Acts to Revelation | Episode 12
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Acts to Revelation | Episode 12
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- Dave Stotts: In our last episode, Paul was nearing
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- the completion of his third missionary journey.
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- Despite warnings, his heart was to return to Jerusalem.
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- Paul retraced his steps around the Aegean Sea to Philippi,
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- where he reconnected with Luke and celebrated the Passover.
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- Then it was on to Troas.
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- From there, they weaved their way through the islands off the
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- coast of Asia Minor to Miletus, where they met with the elders
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- of the Ephesus church for a final farewell.
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- Paul said, "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going
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- to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
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- I only know that in every city, the Holy Spirit warns me
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- that prison and hardships are facing me.
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- However, I consider my life worth nothing to me.
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- My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the
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- Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the good
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- news of God's grace," Acts 20:22 through 24.
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- Hurrying to be in Jerusalem for Pentecost, Paul and Luke sailed
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- around the southern end of Asia province to Patara,
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- then straight across the Mediterranean to the ports
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- of Tyre, Ptolemais, and Caesarea.
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- From here, at Caesarea, Paul journeyed to Jerusalem
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- one last time.
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- Dave: At this point, it had been about 24 years since the
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- first believers were empowered by the Holy Spirit here in
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- Jerusalem at Pentecost.
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- Despite trials and tribulations, the Christian church had grown
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- with remarkable success.
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- Now, after three long years of journeys around the
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- Mediterranean, Paul returned to Jerusalem to give a glowing
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- report to James and the elders of the Christian church here
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- about what God was doing in the spread of the gospel
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- among the nations.
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- But Paul returned to find controversy brewing,
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- and it was a familiar one.
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- As it turns out, the leaders of the church here were worried
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- that Paul was urging Jews around the world not to follow the law
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- after they became followers of Jesus.
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- As you might recall from previous episodes, there was an
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- ongoing question as to whether Christ-following Jews were
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- required to follow the religious rituals of the Mosaic law.
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- The church in Jerusalem thought it wise for Paul to squelch the
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- rumors publicly by ceremonially purifying himself.
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- Paul was willing to comply for the sake of the church, so he
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- got together with a few other men and started the process.
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- However, just before he completed the seven days
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- of public rituals, Paul was stopped in his tracks.
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- "When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews
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- from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple.
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- They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting,
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- 'Fellow Israelites, help us!
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- This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against
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- our people and our law and this place.
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- And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and
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- defiled this holy place.'
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- The whole city was aroused, and the people came running
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- from all directions.
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- Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple,
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- and immediately the gates were shut.
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- While they were trying to kill him, news reached to the
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- commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem
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- was in an uproar.
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- He at once took some officers and soldiers,
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- and ran down to the crowd.
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- When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers,
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- they stopped beating Paul," Acts 21:27 through 32.
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- The four towers of the Antonia fortress loomed
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- over the northwest colonnade of the temple complex.
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- A Roman garrison of about 600 soldiers was stationed there.
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- They had direct access to the temple grounds,
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- with orders to stop any riots or disturbances,
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- such as the one that just broke out.
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- One of the specific charges against Paul was that he brought
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- a non-Israelite, specifically a Greek, with him to worship
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- in the sacred portion of the temple grounds.
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- This was a major offense, even punishable by death.
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- According to Roman historian Josephus, there were numerous
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- warning signs posted to that effect that separated
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- the inner and outer courtyards of the temple.
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- Although the account tells us that Paul was wrongfully accused
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- of bringing Greeks into the sacred place,
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- the charge was enough to cause a riot.
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- In 1936, this inscription fragment was discovered
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- near the Lion's Gate in Jerusalem.
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- It is an example of one of the warning signs
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- that Josephus wrote about.
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- It basically said no foreigners allowed beyond this point,
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- a clear warning that outsiders, those not part of the community
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- of Israel, were forbidden to enter the inner sanctuary.
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- This partial fragment is currently housed
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- at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
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- However, it matches a complete version discovered in 1871,
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- which is currently housed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum
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- in Turkey.
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- Written in Greek, the full warning actually reads,
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- "No foreigner is to go beyond the balustrade and the plaza
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- of the temple zone.
