nausea is usually considered among sartre's greatest works of fiction.
plot summary...
concerns a man's growing since of nausea as he realizes that life and humanity are without reason.
some argue that the ending asserts that mankind must choose his own meaning. i'm not sure how strongly
i would argue that, and i would argue that if so it's not a wildly convincing case.
ultimately, the book is about the useleness of asking why questions (or anything relating to meaning) in a
universe without god. our section won't say that.
but circumstances do often drive us to questions of meaning, and sometimes there aren't answers that can be found.
many of my favorite sections of the bible deal with similar themes of 'why' as well.
job - a godly man suffering...why god?
psalm 73 - the anguish of a godly man seeing the triumph of the wicked. why god?
habakkuk - the anguish of a godly man seeing the triumph of the wicked. why god?
the narrative of scripture also poses the question many times.
why does god allow his church to suffer?
why does he allow the apostles, his representatives, to be killed?
this chapter, and really the rest of the book, deals with circumstances that would call this question to mind (in paul's life).
acts 24:1 - 24:9: accusations fly
1. After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named
Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul.
2. After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, "Since we have
through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation,
3. we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
4. "But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.
5. "For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews
throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
6. "And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law.
7. "But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands,
8. ordering his accusers to come before you.] By examining him yourself concerning all these matters
you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him."
9. The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.
paul has been moved from jerusalem to ceasarea after a plot to kill him was uncovered.
he's now before felix, the local roman ruler.
felix (wikipedia, 2008.7.12):
Felix’s cruelty and licentiousness, coupled with his accessibility to bribes, led to a great increase of crime in Judaea.
To put down the Zealots he favored an even more violent sect, the Sicarii ("Dagger-men"), by whose aid he contrived the
murder of the high-priest Jonathan. The period of his rule was marked by internal feuds and disturbances, which he put
down with severity.
Paul the Apostle, after being apprehended in Jerusalem, was sent to be judged before Felix at Caesarea, and kept in custody
for two years (Acts xxiv.). On returning to Rome, Felix was accused of having taken advantage of a dispute between the
Jews and Syrians of Caesarea to slay and plunder the inhabitants, but through the intercession of his brother, the
freedman Pallas who had great influence with the Emperor Nero, he escaped unpunished.
so far the events of his arrest (after his return to jerusalem) have only taken a few days.
five days after his move to ceasarea, the jews follow to press their charges.
they bring their version of columbo to press charges against paul.
basically, they assert that paul
- causes trouble everywhere he goes (this would mean something to the romans - they wanted peace and order)
- he tried to descrate the temple
special note on this one...
many gentiles would have considered temple descration an evil as well,
but presents the idea that they should be allowed to judge him according to their rules (as the romans allowed).
worth noting that luke has gone to great lengths to show in acts that the jews are the ones who riot (not the christians)
and that paul did not descrate the temple or do anything against jewish law.
10. When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded: "Knowing that for many years you have been a
judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,
11. since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
12. "Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a
discussion with anyone or causing a riot.
13. "Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me.
14. "But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our
fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
15. having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection
of both the righteous and the wicked.
16. "In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.
17. "Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings;
18. in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar.
But there were some Jews from Asia--
19. who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me.
20. "Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council,
21. other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, `For the resurrection of
the dead I am on trial before you today.' "
paul serves as his own defense:
paul says that he didn't desecrate the temple, and didn't cause a riot eiher.
further, he points out that there charges are baseless and without evidence.
a few nuances:
v19, paul points out that the 'jews from asia' with the accusations are nowhere to be found...
apparently this was important to the roman govt (they didn't like accusations that weren't carried
through legally).
also...he specifically paints the conflict as between sects of judaism, both in his earlier refutation
of the charges of desecration, and
that said, he does take the opportunity to assert his christianity - note that he links christianity
to the truth of judaism strongly (v14, "believing everything that is in accordance with the law and
that is written in the prophets").
22. But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the commander
comes down, I will decide your case."
23. Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to
prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.
24. But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard
him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
25. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened
and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."
26. At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send
for him quite often and converse with him.
27. But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor,
Felix left Paul imprisoned.
story:
1. felix defers.
felix opts to put off the any decision; he leaves paul in jail, but gives him 'some freedom.'
2. felix listens to paul with drusilla his wife
felix/drusilla hear paul about christ jesus.
felix becomes frightened wen paul speaks of "righteousness, self-control, and the judgement to come",
and sends him away (doesn't want to hear it).
3. felix leaves paul in jail, hoping for a bribe. for two years. then he leaves paul in jail.
paul leaves him in jail for 2 years. then leaves office and leaves paul there.
paul stays biblical
1. paul stays on topic/message despite false accusations and injustice.
paul communicates the gospel directly and clearly in both the trial and the two year period.
note that he doesn't "lose it" in either case, erupting with hate or being distracted by injustice.
2. we need to represent christ in all situations. regardless.
why is paul in jail? he's so effective, it doesn't make sense.
- paul is uniquely effective
- paul has a logical plan that meets the "known will of god"
our defective view: the will of god is in what we call good
culture - god is in the positive answered prayer.
verse we've all learned:
jer 29:11 `For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, `plans for welfare and not for
calamity to give you a future and a hope.
what about v10?
10. "For thus says the LORD, `When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you
and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.
in context, god is saying that after all these folks are dead that he'll bring them back and show his
good will. in other words, they will live and die in exile.
how do i know god exists? x,y, and z all worked out for me.
what do we consider answered prayer? getting what we want.
the reality: gods will doesn't often turn out the way we want.
why does god move so slowly in biblical history? (progress of redemption: abraham....isaac...jacob...)
why does god smite job? (end of job)
why does god harden pharoahs heart? (rom 9)
why does god allow paul to be jailed?
why do innocent kids die? why do we get sick? why do miserable things happen?
what should we do when crap occurs?
1. go ahead and ask why, but don't demand it. and don't focus on it.
can you ask? sure. habakkuk did and got an answer.
but don't demand an answer; god doesn't owe you one. see job...
2. remember that god is both loving and powerful.
trusting god is important; it's an act of obedience. see matt 6 (sermon on the mount)
worry can be a defamation of the character of god; god does love us, and is powerful.
he can take care of us and does lvoe us.
that doesn't mean that we're the authority on how god should act or do things.
- put aside worry!
3. focus on your job
in this passage, paul communicates the gospel consistently. he's not focused on 'why' or 'being fair'.
we need to be focused on christlikeness and ministry where we find it; that is our job.
- hold your tasks in front of you.
- remember who god is
- express the gospel