Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, August 31, 2013 Read – Acts 28:1-10 Once the participants in the journey have made it safely to land Luke tells us of one last threat that has the potential of preventing Paul from arriving in Rome. As Paul gathers wood and throws it on the fire a venomous snake, a viper, attaches itself to Paul’s hand. The inhabitants of the island expect that Paul will soon be dead – a prisoner guilty of a crime will not go unpunished. Paul may have made it safely to land but justice will not be robbed. After a sufficient time has passed and the natives realize that Paul is not going to die they begin to think that he must be a god – ordinary people do not survive viper bites! This story sounds a little like the story Luke told us earlier when Paul and Barnabas visit Lystra (Acts 14:8-18). In that story Paul was also mistaken as a god. In the story at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas protest and finally convince the people that they are not gods – and in the end the people turn on Paul and Barnabas and drive them out of town. Here there is no word of protest. Perhaps we should not make anything of that. Luke and Luke’s readers know that Paul is not a god – it is curious though that Luke does not make that clear. Luke follows up the story of the viper with another that reminds Luke’s readers of two other stories he has told us – the story of Peter’s shadow bringing healing to many (Acts 5:15) and of Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons bringing healing to any who touched them (Acts 19:12). Both of these other stories are troublesome to most of us – they sound too much like magic! So in this story Paul heals the leader of the island’s father and then goes on to bring healing to many others on the island. Stories like these are difficult for us to understand, mostly because we have been trained with a scientific mind, and we can think of many examples when what was done by Paul is not and maybe cannot be repeated. We want to generalize the experience from a single instance to a general principle and we know that it does not hold true. While we may have difficulty dealing with these stories we will need to let them stand as part of Luke’s story.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Friday, August 30, 2013 Read – Acts 27:39-44 “And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44). With morning light the sailor and the travelers on the ship see a sight they have longed to see. It has been about two weeks since they were driven into the midst of the sea and the midst of despair. Now the hope of rescue is born once again. The sailors plan seems to be a good one. They will sail the ship into a bay on an unknown island. Readers of Acts are reminded of Paul’s words delivered by an angel that all the people will be saved but the ship will be lost. Will the word of the angel be true? The plan of the sailors is dashed on an unforeseen reef. Caught on the reef the ship began to break apart – the word of the angel was true. For one last time on the fateful journey Paul’s life is put in danger from two sources. How were the passengers to get to land – would some drown in the sea? And to make matters worse the soldiers who were in charge of guarding the prisoners decide to kill them so that they do not escape. A soldier was held responsible for his prisoner and if the prisoner escaped the soldier would pay with his own life. We saw that in Peter’s deliverance from prison in Jerusalem – when the authorities had determined that Peter was free the guards were killed (Acts 12:19). Once again a Roman comes to Paul’s rescue. The centurion protects Paul and the other prisoners – there will be no loss of life just as the angel said. And everyone makes it safely to the shores. The sea voyage that seemed to spell certain disaster for Paul comes to a good end – but the voyage is not quite over. They discover that they have landed on an island called Malta to the south and west of Italy. They will now wait for better weather to make the final journey to Rome.

