Acts Chapter 25 Expository Thoughts and Considerations

Verse Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. Festus wastes no time in getting acquainted with the leaders of the Jews. By “chief priests” is possibly meant the leaders of the 24 rotations of priests for the temple service. The high priest by this time is possibly Ismael, son of Fabi – Ananias having been removed from office in 59 A.D.

We can see the Jews have not forgotten their grudge against Paul. Indeed it seems as though they are heartened by Festus’ decision to leave Paul in custody. They are no doubt urging him to see the situation from their perspective and requesting that Paul be handed back over to them to be dispensed with according to their laws.

Verse 3 -- They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Their real ambition is again to ambush Paul and kill him outright as he is brought back to Jerusalem. They seem to hope that Festus will think Paul rightly belongs before the Sanhedrin and will return him to Jerusalem.

Verse Festus answered, "Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has done anything wrong." We see, again, God’s providential hand. Festus is too wise to turn Paul over to the Jews. Instead, he invites them to return to Caesarea again to hear the case and make formal charges against Paul.

Verse A fter spending eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove. A little over a week later, Paul is again on trial, this time before Festus. As usual, the Jewish delegation cannot (even after two years) present a suitable prosecution.

Verse 8 – Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." Paul continues to insist upon his innocence. He states that he has done nothing wrong against any of the groups present: Not against the Law of the Jews Not against the temple (and therefore God) Not against the Romans (Caesar).

Verse 9 -- Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?" We have seen that history looks favorably upon the short administration of Festus. But – he knows he must keep the peace with the Jews for his administration to flourish. He is not aware of their plot, and is willing to accompany Paul to Jerusalem for as much of a proper trial as possible to take place.

Verse 10 – Paul answered: "I am now standing before Caesar's court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. Paul immediately protests against this obvious breech of protocol. He is already before the Roman court – to agree to go back to Jerusalem would be to remove himself from the protection afforded by the laws of Rome. If Festus will concede to this request, what was to say he would make further concessions to the Jews?

Verse If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!“ Paul is not attempting to avoid justice being accomplished. He does not mince words, but makes it clear he thinks Festus is in league with the Jews. He either will not or cannot fairly judge the matter. Paul exercises his right to appeal to Caesar.

The right of an accused to appeal to Caesar had been a basic Roman right since around 300 B.C. The Caesar at the time Paul made this appeal was Nero. Knowing Nero’s track record concerning Christians leads us to wonder at this request made by Paul. However, the earliest years of Nero’s reign were not marked by the violence of 64 A.D. and after. During this time he was guided by wise administrators including Seneca, the stoic philosopher and Afrianus Burrus a prefect of the Praetorian guard.

Verse After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared: "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!" Some see bitterness in Festus’ reply. I see relief: Now the matter is out of his hands. The Jews cannot be angry with him – he must obey Roman law. Festus knows the state of affairs in Rome, having just come from there.

Verse 13 – A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Notes on King Agrippa – This is King (Herod) Agrippa II – son of Agrippa I, who put James the apostle to death. He was about 17 years old when his father died, eaten of worms. He was too young to succeed his father, so was replaced by Roman procurators.

Notes on King Agrippa – Eight years later, he began to gain some additional authority and eventually reigned over several cities in Galilee and a few cities in Perea. In the revolt that led to the destruction of Jerusalem, he sided with the Romans. He was wounded in the seige of Gamala. After the capture of Jerusalem, he moved to Rome, with his sister Bernice, and given the position of preator, which was a position as a judge or governor of a province. He died in 100 A.D.

Notes on Bernice Bernice and Drusilla (the wife of Felix) were sisters, and daughters of Herod Agrippa I. Bernice was exceptionally beautiful, and a year younger than her brother Agrippa II. When she was 13 years old, she was married to her uncle, Herod of Chalcis, and had two sons. He died and she returned to be with her brother. She was with him so constantly, that rumor began they were in an incestuous relationship.

Notes on Bernice – To help allay the rumors, she married Polemo, king of Cilicia; but soon grew tired of him and deserted him, returning to live with her brother. Later, she became the mistress of emperor Vespasian and then of Titus. After Nero died, Galba, Otho and Vitellius each reigned total less than two years. (Nero died in 68 A.D. and Vespasian, who followed Vitellius, began his reign in 69. Titus was the son of Vespasian and the conqueror of Jerusalem.

vs. 13, cont. and 14 – Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king…. Agrippa and Bernice come from Caesarea Philippi, their capitol, to Caesarea in Palestine to welcome the new governor. This shows us that Paul is not immediately sent to Rome. There are “many days” that Agrippa and Bernice are spending with Festus. He decides to share the case of Paul with them, apparently to seek advice or input.

Verse 14-15, cont. – He said, “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.” The only new information presented in these verses is that the Jewish leaders had asked for a death sentence against Paul. We knew they wanted to kill him, but they are seeking for the Romans to do so.

Verse 16 – “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges.” Many of the western world’s judicial practices are borrowed from the Romans. The right to representation and trial are among them. Festus is here insisting that he had never entertained the idea of handing Paul over to the Jews. Paul, it seems, believed differently when he appealed to Caesar.

Verse – When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. No new information presented here.

Verse 19 – Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. Festus seems to have a certain disdain for the Jewish religion. This is the first we learn that anything was said in the trial about Jesus. We have only been told before that Paul was defending resurrection from the dead.

Verse – I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. When Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar. Festus was completely unsure as to how to proceed with a matter of local religion. He seems to be hoping that this “Jewish” family can help him understand the matter better.

Verse 22 – Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.” The Greek has Agrippa saying, “I have been wishing…” meaning that it was not a new desire, but something he had been wanting for some time. It is just possible that the arrival of Herod and Bernice at this point was for more than just welcoming Festus into his position.

Verse 22 – Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.” The Greek has Agrippa saying, “I have been wishing…” meaning that it was not a new desire, but something he had been wanting for some time. It is just possible that the arrival of Herod and Bernice at this point was for more than just welcoming Festus into his position. Arrangements are made.

Verse 23 – The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of the city… A great deal of preparation went into the next day’s proceedings. The Greek translated POMP is PHANTASIA, and means “show or pageantry”. Josephus tells us that Agrippa and Bernice were together so much that often letters of state were addressed to both of them together.

Verse – …At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. (26) – “But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you…so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. (27) For I think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.” A bad excuse is better than no excuse at all. In verse 24, Festus addresses Agrippa as, “King Agrippa”, confirming the title.