Festus Poses

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Today’s Bible reading is Acts 25. Paul is brought before Festus in Caesarea. Dr. Luke mentions that Festus was posturing, wanting to do the Jews a favor by sending Paul back to stand trial in Jerusalem. (Acts 25:9) Paul, being a Roman Citizen, appealed to Caesar, so Festus sent Paul up the chain of command.

When King Agrippa arrives in Caesarea, Festus tells the King about Paul and his situation with his Jewish accusers. Agrippa is interested in hearing Paul make his case, perhaps because of Festus’ mentioning that Paul was claiming that Jesus had come back to life. (Acts 25:19) I wonder if Agrippa is curious, given Jesus’ encounters with his father, Agrippa I, and his grandfather, Herod the Great.

As Festus finishes his address to Agrippa, you almost get the feeling that Festus is posturing with the King. Just reading Dr. Luke’s account, you get the feeling that Festus is posing; he wants both the Jews and the King to think something of him that isn’t necessarily true.

Application

posing, hypocrisy

Lots of us are insecure, especially those who have been promoted above their ability. I don’t know that this is the case with Festus, but it sure appears that way. He tells Agrippa, “It seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.” Does he not know the law? Does he not know the protocol of sending a prisoner up the chain of command?

John Eldridge in his book, Wild at Heart*, talks about how men are often “posers”. In other words, we try to make ourselves appear to have more money or more influence than we actually do. Why? Because we’re insecure. The problem becomes more complicated because we’re afraid of what might happen if they find out who we really are. If you think about it, the cosmetics industry makes a killing enabling us in our insecurities.

Who are you? How do you pose? What are you afraid of? How can people in your church or small group of friends help you to overcome your fears and help you to be authentic?

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