Acts 25:19

But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. But had certain questions against him of their own superstition - rather, 'religion.' See the note on the same word [ deisidaimonia (G1175)] in Acts 17:22. It cannot be supposed that Festus, in addressing his Jewish royal guest, would use such a word in any discourteous sense. And of one Jesus. 'Thus (says Bengel) speaks this miserable Festus of Him to whom every knee shall bow.' Which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive - showing that the resurrection of the Crucified One had been the burden, as usual, of Paul's preaching. The insignificance of the whole affair in the eyes of Festus is manifest....

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 25:19. _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 KING, concerning his _own religion_? He could not have done so without offering the highest insult. The word δεισιδαιμονια must therefore simply mean _religion_-the _national creed_, and the _national worship_, as I have at large proved it to mean, in the observations at the end of Acts 17:34. _AND OF ONE JESUS, WHICH WAS DEAD_, c.] In this way does this poor heathen speak of the death and resurrection of Christ! There are many who profes

BUT HAD CERTAIN QUESTIONS - Certain inquiries, or litigated and disputed subjects; certain points of dispute in which they differed - ζητήματα τινα zētēmata tina. OF THEIR OWN SUPERSTITION - δεισιδαιμονίας deisidaimonias. This word properly denotes “the worship or fear of demons”; but it was applied by the Greeks and Romans to the worship of their gods. It is the same word which is used in Acts 17:22, where it is used in a good sense. See the notes on that place. There are two reasons for thinking that Festus used the word here in a good sense, and not in the sense in which we use the word “superstition”: (1) It was the word by which the worship of the Greeks and Romans, an

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

BUT HAD CERTAIN QUESTIONS AGAINST HIM OF THEIR OWN SUPERSTITION,.... Or religion; as about their law, which they said Paul had spoke against; and about their temple, which they pretended he had polluted; and about the resurrection of the dead, which he asserted, and some denied: AND OF ONE JESUS WHICH WAS DEAD, WHOM PAUL AFFIRMED TO BE ALIVE; for it seems more was said on each side, than is recorded by Luke: the Jews objected to him among other things, his belief in Jesus of Nazareth, whom they traduced as an impostor and deceiver; Paul on the other hand argued, that he was the true Messiah; and in proof of it, affirmed that though they had put him to death, he was risen from the dead, and so was declared to be the Son of God with power: Festus, it is very likely, had never heard of Jesus before, and therefore speaks of him in this manner; or if he had, he had entertained a contemptible...

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)...