Acts 25:15

ABOUT WHOM, WHEN I WAS AT JERUSALEM, THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE ELDERS OF THE JEWS INFORMED ME, DESIRING TO HAVE JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM. _ About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him._...

13-27 Agrippa had the government of Galilee. How many unjust and hasty judgments the Roman maxim, ver. Acts 25:16, condemn! This heathen, guided only by the light of nature, followed law and custom exactly, yet how many Christians will not follow the rules of truth, justice, and charity, in judging their brethren! The questions about God's worship, the way of salvation, and the truths of the gospel, may appear doubtful and without interest, to worldly men and mere politicians. See how slightly this Roman speaks of Christ, and of the great controversy between the Jews and the Christians. But the day is at hand when Festus and the whole world will see, that all the concerns of the Roman empire were but trifles and of no consequence, compared with this question of Christ's resurrection. Those who have had means of instruction, and have despised them, will be awfully convinced of their sin...

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 these men but the death of the apostle. It was not _justice_ they wanted, but his destruction....

ABOUT WHOM ... - See Acts 25:1. TO HAVE JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM - To have him condemned....

EXPOSTION ACTS 25:1 _Foetus therefore having come _for _now when Foetus was come, _A.V.; _went up _for _he ascended, _A.V.; _to Jerusalem from Casarea _for _from Caesarea to Jerusalem, _A.V. THE PROVINCE (ἐπαρχία)_; _above, Acts 23:1. Acts 23:34. AFTER THREE DAYS, etc. It is an evidence of the diligence of Foetus that he lost no time in going to Jerusalem, the center of disaffection to the Roman government. ACTS 25:2 _And _for _then, _A.V.;_ chief priests _for _high priest, _A.V. an

ABOUT WHOM, WHEN I WAS AT JERUSALEM,.... Quickly after he came to his government: THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS OF THE JEWS INFORMED ME; brought an accusation to him, exhibited to him charges against him, presented to him a bill of information, setting forth various crimes he had been guilty of: DESIRING TO HAVE JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM; not barely to have his cause tried, but to have a sentence of condemnation passed upon him; some copies read "condemnation", as the Alexandrian copy, and two of Beza's; and that punishment is designed, and even death itself, is manifest from the following words....

Acts 25:1. _Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem._ Porcius Festus had been appointed governor in the place of Felix, who had left Paul a prisoner so as to please the Jews, though he would have been willing enough to release him, if Paul or his friends, would have given him a sufficiently heavy bribe. He had trembled as Paul had «reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come,» but his conscience had not been so quickened as to make him act justly towards the apostle. Yet his unrighteous conduct was made to serve the Lord's purpose, which was that Paul should testify before one earthly ruler after another until he should ultimately appear before the cruel Nero himself at Rome. Paul was at Caesarea, but he was not at once brought before Festus; and when the governor went up to Jerusalem, the apostle's enemies rene...

CHAPTER 25 _ 1. Festus and the Jews. Paul appeals to Caesar (Acts 25:1)._ 2. King Agrippa visits Festus (Acts 25:13). 3. Paul brought before the King (Acts 25:23). The new governor, Festus, had arrived at Caesarea, and then went up to Jerusalem, the capital of the province. The Jews had not forgotten Paul, though they had not attempted another accusation before Felix, knowing that the case was hopeless. But they made at once an effort with the new governor. No sooner had this official made his appearance in Jerusalem than the high priest and the chief of the Jews made a report about Paul. Most likely Festus had not even heard of Paul up to that time. What really took place in Jerusalem, Festus later

AGRIPPA AND BERNICE: INTEREST OF AGRIPPA IN PAUL. Agrippa was seventeen years old when his father died (Acts 12:23). He obtained from Claudius and Nero certain territories in the N. of Palestine, but he had little power of action. He built _largely_ at Cæ sarea Philippi and at Berytus (Aleppo), and was not much interested in religious matters. Bernice was his sister, the sister also of Drusilla. After living many years with her brother she excited the admiration of Titus and lived with him at Rome. The private conversation of Festus and Agrippa (Acts 25:14) was probably given by the writer of the source, who was acquainted with the principles of Roman law, and made it up very correctly. Festus gives his view of the case publicly in...

I APPEAL TO CAESAR (Acts 25:1-12)...