November 27, 2025
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Reading along with us in 2 Kings, Acts, & Hebrews? Here’s today’s reading:
Acts 25 (NIV)
Paul’s Trial Before Festus
1 Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2 where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. 3 They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.……Continue Reading
What insight this passage gives us into Roman jurisprudence and the means the Jews will go to erase the testimony of Paul about Jesus. Festus is committed to Roman law, but is political in trying to ingratiate himself to the Jews. It just shows that God can lead us through similar circumstances and we should be prepared to share our testimony about Jesus at any time we are given opportunity. In Paul pressing his case, he is not shy about showing what is lacking in the Jewish case. So although He trusts God for what is going on, he does his part in what is consistent with the truth and the law. Practical lessons for us as well. And it is a funny picture seeing the pomp and circumstance that the world operates in, when the most significant and royal person in the room is Paul.
Acts 25
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Acts 25
Paul is trusting God amidst all the political players, even so, he uses political strategy to his advantage (somewhat) and appeals to Caesar.
Again, Paul while in what appears to be in a grim situation is still being protected by God. His imprisonment was actually keeping him safe from the plots to kill him. He is also receiving several opportunities to speak to the Gentiles about Jesus and the good news of His resurection. Felix, and now Festus as he takes over, and finally Agrippa as he shows desire to hear the case against Paul. So God’s will is being done and Paul is being kept safe and still obeying. We see how often God provides the place and the protection to share His word but we must trust and obey like Paul did and our doors of opportunity are never met with any degree of hostility like he faced!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how grateful I feel to be able to start my Thanksgiving day in God’s word. I pray I never take for granted how easy that is for us to do in this country and what a blessing it is to have such ease of access to it, so for that today I am so thankful!
Paul knew he was innocent and he so wanted to preach the gospel in Rome. So here’s his window. Even as a prisoner.
Festus does not know what to do with Paul. He does not believe he is worthy of death, but the Jewish leaders are pressuring him to kill Paul He calls upon King Agrippa for cousul on the matter. This all sounds very familiar. The Jewish leaders want to squash everything that points to Jesus, the Messiah. And the words of Jesus continue to ring true. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to!” Matthew 23:13