Paul’s 3Paul’s 3rdrd Missionary Journey Missionary Journey

To go or not to go….

• Tyre – Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem (4)

• Agabus – The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles” (11)

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To go or not to go….

• Luke – We…pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. (12)

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To go or not to go….

• Paul – Now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. (20:22-23)

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To go or not to go….

• Companions – When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” (21:14)

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Jerusalem!Jerusalem!• The brothers received

us warmly. (17)

• They praised God! (20)

• However…. (20)

The LieThe LieThey have been informed that

you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to

turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to

our customs. (21)

Question:Was it right for James to askPaul to help with this vow?

Question:Was it right for Paul to agree

to help with this vow?

Important:James was clear that he was

not trying to bind the Law on Gentiles. (25)

The Temple RiotThe Temple Riot

• 12 years before the revolt

• Series of bad Roman Leaders

Herod’s Temple in the 1Herod’s Temple in the 1stst Century Century

“No foreigner is to enter within the

forecourt and the balustrade around

the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to

blame for his subsequent death.”

• Found at the entrance to the Court of the Women

• 4 ½ foot wall

• Latin & Greek

Herod’s Temple in the 1Herod’s Temple in the 1stst Century Century

The Temple RiotThe Temple Riot

• Instigated by Asian Jews (27)

• Accused Paul of desecrating the Temple

• Tried to kill Paul

The Fortress Antonia and the The Fortress Antonia and the TempleTemple

The Temple RiotThe Temple Riot

• Romans arrived

• Confusion (34)

• Carried by soldiers (35)

• Away with him! (Lk. 23:18)

The CommanderThe Commander• Do you speak

Greek? (37)

• Aren’t you the Egyptian? (38)

• Paul, “I Am a Jew.”

• Allowed to speak

Paul’s DefensePaul’s Defense

• In Aramaic

• Very Jewish

Jewish ElementsJewish Elements

• Brothers and fathers (1)

• I am a Jew (3)

• Brought up in this city (3)

• Gamaliel (3) – Most famous Rabbi in 1st Century

Jewish ElementsJewish Elements

• Just as zealous (3)

• Persecuted the Way (4)

• Jesus of Nazareth (8)

• Ananias – A devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews (12)

End of DefenseEnd of Defense

• Your martyr Stephen (20)

• Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles (21)

The crowd listened to Paul until he said this.

(22:22)

The ResponseThe Response

• Rid the earth of him! (22)

• Threw off their cloaks (23)

• Flinging dust in the air (23)

The CommanderThe Commander

• Directed that Paul be flogged. (24)

• The same beating Jesus received – a form of torture & interrogation

Roman Roman CitizenCitizen

• Born a citizen (Acts 22:28)

• Mentioned by Luke – never by Paul in his letters

Roman Roman CitizenCitizen

• Only 5 million of 50 million inhabitants of the empire were citizens (10%)

The CommanderThe Commander

• The Commander almost made a terrible mistake.

• Roman Citizens could not be flogged until after conviction

The CommanderThe Commander

• Commander released Paul and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin

The CommanderThe Commander

• Commander Claudius Lysias released Paul and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin

SanhedrinSanhedrin• Ruling Council of Jews

• Both Pharisees & Sadducees

Pharisees & SadduceesPharisees & Sadducees

• Resurrection • No Resurrection

StrategyStrategy

• Divide & Conquer!

• I am a Pharisee!

StrategyStrategy

• I am on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead. (6)

StrategyStrategy

• The Pharisees defended Paul!

• (The enemy of my enemy is my friend.)

The Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in

Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.

(23:11)

• Occurred at a low time for Paul – much like Corinth (Acts 18:9)

• “Take courage!” is spoken only by Jesus in the N.T.

ConspiracyConspiracy• More than 40 men

• Vow – Not to eat or drink till Paul was dead

• Took plan to the chief priests and elders

ConspiracyConspiracy• Plan was discovered by

Paul’s nephew who lived in Jerusalem

• Told Paul

• Told Claudius Lysias

Go Tonight!Go Tonight!• 1,000 soldiers

were stationed in Jerusalem

• 470 were sent to protect Paul

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Procurator of Judea

(A.D. 52-59)

• A freed slave

• Freedman Rank (a Proconsul was of Senatorial Rank)

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Immoral (married 3

times), cruel• Tacitus – indulging in

every kind of cruelty and lust, exercised the power of a king in the spirit of a slave.

Claudius Lysias,

To His Excellency, Governor Felix:

Greetings

This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came…

…I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that

he was a Roman citizen.

☺(A little bit of re-writing history!)

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Felix agreed to hear

Paul’s case when his accusers from Jerusalem arrived.

Flavius JosephusFlavius JosephusIn Judea matters were constantly going from bad to worse. For the

country was again infested with bands of

brigands and imposters who deceived the mob.

Flavius JosephusFlavius JosephusNot a day passed,

however, but that Felix captured and put to death many of these

impostors and brigands.(Josephus. Antiquities 20. 160-161.)

The ChargesThe Charges• Troublemaker

• Ringleader of the Nazarene sect

• Tried (!) to desecrate the temple

Paul’s DefensePaul’s Defense• Twelve Days Ago

• I went up…to worship

• Not arguing…or stirring up a crowd

• No proof!

I worship the God of our fathers as a

follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that

agrees with the Law and that is written in

the Prophets…

…and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous

and the wicked.

Governor FelixGovernor Felix• Felix, who was well

acquainted with the Way (22)

• Had a Jewish wife

• Decided to wait for Claudius Lysias

Paul the PrisonerPaul the Prisoner

• He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. (23)

DrusillaDrusilla• Youngest daughter of

Agrippa I (Acts 12)

• Married at 14

• Beautiful

DrusillaDrusilla• Felix “stole” her from her

husband at 16

• Promised her “felicity” (happiness) if she came away with Felix

• Felix’s 3rd wife

Sermon to Felix Sermon to Felix and Drusillaand Drusilla

• Faith in Christ Jesus

• Righteousness

• Self-Control

• Judgment

• Felix – Afraid!

Sermon to Felix Sermon to Felix and Drusillaand Drusilla

• When I find it convenient, I will send for you.

• Hoping for a bribe

Sermon to Felix Sermon to Felix and Drusillaand Drusilla

• Left Paul in prison for 2 years as a favor to the Jews

How many people heard the Gospel because Paul was falsely accused by the Jews

in Jerusalem?