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Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Thursday, August 29, 2013 Read – Acts 27:31-38 Just before daybreak Luke tells us Paul enacts what for some must have seemed like a strange action. He gathers the voyagers for a meal. Meals have had a very important function in Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts. There is something about eating. Readers of Luke’s gospel are reminded of how Jesus broke the bread and opened the eyes of the travelers on the Emmaus Road. Readers are reminded that when Paul was brought into Damascus blinded by the light he did not eat until Ananias had restored his sight. What are we to make of this meal aboard ship? It is tempting, of course, to understand this meal as the celebration of Holy Communion. There are elements of the story that lend themselves to that interpretation – “he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat” (Acts 27:35). Those words sound too much like the communion liturgy to be accidental. And Luke likely wants his readers to make that connection. But it is also more likely that Paul is not leading a communion service aboard the ship. Most of the participants would have had no way to make any connection to this meal as a celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Luke’s intent is that we, he readers who have been instructed in the gospel, make that connection. Celebrating Holy Communion in the midst of the storms of life is a wonderful thing to do. But that is likely not the case aboard the ship – Paul is rather simply attempting to bring courage and hope to his fellow travelers – two hundred and seventy-six in all! This is a good example of how Biblical writers can often take experiences that on their own have one meaning and, by “tweaking” the story just a bit, fill them with new meaning for those who read the story. Luke is a brilliant writer. He knows how to turn a sentence in a way that brings more than one meaning into play. Luke was not simply interested in providing his readers with interesting details but in helping them as they face the storms of life. We can take delight in the wonderful work of Luke.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Wednesday, August 28, 2013 Read – Acts 27:27-32 Two weeks into the fateful voyage and likely still wallowing in despair, Luke tells us the sailor begin to suspect that they are nearing land. When they measure the depth of the sea they discover that this is exactly the case – and now another danger swells up. Will the ship crash into the land and be destroyed? In desperation the sailors lower the anchors from the rear of the boat and begin to pray in earnest. The saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes” is so true. One is reminded again of the story of Jonah where we are told that the pagan sailors are praying fervently only to find Jonah asleep in the depths of the ship – they plead with him to get up and pray to his God. Of course in the Jonah story Jonah knows why the storm is raging and that the only solution is to cast Jonah into the sea. The sailors do that and the author of the book of Jonah tells us they begin to believe in Jonah’s God. This story does not follow that pattern. The sailors may be praying but they are also looking out for their own skins. They attempt to flee from the ship and make their way as best they can to land, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves. Once again it is Paul who sees through their design and warns the centurion that unless they remain with the boat they will lose their lives. One is reminded of the saying of Jesus, “Whoever seeks to save their life will lose it and whoever loses their life will save it.” The disappointed sailors are not able to flee as the “get-away” boat is cut loose and sent out onto the waves.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Read – Acts 27:21-26 In the midst of utter despair Luke tells us that Paul proclaims a word of encouragement. This is not just wishful thinking. Luke tells us that an angel of God “stood by” Paul during the night and brought him the assuring news that Paul and his companions would not perish. Paul’s destiny was not at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea but before the Emperor in Rome. While it was perhaps merely common sense that motivated Paul to suggest that they not leave the harbor of Fair Haven for the harbor of Phoenix, this declaration by Paul is a prophetic word. Again, we are at a loss to explain how and angel of God stood by Paul or for that matter exactly how God speaks to any of us. We have contemplated that before and it is always an ambiguous task. If there were readers who were wondering whether perhaps nature would do what neither Jews nor Romans could do – keep Paul from Rome – all wonder is now gone. Paul will arrive in Rome. Paul had said earlier that he thought there would be loss of the cargo and lives if the journey went forward from Fair Haven. Now he is told by the angel that God will spare the lives of all those aboard – only the ship will be lost, run aground on some island. We might wonder how people on board reacted to Paul’s words. Luke does not tell us. Likely the reaction was mixed. Perhaps some took hope in Paul’s words. Likely others paid little or no attention to him. Luke’s first readers were encouraged to take courage from the story. God does provide. We can take the same courage as we hear this story and as we live through the storms of life.