Meaning of APPEAL

When Paul was taken prisoner he resorted to his right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar. The appeal, an ancient prerogative still in force in Roman Law, is that clause by which the prisoner can request that his case be dealt with by an authority higher than that of the one who has prosecuted him.

Upon being condemned by a local and provincial court, Paul, invoking his privileges (Acts 25: 11,12, 21, 25; 26:32; 28:19), was able to escape his persecutors and be treated more benignly. , as a Roman citizen.

In the Greek of the New Testament, especially in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Pauline letters, the same word “epicaleo” is used to invoke the name of the Lord and be saved (Acts 7:59; 9:14, 21; Rom. 10:12-14; 1 Cor. 1:2); and in the 2 Cor. 1:23 passage, Paul calls (appeals) to God as a witness.

In the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy the apostle recommends that his disciple appeal to the Lord with the same Greek verb, and tells him that the Lord is there to help and defend in all difficult moments: "Flee also from youthful passions, and follow justice, faith, love and peace, with those who “call on” the Lord with a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22).

The name of Christ is our best defense if we appeal to Him. "Do they not blaspheme the good name that was invoked upon you?" (James 2:7). This name, which was invoked over all the people of Israel, also serves as a defense for all those who fulfill the law according to the Scriptures of Christ. The apostle Peter tells us that we have an intercessor before the Father if we appeal to Him (1 Pet. 1:17).