Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, August 17, 2013 Read – Acts 23:23-35 In the middle of the night Paul is moved out of Jerusalem to safer territory at Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea, the Roman capital of the territory. Luke tells us that the tribune used half of his army to secure the move! Obviously they did not quietly slip out of town. At this point we learn both the identity of the tribune, Claudius Lysias, and the Roman procurator, or governor at Caesarea, Felix. Josephus goes to great lengths in his description of Antonius Felix. He had once been a slave who was freed by Antonia, the mother of the emperor Claudius. Tacitus, the Roman historian says of Felix that he “exercised the power of a king with the mind of a slave” – and Josephus placed most of the blame for the Jewish revolt in 66 AD on the inept leadership of Felix. He was a brutal ruler – much like Pontius Pilate had been. He became Procurator of Judea in about 52 or 53 AD and ruled until about 59 or 60 AD. All of this helps to date the story of Paul since Paul appeared before him and remained in custody for two years while Felix was procurator. He was finally sent to Rome by Felix’s successor, Festus, who began to reign in about 59 or 60 AD. The date of Paul’s visit to Jerusalem was thus about 57 AD or so. The events that unfolded in the story we have been reading took place at least 25 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus as we have noted earlier. Luke does not portray Felix in as negative a light as either Josephus or Tacitus, though he will tell his readers that Felix kept Paul in prison long after he had determined that he was innocent, hoping to receive a bribe from Paul to gain his freedom – no bribe is given. At this point Luke simply tells us that Felix decides to give Paul a hearing once his accusers have arrived from Jerusalem.