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, August 26, 2013 Read – Acts 27:13-20 The plan to get to the harbor at Phoenix and spend the winter there fails. Luke tells us a storm called the Northeaster engulfs the ship and they are driven off course. Paul had told them that if they did not listen to him the result would be great loss of cargo and even lives. Soon the sailors begin to throw the cargo into the sea. Paul was right. Again it seems Luke wants his readers to recognize Paul’s ability to prophesy. As the story comes to a conclusion however it turns out that there is no loss of life – Paul is given that promise by God. Perhaps it is better to think of all this advice given by Paul as exactly that – Paul’s common sense. The story reminds readers of Acts of the story of Jonah. In that story too, the winds of a violent storm drive Jonah and the sailors along with him out into the midst of the Mediterranean Sea. They begin to throw the cargo overboard in that story too. And eventually it is Jonah who is thrown into the sea. There are certainly differences between the story of Jonah and this story but it is not a bad thing for readers of Acts to be thinking about that other sea voyage. In fact there are a number of sea voyages that might come to mind – some of them in the Bible and others not. The stories of Jesus out on the Sea of Galilee come to mind. So does the story of Noah and his family during the flood. And there are a few Psalms, particularly Psalm 107 that may be helpful to remember. And of course the great sea voyage of Odysseus is worth some thought. Eventually the storm becomes so violent that all hope is lost. Because the sailors could not see the sun or the moon for several days they had no idea where they were. Readers of Acts can feel the despair begin to settle in for the voyagers. And one begins to wonder if the power of nature will do what Jews and Romans could not – prevent Paul from arriving at Rome. Those who have read Luke’s gospel and the book of Acts to this point know that cannot happen. God is in control. The Spirit is directing the journey. Luke’s first readers likely were living in a time when it was more difficult to be a Christian than it is for any of us. Their lives may have felt as if they were being tossed to and fro on the winds of the sea. This story may well have given them hope. This story can give any of us hope as we find ourselves in the storms of life. Luke, the master storyteller, is weaving a story that informs and inspires his readers. It is good to just enjoy the story.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, August 25, 2013 Read – Acts 27:1-12 Luke does not tell us how much time passed between the time of Paul’s hearing before King Agrippa and his departure to Rome. We will recall that both King Agrippa and Procius Festus had declared Paul innocent. Yet, they are intent on sending Paul to appear before the emperor because of Paul’s appeal to do so. As readers of Luke’s gospel we also know that Paul is travelling to Rome because God has set his destiny to do so (Acts 23:11). The opinions of kings and rulers ultimately do not matter. Yet, readers are left wondering what Festus finally decided to write as the charges against Paul. Luke never tells us. The Roman centurion who is put in charge of Paul is described by Luke as an honorable man. He will remain so during the whole journey. Readers of Acts are reminded of Cornelius, another centurion who became a Christian (Acts 10). Luke does not tell us that Julius becomes a Christian – there are good and honorable people who are not Christians. Perhaps Julius was one of them. Luke also tells us that a man by the name of Aristarchus from Macedonia accompanies Paul on the voyage. Aristarchus was one of the people who accompanied Paul on his final journey to Jerusalem – likely he was one of the people who were chosen to assure that the offering Paul had collected for the poor in Jerusalem was properly delivered. We are left to wonder if Aristarchus was also a prisoner – though we are given no reason to believe that he was. He was likely on this journey by his own volition – perhaps designated by the friends of Paul to that role or more likely he was simply committed to Paul and cared about his safety and so he went along. There is one more person on this journey – the same unnamed person who we have encountered on the other sea voyages. Luke begins to use the pronoun “we” once again. We had last encountered this person at least two years prior to this time when Paul arrived in Jerusalem in about 57 AD. I have speculated before that perhaps the author of Acts really was present during these sea voyages as an acquaintance of Paul. Others have suggested other theories about Luke’s use of the pronoun “we” and we will never be sure what the truth is. In the end it really does not matter much. The detailed itinerary and a few other specific details do suggest that even if the “we passages” come from a source used by Luke that the author of that source was along on the journey. Some have suggested that Aristarchus is the “we source.” Perhaps that could be true, however then one would need to go back and explain how Aristarchus was at Troas before Paul’s first missionary venture to Macedonia, which was Aristarchus’ home. He would have needed to be away from home and become a companion of Paul before the vision of Paul at Troas through which Paul was led to Philippi and eventually to Thessalonica where Aristarchus was from. Nothing is impossible. And all of this does point out the speculative nature of all attempts to identify unnamed people. We will never really know who is behind the “we” passages. Luke does provide us with some historical data that