Before the Judge

Acts 24:10-21

Have you been brought before the judge in a civil or criminal case, what thoughts came into your mind, maybe it was, I sure hope he or she is fair, a person of integrity, and a person who will act on what the law states.  While living in the Houston area of Texas, I was summoned to jury duty and it was a case of the police being ask into a home by a wife in a domestic fight between a husband and wife.  Now while stopping the fighting the officers noticed white power in bags, in plain sight, on a table and they arrested the man who was suspected of being a drug pusher.  We were informed by the sitting Judge that because the information was not legally attained, we as jurors must ignore it, and then the judge ask for anyone who could not do this to raise their hand.  My hand went up and to my shock it was the only hand that did.  This is what happen next, the judge a tall gray haired man who was retired but because of the case load on the court was ask to hear this case, repeated the question and ask me if I understood that he had the authority to require me to do just that?  I said very respectfully that I did understand, but that I would not be able to remove that knowledge from my mind, and it would affect my judgment in the case.   The judge ordered me to come down and stand before him, and I was more than somewhat concerned about his action.  Once more he stated the question, but this time letting me know that I was totally off base and that I should rethink my answer, and when I once more stated my position, he told the bailiff to remove me from the jurors and I was free to leave the court.

My reason for sharing that story is; if you are brought before a judge, as Paul is, you hope he is an honest person, but that was not the case with Felix.  This is a summary of Felix; “Marcus Antonius Felix was originally a slave from Cilicia, Paul's home province, but had gained his freedom thanks to his brother, Marcus Antonius Pallas, a freedman well-liked by Emperor Claudius. As Felix' political fortunes rose, so did his reputation for corruption, cruelty and base lusts.  He governed Judea from 52 AD to 60 AD with “the power of a king but the mind of a slave” according to Tacitus, the Roman historian.”   (Taken from Bible Study Verse. Com)

Doctor Luke gives this account of Paul’s defense; “And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’” (Acts 24:10-21 ESV)

Paul also plays nice with Felix in his opening comments, but from then on he states the facts, and nothing but the facts.  He ask Felix to verify the facts and then he ask why are the Jews from Asia not bringing the case against me, in that they are the ones who started the faults accusation and then back on message; ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”  One of the things we should hold to in this dark and fallen world is the promises of God, and one that is dear to me is, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice