CHAPTER XXV. _Porcius Festus being appointed governor of Judea, instead of_ _Felix, the Jews beseech him to have Paul brought up to_ _Jerusalem, that he might be tried there; they lying in wait to_ _kill him on the way_, 1-3. _Festus refuses, and desires those who could prove any thing_ _again... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:2. _THE HIGH PRIEST - INFORMED HIM AGAINST PAUL_] They supposed that as Felix, to please them, on the _resignation_ of his government, had left Paul bound, so Festus, on the _assumption_ of it, would, to please them, deliver him into their hand; but, as they wished this to be done unde... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:4. _FESTUS ANSWERED, THAT PAUL SHOULD BE KEPT AT CAESAREA_] It is truly astonishing that Festus should refuse this favour to the heads of the Jewish nation, which, to those who were not in the secret, must appear so very reasonable; and especially as, on his coming to the government, i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:5. _LET THEM - WHICH AMONG YOU ARE ABLE_] οι δυνατοι, _Those_ _who have authority_; for so is this word often used by good Greek authors, and by _Josephus_. Festus seems to have said: "I have heard clamours from the multitude relative to this man; but on such clamours no accusation sho... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:6. _WHEN HE HAD TARRIED - MORE THAN TEN DAYS_] The _strangeness_ of this mode of expression suggests the thought that our printed text is not quite correct in this place; and this suspicion is confirmed by an examination of MSS. and versions: ἡμερας ου πλειους οκτω η δεκα, _NOT more t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:7. _THE JEWS - LAID MANY AND GRIEVOUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST_ _Paul_] As they must have perceived that the Roman governors would not intermeddle with questions of their law, c., they no doubt invented some _new_ charges, such as _sedition, treason_, c., in order to render the mind of the g... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:8. _WHILE HE ANSWERED FOR HIMSELF_] In this instance St. Luke gives only a general account, both of the accusations and of St. Paul's defense. But, from the words in this verse, the charges appear to have been threefold: 1. That he had broken the law. 2. That he had defiled the templ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:9. _WILLING TO DO THE JEWS A PLEASURE_] This was _merely to_ _please them_, and conciliate their esteem; for he knew that, as Paul was a Roman citizen, he could not oblige him to take a new trial at Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:10. _I STAND AT CAESAR'S JUDGMENT SEAT_] Every procurator represented the person of the emperor in the province over which he presided; and, as the seat of government was at Caesarea, and Paul was now before the tribunal on which the emperor's representative sat, he could say, with the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:11. _FOR IF I BE AN OFFENDER_] If it can be proved that I have broken the laws, so as to expose me to capital punishment, I do not wish to save my life by subterfuges; I am before the only competent tribunal; here my business should be ultimately decided. _NO MAN MAY DELIVER ME UNTO... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:12. _CONFERRED WITH THE COUNCIL_] From this circumstance, we may learn that the appeal of Paul to Caesar was _conditional_; else Festus could not have deliberated with his council whether it should be granted; for he had no power to refuse to admit such an appeal. We may, therefore, un... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:13. _KING AGRIPPA_] This was the son of Herod Agrippa, who is mentioned Acts 12:1. Upon the death of his father's youngest brother, Herod, he succeeded him in the kingdom of Chalcis, by the favour of the Emperor Claudius: _Jos_. Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 4, s. 2; and Bell. lib. ii. cap. 12... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:14. _DECLARED PAUL'S CAUSE UNTO THE KING_] Festus knew that Agrippa was better acquainted with such matters than he was; and he wished, in some sort, to make him a party in this business.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:15. _DESIRING TO HAVE JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM._] Instead of δικην, _judgment_, καταδικην, _condemnation, sentence of death_, is the reading of ABC, and several others, which is probably genuine. This is evidently the meaning of the place, whichever reading we prefer. Nothing could satisfy... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:16. _IT IS NOT THE MANNER OF THE ROMANS TO DELIVER ANY MAN_ _TO DIE_] Χαριζεσθαι τινα ανθρωπον, To MAKE A PRESENT _of any man;_ _gratuitously_ to _give up_ the life of any man, through _favour_ or caprice. Here is a reference to the subject discussed on Acts 25:11. _BEFORE THAT HE WH... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:18. _THEY BROUGHT NONE ACCUSATION OF SUCH THINGS AS I_ _SUPPOSED_] It was natural for Festus, at the first view of things, to suppose that Paul must be guilty of some very atrocious crime. When he found that he had been twice snatched from the hands of the Jews; that he had been broug... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:19. _QUESTIONS - OF THEIR OWN SUPERSTITION_] Περι της ιδιας δειδιδαιμονιας; _Questions concerning their own religion_. _Superstition_ meant something as _bad_ among the Romans as it does among us; and is it likely that _Festus_, only a _procurator_, should thus speak to _Agrippa_, a KI... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:20. _I DOUBTED OF SUCH MANNER OF QUESTIONS_] Such as, whether he had broken their law, defiled their temple; or whether this Jesus, who was dead, was again raised to life.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:21. _UNTO THE HEARING OF AUGUSTUS_] Εις την του ΣεβαϚου διαγνωσιν; _To the discrimination of the emperor_. For, although σεβαστος is usually translated _Augustus_, and the Roman emperors generally assumed this epithet, which signifies no more than _the_ _venerable, the august_, get her... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:22. _I WOULD ALSO HEAR THE MAN MYSELF_] A spirit of curiosity, similar to that of Herod, Luke 23:8. As Herod, the father of this Agrippa, had been so active an instrument in endeavouring to destroy Christianity, having killed James, and was about to have put Peter to death also, had n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:23. _WITH GREAT POMP_] Μετα πολλης φαντασιας; _With much_ _phantasy_, great splendour, great parade, _superb attendance_ or _splendid retinue_: in this sense the Greek word is used by the best writers. _Wetstein_ has very justly remarked, that these children of Herod the Great made thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:26. _I HAVE NO CERTAIN THING TO WRITE_] Nothing alleged against him has been substantiated. _UNTO MY LORD_] The title κυριος, _Dominus, Lord_, both _Augustus_ and _Tiberius_ had absolutely refused; and forbade, even by public edicts, the application of it to themselves. Tiberius himse... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 25:27. _FOR IT SEEMETH TO ME UNREASONABLE_, c.] Every reader must feel the awkward situation in which Festus stood. He was about to send a _prisoner_ to Rome, to appear before Nero, though he had not _one charge_ to support against him and yet he _must_ be sent, for he had appealed to Cae... [ Continue Reading ]