Commentary of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins
Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible
Bible Study Acts 25: 1-27
Text:
Paul Before Festus
25 Festus then, having arrived in the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with him, 3 requesting a favor against [a]Paul, that he might [b]have him brought to Jerusalem (while they set an ambush to kill him on the way). 4 Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly. 5 “Therefore,” he *said, “let the influential men among you go down there with me, and if there is anything wrong [c]about the man, let them accuse him.”
6 And after he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 And after Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not prove, 8 while Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and to be tried before me on these matters?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then when Festus had conferred with [d]his council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
Festus and Agrippa Discuss Paul’s Trial
13 Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea [e]and greeted Festus. 14 And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought before me. 18 When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing any charges against him for the evil deeds I was expecting, 19 but they had some points of disagreement with him about their own [f]religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 And being perplexed about how to investigate [g]such matters, I was asking whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be tried on these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for [h]the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice
23 So, on the next day when Agrippa came [i]together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the hall [j]accompanied by the [k]commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus *said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and since he himself appealed to [l]the Emperor, I decided to send him. 26 [m]Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.”
Verse by verse commentary:
Verse 1: “Festus then, having arrived in the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.”
He journeyed from Caesarea to Jerusalem three days later to acquaint himself with the circumstances in his new province.
Verse 2: “And the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, and they were pleading with him,”
Paul's adversaries swiftly approached the new governor to seek a judgment against him. It's unclear if Festus was aware of their ambush plot to kill Paul.
Verse 3: “requesting a favor against Paul, that he might [b]have him brought to Jerusalem (while they set an ambush to kill him on the way).”
This ambush was the second such plot, but this time, the members of the Sanhedrin were the instigators, not the accomplices.
Verse 4: “Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly.”
Felix refused the Jews' request, thereby protecting Paul from their plot while he was in Roman custody. Remember, he was a Roman citizen which afforded him certain privileges.
Verse 5: “‘Therefore,’ he *said, ‘let the influential men among you go down there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them accuse him.’”
Festus, the governor, decides Paul will stand trial in Caesarea. He refuses to send Paul to Jerusalem, preserving Paul from an ambush, though Festus was unaware of the plot. God used Festus's decision to protect Paul. Festus demands Paul's accusers come to Caesarea to present their case, insisting on proof of Paul's guilt rather than assuming it.
Verse 6: “And after he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought.”
The term "the judgment seat" indicated that this hearing was an official Roman trial. Festus reopened Paul's case, bringing him to court where his Jewish accusers repeated their charges.
Verse 7: “And after Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not prove,”
Many Jews surrounded Paul, indicating their large numbers and unanimous intent to prosecute him. They clamored against him, perhaps hoping to intimidate the judge or Paul himself. However, Paul remained unfazed, demonstrating strong and just assurance despite their attempts to frighten him.
Verse 8: “while Paul said in his own defense, ‘I have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.’”
Paul upheld the law, as seen in Romans 7:12, 8:3–4, and 1 Corinthians 9:20. He respected temple customs and did not bring Trophimus into prohibited areas. Despite Jesus prophesying the temple's destruction, he was not responsible for it. Paul preached about the kingdom of God, but not as a political threat to Rome. He promoted respect for law and order and encouraged prayer for civil authorities.
Verse 9: “But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and to be tried before me on these matters?’”
Paul clearly refused to go to Jerusalem, prioritizing his trial in the Roman civil court, as Festus had stated it would be before him. As a Roman citizen, Paul exercised his right to avoid a local provincial court and appeal to a higher Roman court, thereby escaping a Jewish religious court.
Verse 10: “But Paul said, ‘I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.’”
Festus's attempted compromise, which would have allowed the Jewish leaders to murder Paul before he reached Jerusalem, was rejected by the apostle. Paul, a Roman citizen, asserted his right to be judged at Caesar's judgment seat, where he was rightfully standing.
Verse 11: “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
Concerned that Festus might accede to the Jews' demands, Paul, exercising his right as a Roman citizen, sought trial before Caesar (Nero) in Rome. At this time, Nero was still influenced by the Stoic philosopher Seneca and had not yet displayed hostility towards Christianity. Therefore, Paul harbored hopes of acquittal by Nero.
Verse 12: “ Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, ‘You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.’”
When Festus granted the appeal, he transferred the case to the emperor, thereby removing himself from it. Festus' advisers were members of the council.
Verse 13: “Now when several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.”
Agrippa II, son of Agrippa I and great-grandson of Herod the Great, was the reigning king. His sister, Bernice, the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, was twice widowed. She was in an incestuous relationship with her brother, Herod Agrippa II, yet was often presented as his queen on official occasions despite the scandal.
Verse 14: “And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, ‘There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix;’”
Agrippa and Bernice remained there for an extended period, which Dr. Luke describes as "many days." Eventually, their conversation reached an end. During a pause in the conversation, Festus remarked, "I should inform you about a prisoner we have here. It is a rather peculiar and unusual case. His name is Paul, and he was arrested and brought here by Felix. Felix transferred him to my custody. I would appreciate it if you would hear him."
Verse 15: “‘and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.’”
