Looking for Paul

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

44 - First letter to the Corinthians

It is difficult to give a brief summary of Paul's letters. I would simply like to mention the main themes to help us better understand them and appreciate their depth.

If we want to know Paul, his fiery temperament, his passion for the Gospel, his freedom of speech and his determination, it is in the two epistles to the Corinthians that we must look for them. The first was probably written in the spring of 54. But Paul had already written to the Christians in Corinth. Two of his letters have been lost.

The community of Corinth was founded by Paul in the year 50. In Ephesus, he regularly received news from his Churches and he reacted by writing or sending collaborators. The situation in Corinth appears quite troubled. Judeo-Christians (Jews who converted to Christianity and remained faithful to Hebrew Law) have wreaked havoc and are responsible for much of the community's problems. Paul's authority is shaken. So he sends his spiritual son, Timothy, to check the situation. When he returned, Paul decided to write to this Church in disarray.

The problems are numerous. First there is the division into different factions: some call themselves disciples of Apollos, others of Paul, others of Peter and still others of Jesus Christ himself. All this divides the community. Then there are the behaviors that scandalize: incest, fornication, trials before the city courts. The liturgical assembly is troubled by unacceptable differences between rich and poor. Under the pretext of “science” and “freedom”, we indulge in sterile discussions on virginity and marriage. Paul offers us here the first reflections on a Christian ethics applied to the problems of love, marriage, the role of women in the Church, and social conditions.

The Gospel is a law that is not imposed from the outside, like the Mosaic law, but it transforms from the inside.

Paul traces the surest route to living the Gospel: brotherly love. The famous hymn to charity in chapter 13 describes this love by highlighting the disorders that disrupt the church of Corinth. The Corinthians tend to reduce the gifts of the Spirit to spectacular manifestations like “prayer in tongues” (glossolalia) and “prophecy.” Paul reminds them that it is not the spectacle that characterizes the gifts of the Spirit, but service to the community: “Even if I speak in tongues, that of men and that of angels, if I lack love , I am a resonating metal, a clanging cymbal. Even if I had the gift of prophecy, the knowledge of all mysteries and all knowledge, when I had the most complete faith, that which moves mountains, if I lack love, I am nothing . If I distribute all my goods to the hungry, when I deliver my body to the flames, if I lack love, I gain nothing. Love takes patience, love is of service, it does not jealous, it does not show off, it does not get puffed up with pride, it does nothing ugly, it does not seek its own interest, it does not does not irritate, he does not harbor grudges, he does not rejoice in injustice, but he finds his joy in the truth. He excuses everything, he believes everything, he hopes everything, he endures everything. Love never passes. The prophecies? They will be abolished. Languages? They will end. The knowledge? It will be abolished. [...] These three remain: faith, hope and love, but love is the greatest. (1Co 13, 1-13)

The hymn to love is a high point of New Testament writings. It is one of the most beautiful texts in world literature. It is often repeated during wedding ceremonies. Among the many charisms, the way of love is the charisma par excellence.

Freedom is one of the main themes addressed by Paul in this first letter to the Corinthians. He ardently defends Christian freedom against Judeo-Christians who want to impose the Law of Moses and Jewish customs on non-Jewish believers. He led this fight at the Council of Jerusalem and he will do it again in his epistle to the Galatians. In the Greek and Latin world, political and democratic freedom included the right to speak for all members of the citizens' assembly (the ekklesia) and the right to say everything (parrèsia), without fear of reprisals. Paul claims these rights for himself and for his churches.

Like the Stoics, Paul is a fierce defender of personal conscience. Regarding the consumption of meat offered to idols, he recalls that idols are nothing. We can therefore eat the meat offered to them (8, 4-6). But this freedom must be limited by fraternal charity towards those who risk being scandalized by this freedom (8, 7-13).

Paul does not intend to impose his own laws and he in no way claims to exercise spiritual tyranny: “It is not that we intend to rule your faith, we only want to contribute to your joy” (2 Cor. 1, 24). The Gospel is not a straitjacket. It is a law that is not imposed from the outside, like the Mosaic law, but it transforms from the inside.

According to Paul, Christians must change their view of Jesus as Paul himself did during his conversion in Damascus: Jesus must no longer be considered “cursed” because he was crucified, but as the “resurrected Lord”. The four gospels will mention the torture of the cross as the mode of execution of Jesus, but they will not do the theology of the cross. It is Paul who does it, and this for the first time in this epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 1, 18-31). This is his major contribution to Christian theology. The cross is a revelation. It tells us who God is for us. In the message of the cross, Paul discovers a God who surpasses all wisdom and all religion. It is there that he manifests his wisdom and his power, even where man sees only weakness and folly.

In this epistle, the Apostle's thoughts revolve around two poles: the Lord's Supper and fraternal love. The Eucharist is a source of nourishment for fraternal love. In Corinth, the feast had degenerated into a feast for some, while others did not have enough to eat.

Paul also answers questions received about the role of women during the celebrations. They asked to be assimilated to men in offices. They spoke there, and did not wear a veil. Paul advises the wearing of the veil, which corresponds to an almost universal habit in his time. We know that the prostitutes of Corinth went bareheaded. Christian women without veils thus risked being compared to the prostitutes of the port city. When it came to speaking in congregations, Paul followed Jewish custom in synagogues, which earned him the accusation of being a misogynist. It must be emphasized, however, that throughout his letters, women appear who campaign alongside him and play a leading role, a role that was forbidden to them in the synagogues and in Greek and Roman institutions. They have important positions in the Churches. In Corinth itself one is minister or deaconess of a community. Among the Christians cited by Paul in his epistles are nine women to whom, on several occasions, he expresses esteem and affection.

Paul devotes the last chapter of this epistle to faith in the resurrection (1 Cor 15). The letter began with “the language of the Cross” and ended with the proclamation of the resurrection of Christ and the announcement of the resurrection of believers. It is therefore framed by the Paschal mystery.

That's a lot of topics for one letter. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is long, extremely dense and surprisingly varied, but it is extraordinarily rich and allows us to take a look at the life of the early Church. However, it seems that it did not have the expected effect. During the summer of 54, when Timothy returned to Ephesus, he reported that he had been very poorly received in Corinth. Anyone other than Paul would have been discouraged. He holds on. He never gives up. The crisis will rebound and give rise to other interventions, to other visits from Paul and Titus, to other letters.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

45 - Second letter to the Corinthians

Paul in chains thinks of communities.

There is much controversy regarding the second letter to the Corinthians. The version that has come down to us is probably composed of several letters, including the “letter in tears”. Paul continues to respond to the agitations of the community of Corinth, defends his apostolic ministry and returns to the collection in favor of the faithful of Jerusalem.

Informed of the difficulties of the community, it seems that Paul made a brief visit to Corinth, during which painful incidents are said to have occurred. Returning to Ephesus, he wrote his “letter in tears” which we find, at least in part, in chapters 10 to 13 of the current epistle.

The Judeo-Christians of Jerusalem who undertook systematic opposition against Paul, present themselves as the true apostles, contest the validity of his mission and attack his person, his ideas and his work. They present themselves as prestigious missionaries, “arch-apostles” while Paul calls them “false apostles”. They claim to have known Jesus and shine with their mystical experiences. They have greater eloquence than Paul and, unlike the latter, demand substantial fees from the communities where they stay. Paul opposes their ambitions with a style of mission marked by the Cross.

The tactics of the adversaries are simple: inflate their authority as representatives of Jerusalem, diminish the person and work of Paul and impose the prescriptions of the Mosaic Law. Moreover, this tactic has already borne fruit in other Churches founded by the Apostle. These attacks provoke a violent reaction from Paul in this Epistle and in the Epistles to the Galatians and the Romans.