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- Whoever is caught doing so will himself to blame for his death,
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- which will follow."
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- So, the charges against Paul stuck.
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- A riot ensued in the temple courtyard.
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- And the Roman soldiers stepped in to prevent
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- a vigilante killing.
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- After the soldiers secured Paul, the commander gave him a chance
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- to defend himself to the crazed crowd.
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- Paul took the opportunity and delivered his case.
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- "I am a Jew born in Tarsus of Cilicia,
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- but brought up in this city.
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- I studied under Gamaliel, and was thoroughly trained
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- in the law of our ancestors.
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- I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
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- I persecuted the followers of this way to their death,
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- arresting both men and women, throwing them into prison, as
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- the high priest and all the council can themselves testify.
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- I even obtained letters from them to their associates in
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- Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners
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- to Jerusalem to be punished.
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- About noon, as I came near Damascus,
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- suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
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- I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,
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- 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'
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- 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked.
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- 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,'
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- he replied.
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- My companions saw the light, but they did not understand
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- the voice of him who was speaking to me.
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- 'What shall I do, Lord?" I asked.
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- 'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus.
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- There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.'
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- My companions led me by the hand into Damascus
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- because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
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- A man named Ananias came to see me.
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- He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected
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- by all the Jews living there.
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- He stood beside me and said,
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- 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.'
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- And at that very moment, I was able to see him.
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- Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know
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- his will, and to see the righteous one,
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- and to hear his words from his mouth.
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- You will be his witness to all people of what you
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- have seen and heard.
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- And now, what are you waiting for?
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- Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away,
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- calling on his name,'"
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- Acts 22:1 through 16.
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- Paul went on to discuss his early outreach in the synagogues
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- of Damascus, and his ultimate return to Jerusalem,
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- and how he felt rejected and threatened by the Jews there.
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- He then explained how he felt called to leave Judea
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- and preach the gospel to the nations everywhere.
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- At this point, the people went crazy again.
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- They raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him.
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- He's not fit to live."
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- The Roman soldiers again protected Paul
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- from the unruly riots.
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- And they took him into custody at the nearby Antonia fortress,
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- the ruins of which you can see right behind me.
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- There they chained him and they beat him,
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- until they discovered that he was a Roman citizen himself.
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- The soldiers thought it best to then deliver him into the hands
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- of the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of Judaism.
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- Bad idea.
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- When Paul defended himself to the Sanhedrin,
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- he caused another violent uproar.
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- This was the last straw.
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- Hearing of a conspiracy to kill Paul, the Roman commander
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- stationed at the Antonia fortress stepped in and ordered
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- Paul's evacuation from Jerusalem to Caesarea,
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- the provincial seat of Roman government.
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- This commander, known as a tribune in the tenth
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- Roman legion, was named Claudius Lysias.
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- These guys prided themselves on control, and Claudius wasn't
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- going to allow things to get out of hand.
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- He would then let Marcus Antonius Felix,
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- the procurator of the entire Judea province, deal with Paul.
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- The Roman legion stationed here in the Judea province
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- at the time of Acts was made up of about 5.000 soldiers.
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- It was known as the Legio Decem Fretensis,
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- or the tenth legion of the strait.
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- The tenth legion of the strait had a long history of success,
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- having been led by the likes of Caesar Augustus.
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- Artifacts with the name and number of this legion,
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- as well as its icons, the bull, boar, ship, and Neptune
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- have been found on artifacts discovered all over Judea
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- and even in Jerusalem itself.
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- Lysias was a military commander called a tribune.
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- Each regular tribune was responsible for 12 centurions
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- and up to 1.000 soldiers.
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- There were six tribunes that served under the top general in
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- the tenth Roman legion.
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- Roman legionary soldiers of the empire period were typically
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- equipped with armor of metal and leather, a shield, spears,
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- a dagger, and a gladius.
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- The gladius was the famous short sword of the Roman foot soldier.
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- In Roman fashion, the soldiers were usually clean shaven
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- with short hair.
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- The legionaries endured difficult training and faced
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- harsh penalties for not serving properly.
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- Punishment could be as severe as decimation, which was the act
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- of killing 10% of an entire unit as an example to the others.
