We all know that politicians can disappoint us. And it was no different in the days of the apostle Paul. Though he knew God was sovereign, it must have been frustrating to see his legal case become entangled with the politics of first-century Palestine, where justice seemed elusive and political expediency was the order of the day. It’s always a temptation for those in power to do what is convenient rather than what is morally right. And in Acts 25, we are introduced to Governor Festus, a political strategist if there ever was one! Paul had been imprisoned two years under Governor Felix, who hoped that Paul had some wealthy friends who would offer him a bribe to release the prisoner. But Felix was eventually given a new assignment by Rome, and he is replaced by Festus. As for Paul, he is left in prison, as a favor to the Jews (23:27). Talk about injustice! Anyway, Felix fades into the background, having missed his chance to know Jesus. And now there’s a new sheriff in town. Paul must now deal with Governor Festus. And what is he like? He leads with compromise rather than conviction. Unlike the procrastinating Felix, Festus is an ambitious, take-charge kind of guy, who wastes no time tackling the hard situation that came with his new job. On a visit to Jerusalem he hears all about Paul and is asked to send the prisoner there to stand trial. Actually, the Jews were intending to kill him enroute. Perhaps Festus could sense this, for he refuses their request and says they should come to Caesarea if they want to press charges. But for him to succeed as governor, he’ll need the support of these Jewish leaders. So when the case does get re-opened in Caesarea, Festus tries to do the Jews another favor by suggesting to Paul that he should ask for his trial to be held in Jerusalem! Well, Paul is nobody’s fool. At this point, he can see that his only chance for justice is to exercise his right as a Roman citizen and appeal from local jurisdiction to the court of Caesar in Rome. Unsurprisingly, this solution suits Festus just fine. He is relieved to get the sticky matter out of his hands and preserve his political career (v 1-12). Still, Festus has one problem. In sending Paul to Rome, he’ll need to provide formal documentation stating the charges and showing he has adequately processed the case. But Festus doesn’t even understand the charges! So he’s happy when Agrippa, the local Jewish king, arrives for a visit. Here’s a golden opportunity to get some timely and informed advice. Politically, it was a savvy move: let Agrippa frame the issues, and let Caesar make the decision. But like Felix, his refusal to accept personal responsibility meant he was also wasting his unique opportunity to hear and believe the good news of Jesus (v 13-27). For further meditation: