Hi friends! Today we continue on the trial of Paul from his frustrated counterparts in Jerusalem. Today features a daring rescue and the opening statements from both sides lawyers. What will happen to Paul? Read on to find out!
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What does this reveal about Paul? How does this challenge or inspire me?
What does this reveal about Rome and it's relationship with Jerusalem? Has it improved since Jesus?
What questions still linger? Ask them in the comments. I'll be happy to help if I am able.
- Commentary -
The Bible isn't always super accurate when it comes to historical names and time periods. For example, there was no record of Joseph serving as Pharaoh, but the book of acts is an exception to that rule, likely because Luke has a citizen of Rome and familiar with his government leaders. Antonius Felix actually was the procurator at the time and his wife Drusiclla (his second wife) is the daughter of Herod Aggrippa,the king of Jerusalem. (The same one that Jesus spoke with in the gospels.) So, when Luke writes that "Druscilla was Jewish it's a bit of an understatement haha. Drusilla divorced her first husband in order to marry Felix (who was also previously married. Spicy!) They had a child together, Marcus Antonius Felix who would unfortunately pass away at Pompeii after the infamous eruption. Luke's careful attention to detail is incredibly helpful for us to dial in about what time we are in now. Felix served as procurator between 50 and 52 CE lending us to know that Paul preached about Jesus for roughly ~15 - 17 years before he was captured if we are to assume Jesus was killed in 33 CE and the early church took 2 years to establish itself. Felix's reign as procurator was not very good. His own sketchy dealings with bribes led to a large uptick in crime in the Judean area as well. It's a humbling reminder that nations, work places, churches, and family units follows after its leaders. Solid leadership lays solid ground, but leadership with poor morals results in the larger society following suit.
I'm thankful for Luke's careful account to help us get a better idea of who the main characters were at the time.
Praying the Hymns
I don't know what I was thinking the other day but I put hymn 290 on day 288's reading. So, today we will be inspired by hymn 288. :) Our prayer for today is one of my favorites "Were You There?" in reference to the disciples that ran away when Jesus was being crucified. In some ways, it's asking us if we are there with Paul during these scary moments of trial for what was a time of uncertainty for him.
1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?(were you there)
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (were you there)
2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (were you there)
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (were you there)
3 Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (were you there)
Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (were you there)
4 Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (were you there)
Were you there when the sun refused to shine? ((were you there)
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (were you there)
5 Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (were you there) Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (were you there) Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (were you there)