something to write.  He thought it was unreasonable to send
an appeal to Caesar without specifying the charges.  (13-27)

OUTLINE

I. PAUL APPEALED TO CAESAR (1-12)

   A. THE JEWS PETITIONED FESTUS TO RETURN PAUL TO JERUSALEM (1-5)
      1. Shortly after Festus arrived, he went to Jerusalem
      2. The high priest and chief men informed Festus of Paul
      3. They petitioned him, asking a favor, to bring Paul back to
         Jerusalem
         a. The Jews planned an ambush to kill Paul along the road
      4. Festus invited those Jews in authority to travel to Caesarea
         with him
         a. They could accuse Paul there

   B. PAUL STOOD BEFORE FESTUS IN CAESAREA (6-9)
      1. After remaining in Jerusalem about ten days, Festus returned to
         Caesarea
         a. He called Paul before the judgment seat the next day
      2. The Jews laid serious complaints against Paul
         a. They could not prove them
         b. Paul answered, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor
            against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in
            anything at all."
      3. Festus asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem with him
         a. Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor
         b. Festus suggested that he would judge Paul there

   C. PAUL APPEALED TO CAESAR AND AVOIDED A RETURN TO JERUSALEM (10-12)
      1. Paul stated that he stood at Caesar's judgment seat, "where I
         ought to be judged"
         a. He said he had done no wrong to the Jews, "as you [Festus]
            very well know"
      2. Paul was willing to die, if he had committed anything worthy of
         death
         a. He had no guilt of the things the Jews accused him
         b. He was not going to be delivered to the Jews - he was a
            Roman citizen, and he then appealed to Caesar
      3. Festus stated, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you
         shall go!"

II. PAUL'S CASE WAS HEARD BY KING AGRIPPA (13-27)

   A. FESTUS PRESENTED PAUL'S CASE TO KING AGRIPPA (13-22)
      1. A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to
         greet Festus
      2. Festus laid Paul's case before Agrippa
         a. He noted that Felix had left Paul a prisoner
         b. The chief priests and elders of the Jews informed Festus
            about Paul
         c. He told the Jews that it was not Roman custom to deliver the
            accused for "destruction" without the accused having the
            opportunity to answer the charges
         d. Festus had Paul come before the judgment seat
         e. Festus discovered nothing wrong, other than there were some
            questions about "their own religion and about a certain
            Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive"
         f. He asked Paul to go to Jerusalem, since he was "uncertain"
            about these matters
         g. Then Paul appealed to Caesar
      3. Agrippa requested to hear Paul himself
         a. Festus said to Agrippa, "Tomorrow you shall hear him"

   B. PAUL STOOD BEFORE AGRIPPA AND BERNICE (23-27)
      1. Paul was brought before King Agrippa the next day, following
         much pomp upon the entry of Agrippa and Bernice
      2. Festus explained the situation to Agrippa and the men gathered
         a. Festus reported that the Jews claimed Paul was not "fit to
            live any longer"
         b. Festus stated he found that Paul had committed nothing
            deserving death
         c. He noted that Paul had appealed to Caesar, and he was going
            to send him
         d. Festus indicated that he had nothing to write to Caesar
            about Paul
         e. He hoped that after Agrippa's examination of Paul, he may
            have something to write, for he thought it unreasonable to
            send an appeal to Caesar without specifying the charges

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main events in this chapter?
   - Paul appealed to Caesar (1-12)
   - Paul's case was heard by King Agrippa (13-27)

2) After arriving in the province, how many days was it before Festus
   went from Caesarea to Jerusalem? (1)
   - Three days (1)

3) Of what did the high priest and chief men inform Festus? (2-3)
   - Informed him against Paul and petitioned him (2)
   - They asked a favor for Festus to send Paul to Jerusalem (3)

4) What was the real plan of the Jews for Paul? (3)
   - They were laying an ambush to kill him on the road (3)

5) How did Festus respond to the Jews' request?  (4-5)
   - Paul would be kept in Caesarea; he was going there shortly (4)
   - The Jews with authority were to go to Caesarea to accuse him (5)

6) When did Paul come before the judgment seat of Festus? (6)
   - Festus returned to Caesarea after about 10 days in Jerusalem (6)
   - He called Paul to the judgment seat the next day (6)

7) The Jews laid many serious complaints on Paul.  Were they able to
   prove them? (7)
   - They were not able to prove any of them (7)

8) List the three things Paul had not offended against. (8)
   - He had not offended against the law of the Jews, nor against the
     temple, nor against Caesar (8)

9) Why did Festus ask Paul to go to Jerusalem? (9)
   - He wanted to do the Jews a favor (9)

10) Where did Paul believe he should be judged? (10)
   - Where he was - at Caesar's judgment seat (Caesarea) (10)

11) Did Paul recognize that Festus found no wrong in him? (10)
   - Yes, he stated that to Festus; "as you very well know" (10)

12) What was Paul trying to avoid by appealing to Caesar?  (11)
   - None of their accusations had been proven; therefore, he did not
     want to go back to Jerusalem before the Sanhedrin (11)

13) How did Paul have the right to appeal to Caesar?  (11)
   - Paul was a Roman citizen (11; cf. Acts 22:25-28)

14) How did Festus respond to the appeal? (12)
   - He conferred with the council and then said, "You have appealed to
     Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!" (12)

15) Why had Agrippa and Bernice come to Caesarea? (13)
   - To greet Festus (13)
   - He was the new governor, replacing Felix (cf. Acts 24:27)

16) What did Festus tell Agrippa about, after they had been there many
    days? (14-15)
   - He told them about Paul's case (14)
   - He told them how the Jews had informed him about Paul (15)

17) How did Festus describe his response to the Jew's request? (16)
   - It was not the Roman's custom to delivery any man to destruction
     with allowing the accused to answer his accusers face to face (16)

18) What questions was Festus uncertain about? (18-20)
   - Questions "about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who
     had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." (19-20)

19) What was Agrippa's response to Festus? (22)
   - "I also would like to hear the man myself" (22)

20) While before Agrippa, what did Festus state that the Jews cried out
    about Paul in Jerusalem? (24)
   - He was "not fit to live any longer" (24)

21) What was Festus' finding in Paul's case? (25)
   - He had committed nothing deserving of death (25)

22) What was Festus' dilemma in which he found himself? How was he
    hoping Agrippa could help? What did he find unreasonable? (26-27)
   - Paul appealed to Caesar, but no charges were against him (26)
   - He hoped to have something to write based on Agrippa's examination
     of Paul (26)
   - It was unreasonable to send Paul to Caesar without charges (27)
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