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Mosaic Teaching Guide
23 Aug 09

Teaching Series: Of Spirit and Flesh (8) Acts 24-25

Question: If you had to choose as a career path to be either a prosecuting attorney or a defense attorney, which would you choose?

Chapter 24

  1. Vv. 1-9 An Attorney is Brought in to Accuse Paul before Felix
    1. “a pestilent fellow”
    2.  “an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world”
    3. “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes”
    4. “he tried to profane the temple”
    5. “Paul is portrayed as a subversive who threatens the Pax Romana” (Robert Wall).
  2. Vv. 10—23  Paul Defends Himself and Is Placed Under House Arrest
    1. I have not been stirring up the crowd.  I have been minding my own business.
    2. I do admit that according to the Way of Jesus I believe our Holy Scriptures and I hold to the hope of resurrection.
    3. “The Way is not some radical new innovation but something that stands in line with the central affirmations of historic Judaism” (Willimon).
    4. “It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today” (21).
    5. Paul is placed under house arrest by Felix.
  3. Vv. 24-27 Felix Is Convicted by Paul’s Teaching and Is Replaced by Festus
    1. As Paul discussed justice, self-control and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened (v.25).
    2. After two years, Felix is succeeded by Porcius Festus but Paul remains under house arrest.

 

Chapter 25

  1. Vv. 1-12 “To the Emperor You will Go”
    1. After only three days on the job Festus travels to Jerusalem.
    2. Festus receives disturbing reports about Paul. 
    3. Festus, along with a large group of zealous Jews, go to Caesarea to question Paul.
    4. Paul defends himself and demands a hearing with the emperor. 
    5. Festus grants Paul’s request.
  2. Vv. 13-27 Festus Presents Paul’s Case to King Agrippa
    1. “They (the zealous Jews) did not charge him with any of the crimes that I was expecting.  Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive” (vv. 18-19, Festus before King Agrippa).
    2. “I have found that he (Paul) has done nothing deserving death” (v.25).
    3. “It may be . . . that Luke wants his readers to understand the story as being in some significant ways parallel to the passion narrative in the gospel” (N.T. Wright).
    24