This letter was probably written in Macedonia, in 54-55, where Titus joined Paul. This time he brings good news. The Corinthians are now much more positive towards the Apostle. Paul is reassured and decides to write again. The main elements are as follows: The “false apostles” of Jerusalem only seek their profit. They demand high rates while Paul always offered his ministry for free and was never dependent on anyone.

If his rivals boast of their mystical experiences, Paul is not left out. He recalls the “visions and revelations” that the Lord granted him. But he does not insist because “the power of God is displayed in weakness.”

The true apostles are the servants of a new Alliance, their trials identify them with the destiny of Jesus and they are the ambassadors of a reconciliation offered to the world by God.

Frustrated by the attacks of his adversaries, Paul wants to come to a decisive settling of scores. The justification of his apostolic authority is therefore the essential aim of this letter. The sowers of discord present themselves with a letter of recommendation issued by the leadership of Jerusalem. Paul responds that he does not need letters of recommendation: “Our letter is you, Corinthians; you are a letter from Christ, written in luminous characters, so that everyone can know and read it.”

Paul was accused of being arrogant, of writing impertinent epistles, of being a false brother hungry for glory. Under the mask of Greek irony, Paul plays the role of the braggart that has just been attributed to him. Massive blows then fell on his detractors. These people accuse Paul of boasting, of selfishness, of a spirit of domination, while they themselves proclaim their friendship with the great ones of Jerusalem, walking around like lords, running from house to house, inviting themselves , speaking loudly while punching those who contradict them in the face. In a very noble manner, Paul avoids naming those who would have charged them with this mission of demolition, although, behind the actions of the adversaries, we can guess the shadow of important figures, whose emissaries abuse and distort the thought.

The true apostle stands out for his dedication, by admitting a weakness who likens it to destiny of the Crucified.

Paul recognizes himself as weak so that the Corinthians open their eyes to their own weakness. Let them stop letting themselves be deceived by parade preachers, and let them recognize in themselves the old man who must make way for the new man. May they remember Jesus who made himself poor for them, even though he was rich. We are like fragile clay that contains great treasure. If the first letter to the Corinthians is the richest in terms of thought, the second is the most passionate of all. Happy controversy which forces the accused to reveal himself and paint the portrait of the true servant of the Gospel!

Between the two main parts of this letter is inserted a passage concerning the collection for Jerusalem (ch. 8 and 9). This great work of charity was very important for Paul who wanted to maintain ties of friendship with the mother community. The Corinthians themselves had the idea. After talking about the collection, Paul goes on the attack again. He writes: “But am I inferior to those whom you call “arch-apostles” and whom I call “pseudo-apostles”. They exploit the community; they think they shine with their titles and their flashy rhetoric. The true apostle, for his part, is distinguished by his dedication, by the admission of a weakness which assimilates him to the destiny of the Crucified.

In 12:7-9, Paul mentions a thorn in his flesh. The hypothesis of a chronic illness is often mentioned. But, in the Bible, “the thorn” designates the enemies of Israel (Numbers 33, 55). Paul sees this as the action of an “angel of Satan”. However, it is his adversaries whom he has just characterized as ministers of Satan (2 Cor 11, 13-15). Already in the 4th century, John Chrysostom thought that the thorn in question represented the rivals who challenged Paul's preaching.

Titus and probably Luke and Aristarchus took this letter to Corinth. It seems that it was very well received by the Corinthians. This was the Apostle's testament to this Church which he loved deeply.

The year of the 2nd letter to the Corinthians coincides with the death of Emperor Claudius in 54. Agrippina, his second wife, had him poisoned. She had previously had Nero, the son of her first marriage, adopted by the man she was going to put to death. At seventeen, Nero was proclaimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard. Thus begins, illegally, because Claudius had a legitimate son, Britannicus, the reign of one of the most bloodthirsty despots in history. In Ephesus, no soothsayer would dare predict that Nero will have Britannicus poisoned and his mother put to death, before encamping, in an episode that will sicken the Romans themselves, by massacring Christians. A breach opens in the grandeur of Rome.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

46 - Letter to the Galatians

During his first missionary journey in the company of Barnabas, Paul founded communities in the south of the Roman province of Galatia. Contacts with these groups of Christians were excellent: “You welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.” A few years later, on two occasions, he visited these same communities. This province included, among other cities: Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

The Galatians (Gauls) are the origin of the Celts of northern and central Europe. Intrepid adventurers, they were also formidable warriors. A few centuries before Jesus Christ, they pushed their incursions as far as Spain and Italy. In 399, they besieged the city of Rome and around 360, some tribes headed east. After various military attacks, including the pillaging of the sanctuary of Delphi, they settled, at the beginning of the 3rd century, in northern Anatolia and made Pessinus their center. In 25 BC, the country of the Galatians was integrated into the Empire and the system of Roman provinces.

The first part of the letter is a powerful defense of his role as an apostle.

After Paul's visits to these communities, preachers from Jerusalem caused trouble there by proclaiming a Gospel different from his own. They emphasize the importance of being circumcised and following the entire Law of Moses. To Paul, this eleventh hour worker, they oppose the twelve apostles and James, the brother of the Lord. Paul, aware of the danger, sees in their demands a cancellation of the unique role of Jesus Christ. He then writes his letter to the Galatians. It is the first great synthesis of the pastoral and theological thought of the Apostle. It is not a question here of his authority, but rather of the very meaning of the Gospel: either the believer achieves his salvation through the Law of Moses or does he find it in faith in Christ?

To the Galatians, simple people who confidently followed Paul, the adversaries claim that they did not become good Christians because they were not circumcised. Jesus and the apostles were circumcised. In addition, circumcision is excellent for health, it prevents certain diseases.

First, the Galatians protest. They met Paul three times and they liked him very much. Why would he want to deceive them? The Judaizers respond that they love him too, but they let them know that Paul never met Jesus. Stupor among the Galatians: he who speaks of it so well! Another important element: did he admit to you that, in his youth, he persecuted Christians, that he had dozens of them thrown in prison? Terrified, distraught, Paul's friends remained silent: he had said nothing to them. In this relationship of trust between him and his dear Galatians, the adversaries have succeeded in introducing deadly doubt. According to the envoys from Jerusalem, Paul reworked the Gospel to attract as many pagans as possible. It is therefore here, in the territory of the Galatians, that the decisive battle takes place between Paul and the emissaries from Jerusalem. What follows, in Corinth and Rome, will only be the conclusion.

The epistle to the Galatians was written in one go. From the first lines, Paul affirms his mission as an apostle. By recalling the facts, he establishes the authenticity of “his gospel.” This text is valuable for the historical data it offers on Paul's early years. He recalls having received his Gospel during a revelation. We can therefore trust him. He recounts his conversion in Damascus and Arabia, his meeting with Peter and James, his participation in the Council of Jerusalem where his missionary activity was recognized. He also mentions the controversy with Peter at Antioch in Syria, because the leader of the apostles did not respect the Jerusalem agreement. Paul claims that his apostleship was officially recognized by the “pillars of Christianity” (Peter, James and John) who gave him responsibility for converting non-Jews. The first part of the letter is therefore a powerful defense of his role as an apostle. The first part of the letter is therefore a powerful defense of his role as an apostle. He affirms that he is neither a student of the Twelve nor a second-rate apostle.

Justification by faith

Paul then comes to the main subject of his epistle: justification by faith. Sometimes poorly understood, this justification nowhere teaches passive quietism. Paul speaks here of primary justification, that is to say the passage from the state of sin to the state of grace. This forgiveness is a pure gift from God, a consequence of the atoning death of Christ, without any personal contribution on our part.

After having used the vigorous weapons of argument, Paul suddenly becomes tender like a mother, and he gives free rein to his feelings:

“I would like, like a mother, to endure the pains of childbirth again for you and to transform my voice, to speak to you as a mother speaks to her child!”

