Who Rules

Acts 25:13-21 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. 16 I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges. 17 When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21 When Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
 
DID a new man of evil enter into Paul’s dilemma? This King Agrippa was more specifically Agrippa II. His father, Agrippa I, was also the King Herod, who executed James and imprisoned Peter: Acts 12:1-2 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. Would Agrippa II want to please the Jews as his father had done?
   Pleasing the Jews seemed to be the law for Agrippa I, then Felix and now Festus. Notice the tone of Festus’ words in verses 13-21. He didn’t seek justice for Paul. He sought agreement with the Jews.
   For example, Festus described Paul as a man Felix left as a prisoner. He didn’t say, “Paul is here, charged with sedition.” or some such crime. Paul was in jail even though Felix left him there without charge.
   Why? It was because Festus had talked to the Jews who brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. Did Festus not know of Paul’s defense? Did he completely dismiss the trial that had resulted in no charge against Paul?
   Pleasing the Jews, Festus ordered another trial. Then Festus learned the Jews only had a dispute with Paul about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.
   Once again the Romans understood Paul had committed no crime against Rome. Still Festus refused to free him. Weakly, he complained, “I was at a loss how to investigate such matters.” In other words, Festus was impotent because the Jews were in charge. He could have easily freed Paul with Rome’s protection until Paul left Judea. Justice is impossible when the unjust rule.
 
Psalm 82:2 “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?”