A prisoner with no crime worthy of death

[Acts 28:16-22]

In 1990, you may recall that O.J. Simpson, a professional football player and movie actor who was also a national hero, was charged with the murder of his ex-wife and her lover.  At that time, the decisive evidence against him was DNA collected at the crime scene, which matched Simpson's.  The probability of the DNA matching was said to be 1 in 10,000, making the conclusion of Simpson being the murderer 99.99%.  On the other hand, his defense argued that among the 3 million people in the vicinity of Los Angeles, 300 could share the same DNA, leading to a 99.7% chance of a false conclusion that Simpson was the killer.  Ultimately, Simpson was acquitted of the charges and set free.  However, 13 years later, in a separate incident, he was convicted on 12 counts, including armed robbery and kidnapping, and sentenced to life in prison by a jury.  In September of the previous year, Simpson and five armed associates unlawfully entered a hotel room in Las Vegas, threatened two sports memorabilia dealers, and stole thousands of dollars worth of memorabilia.  The media speculated that Simpson faced the possibility of a minimum 15-year sentence, indicating that he was destined to spend the rest of his life in prison.  Considering the emotions of Nicole Brown's parents, the ex-wife who was killed, it may seem that justice was served.  However, doubts arise about how well justice is truly being served in this sinful world.  The legal system seems to be molding falsehoods into truths.  Consequently, there is a strong call in the United States for scientific investigations to be conducted again for prisoners serving time for heinous crimes such as rape, murder, and arson.  The Innocence Project, a public interest legal civil rights organization, was established in 1992, centered at the Yeshiva University Law School in New York City, to prove the innocence of those who have been wrongly incarcerated.  According to the organization, it is estimated that over 100,000 American citizens have been unjustly deprived of their freedom due to deep-rooted racial discrimination, prosecution based on eyewitness accounts, unverified confessions, false convictions, and inadequate forensic methods.  Following the release of 210 individuals, including 15 on death row, it has been revealed that these individuals unjustly spent an average of 12 years, totaling 2,569 years, behind bars (Internet).

In the passage from Acts 28:16-22 that we read today, we encounter the figure of Paul, who is unjustly accused and chained, describing himself as a prisoner with no crime worthy of death.  As we have already meditated, Paul received hospitality, comfort, and strength from the brethren (believers) at Appii Forum and Three Inns (28:14-15).  Afterward, Paul finally arrives at his destination, Rome (v. 16).  In today's passage, three days after arriving in Rome, Paul invites Jewish leaders to present his case and speaks to them.  In this speech, Paul defends his innocence in response to the accusations brought against him by the Jews.  Particularly, in verses 17-18, Paul says, "I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans" (v. 17), and "I had no accusation against me deserving of death" (v. 18).  In verse 17, observe Paul defending his innocence: "I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors.  Yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans."  These words indicate that Paul is asserting that he did not oppose the traditions of the Jewish people or their ancestors.  However, those Jews who opposed Paul misunderstood and falsely believed that he had forsaken the law of Moses and instructed Jews living among the Gentiles not to circumcise their children or observe Jewish customs (21:21).  Therefore, the Jews opposing Paul thought that he had rejected the law of Moses, the ancestor of the Israelite people, and had taught the same to all Jews living among the Gentiles.  Consequently, the Jews who opposed Paul saw him in the Jerusalem temple, seized him, stirred up crowds, and cried out, "...Help!  Fellow Israelites, this is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place (the temple).  And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place..." (v. 28).  By spreading malicious rumors (v. 31), those opposing Paul incited people, ultimately causing a disturbance in the entire city of Jerusalem (v. 30).  What was their purpose?  Their purpose was to eliminate Paul (v. 36).  In the end, due to the opposition from the Jews, Paul was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans for interrogation (28:18).  Paul, who was innocent, underwent questioning and received lashes from Roman soldiers according to the orders of the Roman military tribune (22:24).  At that time, the tribune Claudius Lysias (23:26) wrote a letter to Governor Felix presenting the results of Paul's interrogation, stating that the accusations brought against him by the Jews were related only to their religious law, and no crime worthy of death or imprisonment was found (v. 29).  Later, Governor Festus, in the presence of King Agrippa and Bernice, commented on the accusations against Paul by the opposing Jews, saying, "Concerning the questions of their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive, I was perplexed on how to investigate such matters" (25:19).  He further declared that, upon examining Paul, he found no crime deserving death (v. 25).  King Agrippa, Governor Festus, Bernice, and those present concluded, "This man (Paul) is doing nothing that deserves death or imprisonment" (26:31).  In other words, both King Agrippa (and those with him, including his sister Bernice) and Governor Festus, as well as Tribune Claudius Lysias, affirmed that Paul was innocent. Therefore, these Romans intended to release Paul, but due to the opposition of the Jews, Paul had no choice but to appeal to Caesar, the Roman emperor (28:19).  So, as we see in today's passage, Acts 28:16-22, guided and protected by God, Paul safely arrived in Rome.  In Rome, he addressed the prominent Jews, presenting his case and asserting his innocence.  However, despite Paul's innocence, why did the Jews deliver him as a prisoner into the hands of the Romans?  Paul explains the reason in Acts 28:20: "...I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel."  Here, the "hope of Israel" that Paul is referring to is the Messiah, as the national hope of the Jews, which he had already presented during his defense in Jewish courts and before Governor Felix (23:6, 24:15, 26:6-7).  In other words, the reason Paul was handed over as a prisoner to the Romans despite his innocence was that he testified to the fulfillment of Israel's hope—the Messiah is Jesus Christ.  Therefore, Paul is saying that he is bound with this chain because he is proclaiming the fulfilled hope of Israel, namely, the coming of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ.  Additionally, Paul preaches the gospel that Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross and shedding His blood to atone for our sins, and rising from the dead after three days, grants eternal life (heaven) to those who believe in His death and resurrection. This is why Paul finds himself in chains (Park).

