Verses 1-3 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, 3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
So now a new governor was to be installed at Caesarea and the Jews wasted no time in contacting him and asking if he would send the Apostle Paul back to Jerusalem so that they could assassinate him on route. For two years the Sanhedrin had been waiting for such an opportunity as this since they had gotten nowhere with Felix. The name, Festus, means “festival”.
Verses 4-6 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. 5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. 6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
Festus knew Roman law and he was wise enough to not agree to their request as he wanted to find out for himself what the accusations were and what the defense was before making any decisions. So he invited the Jewish leadership to travel with him from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he would hold court. So once again the LORD Jesus Christ was protecting the Apostle Paul from harm just as He had promised in the vision many years before.
Verses 7-8 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. 8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
Once again the Jews could not prove that they had a legal case against the Apostle Paul and he should have been released. But politics always plays a part in any judicial decision, and this situation was no different from those judicial decisions made in the past and those judicial decisions being made every day of the year in courts around the world.
Application: For the true Christian the world is not a level playing field. The courts are not just, the attorneys are for the most part corrupt, and there will never be a fair judgement as the entire legal system is of the Devil and his only goal in this world is to destroy that which God loves in any way he can. It was only because the Apostle Paul had a divine ministry and because God wanted him to go to Rome that he was not murdered before this trial before Festus.
Verses 9-12 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. 11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
Festus knew he could not hand an innocent man over to the Jews as he was well aware of what they would do to the Apostle Paul and their actions would likely have negative repercussions on him personally and professionally. So he gets out of doing his duty by asking Paul if he would be willing to go back to Jerusalem, making that decision Paul’s, and should he decline to go to Jerusalem then the Apostle Paul would be placed in a position that the only decision he could make if he wanted to stay alive was to appeal to a higher court which was to Caesar.
Verses 13-16 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. 14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
This king was Herod Agrippa ll, the son of Herod Agrippa l. He was the last of the Herodian dynasty when he died at the age of 73 during the reign of emperor Trajan. He had been given the power to appoint the Jewish high priests and to care for and manage the Temple at Jerusalem, so the Jewish elite were somewhat respectful of him and of his authority. He was Idumean and therefore a descendant of Esau the brother of the patriarch Jacob, but by the time of Jesus and the apostles the Edomites or Idumeans had become part of the Jewish landscape and in many cases had power over their Hebrew relatives. His name means “hero like”.
Bernice was the eldest daughter of King Herod Agrippa l and therefore King Agrippa’s sister. History records that Bernice was King Agrippa’s lover, but this writer has never trusted the writers of history and since Scripture does not confirm this, it is not known if the accusations of incest are true. Her name means “bring victory”. Festus told king Agrippa about the Apostle Paul which opened the door for the king to be witnessed to about the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 17-19 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: 19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Festus continues to give a somewhat sketchy report of the court hearing he held with the Apostle Paul and the Jewish elite and it appears that Festus did not have much understanding of the religious conflict that been between the Jews and the Gospel as presented by the Apostle Paul.
Verses 20-21 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
Festus ends his summary of the case by revealing that the Apostle Paul was to go to Caesar in Rome, this Caesar being Nero.
Verses 22-23 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. 23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
The Apostle Paul was then subjected to further inquisition by the King in front of Bernice and all the chief men of the city.
Application: This was a royal affair and the people in attendance would have been dressed in their finest clothing as they were to be in the presence of the king. And then the Apostle Paul in his humble attire was brought forth to defend himself in front of all these “important” people after spending two years in house arrest. One can only imagine the scene and the stark contrast between these wealthy elite and this financially poor tent maker. But although the Apostle Paul was a poor prisoner, he was rich in that he was/is the son of the King of Kings, a royal child of the LORD Jesus Christ who is God Almighty manifested in the flesh, and therefore the Apostle Paul was the richest man in attendance. The king and the captains and principal men of the city may have had position and power under the authority of Rome, but none of them had the power and authority that the Apostle Paul had through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost/Spirit. It was through this power that the Apostle Paul had no fear and therefore boldly presented his testimony so that none of the men in attendance had any excuse for rejecting the message of the Gospel and therefore rejecting the lordship of the one true God.
Verses 24-27 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him. (Acts 25)
Festus was relying on King Agrippa to hear the case against the Apostle Paul and then help him have something to communicate with the authorities in Rome.