Les Feldick Bible Study

What is an example of how extradition works today?

An example given is when someone from America commits a horrible crime and flees to Canada; the law allows the American government to prevail on the Canadian government to extradite them back home to America. This illustrates how extradition can function between nations today.

Les explains that Judaism had clout even with the Romans, and the High Priest and rulers of Israel had enough influence with the Roman government that in certain Middle Eastern cities of the Roman Empire they could demand extradition like we do today. He illustrates this with a modern parallel: if someone from America commits a horrible crime and flees to Canada, the law allows America to prevail on the Canadian government to extradite them back home. In the same way, the Judaizers and the High Priest had that kind of control over the Roman government in certain cities, so they could ask for extradition. Saul and the religious leaders used this to go to Damascus and bring back renegade Jews who had followed Jesus of Nazareth to deal with them; Paul later rehearses that they threw them into prison and put them to death.