Paul brings together in himself a ruthless logic, combined with maternal tenderness.

Christian freedom

After this break, he goes on the attack again. Having already experienced the freedom of Christ, would the Galatians now be ready to place themselves again under the yoke of the Law and thus lose their freedom? Like Israel when they left Egypt, they experienced a new Exodus. They went from slavery to the freedom of the children of God. This freedom is at the very heart of the Christian vocation:

“It is so that we remain free that Christ has freed us. So stand firm and do not return to the yoke of slavery.” (Ga 5, 1.)

Two dangers await those who have experienced freedom: to deny it by returning to the slavery of the Law, or to abuse it by believing that everything is permitted (for example, engaging in prostitution under the pretext that the Christ has freed us from all constraints).

Christians must welcome salvation as a free gift from God, an attitude difficult to accept for the marathon runners of legalism who want at all costs to become saints by their own means.

According to Paul, the Law is good and it was necessary, but it is at the service of Salvation. It must take second place when Salvation arrives. Like scaffolding in a construction work, once the building is finished, they disappear. “Christ has led us to freedom, it is indeed to freedom that you have been called.” Written in the early years of the Church, these pages on Christian freedom still question today an institution which, by nature, tends to favor the law to the detriment of freedom. Christians must stop believing that salvation is obtained like an Olympic medal through increasingly complicated performances. They must welcome salvation as a free gift from God, an attitude difficult to accept for the marathon runners of legalism who want at all costs to become saints by their own means.

The people who carried the letter from their beloved Apostle to Antioch of Pisidia had no idea of the precious treasure they were carrying: it was a document of historical importance! It was among the Galatians that the notion of “Christian freedom” first resonated.

This letter from Paul is the earliest testimony presenting the apostle's message regarding justification by faith. We cannot read the Epistle to the Galatians without being carried away by Paul's oratorical torrent. It is a question of life and death for him and for his Galatians. We only catch our breath at the conclusion. We see Paul taking the stylus from the writer's hands: "See these big letters: I am writing to you with my own hand...".

After Paul's death, for many years, his influence disappeared almost entirely in the Church. It is at the moment when it concerns itself with choosing the authentic texts of its history that it will give back to Paul all the place which belongs to him by recognizing in his writings the fundamental value of Christian theology. Paul then once again became a pillar of the Church.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

47 - Epistle to the Romans

Paul writes his epistle to the Romans to prepare for his meeting with a Church he does not know.

Before his departure for Jerusalem, in the year 57, Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans, a sort of “calling card” to prepare for his meeting with a Church he did not know. This letter, probably written in Corinth, is a synthesis of Paul's thoughts. It has been almost fifteen years since the Apostle founded Churches in Cyprus, in Pisidia, in Lycaonia, in Phrygia, in Galatia, in Macedonia, in Achaia, in Asia. He now considers that in this eastern region his task as founder has come to an end. He is thinking of the west, of Spain especially, "the end of the world", where he plans to go via Rome.

Paul first wants to bring the collection to Jerusalem himself, which his friends strongly advise him against, because of the dangers he runs in returning to the city where he has so many enemies. After Jerusalem, he intends to visit the imperial capital, to meet members of the Church of Rome:

“But now, as I no longer have any field of action in these countries and since, for many years, I have had a strong desire to go to you when I go to Spain. I indeed hope to see you during my visit and receive your help to get there after having first been fulfilled, even if only a little, by your presence.” (Rom 5:23)

Rome, the capital of the world, inspires him with the universal conception of the Church.

He entrusts the letter to his faithful friend, the deaconess Phoebeus, who must go to Rome in the spring. This is the only letter written to a Church that he did not found. In these reflections on the Gospel, his thoughts take on considerable scope because he is in full possession of his means.

It is important to remember that Paul had no intention of leaving Judaism at all: it simply would not make sense to him. The “Christian religion” had no independent existence at that time! It was part of Judaism and Paul simply wanted to integrate both the Resurrection of Christ and the extension of the promise to non-Jews. To do this, he looked for a denominator common to Jews and pagans: this unifying element is faith in Jesus Christ.

The letter to the Romans becomes a theological treatise on the new situation created by Christ. This is the most important of Paul's letters.

The thought that he had begun to develop in the letter to the Galatians comes back to his mind. This letter had been the cry of a passionately agitated heart. He now wants to return to the question calmly, and give a more in-depth presentation. The letter to the Romans thus becomes a theological treatise on the new situation created by Christ. This is the most important of Paul's letters. We find there the talent of someone who is capable of unifying critical thinking with the expression of a deep and enlightened faith. He develops the following themes: justification by faith, hope, the consequences of sin, grace, freedom, the Church body of Christ, relations between Jews and Pagans, reconciliation. Nearly 25 years after his conversion, his theological reflection has reached great maturity. If the epistle to the Romans were the only letter from Paul to reach us, we would have a good insight into his thinking.

As a framework, Paul uses on one side fallen humanity grouped around Adam and on the other hand “justified” humanity grouped around Christ.

The parentage offered is a completely free donation and not the result of the observance of the Law or the practice of good works

In the account of Genesis 3, Adam wanted to be like God by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He initiated the time of revolt against God: “Through one man sin entered into the world.” We are therefore preceded by this irresistible natural tendency to take ourselves for a god and to refuse our condition as creatures. But despite this revolt, God does not abandon “his benevolent design” towards us. Through Abraham, he grants salvation by pure grace: “Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” This happened when Abraham was not yet circumcised. The ancestral rite is therefore not the source of its justification, it is only the sign. The sonship offered is a completely free gift and not the result of observance of the Law or the practice of good works.

- (Not Adam but Eve!)

- (Adam didn’t want to lose his wife!)

But justification (being accepted as children of God) is only a beginning, a first step. It is an essential step then enriched by the Eucharistic, fertilized by the creative energies of the Risen One, under the sun of the Holy Spirit.

In the first eight chapters of the epistle to the Romans, Paul contrasts two paths, two ways of being "justified" before God: on the one hand faith in Jesus Christ and on the other the Law of Moses and the " works”. Only faith in Jesus Christ justifies all men, Jews and Pagans. Salvation is therefore not found in belonging to the chosen people or in a life of holiness and good works. It is found in a word external to the human being, a benevolent decision of God received freely in faith.

Paul’s discussion of “justification by faith” is the theological translation of Jesus’ welcome to the rejected and excluded. Jesus, who ate with tax collectors and sinners, prostitutes and lepers, made a symbolic gesture that covered the political, the social and the religious at the same time.

Salvation is offered freely: “Today you will be with me in paradise!” Jesus said to the thief on the cross.

Christ is the “anti-Adam.” He replaces the curse of the Garden of Eden (Adam and Eve driven out of paradise) with a blessing (Come to me, all you who are burdened). If through Adam death was the fate of man, through Christ he finds life. Men and women are invited to live in the trust and hope of the daughters and sons of God, a filiation freely granted thanks to Christ.

After the vast presentation on Salvation, the gift of God (Rm 1 – 8), comes next, quite naturally, the question of the status of Israel in the new reality inaugurated by Christ (chapters 9 to 11). Paul insists that all are sinners, Jews and Gentiles. This situation is the opportunity chosen by God to justify us in Jesus Christ. Neither works, nor ethnic origin, nor clan, nor blood are conditions for salvation. All that matters is the generosity of God. Paul reaffirms his solidarity with his people and rejects the idea that Israel is rejected forever. If he who was a Pharisee and a persecutor obtained mercy, so will all the Jews. In the third part of the epistle, Paul comes to practical considerations on the life of Christian communities: “I urge you therefore, brothers... to action”.

It was the Christian slave Tertius who served as scribe to the Apostle. He points this out at the end of the letter.

The great themes of this epistle were present in the hearts of the women and men of Paul's day... They continue to be of interest to women and men today.

