Third Party Petitions

 ACTS IN 90 DAYS

A reading for Wednesday, September 16, 2020: Acts 24:1-9.

"The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true."

We have noted how similar the charges against Paul are to the same story with Jesus at the end of Luke. There is one key difference...

Perhaps the council learned the first time to create some distance between the Roman authority and their own. So they bring a lawyer with them to argue their case, the name of the lawyer in Hebrew literally means "third," as in party?

He begins by shamelessly praising governor Felix and the Romans for their wonderful and peaceful rule. (This was in no way true by the way.) He then calls Paul an agitator and a ring leader of the "Nazarenes." Notice he puts the charges in local political terms to earn the favor of Felix. He really puts on a show to try and condemn Paul, and this is exactly what the council wanted. How do we know?

The last line of today's reading, the council joined right in with all this asserting that is was all true.

...and then it was Paul's turn. Thanks be to God.