June 18. Acts 24. Chance Bozeman
WHAT IS Truth?
Paul finds himself on trial before the governor Felix. What entails is a perversion of truth from a group of accusers set on having Paul killed. Elegant and poised, Paul is able to refute the claims against him. Having heard the testimonies, Felix would appear to have enough information to issue a verdict; however, Felix decides to do something else: nothing. It becomes evident that in this court of law the pursuit of truth concedes to an appeal to power. The Jewish accusers obscure the truth to indict Paul.
Paul communicates, "My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." Felix, as a representative of the Roman Empire, is charged with maintaining order. When unable to easily discern truth he immediately began to try to manipulate the circumstance to benefit him: how to please the Jews while also giving a Roman citizen a fair trial. Felix defers his decision until Lysias (the Roman commander who detained Paul) arrives. Which is ironic because in Acts 23:26-30 the commander makes it clear he's deferring to Felix himself. But while Felix is delaying political justice, he's also denying justice owed to God! Over the two years while Paul is imprisoned, Felix continuously sent for Paul to listen to him as he spoke about his faith in Christ Jesus (v. 24). Despite his spiritual curiosity he secretly hopes that Paul will offer him a bribe. Felix fails to make a spiritual decision, and fails to make a judicial decision. How often do people defer a decision to follow Christ out of self interest? Especially when the weapons of righteousness don't readily have the same authority as those of the world?
The commentary here mirrors the account of Jesus before Pontus Pilate, that worldly authorities are concerned with acquiring power and ruling by fear rather than the charity and humility demonstrated in the gospel about Christ Jesus. Jesus offers a way into the political theater welding truth as power. In the end, the Jews were not able to kill Paul and shut out his gospel, and the Roman official fumbled to maintain order when their instruments of torture/fear were taken from them. Political powers are threatened by humble truth.