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- Harsh stuff indeed, but it created a fierce
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- and successful military.
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- According to Acts chapter 23, tribune Lysias was determined to
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- get Paul out of Jerusalem, away from the angry mobs,
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- and safely to Caesarea.
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- The first leg of the journey was northwest through the rugged
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- hill country between Jerusalem and Antipatris.
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- In order to avoid the large crowds, Lysias rushed Paul off
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- at night with a heavily armed contingent of 200 soldiers,
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- 200 spearmen, and 70 horsemen.
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- After they arrived in Antipatris, the foot soldiers
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- returned to Jerusalem, and Paul continued on to Caesarea
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- on horseback with the cavalry.
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- There, the soldiers brought him before Governor Felix,
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- along with a letter from Lysias, which explained
- 00:12:49.160 --> 00:12:52.090
- what was going on.
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- Following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul would now take
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- me to the awesome city of Caesarea Maritima,
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- or Caesarea by the Sea.
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- Perhaps the most impressive collection of Roman ruins
- 00:13:05.050 --> 00:13:08.020
- in the entire Holy Land,
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- Caesarea is literally filled with history.
- 00:13:10.130 --> 00:13:13.170
- And once again getting behind the wheel of my old companion,
- 00:13:13.180 --> 00:13:16.260
- Steve McQueen, was good for the soul.
- 00:13:16.270 --> 00:13:20.070
- Maybe not so good for the back.
- 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.250
- Truly there's nothing quite like being on the open road,
- 00:13:22.260 --> 00:13:26.080
- driving through history in the Holy Land.
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- Caesarea Maritima, meaning the city of Caesar by the sea,
- 00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:39.280
- was built by Herod the Great on the Mediterranean coast about
- 00:13:39.290 --> 00:13:44.080
- 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
- 00:13:44.090 --> 00:13:47.110
- Caesarea was one of Herod's massive building projects,
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- and it was built over an earlier site known as Straton's Tower,
- 00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:54.270
- which was founded in the fourth century BC
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- by King Straton of Sidon.
- 00:13:58.090 --> 00:14:01.140
- According to the historian Josephus, Herod's construction
- 00:14:01.150 --> 00:14:04.250
- of this new and expansive city occurred between 22 and 10 BC.
- 00:14:04.260 --> 00:14:11.090
- Caesarea's layout was typical of other ancient Roman cities,
- 00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:14.210
- with well-planned streets, an underground sewage system,
- 00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:18.140
- an aqueduct, a Roman temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus,
- 00:14:18.150 --> 00:14:22.140
- an amphitheater, and a harbor.
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- The harbor at Caesarea is probably its most impressive
- 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:29.020
- feature, believed to be the first artificial harbor
- 00:14:29.030 --> 00:14:32.070
- in the world.
- 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.030
- It was built with a technique that used hydraulic concrete
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- made from special volcanic sand.
- 00:14:37.060 --> 00:14:39.210
- This sand, known as pozzolana, was the secret ingredient
- 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:43.130
- that allowed the concrete to form and harden underwater.
- 00:14:43.140 --> 00:14:47.100
- Since there was no natural harbor at Caesarea, engineers
- 00:14:47.110 --> 00:14:51.020
- carved into the coastline and built a huge breakwater
- 00:14:51.030 --> 00:14:54.250
- using this revolutionary technology.
- 00:14:54.260 --> 00:14:57.290
- The scope of construction here was massive, with concrete
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- blocks as large as 39 feet by 49 feet by 5 feet,
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- and some weighing more than 50 tons.
- 00:15:06.190 --> 00:15:09.180
- The southern breakwater for the harbor extended
- 00:15:09.190 --> 00:15:12.000
- more than 1.500 feet out into the Mediterranean Sea.
- 00:15:12.010 --> 00:15:16.270
- Extra blocks beyond the breakwater were used as
- 00:15:16.280 --> 00:15:19.250
- foundations for lighthouses and statues.
- 00:15:19.260 --> 00:15:23.110
- It must have been quite a sight.
- 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:26.270
- According to geologic analysis, scholars have determined that
- 00:15:26.280 --> 00:15:30.000
- the concrete used at Caesarea harbor was made with pozzolana
- 00:15:30.010 --> 00:15:34.040
- imported from the gulf of Naples over 1.200 miles away.
