Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 26:24

The Procurator Festus interrupts Paul The Apostle's Reply to Festus, and Appeal to AgrippaThe Dialogue between Agrippa and Paul The King and Governor decide that, had not the Prisoner appealed to Cæsar, he might have been set at liberty, 24-32.

Acts 26:24. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. Paul apparently had, at this point of his address, completed the main argument, which he wished to put before Agrippa, on the real identity of his belief with that held by all orthodox Jews, and had pointed out where the Christian and the Jew were at issue; and had shown that the groundwork of the Christian belief not only in those points which they held in common with the Pharisee, but also in the points in which they were at variance was the sacred law and the prophets. The Jews would find foretold in their Holy Scriptures every detail in the articles of the Christian faith which Paul taught. We, of course, possess no clue to suggest to us what would have been the conclusion of the apology. So far Festus had listened with respectful attention while the accused Hebrew spoke before his royal guest; but when the eloquent and impassioned apostle came to this part of his defence, and dwelt at length with intense fervour on the resurrection of a Man whom Festus' predecessor Pilate had crucified, and the Roman heard him discourse with marvellous and winning eloquence as without doubt Paul did here on the wondrous results which this stupendous fact, the resurrection of a crucified malefactor, would surely accomplish in all parts of the great world known or unknown to the Romans, he could contain himself no longer, but interrupted him; crying out loudly, ‘Paul, thou art beside thyself!'

Mr. Humphry, commenting on Festus' interruption here, writes: ‘He (Festus) was unable to comprehend the earnestness of St. Paul, so unlike the indifference with which religious and moral subjects were regarded by the upper classes at Rome. His self-love suggested to him that one who presented such a contrast to his own apathy must be mad. The convenient hypothesis that much learning had produced this result, may have occurred to him on hearing Paul quote prophecies in proof of his assertions.'

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 26:24

Old Testament

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