 

[JLG]

Paul's third missionary journey

48 - The great collection

Since his conversion in Damascus, Paul has traveled extensively and visited the mother Church in Jerusalem five times. During the meeting with Peter, James and John, at the first council, he had the idea of a large collection in favor of this poor Church. The proposal was not among the conditions of a peace agreement, but on a personal level, Paul committed himself to it and in Ephesus, he decided to take action: the collection would be done in the Churches of Asia Minor and of Greece, to come to the aid of the Church of Jerusalem.

The collection was a large undertaking carried out for charitable purposes,but it also had a “political” purpose: to promote the unity of the Church.

It is a duty for the more fortunate Churches to help this mother Church which has few means. Paul also believed that this generosity would promote unity and at the same time ease disputes between pagan converts and Judeo-Christians.

At the beginning of the project, the Christians of Corinth were very enthusiastic, but over time their fervor cooled. Paul therefore encourages them to share:

“Just as you excel in everything, faith, speech, knowledge, willingness of all kinds, charity that we have communicated to you, you must also excel in this liberality. This is not an order that I give; I only want, through the eagerness of others, to experience the sincerity of your charity. You know in fact the liberality of Jesus Christ, who for your sake became poor, from being rich, in order to enrich you through his poverty. This is an opinion that I give on this; and this is what suits you, who, last year, were the first not only to undertake this work, but also to want it. (2 Cor 8:7-10)

Will this letter be enough to encourage the Corinthians to generosity? Tite is responsible for explaining and defending its content.

At the beginning of March 58, when winter was over, during a religious ceremony in honor of Isis, the Egyptian goddess protector of the seas, Rome announced the resumption of navigation and Paul prepared his departure for Jerusalem. From there he plans to go to Rome. He was not unaware of the risks he ran in bringing the product of the collection carried out with so much difficulty to Jerusalem himself. However, for him, the unity of the Churches was most important. Some representatives from all the districts where he had worked were to join him on the way.

It is at this point that Luke mentions the plot hatched against Paul:

“A plot hatched by the Jews against him when he was about to embark for Syria decided him to return via Macedonia” (Acts 20, 3).

Because of this eleventh-hour change, Paul had to travel an additional seven hundred kilometers to escape his enemies.

As the text of several manuscripts suggests, Paul, accompanied by Luke, then took the land route to Macedonia, while his other companions, to detect the adversaries, went to Troas by boat. There, later, the two groups were to meet. The original plan to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem was now unfeasible and Paul decided to participate in the celebration in the city of Philippi, among his friends. On the Tuesday after Easter, he took leave of the Philippians and found, in the port of Neapolis, a ship bound for Troas.

After crossing the Aegean Sea, he joined the group which was already at Troas. Luke gives us their names: Sopatros, of Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus, of Thessalonica; Gaius, of Derbe; Timothy, Tychicus, Trophimus, from the province of Asia. (Acts 20, 4-5) Obviously, these companions of the Apostle transport the money from the collection in favor of Jerusalem. Paul had neither wife nor children, he had no family ties. However, God gave him many friends. Few people have had such fierce adversaries, but few have had such devoted and loyal friends.

Luke mentions that the stopover at Troas lasted about a week. He will witness an incident that he will not forget:

“On the first day of the week we gathered together to break bread; Paul, who was to leave the next day, spoke with them. He continued his speech until the middle of the night. There were a good number of lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. A teenager, named Eutychus, who was sitting on the edge of the window, let himself fall into a deep sleep, while Paul was still talking. Carried away by sleep, he fell from the third floor down. He was found dead. Paul came down, leaned over him, took him in his arms and said: “So do not be agitated: his soul is in him.” The young man rose to his feet, and Paul went up again, broke bread and ate: and he spoke for a long time until daybreak.” (Acts 20, 7-12)

Luke, as we see, has lost none of his qualities as a chronicler. He does it delicately and with a certain irony. In the 18th century, Jonathan Swift, renowned author of Gulliver's Travels and dean of St. Patrick's Church in Dublin, chose the theme of one of his sermons: "From Sleep to Church." He will base his homily on this accident at Troas to demonstrate that even the great Saint Paul put his listeners to sleep.

From Troas, Luke will accompany Paul throughout the journey to Jerusalem. Thanks to his medical and nautical knowledge, he will be an ideal companion. We find again in the Acts of the Apostles the pronoun "we", and from this moment on, the itinerary and the facts are related in the form of a diary, which gives the description an incomparable appeal.

 

[JLG]

49 - The last journey to Jerusalem

Before returning to Jerusalem, Paul admits that he fears the dangers of this visit: "I ask you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, contend with me in the prayers which you pray to God for me, so that I may escape the unbelievers of Judea and that the help I bring to Jerusalem may be well received by the healthy. And so, coming to you (in Rome) with joy, God may grant me a taste with you some rest. (Romans 15, 30-33)

The closer Paul approaches Jerusalem, the more his anguish grows. The Jews and Judeo-Christians hate him, and they are all-powerful in the holy city.

In Assos, on the north coast of the Gulf of Edremit, Paul and his companions share the collection. The historian Flavius Josephus mentions the rules to follow when transporting large sums of money: we reduce the different currencies into gold which we distribute among the carriers. The pieces are then sewn into each person's clothing.

Thanks to the story of the Acts of the Apostles, we know the stages of the journey of Paul and his companions: from Assos, the boat heads to Mytilene, port of the large island of Lesbos, from where it reaches the island of Chios , homeland of Homer. A stopover in Samos, a stopover in Trogyllion and we arrive in Miletus. This will be Paul's last stopover in Asia.

In Miletus, located a few kilometers from Ephesus where he spent three years of his life, Paul decided not to go to the city: “he was determined to avoid the stopover in Ephesus so as not to waste time in Asia,” writes Luc. (Acts 20, 16) The truth is that he is afraid of being attacked in Ephesus. He still wishes to meet some of his faithful and asks them to join him in Miletus. Luc strives to reconstruct his words addressed to those who come to meet him. The elders of the community go to the port of Miletus to see their apostle one last time. The farewell scene is one of the most moving scenes in Luc's diary:

“And now, chained by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, without knowing what will happen to me there, except that, from city to city, the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and tribulations await me. But I attach no value to my own life, provided that I complete my course and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus: to bear witness to the Gospel of the grace of God.

“And now, I know, you will never see my face again, all of you among whom I passed proclaiming the Kingdom. This is why I testify before you today: I am pure from the blood of all. For I did not shy away when it was necessary to announce to you all the will of God. Be attentive to yourselves, and to all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians to shepherd the Church of God, which he purchased through the blood of his own son.

“I know that after my departure there will be introduced among you terrible wolves who will not spare the flock, and that from among you even men will arise speaking perverse things with the aim of leading the disciples to their sequel. Therefore be vigilant, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not stop reproaching each of you with tears. And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which has power to build the building and to provide the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

“Silver, gold, clothes, I have not coveted from anyone: you yourselves know that my needs and those of my companions have provided for these hands. In any case, I have shown you: it is by toiling in this way that we must come to the aid of the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said: there is more happiness in giving than 'to receive.

Intense is the emotion:

“At these words, kneeling down, he prayed with them all. Then they all burst into tears, and throwing themselves on Paul's neck, they embraced him, grieved above all by the words he had said: that they should never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the boat.” (Acts 20, 22-38)

Paul and his companions set sail and the winds are favorable all the way to Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and, on the third day, Patara. As the ship on which they are traveling continues on its way to another destination, they continue on a merchant ship which goes to Tire where they disembark after six or seven days of navigation. A Christian Church already exists there and, by welcoming Paul, it expresses concern about its fate.

At each stage we would like to prevent him from going to Jerusalem but always in vain.