- 00:15:34.050 --> 00:15:39.070
- It took hundreds of ships to get all that sand
- 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:42.030
- across the Mediterranean Sea.
- 00:15:42.040 --> 00:15:44.260
- By the way, curing cement underwater was such
- 00:15:44.270 --> 00:15:47.210
- a revolutionary process that after the fall
- 00:15:47.220 --> 00:15:50.130
- of the Roman Empire in the fifth century,
- 00:15:50.140 --> 00:15:52.270
- the technology was lost to the entire world
- 00:15:52.280 --> 00:15:56.010
- for hundreds of years.
- 00:15:56.020 --> 00:15:58.210
- In about 130 AD, an earthquake
- 00:15:58.220 --> 00:16:01.170
- severely damaged Caesarea harbor.
- 00:16:01.180 --> 00:16:04.200
- Within a few centuries, the harbor ceased being used at all.
- 00:16:04.210 --> 00:16:09.010
- Today, the majority of the harbor is only visible
- 00:16:09.020 --> 00:16:11.190
- from the air or through underwater exploration.
- 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:14.290
- And talk about underwater exploration.
- 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:17.100
- Apparently, there was still a lot of cool stuff
- 00:16:17.110 --> 00:16:19.120
- to discover out there.
- 00:16:19.130 --> 00:16:21.030
- In fact, in May of 2016, scuba diving archaeologists uncovered
- 00:16:21.040 --> 00:16:26.090
- a 1.600-year-old shipwreck that contained one of the largest
- 00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:30.290
- treasure troves of statues and coins ever discovered
- 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:34.210
- in the Mediterranean.
- 00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:38.010
- After Paul was delivered here to Felix the governor, it was about
- 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:45.240
- five days before the high priest and the religious elders
- 00:16:45.250 --> 00:16:49.280
- followed from Jerusalem to make their case against Paul.
- 00:16:49.290 --> 00:16:54.070
- Acts chapter 24 continues.
- 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:57.080
- "But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the way,
- 00:16:57.090 --> 00:17:01.080
- put them off, saying, 'When Lysias the tribune comes down,
- 00:17:01.090 --> 00:17:05.050
- I will decide your case.'
- 00:17:05.060 --> 00:17:07.150
- Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept
- 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:10.010
- in custody, but have some liberty in that none of his
- 00:17:10.020 --> 00:17:13.090
- friends should be prevented from attending to his needs.
- 00:17:13.100 --> 00:17:16.270
- After some days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla,
- 00:17:16.280 --> 00:17:20.160
- who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak
- 00:17:20.170 --> 00:17:24.030
- about faith in Christ Jesus.
- 00:17:24.040 --> 00:17:26.210
- And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control
- 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:29.220
- and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said,
- 00:17:29.230 --> 00:17:33.050
- 'Go away for the present.
- 00:17:33.060 --> 00:17:35.020
- When I get an opportunity, I will summon you,'"
- 00:17:35.030 --> 00:17:37.220
- Acts 24:22 through 25.
- 00:17:37.230 --> 00:17:42.140
- Felix spent the next two years procrastinating on
- 00:17:42.150 --> 00:17:46.040
- the official case against Paul.
- 00:17:46.050 --> 00:17:48.260
- That's right, two years.
- 00:17:48.270 --> 00:17:51.100
- During that time, we know that Felix would occasionally
- 00:17:51.110 --> 00:17:54.160
- meet with Paul to hear more about the gospel.
- 00:17:54.170 --> 00:17:58.080
- Now, we can't be certain where this meeting took place,
- 00:17:58.090 --> 00:18:01.060
- but it's likely that they met at the promontory palace,
- 00:18:01.070 --> 00:18:04.270
- or the praetorium, originally built by King Herod.
- 00:18:04.280 --> 00:18:09.130
- Now, the praetorium in the context of a city was the
- 00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:12.210
- designation for the governor's official residence.
- 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:17.160
- Here you can see the remains of the praetorium,
- 00:18:17.170 --> 00:18:20.130
- excavated here on the southern shoreline of Caesarea.