helps us to understand the time of year when all of this is taking place. Luke says the Fast had already gone by (Acts 27:9). The Fast Luke is talking about is the Day of Atonement which would have been in the fall – late September or early October. Shipping season in the northern Mediterranean ends by November and does not begin again until March. Luke does not say exactly how much time has passed but the implication is that the journey will be very dangerous if they proceed. It appears that everyone is basically in agreement about that – the only question is which harbor will be the safest for spending the winter. Paul is on the losing side when a vote is taken. The group hopes to get to a harbor in Phoenix on the island of Crete. One wonders what kind of sea captain would poll his passengers about a judgment the sea captain only ought to make. Perhaps Luke is using this scene to lift up the ability of Paul to foresee the future – he will make more specific prophecies later on in the story.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, August 24, 2013 Read – Acts 26:19-32 Paul concludes his defense by testifying to King Agrippa that he was not “disobedient to the heavenly vision” but rather that he had been faithful to the one who called him proclaiming a message of repentance first in Damascus and then in Jerusalem and Judea and to the Gentiles. The word repentance has less to do with feeling sorry for something than it does with a change of mind. To repent is to change one’s mind. That is Paul’s plea and that is Paul’s hope for all who hear what he has to say. Paul’s message is a message that comes fully out of the scripture of the OT – he teaches “nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: that the Messiah should suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:22-23). Once again Paul includes himself within Judaism by referring to “our” people. Without using the exact words Paul rehearses the core message of the speeches of Acts – “This Jesus who was crucified, God raised from the dead, so that repentance and forgiveness of sins might be proclaimed in his name.” Certainly this core message is at the heart of his testimony and at the center of his defense of the Christian faith. Paul tells King Agrippa that it is for this reason that Paul was seized by the Jews in the Temple – and yet God has helped him to this day. Jesus had said of his followers that they would bear witness before kings and rulers. That is what Paul has now done before King Agrippa and Porcius Festus, the Roman ruler. Once again the parallels with the story of Jesus become evident – Jesus testified before the Roman Pontius Pilate and the Jewish Herod Antipas. Readers of Luke remember that it is only Luke that tells of the episode of Jesus before Herod. What will be the result of Paul’s testimony? Porcius Festus passes Paul off as one crazed by too much learning. He is not convinced. Paul’s response to Festus is short – there is not much else to say and in the process of responding to his accusation that Paul is crazy, he turns again to King Agrippa who is really the one to whom Paul is making his plea. Paul reminds King Agrippa that surely he is not unaware of everything that has taken place. King Agrippa is not ignorant of the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus – and of the proclamation of those who follow Jesus that God raised him from the dead. Paul confronts King Agrippa with a question that must have taken him off guard – “do you believe the prophets?” and, before King Agrippa can answer, Paul says, “I know that you believe.” What was King Agrippa to say? His response is likely on the sarcastic side – “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” Paul is deadly serious when he responds to King Agrippa that that is exactly his hope and the hope he has for all who hear what he has to say. King Agrippa is not convinced – but he is also not able to refute Paul. The scene ends as King Agrippa, Bernice and the other rise to leave. Paul has stated his case. King Agrippa and Porcius Festus along with others have heard. Now it will be up to the work of God’s Spirit whether or not they will heed the words of Paul. History will demonstrate that they did not – but Paul has done all he can. Significantly, as King Agrippa and the others leave they are heard saying to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment” (Acts 26:31). This is the second time that Paul has been declared innocent. He has now been declared innocent by the Roman ruler, Porcius Festus, and the Jewish king, Herod Agrippa – just as Jesus was declared innocent by Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas. The parallels continue. Porcius Festus still has nothing to write about the charge against Paul. One might expect that Paul would now be set free. But Roman justice is not served! And King Agrippa appears to turn the blame squarely on Paul – “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to the emperor” (Acts 26:32). How intent we all are to justify ourselves! It is now Paul’s fault that he is in custody and that he will be sent as a prisoner to Rome. I suppose that thought might have made King Agrippa feel better – but it was not true. Of course on a much deeper level God was acting in all of this. It was God who was bringing Paul to Rome. Human action cannot thwart the will of God. In fact, God uses even corrupt human action to bring about his work. This is not a story that is being controlled and driven by human rulers like Porcius Festus or King Agrippa. All along this is a story that has been guided by the Spirit of God.

