Bible Study

PAUL THE WITNESS

Acts 24:1-9

Law was the most characteristic and lasting expression of the Roman. The first person in Roman law was the citizen. In other words, it was the responsibility of the court to protect the citizen from the State; but too often various lands of corruption infected the system and made justice difficult for the common man. Paul would soon discover how corrupt a Roman governor could be.

The secret of Roman government was the principle of indirect rule. This meant that the real burden of administration was left pretty much on the shoulders of the local authorities. Imperial Rome got involved only if there was danger from without or if the local governing units were at odds with one another.

In this chapter we see the Roman legal system at work and three men each making his

contribution.