New generations recycle old names. Felix was a cat – a cartoon cat when I was a kid. Festus was a deputy on Gunsmoke. They bore no relationship to each other except that I saw both of them on T. V. But in Paul’s day, Festus succeeded Felix as the Roman Governor in the of Roman province of Judea.
Both men had their opportunities to hear Paul’s message. Felix and his wife Drusilla listened to Paul, in hopes of a bribe. As Paul proclaimed Christ, Felix dismissed him until a more convenient time. Did he have any idea that those meetings with Paul were his greatest opportunity to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ? Two years came and went. What became of Felix’s soul? We do not know.
Enter Festus. Desiring to appease the Jews, he was inclined to take Paul back to Jerusalem for a trial. He did not know that the Jews were planning to ambush Paul and kill him along the way. Later he would bring in Herod Agrippa and Bernice to meet Paul as well. Meanwhile Paul appealed to Caesar. Eventually, he would stand before the judgment seat of Caesar.
Paul cared nothing about the judgment of Felix, Festus, and Agrippa because he knew he answered to a higher judge. They would all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. In the ancient world everyone knew Emperor Nero, but almost no one knew the Apostle Paul. Today, however, people name their sons Paul and their dogs Nero.
We will answer to the greatest Judge of all someday. What God thinks about our lives really matters. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Remember that name. Revere that name. Two thousand years after Felix, Festus, Herod, and the various Caesars, the name of Jesus has been exalted above every other name. What we do with Jesus determines our eternal destiny.
