The following developments

“At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and talk with him.” (1) Felix frequently summoned Paul to speak with him. However, his intention was not to believe Paul’s message but to receive a bribe from him. According to Roman law, it was illegal for a governor to accept bribes from prisoners. However, it was very common. (2) The following were what Felix thought: (a) Paul had brought donations from Gentile believers to Jerusalem. (b) This meant that he had the ability to gather funds. (c) If Paul made a request, his friends would surely collect money for him, which could serve as the source of the bribe. “But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul imprisoned.” (1) The phrase “after two years” indicates that Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea lasted for two years. (2) After two years had passed, the Roman government dismissed Felix as governor of Judea. When a conflict broke out in Caesarea between the Jews and the Gentiles (mainly Greeks), Felix responded by massacring many Jews. As a result, the Jewish leaders in Caesarea went to Rome to appeal directly to Caesar. Following their petition, Porcius Festus was appointed as Felix’s successor. (3) Even as he was about to leave Caesarea, Felix did not release Paul. He wanted to gain favor with the Jews. He needed their support to protect his own position.

The significance of the two years

Let us consider the significance of Paul’s two years of imprisonment. (1) We must distinguish between “chronos” and “kairos.” (a) “Chronos” refers to time subjective to human. (b) “Kairos” refers to God’s appointed time. (2) What was “kairos” for Paul? These two years served as a period of preparation for his eventual mission in Rome. (3) What was “kairos” for Luke? (a) Luke stayed close to Paul, listening to his testimony and gathering information about the early church. (b) He also likely heard various testimonies from believers who came to visit Paul. (c) During this time, Luke collected materials for writing the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. (d) It is highly possible that the Gospel of Luke and the first part of Acts were written during this period (Luke 1:1-3). The two years in Caesarea held great significance for Luke as well. Let us also learn to understand “time” from God’s perspective.