Everyone tries to convince him not to go to Jerusalem. After a week, he took his leave aboard a boat heading towards Ptolemais, where in the 12th century the Crusader fortress of Saint-Jean-d'Acre stood. From there, Paul and his people leave for Caesarea, a two-day walk (fifty-five kilometers). For about a week, they stayed with Philip, one of the seven deacons.

Driven by the Spirit, the prophet Agabus, whom Paul knew well in Antioch, comes down from Jerusalem to prevent him from continuing his journey:

“As we were spending several days in Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to us and, taking Paul's belt, bound himself hand and foot with it, saying: “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews will bind the man to whom this belt belongs like this to Jerusalem, and they will deliver it into the hands of the Gentiles.”


At these words, Paul's companions and the local Christians began to beg him not to go up to Jerusalem. So he replied:

“Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

As there was no way to persuade him, we ceased our entreaties, saying: “Let the will of the Lord be done!” (Acts 21:10-14).

In the story of Acts, the entire journey from Miletus to Jerusalem is both a triumphal procession and a mourning procession. Churches everywhere welcomed Paul warmly, in an atmosphere of celebration mixed with concern. At each stage we would like to prevent him from going up to Jerusalem but always in vain.

The caravan began the final stage of the journey. Some disciples from Caesarea accompanied him to the holy city. Paul found refuge in the house of a former disciple of the Lord named Mnason. The official Church of Jerusalem did not offer hospitality to the greatest of its Apostles.

 

[JLG]

50- Fatal advice

Paul and his companions probably arrived in Jerusalem shortly before Pentecost in the year 57. They brought offerings from the brothers in Galatia, Macedonia and Greece to the Christians of the Mother Church.

Paul's reception in Jerusalem seems to have been cold and unbrotherly. On this occasion, Luke doesn't even mention the name of the Holy City and simply says: "He went up and greeted the community." This Church seemed to be growing ever more isolated. In Jerusalem, Paul stayed with Mnason, a Hellenist from Cyprus, rather than with the Judeo-Christians. This is a significant fact for Luke, who seems a little embarrassed. He doesn't even mention the delivery of the collection. The climate is not propitious for Paul and his entourage.

This is the fifth and last time the Apostle has been in Jerusalem since his conversion.

Jewish zealots and terrorists rule the streets. James had grown old and no longer had the strength to impose himself on the converts of the Pharisee party. In his letter to the Corinthians, Clement of Rome claims that "envy" was responsible for Paul's misfortunes. We must therefore believe that Paul was the victim of a collaboration between Jews and Judeo-Christians. The leaders of the Christian community were certainly correct towards Paul, but they found themselves paralyzed in their actions by Paul's enemies, who were destroying his reputation in the churches.

The Acts of the Apostles recounts the important episodes of this visit to Jerusalem: the arrival in the city, the meeting with the Church leaders, the seven days in the Temple, the arrest by Roman soldiers, the appearance before the Sanhedrin, the assassination attempt, the trial in Caesarea, the two years of imprisonment and the appeal to Caesar.

According to Luke, Paul's meeting with the leaders of the Jerusalem Church was brief and disappointing. In short, they proposed the following:

"You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have embraced the faith, and they are all zealous supporters of the Law. Now about you they have heard that, in your teaching, you urge the Jews who live among the Gentiles to defect from Moses, telling them to stop circumcising their children and following the customs. So what's to be done? Surely the multitude will not fail to gather, for word will spread of your arrival. So do as we tell you. We have four men here who are bound by a vow. Take them with you, join them in the purification and pay for them to have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there's no truth in what they've heard about you, but that you too behave as an observer of the Law." (Acts 21:20-24).

So Paul had to rehabilitate himself by professing, so to speak publicly, that he belonged to traditional Judaism! He would have to spend seven days in the temple, with people he didn't know, and pay the considerable costs associated with this purification: for five Nazirites, he would have to sacrifice fifteen ewes, as many baskets of bread, cakes and cakes, and several jars of wine; on top of this came the cost of living for seven days. It will be remembered that on his last trip, Paul had taken such a vow of Nazireat, but on his own initiative. Now he was obliged to perform a public penance. According to the leaders, this would enable him to justify himself to the Jews, but Paul knew that this maneuver risked being very badly understood by Christians who had come from paganism.

Paul reluctantly accepted the proposal of the Church leaders, but as Renan observed:

"Never perhaps, in his life as an apostle, did he make a more considerable sacrifice to his work ... During those days of humiliation, when, through deliberate weakness, he performed with ragged people an act of outdated devotion, he was greater than when he displayed the strength and independence of his genius in Corinth or Thessalonica."

Towards the end of the seven days at the Temple, Jews from Asia recognize Paul. Anger stirs them. They seize him, stir up the crowd:

"Men of Israel, help! Here he is, preaching to everyone and everywhere against our people, against the Law and against this place! And here he is again, bringing Greeks into the Temple and profaning the holy place". (Acts 21, 28)

The Temple in Jerusalem consisted of two distinct parts: the Gentile forecourt, where anyone could go, and the sacred precincts, where only Jews could enter. The latter was surrounded by a low stone wall that marked the boundary that no non-Jew could cross. In several places, the following prohibition was written in Greek and Latin: "All strangers are forbidden to cross the barrier and enter the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will himself be responsible for the ensuing death. Now that's categorical. Paul is not only accused of betraying his religion, but - even more seriously - of deliberately violating the sacred precincts by bringing in pagans. It's impossible that Paul could have committed such a provocation. For him, the Temple remains a sacred place. But perhaps he led a companion too close to the wall, and his enemies seized the opportunity to accuse him.

From the fortress, near the surrounding wall, Roman sentries observed the incident. The tribune Lysias rushes with his soldiers to the bottom of the stairs. He frees Paul and takes him to the citadel. The people followed, shouting: “To death!” All the while, Paul maintained his presence of mind. He remains in control of the situation: “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, and a citizen of a city which is not without reputation. Please; allow me to speak to the people” (Acts 21, 39), he asks the tribune. Strange question from a man who has just risked his life. But Lysias allows the prisoner to speak to the crowd. The noise subsides and Paul addresses them in Aramaic. He tries to demonstrate that he is not against the People, the Law and the Temple, but his speech does not succeed in calming the cries of hatred of the crowd.

To somewhat appease popular passion, the officer then orders the centurion to put Paul “to the question”, in order to find out the reasons for the popular fury. The instrument of torture was the whip (flagellum) equipped with points and lead bullets. Paul was stripped naked, laid out on the easel, and tied by his wrists and ankles. When the centurion approached to supervise the operation, Paul calmly asked him: “Is it lawful to flog a Roman citizen, and that without trial.” The representatives of Rome had great respect for the one who bore the title of Roman citizen. “Civis Romanus sum”, these words worked miracles! The centurion rushed to the tribune. “Tell me,” the latter asks, “are you a Roman citizen? “Certainly” replied Paul. False use of this title was punishable by death. So no one dared to abuse it. Lysias cast a questioning look at Paul: “I bought this right of citizenship very dearly.” Paul replied: “And I am born with it.” Lysias began to feel uneasy. Roman criminal law prohibited questioning by whipping at the start of a proceeding. Paul was untied and taken to the fortress.

 

[JLG]

51. Paul before the Sanhedrin


The day after Paul's arrest, the tribune Lysias wanted to know what the Jews were accusing the prisoner of and he had him appear before the Sanhedrin. At the start of the meeting, forgetful of his dignity and the respect he should have towards the accused, “the high priest Ananie ordered his assistants to strike him on the mouth”. (Acts 23, 2) It was the supreme insult. Paul, whose blood was boiling, cried out to Ananias: “It is God who will strike you, you whitewashed wall. What! You sit to judge me according to the Law, and, in defiance of the Law, you order me to be beaten!” (Acts 23, 3) The Pharisees who had lost all moral sense approved the act of the high priest, and considered Paul's lesson to be sacrilege. The image of a “whitened wall” well characterized this High Priest, this character in complete decline, who tried to simulate virtue, honesty and righteousness, while internally he was perverse and rotten.