- 00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:24.280
- Talk about incredible beachfront property.
- 00:18:24.290 --> 00:18:27.210
- Out there, you can see where the governor's palace
- 00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:30.030
- extended into the sea.
- 00:18:30.040 --> 00:18:32.290
- Archaeologists have determined that this palace featured
- 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.030
- at least two floors, gardens, huge stone walls,
- 00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:40.150
- a swimming pool, a Roman bath, colorful geometric
- 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:44.110
- mosaic floors, and decorative columns.
- 00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:48.100
- Archaeologists have also discovered official Latin
- 00:18:48.110 --> 00:18:51.110
- inscriptions mentioning legati here, or governors.
- 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:55.230
- In the years prior to Felix, this palace structure was home
- 00:18:55.240 --> 00:19:00.070
- to many historical figures in the Bible,
- 00:19:00.080 --> 00:19:03.020
- from Herod the Great to Pontius Pilate.
- 00:19:03.030 --> 00:19:06.060
- So, Paul was under house arrest here at Caesarea
- 00:19:06.070 --> 00:19:09.160
- for two full years.
- 00:19:09.170 --> 00:19:11.230
- Acts tells us that Felix kept Paul so long because he was
- 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:15.090
- trying to earn some favor with the Jews, and he thought
- 00:19:15.100 --> 00:19:19.020
- he might be able to work a bribe for his freedom.
- 00:19:19.030 --> 00:19:23.190
- According to Roman historian Josephus, in 60 AD,
- 00:19:24.140 --> 00:19:28.080
- Nero removed Felix from office because of some
- 00:19:28.090 --> 00:19:31.230
- local complaints against him.
- 00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:33.290
- Porcius Festus was then appointed the new Roman
- 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.060
- procurator in the province until he died about two years later.
- 00:19:37.070 --> 00:19:41.280
- Both Felix and Festus are well attested in writings
- 00:19:41.290 --> 00:19:46.050
- outside the Bible.
- 00:19:46.060 --> 00:19:48.050
- Almost immediately, Festus dealt with the two-year custody of
- 00:19:48.060 --> 00:19:52.090
- Paul, ordering him to come in so that he could hear
- 00:19:52.100 --> 00:19:55.120
- his side of the story.
- 00:19:55.130 --> 00:19:57.280
- "Paul said, 'I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law,
- 00:19:57.290 --> 00:20:01.240
- or against the temple, or against Caesar.'
- 00:20:01.250 --> 00:20:05.100
- Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul,
- 00:20:05.110 --> 00:20:09.050
- 'Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial
- 00:20:09.060 --> 00:20:12.000
- before me there on these charges?'
- 00:20:12.010 --> 00:20:14.160
- Paul answered, 'I am now standing before Caesar's court,
- 00:20:14.170 --> 00:20:18.140
- where I ought to be tried.
- 00:20:18.150 --> 00:20:20.100
- I have not done any wrong to the Jews,
- 00:20:20.110 --> 00:20:22.190
- as you yourself know very well.
- 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:24.280
- If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death,
- 00:20:24.290 --> 00:20:27.270
- I do not refuse to die.
- 00:20:27.280 --> 00:20:30.180
- But if the charges brought against me by these Jews
- 00:20:30.190 --> 00:20:33.040
- are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them.
- 00:20:33.050 --> 00:20:36.280
- I appeal to Caesar.'
- 00:20:36.290 --> 00:20:39.190
- After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared,
- 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:43.210
- 'You have appealed to Caesar.
- 00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:45.190
- To Caesar you will go,'" Acts 25:8 through 12.
- 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:51.260
- Festus then asked Herod Agrippa II
- 00:20:51.270 --> 00:20:54.220
- to hear Paul's defense,
- 00:20:54.230 --> 00:20:56.210
- a defense that was likely given in this very room, so that he
- 00:20:56.220 --> 00:21:00.230
- could include some relevant information about the prisoner
- 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:04.010
- that he would be sending to Rome.
- 00:21:04.020 --> 00:21:06.100
- Now, as you may recall from a previous episode,
- 00:21:06.110 --> 00:21:08.280
- Herod Agrippa II was the seventh and final king
- 00:21:08.290 --> 00:21:12.260
- in the Herodian line of proxy rulers for Rome.
