Acts - episode 6

I have finished the race

In this post we cover the last of Apostle Paul’s journeys, that concludes the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 21,17-28,31). When he arrives in Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey, Paul speaks to the elders of the community reporting «one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry». They rejoice for those events and they suggest to Paul to participate in a purification ceremony in the Temple; this way he would demonstrate to the Jews who criticized him that he still keeps the Law and he does not preach against Moses or the ancient traditions. Regrettably, this fact produces a totally opposite effect: there is a riot and Paul is arrested. His deposition before the Sanhedrin, the Hebrew notables’ assembly, does not resolve the question, but it causes a quarrel between Pharisees and Sadducees. Those were two religious and political Hebrew groups: the Sadducees belonged to the priestly class of the forefather Zadok, that became dominant since King Solomon’s time; the Pharisees, instead, stand out for their scrupulous compliance with the Law, even in the oral tradition norms. «For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees [even Paul belonged to them before his conversion: see Phil 3,5] confess all of these. A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. What if a spirit spoke to him, or an angel?” When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, “Cheer up, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”». The officer sends Paul to Governor Felix in Caesarea, to avoid a Jew plot to kill him; Felix «ordered the centurion that he [Paul] should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him». «Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him. But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds». 
Festus resumes the trial; Paul, remembering all the Jews’ false accusations and their frequent attempts to kill him, uses one of the privileges of his Roman citizenship: he appeals to the emperor’s judgement, passing over the local tribunals he does not trust in. Therefore, the apostle will have to reach Rome. «When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. The next day, we landed at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board. When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea». From Crete the ships sails against Paul’s advice; in fact, a violent storm explodes soon and they are driven along for fourteen days. Finally, the passengers are shipwrecked near the isle of Malta, where Paul makes several miracles (see Acts 28,1-10). After some time, they got a ride by another ship so that they can reach Italy (Syracuse, Rhegium, Puteoli) and then Rome, where «Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him». «Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him, proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance».



The Acts of the Apostles end here; Paul died around the 60s of the I century AD, under the reign of Emperor Nero: some scholars think that before his definitive trial he was freed and he could undertake other missionary journeys (maybe in Spain? See Rom 15,24.28). We quote the words by Paul himself to conclude his story. He uses the metaphor of the ship that starts a new trip in the sea and of the «libation», a sacrifice to God used in the Jerusalem Temple consisting in completely burning in the fire liquids like oil or wine: it is indeed close the time of departure for the last journey, towards the Lord whom he loved so much and served with the total offering of his life. «For I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. [...] Only Luke is with me. [...] At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen» (2Tim 4,6-8.11.16-18). The Tradition puts Paul’s martyrdom in Rome, Three Fountains locality (after his decapitation water would sprung out in the points where his head touched the ground); the place of his burial would be a field not far from there, where today we find the basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls.
In the next post we will start to read Paul’s letters to the communities he visited, beginning from the one to the Romans.