Faced with the Sanhedrin composed of Pharisees and Sadducees, in a sudden intuition, Paul used the advantage that the situation offered him, and raised the problem of the resurrection. He then said this simple sentence: “Brothers, it is because of the hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am put on trial.” The Sadducees burst out laughing and the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection began to argue with the Sadducees. The whole procedure degenerated into a theological dispute, and both parties came to blows. Some respectable rabbis even declared themselves openly in favor of Paul. Lysias, the representative of Rome, who understood nothing of this theological debate and was afraid for the life of his prisoner, called the guard, and had him taken to a safe place. “I was barely able to force him out of their hands,” he wrote about this in his letter to Governor Félix (Bèze manuscript).

Paul's situation was very delicate. Only the military force of the Romans could still save him. He realized that due to the partiality of the court, justice was impossible. It was then that he resolved to rely on Roman justice. Until now he had always considered himself a rightful member of the Jewish race, and he had repeatedly submitted to Jewish jurisdiction. Now, seeing that it was impossible to be judged fairly among the Jews, he will definitively detach himself from his people, politically and legally, and he will submit to the law and the power of Rome.

The day after the meeting of the Sanhedrin, around forty Zealots made a vow not to eat or drink again before having assassinated Paul. They decided to set a trap for him and informed the Sanhedrin of their plot, asking for its participation. To what decline had the highest Jewish court reached! :

“When it was daylight, the Jews held a council, where they committed themselves by anathema (that is to say by calling upon them the divine curse if they failed in their commitment) not to eat or drink before for killing Paul. There were more than forty of them who made this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and elders and said to them, “We have committed ourselves by anathema not to take anything until we have killed Paul. You therefore now, in agreement with the Sanhedrin, explain to the tribune that he must bring him to you, under the pretext of examining his matter more thoroughly. For our part, we are ready to kill him before he arrives.” (Acts 23, 12-15)

Fortunately, the Christian intelligence service was vigilant. Paul's nephew learned of the plot and his sister sent him to bring the news to the fortress. He received permission to see Paul and told him about the situation. Hearing this, Paul begged the centurion to bring his nephew immediately before Lysias. Thus, before receiving the delegates of the Sanhedrin, the commander of the fortress was informed of the premeditated assassination. The young man said to him:

“The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, under the pretext of investigating his case more thoroughly. Don't believe them. More than forty of them are waiting for him, who have committed themselves by anathema not to eat or drink before having killed him. (Acts 23, 20)

The tribune now had sufficient reason to hand over the trial to the Roman prosecutor in Caesarea and gave the order to transfer the prisoner under cover of night:

“The tribune called two centurions and said to them: 'Be ready to leave for Caesarea, at the third hour of the night, two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred men-at-arms. horses to mount Paul and take him safely to Governor Felix." (Acts 23, 23-24)

At dawn the next day, the little troop was halfway there. We stopped at Antipatris, and Paul had the opportunity to rest for a few hours. All danger having disappeared, most of the escort returned to Jerusalem and only the cavalry detachment accompanied the apostle to Caesarea.

The port of Caesarea, which had received its name from its builder Herod the Great, in honor of Emperor Caesar, served the Romans as a supply base and military center for the region. The city housed a garrison of five cohorts and a squadron of cavalry. Through their taxes, the Jews themselves paid for the maintenance of these troops who held them in servitude. Hence the hatred of the Jews towards this tax paid to Rome and the question asked to Jesus: “Should we pay tribute to Caesar?”

The prosecutor lived in luxury in the royal palace. High-profile prisoners were taken to the headquarters guard post, located in the palace itself. The captain of the squadron gave Lysias' report to the prosecutor Antoine-Félix, and presented his prisoner to him. In Paul's presence, Felix read Lysias' letter aloud. It was a completely Roman model of precision, objectivity and clarity declaring itself favorable to the prisoner: it was only a Jewish religious matter. As Paul came from Cilicia, an imperial province, the court of the imperial prosecutor had jurisdiction in the matter. Felix then said to Paul: “I will hear you, when your accusers also arrive. And he kept him in Herod’s praetorium.” (Acts 23, 35)

 

[JLG]

52. Captivity at Caesarea

The port of Caesarea, where Paul would be imprisoned, had a long history. In the 4th century BC, the king of Sidon built a very modest first port and a small village which took the name of Strabo's Tower. In 63, Pompey granted autonomy to the village and, seven years later, the Emperor Augustus donated it to Herod the Great who discovered a construction site there that suited him. Huge works brought out from the sea a pier at the rear of which was dug a port thirty-two meters deep, “more spacious than Piraeus”, which sheltered boats from all storms. It took twelve years to complete the work on the port and the city. Herod made it his capital with his palace made entirely of white marble which was a true marvel.

Today, the sands and the centuries have engulfed the city and a good part of the port. In 1946, archaeological excavations discovered the ramparts built by Saint Louis at the time of the Crusades (13th century) and the remains of the city of Herod, with its hippodrome and its theater. In the ruins of the theater, an inscription was discovered stating that it had been dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius by the “prefaectus Pontius Pilatus”. It is the oldest epigraphic document concerning Pontius Pilate.

When Paul entered the city, Herod's palace had become the official residence of the Roman prosecutors of Judea. Antonius Felix, a slave freed by the Emperor Claudius, had been in office since the year 52. He was depicted by Tacitus as being “cruel and debauched, exercising royal power with the soul of a slave”. Pallas, his brother, was the all-powerful favorite and prime minister of the Emperor Claudius, as well as that of Nero, at the beginning of his reign. Thanks to him, Felix had a brilliant career. The great consideration Pallas enjoyed in Rome assured him impunity.

Paul's incarceration in Caesarea lasted two long years, a monotonous period for a man who had been in continuous movement for several years! A few days after his arrival in Caesarea, the high priest Ananias appeared surrounded by a group of elders and a Roman lawyer, a beginner whose inexperience was evident at the very beginning of the argument. The high priest had difficulty suppressing a smile when he heard his lawyer use heavy and clumsy flattery. According to the lawyer, thanks to Felix, the country enjoyed deep peace; his foresight had restored order to the nation. This is why the Jews owed him great gratitude. In reality, Felix was one of the most hated prosecutors the country had ever known. The Jews showed him this, two years later, by accusing him of having massacred several of their compatriots in Caesarea and of having mismanaged public affairs, which caused his recall by Nero.

Under the influence of the Sadducees, political accusations were brought against Paul: Paul was a dangerous revolutionary, guilty of sedition, leader of an unauthorized sect, of a “religio illicita”. Finally, he would have desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem by introducing a non-Jew there. Each of these offenses was punishable by death.

Felix had enough experience to see clearly into the game of the “honorable high priest” and the members of the Sanhedrin. He turned to Paul, curious to hear what he would say. He spoke wisely and brought the situation back to the level of religious law. “You have had this nation under your jurisdiction for many years; so it is with confidence that I will plead my cause.” Paul thus implies: “You know them well!”. And then he refutes the accusation point by point, insisting that he is not unfaithful to the religion of his fathers who profess the messianic faith. His religious approach, unlike that of the Sadducees, is based on the Law and the Prophets. His teaching on the resurrection is that of Judaism, a religion protected by the State; therefore we cannot blame him for favoring an “illicit religion”. It is therefore a question of divergences within the borders of the Jewish religion, which does not interest the Romans.