- 00:21:12.270 --> 00:21:17.150
- Since we have arrived at the last king in the Herodian line,
- 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:20.270
- this would be a great opportunity to go back
- 00:21:20.280 --> 00:21:23.000
- and revisit the family tree that was so important
- 00:21:23.010 --> 00:21:26.040
- in New Testament history.
- 00:21:26.050 --> 00:21:28.130
- As we explored in the "Gospel" series, it all started
- 00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:31.090
- with Herod the Great, who reigned over Judea
- 00:21:31.100 --> 00:21:34.160
- from about 40 to 4 BC.
- 00:21:34.170 --> 00:21:38.050
- His legacy continued through his sons, Herod Antipas,
- 00:21:38.060 --> 00:21:42.140
- Aristobulus, Archelaus, and Phillip.
- 00:21:42.150 --> 00:21:46.010
- Then came Herod the Great's grandson, Herod Agrippa I,
- 00:21:46.020 --> 00:21:49.270
- who dropped dead here at Caesarea during
- 00:21:49.280 --> 00:21:52.130
- a public festival in 44 AD.
- 00:21:52.140 --> 00:21:55.280
- And finally his great grandson, Herod Agrippa II, who finished
- 00:21:55.290 --> 00:22:00.260
- the family dynasty and is the subject of our current account.
- 00:22:00.270 --> 00:22:06.030
- In about 60 AD, Festus invited Herod Agrippa II here
- 00:22:06.040 --> 00:22:11.040
- to Caesarea to hear Paul's case.
- 00:22:11.050 --> 00:22:14.000
- In typical Herodian fashion, Herod showed up, along with
- 00:22:14.010 --> 00:22:17.150
- his sister Bernice, to great fanfare, along with high ranking
- 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:21.290
- military officers and some prominent men.
- 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:25.140
- Paul was brought before the entire crowd,
- 00:22:25.150 --> 00:22:28.030
- and Festus said this:
- 00:22:28.040 --> 00:22:30.140
- "King Agrippa and all who are present with us,
- 00:22:30.150 --> 00:22:32.220
- you see this man.
- 00:22:32.230 --> 00:22:34.150
- The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in
- 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:37.220
- Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought
- 00:22:37.230 --> 00:22:41.160
- not to live any longer.
- 00:22:41.170 --> 00:22:43.220
- I found he had done nothing deserving of death,
- 00:22:43.230 --> 00:22:46.160
- but because he made his appeal to the emperor,
- 00:22:46.170 --> 00:22:49.060
- I decided to send him to Rome.
- 00:22:49.070 --> 00:22:51.240
- But I have nothing definite to write to his majesty about him.
- 00:22:51.250 --> 00:22:55.180
- Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and
- 00:22:55.190 --> 00:22:58.160
- especially before you, King Agrippa,
- 00:22:58.170 --> 00:23:01.030
- so that as a result of this investigation,
- 00:23:01.040 --> 00:23:03.190
- I may have something to write.
- 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:06.020
- For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner
- 00:23:06.030 --> 00:23:09.040
- on to Rome without specifying the charges against him,"
- 00:23:09.050 --> 00:23:13.110
- Acts 25:24 through 27.
- 00:23:13.120 --> 00:23:16.240
- As he had done so many times before,
- 00:23:16.250 --> 00:23:18.270
- Paul went on to tell his whole story.
- 00:23:18.280 --> 00:23:21.290
- He shared with him his Jewish upbringing, his zeal
- 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:25.020
- for the Mosaic law, his early persecution of the Jesus
- 00:23:25.030 --> 00:23:29.070
- followers, his conversion on the road to Damascus,
- 00:23:29.080 --> 00:23:33.070
- and his obedient sharing the gospel to both Jews
- 00:23:33.080 --> 00:23:36.050
- and Gentiles ever since.
- 00:23:36.060 --> 00:23:39.280
- Paul: That is why that you seized me in the temple courts
- 00:23:39.290 --> 00:23:42.200
- and tried to kill me.
- 00:23:42.210 --> 00:23:46.000
- But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand
- 00:23:46.010 --> 00:23:50.010
- here and testify to small and great alike.