Is proclaiming the excellent news of Jesus Christ's gospel, like Paul did, truly a crime worthy of death?  Is sharing the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ a crime deserving death?  Why would proclaiming the greatest news, the gospel that Jesus Christ died and rose again to save you and me, leading to eternal life (heaven), be considered a crime worthy of death?  When thinking about Paul, the innocent prisoner mentioned in today's passage, I couldn't help but think of Jesus.  Jesus, the truly innocent one, was crucified by the chief priests, officials, and Jews, despite Pilate finding no fault in Him (Lk. 23:14).  In Luke 23:15, Pilate explicitly states, "Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death."  Pilate even attempted to release Jesus, as seen in verses 16 and 20.  However, the Jewish crowd insisted on releasing Barabbas, a man imprisoned for rebellion and murder, instead of Jesus (v. 19).  When Pilate tried to release Jesus again, the crowd shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" (v. 21).  Why did Jesus, the innocent Son of God, end up being nailed to the accursed tree of the cross according to the Jewish perspective?  The reason is for our salvation (eternal life).  In Luke 23:21, when given the choice between releasing Jesus or Barabbas, the crowd chose Barabbas, the one imprisoned for rebellion and murder.  Even when Pilate wanted to release Jesus, they insisted on having Him crucified.  Jesus, the sinless Son of God, cried out, "Crucify him!  Crucify him!"  Why did Jesus, the sinless Son of God, willingly choose to be crucified on the cursed tree of the cross?  The reason is for our salvation (eternal life).  God, out of His love for us, provided the grace of salvation by having Jesus, His Son, crucified on the cross.  Jesus, who had no crime deserving death, chose to die on the cross on our behalf.  Therefore, those who believe in Jesus Christ receive forgiveness of sins and obtain eternal life.

Will you not welcome Jesus Christ as your Savior?  The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).  We must address our sin problem.  We are sinners who would otherwise face eternal death.  Yet, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, took upon Himself all our sins, died on the cross, and rose from the tomb after three days, offering the gift of eternal life.  Jesus, without any guilt, died on the cross as if He were a sinner.  Whom did He die for?  He did so for sinners like you and me, who have the guilt of sin deserving eternal death.  What will you do?  Will you not welcome Jesus as your Savior?  Let us hold on to this Bible verse: Acts 16:31 - "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." I fervently pray for God's grace of salvation to be present among us today, in our homes, and in our lives.

I, who deserved eternal death as a sinner,

James Kim

(While contemplating Jesus Christ, who was crucified without any guilt)