‘TO CAESAR YOU SHALL GO!’

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on September 13, 2023 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: September 13, 2023 from Acts 25:1-12

Theme: God is able to steer the decisions of rulers and magistrates in such a way as to accomplish His sovereign purposes for the gospel.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

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In Proverbs 21:1, we’re told a truth about the sovereignty of God that—while perhaps not a comfort to kings and rulers—should be a great comfort to the people living under them:

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1)

The decisions of those in power may seem to be under their own control. But the reality is that even the decisions of their hearts are steered by the Almighty God in such a way as to accomplish His purpose and His will. The king’s seemingly autonomous decisions ultimately serve the will of the sovereign God of the Bible.

And we see that demonstrated very clearly in the case of the apostle Paul in Acts 25:1-12.

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Consider—from a human standpoint—the difficult trial that Paul was under. As is indicated to us in Acts 24:27, he had spent two years waiting for a decision to be made concerning his case by the Roman Governor Felix. When Felix was succeeded by the new Roman Governor—Porcius Festus—Felix chose to “do the Jews a favor” by leaving Paul in bonds. Humanly speaking, it might have seemed that Paul’s case was hopeless and that his ministry was through—and all because of the whims of an earthly ruler.

But the Lord Jesus had made an astonishing promise to him. He had said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (23:11). God kept His promise to Paul. By the end of our passage—in verse 12—Paul is officially told by Governor Festus, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!” And as we read our way through this story, it’s very evident that it was God who was steering the heart of this governor in such a way as to accomplish what He had promised to Paul.

This passage has a great lesson to teach us as followers of Jesus. We live in a world in which it seems that human powers and authorities rule over the affairs of people in such a way as to hinder and limit the gospel. Very often, tyrants seek to eliminate the message of the gospel completely, and eradicate the Bible from their lands, and keep the people under their secular rule. And yet, God’s purposes still prevail. Not one thing that He decreed will fail to be fully accomplished. And amazingly, He is even able to steer the decisions of rulers and magistrates in such a way as to accomplish His sovereign purposes for the gospel.

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Now; Acts 25:1-12 is part of a longer story. Beginning with 25:1, and running all the way to 26:32, we read the whole story of Paul’s defense before not only Felix the governor, but also King Agrippa II. At the end of this longer story, we find Agrippa declaring, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar” (26:32). And really, that whole story is a long demonstration of the point that we’re making—that even kings who do not believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ end up serving the providence of God in advancing that gospel.

But let’s look specifically at how this principle showed itself in the case of this Roman Governor. We see it first of all …

1. IN HOW FESTUS KEPT PAUL IN CAESAREA (vv. 1-5).

We’re told, in verse 1;

Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem (v. 1).

This man Festus was very different from his predecessor. Felix had been a brutal and corrupt ruler. He had made use of villains and thugs in Jerusalem to pressure his political enemies. But the first-century historian Josephus tells us that Festus had worked hard to rid the region of criminals and thieves. Felix had to eventually be removed from office because of the disastrous way he was angering the Jewish people. But Festus—it seems—went out of his way to work with and appease the Jews. And most notably, Felix had been a terrible procrastinator … never seeming to get around to doing his duty; but Festus was quick to get things done. After having come into the province of the Jews as the new imperially-appointed Roman procurator, he immediately went up from the headquarters in Caesarea to Jerusalem—probably to make peace with, and acquaint himself with, the Jewish people who were now under his jurisdiction.

Now; his predecessor had left Paul in custody as ‘a favor’ to the Jews. Even though Paul had been relatively free, Felix left him bound in chains. And so, Paul was—in a manner of speaking—now Festus’ problem. And Festus had to deal with the problem almost immediately. Verses 2-3 tell us;

Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him (vv. 2-3).

This is much like what happened to Paul in Acts 23:12-15. In that passage “some Jews” had banded together—over forty in number—to request that Paul be brought before the Jewish council. But they had placed themselves under an oath to kill Paul along the way. The same sort of thing is happening here; except that, in this case, it was the members of the Jewish council itself who are planning to kill him along the way.

But the sovereign Lord had already established His plan. Just as Paul had declared the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem, he would also declare Him in Rome. And so; contrary to what a new ruler would ordinarily do in order to put his best foot forward and appease the people he now had responsibility for, Festus denied their request. Verses 4-5 tell us;

But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. “Therefore,” he said, “let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him” (vv. 4-5).

This not only took away the ‘home-town advantage’ that the Jewish leaders hoped to have over Paul, but it also ended up protecting Paul for due process of law to be administered on his behalf. God mysteriously steered the heart of Governor Festus toward the accomplishment of His will … and all for the advancement of His gospel. As John Calvin put it, God held this governor’s mind “bound with the secret bridle of his providence, so when he granted him freedom of will he bound his hands that he could not execute that which he would.”

Whenever it seems as if rulers and governing authorities act capriciously, let’s be at peace about the matter. They don’t act capriciously at all … but actually end up serving God’s will. Let’s keep our trust in Him.

As we read on, we also see this principle at work …

2. IN HOW FESTUS WITNESSED PAUL’S INNOCENCE (vv. 6-8).

If Festus had submitted to the wishes of the Jewish leaders, Paul would have been killed … and Festus would never have had to deal with the truth of Paul’s situation. But now, he will have to deal with the truth. In verses 6-7, we see how Festus kept his promise to the Jewish leaders and acted swiftly. We’re told;

And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove … (vv. 6-7).

As it turned out, the accusations didn’t make any sense to the mind of a governor responsible for keeping Roman law. Festus’ own comments on the accusations are found in Acts 25:18-19;

“When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive” (vv. 18-19).

In the providence of God, Paul was also allowed to testify on his own behalf. His accusers made unsubstantiated accusations before the governor;

while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all” (v. 8).

These are the sorts of things Paul had said in his own defense against his accusers before Governor Felix in 24:12-13; that

“they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me” (24:12-13).

Paul’s testimony was consistent; and Festus heard all of it. And as the man charged by Caesar with the responsibility of upholding Roman law, he had to acknowledge Paul’s innocence. He even said, in verse 25, that Paul “had committed nothing deserving of death”. Festus—a pagan ruler who wanted to start things off in the easiest and most peaceful way he could—would have preferred not to have to deal with Paul at all. But now, he had to. This, too, was the sovereign hand of God at work—providentially steering the heart of this ruler in such a way as to accomplish His will for the spread of the gospel.

We can see this thirdly …

3. IN HOW FESTUS PROTECTED PAUL’S RIGHTS (vv. 9-11).

Now confronted with Paul’s innocence in this matter, Festus was obligated—legally—to act in Paul’s defense. But verse 9 tells us;

But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?” (v. 9).

This was certainly no favor to Paul! This was intended to be a favor to the Jews who hated Paul. How might it have been a ‘favor’ to them? One Bible scholar suggests that Governor Festus

wanted to give them a chance to assassinate Paul, yet without Festus appearing to play into their hands (for that might have endangered his reputation at Rome). He can prove no charge against Paul; neither can he hand him back to the Sanhedrin, from whom he has already been rescued by the Romans. All he can do is to see whether he can make it appear that Paul himself has asked for a transfer to Jerusalem; that will give the Jews a chance to get at him on the journey without Festus being responsible. It will be “just too bad” that the prisoner got assassinated on the way (after all, it was his own choice to be moved!)—and there will be an end of the Governor’s “headache” (C.F.D. Moule; cited in Everette F. Harrison, Interpreting Acts [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986], p. 391).

This would have been unjust—and Festus would have known it. But whether or not this was actually Festus’ motivation, his intended ‘favor’ to the Jews didn’t end up being given to them. Paul insisted on his just and legal rights as a Roman citizen. In verses 10-11, we read;

So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar” (vv. 10-11).

Paul sets an example for us as followers of Jesus. When legal protection is available to us, we should make use of it. Paul did so; and as a result, the Roman governor had absolutely no choice but to protect him. He could not now—by any means—hand Paul over to the Jewish leaders who wanted to kill him. He could not rid himself of this ‘headache’.

And that leads us to one final way we’re shown that God steers the hearts of rulers. We see it in the last verse of this passage …

4. IN HOW FESTUS FULFILLED GOD’S WILL (v. 12).

Paul had exercised his legal rights as a Roman citizen, and made his appeal to the highest court of the empire. Verse 12 tells us;

Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!” (v. 12).

It may have been possible that—under his breath—Festus could have muttered, “And good riddance!” But as we can plainly see, his heart was steered by God in such a way as to bring about exactly what God had promised to Paul. Was it ultimately Festus who said, “To Caesar you shall go”? No! It was the Lord Himself! Festus only ended up saying that Paul would go to Rome because—ultimately—God had already decreed it to be so first!

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In this fallen world—a world in which rulers and officials, mayors, city council members, congressmen and senators, governors, presidents, and even monarchs and emperors may all together say “No!” to the spread of the gospel—no mere human being can ultimately stop what God says must go. He who possesses all authority said that the gospel is to be proclaimed in all the world. And in the mystery of His sovereignty, He even steers the hearts of those in power in such a way that they serve His will.

The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most irrevocable mandate in the universe. And so, dear brothers and sisters in Christ; let’s follow Paul’s example of resolute commitment to the call of God to proclaim Jesus Christ. Let’s do so, knowing that all things serve His sovereign plan. If He says that the gospel will even go before Caesar, then to Caesar it shall go!

AE