This plea is the first official apology for Christianity before the power of Rome. The Christians of the first century adopted this point of view and used it for many years. For the Roman courts, the essential difference between Judaism and Christianity did not yet exist. It was only later, at the end of Nero's reign, that Jews began to accuse the founder of Christianity of having been crucified "because he opposed Caesar." Roman justice will then accept the difference between the two religions and this legal point of view will be definitively accepted by the emperor Domitian who will trigger the great persecutions. Following the meeting with the Sanhedrin, Felix gave orders to make Paul's imprisonment as bearable as possible (custodia militaris). He will be kept in the palace prison but his captivity will be without unnecessary harshness. His followers will be able to visit him and take care of him.

Paul hoped that after a while the pressure from Jerusalem would end and he would be released. However, all the information that reached Felix proved that Paul's situation still worried hard-core Jews as well as Judeo-Christians. There appears to have been an unhealthy alliance between these two very different groups. The close relationship between the high priest and James, the brother of Jesus, allows us to come to this conclusion. From time to time, Felix made slight allusions to Paul about a ransom. Behind the so-called religious interest lurked greed, so characteristic of many state servants.

The detention in Caesarea had already lasted for two years and Paul's situation would not have changed if, due to a bloody incident, events had not precipitated. Caesarea was a city where Jews and Greeks enjoyed equal rights. However, there were often clashes between the two groups. During a melee, the Greeks were beaten and Felix intervened to order the Jews to evacuate the street. When they refused, the cohort attacked, caused a massacre and burned several Jewish houses. Their cry of revolt reached as far as Rome, where they enjoyed great influence. In his Antiquities, Flavius Josephus denounces the misadministration and anti-Semitism of Felix. This time he had crossed the line. Pallas managed to save his life, but in 60, he was replaced by Porcius Festus.

 

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Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem, Caesarea and Rome.

53 - “Caesarem appello!” - “I appeal to Caesar!” The new prosecutor Porcius Festus, who arrived in Caesarea in early autumn 60, was descended from a family from Tusculum near Rome and was part of the ancient nobility. His firmness, his uprightness and his professional conscience were praised. After three days in Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem to contact the Jewish authorities and organize a court session there, in order to settle the backlog of cases. On this occasion, the new high priest Ishmael ben Phabi, appointed by Herod Agrippa II, accompanied by numerous members of the Sanhedrin, came to meet him. Within this Jewish organization, there was fierce competition between various families to obtain the highest dignity in the country. Widespread corruption was wreaking havoc. In a Talmudic text, we can read: “Woe is me because of the house of Ishmael ben Phabi, woe is me because of its violence. They are high priests, their sons are treasurers, their sons-in-law guardians of the Temple, and their servants castigate the people.”

During this first meeting, Portius Festus realized that the last two years had not calmed the Sanhedrin's hatred of Paul. As proof of the good will of the prosecutor, the handing over of the Apostle into the hands of the religious tribunal of Jerusalem was demanded: “They requested as a favor that Paul be transferred to Jerusalem; They were preparing an ambush to kill him on the way.” (Acts 25, 3) However Festus was not as inexperienced as was believed. He replied to the Sanhedrin that Paul was to remain in prison in Caesarea: “Let those of you who are qualified go down with me, and if this man is guilty in any way, let them indict him” (Acts 25:6 )

Ten days later, a new meeting took place in Caesarea. It was a disgusting sight for Festus to be confronted by a fanatical crowd who shouted threats, insulted the prisoner and demanded his death. Paul then declared: “I have committed no offense against the Law of the Jews, nor against the Temple, nor against the emperor.” (Acts 25, 8) Festus asked him: “Will you go up to Jerusalem to be judged on this in my presence?” Paul quickly avoided the trap set by the Sanhedrin: “I am before the tribunal of Caesar; this is where I must be judged. I have done no harm to the Jews, you know that very well yourself. But if I am really guilty, if I have committed some crime that deserves death, I do not refuse to die. If, on the other hand, there is nothing founded in the accusations of these people against me, no one has the right to give in to them. I appeal to Caesar.” (Acts 25, 10-11)

It was a real twist! The deliberation that followed must have been turbulent and stormy. When the council takes its place, the prosecutor decides: “You appeal to Caesar: you will go before Caesar.” Roman law knew, since the Emperor Augustus, the possibility of an appeal during the procedure, and not as with us, after the judgment. This appeal not only prevented the conviction, but also the acquittal of the convicted person. A Roman citizen always and everywhere had the right to be judged by an imperial court. “Caesarem appello!”, two magic words. This supreme court of justice inspired the highest confidence. As soon as a Roman citizen uttered these words, all courts in the world immediately lost jurisdiction. It was now a matter of having Paul taken to Rome, under military escort. The prosecutor had to give the prisoner a letter explaining his case.

Festus was helped in this by the arrival of Herod Agrippa II, king of Northern Palestine, who came a few days later, with his sister Berenice, to pay a courtesy visit to the new prosecutor. Agrippa had great influence in Rome. He had also contributed to his appointment as prosecutor. More than anyone, he was able to assist Festus with his advice in this complicated matter. By birth he was Jewish, but Roman by education and culture. On the coins, he called himself “Philocaesar-Philoromanos” that is to say friend of Caesar and friend of the Romans. For political purposes, he had studied the Jewish religion, and everywhere he was considered an expert on the subject. He was the representative of Judaism of that time. It was he who appointed the high priest and controlled the Temple treasury, two very lucrative responsibilities.

King Agrippa was accompanied everywhere by his famous sister Berenice, who had abandoned her husband, the very rich Cilician potentate Polemon. Since then, the two have reigned together as king and queen, giving rise to all kinds of rumors. In Caesarea, their sister Drusilla had been, a few months earlier, the mistress of the place and, 16 years earlier, their father had died following a terrible illness. It is the only dynasty in history whose representatives were in close relationship with Jesus: the great-grandfather was the murderer of the innocent children of Bethlehem, the great-uncle the murderer of John the Baptist ; the father the slaughterer of the apostle James and the persecutor of Peter.

Festus considered Paul a religious fanatic, hence his exclamation: “You are crazy Paul, your great knowledge is making you lose your mind.” With great politeness, Paul replied: “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but I speak a language of truth and common sense. For King Agrippa is knowledgeable in these things, to whom I speak with all confidence, convinced that nothing is foreign to him. Because it wasn’t in some unknown corner that this happened.” (Acts 26, 24-26) Agrippa then said to Festus: “We could have released this man, if he had not appealed to Caesar.” (Acts 26, 32) The prosecutor composed an account favorable to Paul, which contributed greatly to his acquittal by Nero, two years later in Rome.

 

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54. From Caesarea to Malta

After the meeting with the Sanhedrin, the procurator Festus decided to send Paul to Rome before the “closed sea season”, before navigation was prohibited.

Paul and other prisoners were placed in the custody of Centurion Julius, of the Augusta Cohort, one of the five cohorts quartered in the port of Caesarea. Julius was kind to Paul and allowed the latter to be accompanied by his three friends: Luke, Aristarchus and Timothy. Only notable prisoners sometimes obtained such permission. In the text, Luke uses the famous “we” again, meaning that he was part of the journey.

Arriving in Sidon, the centurion allowed Paul to visit the Christian community. At the port of Myra, they changed boats and the passengers boarded a large ship from the Egyptian fleet assigned to transporting wheat. The boat circumvented the island of Rhodes with difficulty, and ended up landing at Bons-Ports, in Crete. Luke tells us that the festival of Yom Kippur had passed, which means that it was the time of storms following the autumn equinox.

A council was convened to decide whether we should return to sea or whether, on the contrary, it was preferable to spend the winter where we were. Paul, “the Roman citizen,” although a prisoner, was admitted to this meeting. He strongly advised against continuing the journey: “My friends, I see that the navigation will not go without peril and without serious damage not only to the cargo and the ship, but even to our persons” (Acts 27, 10). We ran great risks by venturing out to sea during this period of storms. Despite his reluctance, the decision was made to continue the journey and leave the shelter of Beaux-Ports on the southern coast of Greece. What Paul had planned happened. A violent storm broke out and all the passengers thought they would be swallowed up by the waves.

