On My Way to Rome Read online

dispute became so violent that the commander, fearing that I would be torn apart by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take me by force and bring me back into the barracks. Once again Cassius came to my rescue, his strong arms embraced me as he shuttled me off to safety. I did not see him again until two days later. The usual guards guarded me all that night. That same night, the Lord Jesus stood beside me and said, "Take courage Paul! For as you have testified and borne witness concerning me at Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness of me in Rome." I was on my way to Rome by divine instructions from heaven.

  The next day, some of the Judeans formed a conspiracy. They took an oath, saying they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed me. More than forty men were involved in this plot to kill me. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul. What you are to do is make it appear to the Roman commander that you and the Sanhedrin want to get more accurate information about Paul's case, so that he will bring him down to you. While we, for our part, are prepared to kill him before he ever gets here." It was my sisters son who heard of this planned ambush, so he hurried to the barracks and told me about the conspiracy.

  I immediately called in one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man up to the commander, for he has something important to tell him." So the guard took him to the commander and said, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something important to tell you." The commander took him by the hand, led him aside privately and asked, "What is it that you have to tell me." He replied, "The Judeans have agreed to ask you tomorrow to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin on the pretext that they want to investigate Paul's case more thoroughly. But don't let yourself be talked into it, because more than forty men are lying in wait for him. They have taken an oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for you to give your consent to their request."

  The commander let my nephew go, cautioning him, "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this to me." Then he summoned two of the captains and said, "Get two hundred foot soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight, along with seventy mounted cavalry and two hundred spearmen. Also provide replacements for Paul's horse when it gets tired. Escort him safely to Felix." The commander wrote the following letter with the seal of his signet ring upon it.

  From: Claudius Lysias.

  To: His Excellency, Governor Felix.

  Greetings!

  This man was seized as a prisoner by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came on the scene with my troops and rescued him. After learning that he was a Roman citizen, I wanted to understand exactly what they were charging him with. So I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. I found that he was charged in connection with questions regarding their religious Laws, but that there was no charge that was deserving of death. When I was informed of a plot against the man, I immediately sent him to you and also ordered his accusers to state their case against him before you.

  That night, the soldiers who were following their orders, brought me to the city of Antipatris in the Province of Palestine. The next day they returned to the barracks in Jerusalem, leaving the mounted men to proceed with me. The cavalry took me to the port city of Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor, and handed me over to him. Antonius Felix the Roman procurator and governor of Judea read the letter in my presence and asked, " What province are you from?" I replied confidently as I was a Roman citizen and didn't want to appear weak, "I am from Tarsus in the Province of Cilicia." On learning that I was from Cilicia, he said, "I will give you a full hearing after your accusers have also arrived." Then he ordered that I be kept under guard in Herod's headquarters. As I stepped into the jail cell, I heard a voice, "Greetings citizen." It was Cassius Catullus, the Praetorian Guard. I replied, "Shalom - peace, to you citizen." Our friendship had begun.

  I am Paul, I am that I am. Rejoice in affliction. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. As He is, so are we in this world. In all situations I find myself content. May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

  Amen - so be it.

  Brought Before Felix. #3

  After five days, Ananias the high priest came down from Jerusalem to Caesarea with the Jewish elders. They brought a lawyer, a forensic advocate, acting as spokesman and counsel named Tertullus. They presented to the governor their case with evidence against me. I was called, and Tertullus began to make the charges. Cassius stood right next to me. His stature was quite intimidating at times. My life depended upon his life and his life depended upon my life. If I was ambushed and killed by the mob during his watch, he was executed by Rome for failing to keep me safe. If I escaped, he was executed. The rules were simple, if I died, he died. Sextus Afranus Burrus, the Prefect of the Praetorian Guards in Rome ensured that these laws were carried out. That's when I understood, when Christ died, I died.

  Tertullus addressed the governor, "Felix, Your Excellency, it is because of you that we enjoy unbroken peace. It is your foresight that has brought this nation so many reforms in so many areas. It is with the utmost gratitude that we receive this peace and these reforms. But in order not to take up too much of your time, I beg you in your clemency and kindness to give us a brief and concise hearing." Tertullus was well prepared. He had done his homework. This guy was good. He was eloquent in his speech. I had to be at my best to outwit him.

  He continued with his so called accusations, "We have found this man to be a perfect pest, a real plague. An agitator and a source of disturbance to all the Jews throughout the world, a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate and defile the Temple, but we arrested him, laying our hands on him. We would have sentenced him by our own Law, but the commander Claudius Lysias came and took him from us by force, ordering his accusers to present themselves to you. By examining and cross-questioning him yourself, you will be able to ascertain the truth from him about all these things which we have charged him with." To make things worse, the Jews also joined in on the accusations and alleged that these facts about me were true.

  The governor then beckoned for me to speak, so I answered, "I know that you have been a judge over this nation for a number of years now, so I am glad to make my defence before you today. As you can verify for yourself, it has not been more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. Neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues nor anywhere else in the city did they find me either arguing with anyone or bringing together a seditious crowd. Nor can they give any proof of the things that they are accusing me of. But this I do admit and confess to you. I worship the God of our forefathers in accordance with the 'Way of the Lord,' which they call a heretical sect. I continue to believe everything laid down by the Law of Moses and everything written in the Psalms and the Prophets."

  I was building a strong defence for myself. I was not going to allow myself to be bullied by them. Cassius stood dead still beside me. He didn't move an inch. I had to look closely to determine if he was still breathing. I could tell that he was listening to my every word. I spoke calmly but steadily before them, not leaving a single detail out, "I still have a hope in God, believing in Him and placing my full confidence in Him, which they too accept, and that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. It is because of this that I make a point of always having a clear conscience in the sight of God and man."

  I was only warming up in my defence. It was going to get very hot in the court. I wasn't going to pull any punches. I boldly announced, "After several years of absence, I came back to Jerusalem to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to offer offerings of worship in the Temple. It was in connection with the latter that they found me in the Temple. I had been ceremonially purified, I was not causing a disturbance. But some Jews from the Province of Asia, they ought to be here to make a charge if they have anything against me! Or else, let these men themselves say
what crime they found me guilty of when I stood in front of the Sanhedrin. Other than this one thing which I shouted out when I was standing among them, with regards to the resurrection of the dead. I'm on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead."

  Felix was no fool. He had a rather accurate understanding of the "Disciples of the Way" and the "Way of the Lord." He put things off and adjourned the trial saying, "When Lysias the Roman commander comes down as a witness, I will decide your case." He ordered the captain to keep me in custody, but he allowed me to have considerable liberty, allowing my friends to take care of my needs. Timothy and Luke were at hand, by my side as always. Luke had travelled with me on both my second and third missionary journeys. Timothy had not left my side since I found him at his home town of Lystra, on my second journey. Timothy was a true spiritual son. I had no one like him, no one of so kindred a spirit, who was so genuinely interested in the welfare of others. Most people all seek to advance their own