This unique story was truly worth hearing, not only for its surprising and entertaining elements, but also for its potential to edify. It would particularly appeal to Agrippa because, as a judge, he would appreciate the legal and practical aspects, and even more so as a Jew, he would recognize the significant religious points it contained.
Verse 16: “I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.”
Roman law, despite its misapplication in the trials of Jesus and Paul, was inherently just. The fault lay not with the legal framework itself, but with corrupt judges and politicians. We continue to uphold a core tenet of Roman law today: no individual can be sentenced without confronting their accusers and having their alleged crime proven.
Verse 17: “So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the judgment seat and ordered the man to be brought before me.”
He swiftly brought Paul to trial, fulfilling his duty. The prosecutors had no grounds to accuse him of delay; “So after they had assembled here”—and they wasted no time—”I did not delay,” he commenced the proceedings. He conducted the trial with the utmost solemnity, “took my seat on the judgment seat,” as was customary for significant cases, unlike minor ones judged de plano (on even ground). He convened a large court specifically for Paul's trial, aiming for a definitive and conclusive ruling.
Verse 18: “When the accusers stood up, they were not bringing any charges against him for the evil deeds I was expecting,”
Given the fervor of their prosecution and their repeated appeals to successive Roman governors, two presumptions were made:
First, the accusers had substantial claims against the individual, posing a threat to either private property or public order. It was anticipated they would try to prove him a thief, a murderer, or a rebel against Roman authority, suggesting he had taken up arms to lead a rebellion. Even if he wasn't the Egyptian who recently caused an uproar and commanded a group of assassins, as the chief captain suspected, he was likely perceived to be of a similar dangerous character. Such were the vehement outcries against the early Christians—so loud and fierce—that bystanders, judging solely by these accusations, could only conclude they were the worst of people. The objective of such clamor, just as it was against our Savior, was to portray them as such.
Second, the accusations against him fell within the jurisdiction of the Roman courts and were appropriate for the governor to judge, as Gallio had previously anticipated. Otherwise, it would have been illogical and absurd to burden him with such matters, and indeed, an insult to his authority.
Verse 19: “but they had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man whom Paul asserted to be alive.”
These accusations were not suitable for a Roman court. The arguments were about Paul’s faith. The Resurrection consistently remains the central issue. Paul's testimony regarding Jesus Christ's resurrection clearly informed Festus of this fact.
Verse 20: “And being perplexed about how to investigate such matters, I was asking whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be tried on these matters.”
As a pagan Roman new to Judea, Festus could not be expected to grasp the theological distinctions between Christians and Jews. So, he was “perplexed.”
Verse 21: “But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.”
"Emperor," literally “the Augustus" was a title meaning "revered" or "worshiped one," and was a common designation for the Roman emperor. During this period, the reigning "Caesar" was the notorious Nero.
Verse 22: “Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I also would like to hear the man myself.’ ‘Tomorrow,’ he said, ‘you shall hear him.’”
Herod, a renowned expert in Jewish affairs, had a long-standing desire to hear Paul speak. He eagerly anticipated the opportunity to listen to Christianity's foremost spokesperson in person. The Greek verb tense indicates his persistent interest.
Verse 23: “So, on the next day when Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the hall accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the order of Festus, Paul was brought in.”
Luke consistently presents Agrippa and Bernice as a pair, with Bernice serving as a perpetual reminder of Agrippa's scandalous personal life. The "commanders" refer to the five tribunes in charge of the five cohorts stationed in Caesarea. The "prominent men" are the city's civic leaders.
Verse 24: “ And Festus said, ‘King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer.’”
He respectfully addressed the assembly: "King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us." He specifically spoke to "all men" (pantes andres), perhaps subtly reflecting on Bernice's presence as a woman in such a meeting, as he did not seek her judgment or counsel. Instead, he emphasized, "all you gentlemen here present with us,’ (so the words are placed), I desire you to take cognizance of this matter. The term used distinguishes men from women, implicitly questioning Bernice's role.
He portrayed the prisoner as someone deeply reviled by the Jews; not only their leaders but also "all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here," vehemently demanded ‘that he ought not to live any longer.’ They believed he had lived too long and that any further existence would only lead to more harm. Although they couldn't accuse him of a capital crime, they simply wanted him removed.
Verse 25: “But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.”
Despite confessing Paul's innocence and acknowledging the lack of evidence to support the indictment, the judge, though inclined to favor the prosecutors, found Paul "not guilty." However, he did not release Paul due to fear of public outcry turning against him if he were to do so. This public acknowledgement of Paul's innocence, coming from the judge himself, was a significant honor for Paul and his imprisonment.
Verse 26: “Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write.”
Festus, a provincial governor, was in a difficult position. He needed to send a report to Emperor Nero regarding Paul, but the accusations were unclear, which could be risky. To clarify the charges, Festus asked King Agrippa for help, hoping his knowledge of Jewish customs would assist in accurately defining Paul's alleged offenses.
Verse 27: “For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.”
Festus found himself in a quandary regarding Paul's case. The information presented against Paul was so muddled and contradictory that Festus couldn't ascertain any definitive facts. Therefore, he requested a public examination of Paul to gain clarity on what to document. This situation highlights the significant trouble, frustration, and peril faced in the administration of public justice by those living far from Rome, yet still under the Roman emperor's jurisdiction.