The boat, shaken by a northeast hurricane, set adrift towards the small island of Cauda. On the third day of the storm, the entire cargo had to be thrown into the sea to make it easier to maneuver. We couldn't see anything, neither the sun, nor the stars, nor the coast, and the hope of survival was very slim. In this desperate situation, Paul reassured everyone: “I invite you to have good courage, because none of us will lose our lives, only the ship will be lost. Indeed, this night there appeared to me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, and he said to me: “Do not be afraid, Paul, you must appear before Caesar, and behold God grants you the lives of all those who sail with you. Courage then, my friends! I trust in God what will happen as he told me.” (Acts 27, 22-24)

For fourteen days and fourteen nights, the travelers were tossed across the sea that the Ancients called "Adria", between Greece and Sicily. Suddenly, after these long days of storm, towards the middle of the night, a sailor cried out: “Earth! The land is near. Through the roaring of the waters, he had heard the roar of waves crashing against reefs. Quickly, the probe was thrown and, in order to stop the ship in its mad course and prevent it from breaking on a reef, the anchors were let go.

For the sailors hired at random - men from all backgrounds: convicts escaped from prison, escaped slaves, idlers without work, rebels, discontented, adventurers - the ship and the lives of the travelers mattered little. In the darkness, Paul heard a whisper and a suspicious noise. A group of sailors were trying to lower the lifeboat, only to save themselves by abandoning the passengers to their fate. Paul rushed to the centurion, and informed him of the crew's intentions: "If these do not stay on the ship, you cannot be saved." Julius immediately ordered his soldiers to cut the boat's mooring lines. This is how we ensured the union of forces, so essential to the salvation of all.

When the day came, we were unable to recognize the land that appeared on the horizon. Having spotted a small bay, the sailors let the boat slide onto the beach. The wind pushed it onto a sandbank and the boat broke apart under the waves of the sea. The soldiers who were responsible for the prisoners in case of escape, for a moment intended to kill them so that no one could escape, but the centurion, who wanted to save Paul, opposed it and ordered those who could swim to reach land. The others just had to cling to floating wreckage. All arrived safely.

They were stranded on the island of Malta. The people of the island welcomed the castaways and lit a large fire to dry and warm these men, exhausted by fourteen days of fighting against the raging sea. Paul had gathered an armful of dead wood and was throwing it into the fire when the heat brought out a viper which clung to his hand. At the sight of the reptile, the inhabitants of the island, who were not unaware of Paul's status as a prisoner, said to each other: "For sure, this man is an assassin: he has just escaped to the sea, and divine vengeance does not allow him to live.” (Acts 28, 4). But the Apostle, shaking his hand, threw the viper into the fire, without paying attention to the bite it had received. The Maltese expected to see him drop dead, but after a long wait, they noticed that nothing unusual happened to him.

Near the site of the shipwreck, some land belonged to the island's governor, Publius. Paul and his companions were received at his home for three days and treated as distinguished guests. Publius' father was ill. Paul laid his hands on him and healed him. Following this healing, many sick people came to ask the Apostle to heal them in turn, which he did willingly.

Before running aground on Malta, the boat had traveled nearly eight hundred and fifty kilometers since leaving Crete. Once on the island, we had to wait more than three months, that is to say until spring, before leaving.

The pious Maltese still believe today that it was thanks to the prayer of Saint Paul that venomous snakes disappeared from their island. Even today, on February 10, they fervently celebrate the “Shipwreck Festival”.

 

[JLG]

55. From Malta to Rome

After spending the winter in Malta, the crew and passengers who had been stranded on the island three months earlier embarked on the ship "the Castor and Pollux", bound for Pozzuoli, in the Gulf of Naples. They stop for three days in Syracuse. From there, after a stopover at Rhegium (Reggio di Calabria), at the extreme tip of the boot of Italy, they reached Pozzuoli. As the ship approaches the port, passengers can admire the smoking Vesuvius for a long time. Two years later, in 63, a large part of the town of Pozzoles was destroyed by the volcano. Some reconstructions were carried out, but during the great eruption of August 24, 79, a thick layer of burning lava covered the neighboring cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Life came to an abrupt end and these cities remained frozen under volcanic ash for centuries.

Pozzuoli was a very busy port: wheat merchants, slaves at work, construction sites of all kinds, warehouses and sheds full of goods, exotic animals - lions, panthers, tigers, etc. – intended for the next games in Pozzuoli and Rome. Some of Paul's companions in captivity will be condemned to these bloody games in the arena, intended to amuse the Romans.

The passengers of the Castor et Pollux will stay in Pozzuoli for a week. Julius allowed Paul to stay with the Christians in the city where he could recover from a long and grueling journey. This time of rest made it possible to warn the Church of Rome of the arrival of the Apostle.

From Pozzuoli, travelers to Caesarea continue on foot, through a region that is often marshy and full of mosquitoes. To reach Rome via Capua, you had to travel more than two hundred and fifty kilometers. We first took the Via Campana to Capua and then took the Via Appia, the oldest Roman road, opened in 312 BC.

From the 4th century, for strategic reasons, the Romans provided the Empire with an important road network. They built roads throughout the Roman world. In Paul's time, more than 350 roads covered a distance of 80,000 km. At each “mile” (1472 meters), a “milliaire” was erected, a stone marker approximately one meter high, indicating the distances between two towns. There was no public transport then and everyone, depending on their social condition, chose their mode of transport. Most travelers traveled on foot, grouping together to face the dangers of the journey, in particular attacks by wild beasts and the traps of troops of brigands who ruled the roost in isolated regions. People who could afford it traveled by car or on horseback.

It was on the Appian Way, sixty kilometers from Rome, that Paul had the pleasant surprise of meeting the first delegation of the Roman community. Aquila and Priscilla were perhaps among these Christians who came to meet the group of prisoners. Since Mark mentions, in his gospel, the two sons of Simon of Cyrene, Alexander and Rufus, as being well-known figures in Rome, and Paul addresses them with a special greeting in his letter to the Romans, we are allowed to believe that They were among the envoys. The members of this delegation will accompany Paul and his companions during the last days of the trip.

On the heights of Velitrae (Velletri), place of origin of the imperial house of Caesar Augustus, travelers set foot on the soil of the Albanian Mountains. According to the Apocryphal Acts, the last night was spent in Aricia. They then reached Latium, a name that cannot be pronounced without deep emotion. From this arid land emerged the Latin genius of Rome which, by combining itself with the culture of Greece and that of Christianity, was to create the civilization of the West. Paul was the bearer of Christian thought and the architect of the alliance of three cultures which were to unite to give birth to our own culture.

The group walked along the lakes of Nemi and Albano, surrounded by elegant villas. Not far from there, one could see the residence of Seneca, this noble statesman who, a few years later, was to cut his veins on the orders of Nero. The Roman Campagna, with its melancholy character, stretched out before their eyes. It was a place of fighting, a cemetery of peoples, a land of struggle and combat. Along the Appian Way, everyone could admire the recently completed Claudius Aqueduct and the magnificent tombs that lined the Roman road.

Arriving at the “Three Taverns”, a second group, of a more official character, undoubtedly composed of leaders of the Church of Rome, awaited the Apostle of the Nations:

“The brothers of Rome, informed of our arrival, came to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns.” (Acts 28, 15)

Julius and the whole caravan were witnesses to these solemn greetings. Their respect for the illustrious prisoner grew day by day.

It was through the Capena Gate that they entered the city of Rome. We are very close to the Circus Maximus and the imperial palaces. So Paul's long journeys had led him to the center of the world. Chained and among other prisoners, he entered the city of Rome.