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Friday, August 23, 2013 Read – Acts 26:12-18 Paul now turns to his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road. This is the third time Luke has told us about this encounter which highlights its importance in the story. We have noticed how the story has gone through a progression. Here the story is considerably shorter than the previous two versions. There is no mention of whether or not Paul’s companions saw anything or heard anything. There is no mention of Paul being blinded by the experience. There is no mention of Ananias. The call of Jesus comes directly to Paul – something that matches much more closely with Paul’s own view of his call by Jesus. Jesus is fully in control of this encounter. And in the encounter Paul is given the purpose for which Jesus has appeared to him. Paul is appointed to testify to the things in which he has seen Jesus. God has promised to rescue Paul from Jews and Gentiles who will oppose him, and Paul is the vehicle through whom God intends to “open the eyes of many so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus” (Acts 26:18). The word that Luke uses to refer to the “forgiveness of sins” is better translated “release from sins” – it is to be set free. The very Jesus that Paul once sought to destroy is now at the center of Paul’s understanding of what it means to be a Jew. This does not mean however that Paul was now abandoning Judaism. Jesus was a Jew – he was the Jewish Messiah. And now Paul would testify that to follow Jesus was the proper expression of Judaism. This is the hope for which Paul had always longed. This was the hope of Israel! There was a change of mind and heart for Paul but not a change of religion. That will become clear as we continue to hear his witness.

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Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Thursday, August 22, 2013 Read – Acts 26:1-11 The proceedings begin with King Agrippa inviting Paul to speak openly. And so begins the final of five speeches by Paul in the book of Acts. This may be the most important of all the speeches. It is more than just a defense of Paul it is a statement of the case for the Christian faith. As we listen to Paul’s speech, we need to remind ourselves that, like all the others, this is most likely not a “verbatim” speech. It is a speech typical of what should be said as anyone attempts to defend the faith. To be sure some things are particular to Paul, and Luke would expect that others would provide similar details from their own experience, but the core of the speech is Luke’s concept of the defense of the Christian faith before the world. Paul begins with just a bit of flattery in considering himself fortunate that it is before King Agrippa that Paul must speak and not some lesser person. On the other hand, it is appropriate that Paul should be making his defense before one who is both powerful in the Roman world and well acquainted with the “customs and controversies of the Jews” (Acts 26:3). Having gotten the pleasantries out of the way, Paul begins in earnest by providing the story of his early life, a story that any well-meaning Jew would know to be true. Once again it is important that we hear that Paul is placing himself squarely in the center of Judaism – he is a Jew! He speaks of the Jews as “my own people” and of himself as a member of the Pharisees sect, the strictest sect of “our” religion. Once again Paul maintains that anyone ought to be able to testify on his behalf about this. Paul maintains that he is on trial on account of his hope in the promises of God made to “our” ancestors, a promise that “our” twelve tribes hope to attain. Paul, the Christian Paul, is not an outsider! He belongs to the people of Israel! From the days of his youth as a member of the sect of Pharisees he believed that God had the power to raise the dead – that is the hope for which he is now on trial. It is crucial that we understand that Paul did not think of himself as no longer being a Jew. Yes, he was a Christian Jew, but that did not make him any less a Jew. That is why it is important that we refrain from using language of conversion when we speak of Paul – he was not converted from one religion to another! Paul did need to think in a different and new way. Paul tells us that he was convinced that it was God’s will that he do whatever he could “against the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9). Paul thought that followers of Jesus were perverting the Jewish faith – they were a danger to the faith that Paul so dearly loved and to which he was fully committed. And that is what Paul did in Jerusalem and even in foreign cities. Paul speaks of his persecution of Christians, but from the point of view that he was not a persecutor but a protector of Judaism. The Paul we meet in this part of the story is not someone who is struggling with a guilty conscience or who doubts his actions. He is zealous for the faith! He was a defender of Judaism!

Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Read – Acts 25:13-27 We have been introduced briefly to Bernice and King (Herod) Agrippa. They are the sister and brother of Drusilla who was the wife of Felix, the predecessor of Festus. Like their sister Drusilla, theirs is an intriguing tale. King Agrippa was the son of the first Herod Agrippa who had been king from 40-44 AD. When his father died he was still too young to inherit his throne, but in a few years the Romans promoted him to the office of king like his father. King Agrippa would have been the great-grandson of Herod the Great, the awful king of the Jews who was reigning when Jesus was born. Like his great-grandfather before him, King Agrippa was fiercely loyal to Rome. He was king during the tragic Jewish revolt of 66-70 AD and put his army at the disposal of the Roman generals, Vespasian and Titus, during the war. His armies were commanded to participate in the invasion against Jerusalem and the siege that ended with the destruction of the Temple along with much of the city. The story about his sister, Bernice, is even more intriguing. First of all, if rumor in Rome is to be understood to be correct, Bernice and King Agrippa were involved in an incestuous relationship after she divorced her husband. Likely the rumors were true. At the time when Paul would have appeared before them, they were living together. In the years following the Jewish revolt, Bernice became the mistress and lover of Titus, the Roman general who was in charge at the end of the Jewish revolt. Titus was the oldest son of Vespasian who had been the Roman general sent to Judea by Emperor Nero to quell the uprising of the Jews in 66 AD. When Nero committed suicide in 68 AD, Vespasian eventually became the Roman emperor after three other Romans held the office for only a few months each. When Vespasian became the emperor in 69 AD, Titus took over the role of general in the war against the Jews. It was at this time that he and Bernice became lovers. When Titus ascended to the role of Emperor following the death of his father, Vespasian, the relationship between Bernice and Titus ended, or perhaps went underground since it was just too scandalous to defend such an arrangement. Luke spares us all these details (we learn them mostly from Josephus and the Roman historians of the time) but it is important for us to be aware of all of this since it does add a certain insight into what was happening. When we hear of people like Drusilla and Bernice and King Agrippa, we are dealing with “high flying” characters whose lives resembled a soap opera. Paul was not appearing before good and well-meaning folks. Luke tells us that Bernice and King Agrippa came to pay a visit to the new procurator which is likely a historical fact. The occasion provides the puzzled Festus an opportunity to ask someone else in authority how he should handle the strange case of Paul. As Festus summarizes the case against Paul, it becomes clear that the Jews from Jerusalem have not brought any charge against Paul that should merit a guilty verdict. Festus gets right to the heart of the matter. They have not made any of the charges that Festus was expecting to hear (Acts 25:18). Instead, their charges are really internal disputes within the Jewish religion. This is the very argument that Luke has been maintaining all along. Christianity is not a new or different religion, but rather the proper understanding of Judaism. Internal disputes within the Jewish religion are not something the Romans either cared to deal with or had the authority to deal with. This is a Jewish problem. Festus tells King Agrippa and Bernice that at the heart of the issue is a dispute about Jesus. The accusing Jews from Jerusalem claim that Jesus is dead. Paul, also a Jew, claims that Jesus is alive. At the heart of the matter is the question of the resurrection of the dead – and now more particularly the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. That is precisely the issue! Is Jesus the crucified messiah who God raised from the dead and made Lord and ruler of all? Or, is Jesus just a man who was killed long ago by Pontius Pilate as an insurrectionist and whose deluded followers somehow claim to be alive? These are not questions of Roman law for Festus to answer and provide a verdict. Festus goes on to tell of his plan to send Paul to Jerusalem in hopes of resolving the issue, and of Paul’s appeal to be sent to the emperor. As we will soon hear, this created a dilemma for Festus. What should be the charge against Paul? King Agrippa agrees to hear from Paul himself the next day. It is clearly with tongue in cheek that Luke writes of the grand entrance of Bernice and King Agrippa. Luke’s readers must surely have smiled at the silliness of such an entry with all the pomp and circumstances involved. That’s especially true when we recall the information that Josephus and the historians provide. Luke’s first audience would have been living right in the midst of those times. What a spectacle! What a farce! Luke contrasts the ridiculous entrance of King Agrippa with the simple dignity of Paul as he is brought before the assembled group. We have known all along that the Roman procurators have found Paul to be not guilty of the crimes of which he is accused. For the first time, Festus makes the declaration that he had “found that he had done nothing deserving death” (Acts 25:25). This is the first of three such declarations. Readers of Luke will remember that on at least three occasions Jesus was also officially declared to be not guilty. We need to recall that Luke has been telling the story of Paul in parallel to the story he earlier told about Jesus. Festus also clearly states the dilemma he is dealing with regarding his inability to state the charges for which he is sending Paul to be tried by the emperor. It would be ridiculous to send a man to stand before the emperor who is charged with no offense. Festus hopes that at the end of the proceedings he will finally have something to write indicating exactly the charges against Paul. He is also hoping that Agrippa will help provide the answer.