Acts 25:9

"Wishing to do the Jews. favor" It appears that as Festus hears both sides that he is at. loss to figure out what the real argument was. Like many politicians then and now, he seeks to offer. compromise that would place himself in favor with his subjects. "It was. matter of indifference so far as Roman justice was concerned whether the reopened case was heard in Caesarea or Jerusalem" (Bruce p. 477). "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?" Festus thinks he is doing something that would make the Jews happy all the while they are planning an ambush against not only Paul but his own troops. We need to be wary of trying to please evil men, for as we are bending over to accommodate them they are often getting ready to stab us in the back. "Festus, at this point, allowed his sense of justice to be biased by his desire for popularity" (McGarvey p. 243).