- 00:23:50.020 --> 00:23:54.120
- I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets
- 00:23:54.130 --> 00:23:56.160
- and Moses said would happen, that the Christ would suffer,
- 00:23:56.170 --> 00:24:01.180
- and as the first to rise from the dead would proclaim light
- 00:24:01.190 --> 00:24:04.190
- to his own people and to the Gentiles.
- 00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:07.150
- Dave: At this point, Festus interrupted Paul's defense.
- 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:10.260
- "'You are out of your mind, Paul!' he shouted.
- 00:24:10.270 --> 00:24:13.120
- 'Your great learning is driving you insane.'
- 00:24:13.130 --> 00:24:16.250
- 'I am not insane, most excellent Festus,' Paul replied.
- 00:24:16.260 --> 00:24:20.160
- 'What I am saying is true and reasonable.
- 00:24:20.170 --> 00:24:24.010
- The king is familiar with these things,
- 00:24:24.020 --> 00:24:26.040
- and I can speak freely to him.
- 00:24:26.050 --> 00:24:28.020
- I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice
- 00:24:28.030 --> 00:24:31.010
- because it was not done in a corner.'"
- 00:24:31.020 --> 00:24:34.090
- Paul: King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?
- 00:24:34.100 --> 00:24:41.180
- I know you do.
- 00:24:41.190 --> 00:24:43.240
- King Agrippa: Do you think that in such a short time,
- 00:24:43.250 --> 00:24:46.000
- you can persuade me to be a Christian?
- 00:24:46.010 --> 00:24:48.200
- Paul: Short time or long, I pray God that not only you,
- 00:24:48.210 --> 00:24:54.140
- but all who are listening to me today may become what I am,
- 00:24:54.150 --> 00:24:58.170
- except for these chains.
- 00:24:58.180 --> 00:25:01.290
- Dave: "The king rose, and with him the governor
- 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:04.180
- and Bernice and those sitting with him.
- 00:25:04.190 --> 00:25:07.160
- After they left the room, they began saying to one another,
- 00:25:07.170 --> 00:25:10.180
- "This man is not doing anything that deserves death
- 00:25:10.190 --> 00:25:13.210
- or imprisonment,'" Acts 26:19 through 31.
- 00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:19.170
- In the end, Festus considered Paul insane.
- 00:25:20.130 --> 00:25:23.290
- But Herod and his sister Bernice were impressed by his testimony.
- 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:29.000
- Ultimately, after more hearings with Paul here in Caesarea,
- 00:25:29.010 --> 00:25:33.060
- they all agreed that he had done nothing, quote,
- 00:25:33.070 --> 00:25:36.000
- "deserving of death or chains," and might have been released
- 00:25:36.010 --> 00:25:39.260
- if he had not appealed to Caesar.
- 00:25:39.270 --> 00:25:45.010
- You know, I've always found it interesting that the Bible
- 00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:49.070
- records that Paul could have been set free if he had not
- 00:25:49.080 --> 00:25:52.190
- appealed to his special status as a Roman citizen
- 00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:55.270
- and appealed to Caesar.
- 00:25:55.280 --> 00:25:57.280
- It's one of those little details that speaks
- 00:25:57.290 --> 00:26:00.020
- to the authenticity of the text.
- 00:26:00.030 --> 00:26:02.150
- And the book of Acts is filled with details like that.
- 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:06.050
- Paul was loaded onto a ship with other prisoners and sent
- 00:26:06.060 --> 00:26:10.020
- from here in Caesarea harbor to Rome.
- 00:26:10.030 --> 00:26:13.220
- Paul would never again return to Judea,
- 00:26:13.230 --> 00:26:17.080
- but his missionary adventures were far from over.
- 00:26:17.090 --> 00:26:22.120
- 00:26:22.130 --> 00:26:26.110
- 00:26:28.090 --> 00:26:38.080
- 00:26:38.090 --> 00:26:48.080
- 00:26:48.090 --> 00:26:58.080
- 00:26:58.090 --> 00:27:07.160
- 00:27:14.020 --> 00:27:21.010
- 00:27:21.020 --> 00:27:25.010
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