I. INTRODUCTION
A. Luke's history of Paul ends in Acts 28:30,31, leaving Paul in the custody of the Romans for two years.
B. To determine what happened to Paul after the two year imprisonment, we must rely on his later epistles (especially 2 Timothy) and secular history. In our text, Paul refers to his first trial as his "first defense" or "first apology." Tradition holds that after this first trial: Paul was released, traveled to Spain, was arrested again, brought back to Rome, tried again, and finally put to death.
C. This lesson will concern itself with the following major points: the trial, the acquittal, the fact that Paul was deserted by those that should have stood beside him, and Paul's prayer for those who deserted him.
II. DISCUSSION
A. The trial From Acts 28 we can see that there is at least a two year delay in bringing Paul to trial. We have no way of knowing what caused this delay, but based on Paul's previous experience with the courts, we should not be surprised. Cases such as Paul's were generally heard by the emperor himself. The emperor at this time was Nero, who was as little qualified to be a righteous judge as any man who ever lived. While we have no record of this trial, we can perhaps reconstruct it by using the previous trials before Felix and Festus.
1. The accusations treason against the Roman government, heresy against the Law of Moses, and attempting to defile or profane the Temple in Jerusalem.
2. As Paul had stated before Festus, these charges had not been proven, nor could they be proven.
a. Paul had already affirmed before Felix and Festus that no crime had been committed by him, (Acts 24:13; 25:7). Since no evidence had been brought forth to the contrary, Paul should have been acquitted based on this point alone.
b. Paul, in his own defense, could have referred to the judgment of the Roman authorities that had already looked into his case. Lysaias, Felix, Festus, and Agrippa had not seen anything in the "evidence" presented by the Jews to find Paul guilty of any crime, (Acts 23:27-29; 25:18,19,24,25; 26:31). While secular history tells us that Nero did condemn Paul to death at his second trial, it must have been for charges other than these.
c. Paul could have related his problems in terms of his dispute with the Jews. He could have referred to cases such as Jesus before Pilate and himself before Gallio, (Jn. 18:31; 19:6; Acts 18:14,15). In these cases, the Roman government had chosen to "wash their hands" of the matter.
B. Paul's acquittal 2 Tim. 4:17 implies that he was released after this first trial. Whether the "lion" referred to here is Nero or the literal lions of the arena, is not clear. The scriptures often refer to tyrants as ravenous beasts, (Ps. 22:13,21; Jer. 2:30). Paul gives the Lord credit for his release, (2 Tim. 4:17). The so-called early church Fathers confirm Paul's first acquittal (see the works of: Eusebius, Chrysostom, and Jerome).
C. "No man stood with me, but all men forsook me," (2 Tim. 4:16) We know that Paul had tried and true friends in Rome, (Rom. 16:4-10). He might have expected support from these friends as well as others that he could have made during the two year interim.
1. Paul was not the first person to find himself in this situation, Compare: Job 19:13-19; The Psalmist, Ps. 35:11-16; 38:11; Jesus Christ, Mt. 26:56.
2. There are friendships that will endure the ordinary trials of life, but will not withstand the severe trials. The severe trials are the ones that separate casual friends, co-workers, school chums, and neighbors from true blue compatriots.
3. There are false friendships founded on wealth, station, beauty, manners, and hope of gain.
4. True friendships do exist e.g.: David and Jonathan, (2 Sam. 1:26).
5. Even friendships based on true love and motives may shrink back at times. So it was with the disciples of the Lord and most likely with the friends of Paul.
6. Amid the severe trials that have come upon Christians in the last 2000 years it is remarkable that so few apostates have been reported.
D. The Prayer of the Apostle for those who had forsaken him "I pray God that it may not be laid at their charge." Compare the language here to that of the Lord and Stephen, (Lk. 23:34; Acts 7:60). It seems that it is natural for the human heart to take the opposite viewpoint, that is, not to forgive but to begrudge. While civil laws can to a degree prevent revenge, it is the Gospel that works on man's hearts to prevent anger, restrain passions, to bear and forbear, and to forgive even to the "seventy times seven" time. The world is unwilling to acknowledge all it owes to Christianity concerning the ways that man interacts with man.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. List the three probable charges brought against Paul.
2. What do you consider to be the tests of true friendship?
3. Is Paul's attitude concerning the friends that forsook him in line with his own teaching? Hint: see Rom. 12:17,19,21. What about with the Lord's teaching? See Mt. 6:12-15.