The Jews bring a spokesman with them, someone skilled in speech. He starts with flowery flattery. The spokesman tells Felix, who is the one judging, that he will be able to find out they’re right about all Paul’s accused of. It feels a little like the “Emperor’s New Clothes” when they say if you are wise, you’ll see it. It’s like he’s trying to make the judge feel like he needs to see Paul as  guilty.

Paul doesn’t do much to defend himself, just says they can’t prove it.

Felix stalls and says he’ll decide it later, but then he doesn’t. Felix regularly calls for Paul to talk with him, but he leaves him in prison. It says he was hoping for a bribe, but it would seem like after a couple years, he’d realize that wasn’t coming. I don’t really understand what happens during that time and why there is never a decision made in the case. Except…

Who’s in charge of Paul’s movements? Who’s in charge of who Paul is brought before? Who is in charge of whether Paul is in prison or free?

God is. He knows how to open prison doors. God knows how to up and whisk away one of his servants to another city, in an instant. Paul needed to stay, so he stays.

Paul is given some liberty and people care for him. God was taking care of him.

Did Paul spend his time in prison miserable and complaining? Did he hold anything against Felix for not deciding and releasing him? No! He took pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. He lived uprightly.

Paul had been giving alms and was found “purified.” There was a split identity in the church. All these early church fathers were keeping the ritual law of Judaism. They didn’t require it of the Gentiles believers, though.

Paul didn’t preach keeping the law. He preached that believers were free from the law. But he also preached righteousness and self-control. Freedom from the law isn’t lawlessness. Jesus tells the lawless to depart from Him.

We always seek to do what is right and keep a clear conscience toward God and man. Seek forgiveness. Grant forgiveness. Live free.