Acts 25:26

Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. Of whom I have no certain thing - meaning, 'nothing definite,' nothing that could be fastened on as a charge, To write unto my lord, [too ( G3588) kurioo (G2962)] - 'to the lord' or 'sovereign;' meaning Nero. 'The writer's accuracy (says Hackett) should be remarked here. It would have been a mistake to apply this term ("lord") to the emperor a few years earlier. Neither Augustus nor Tiberius would allow himself to be called dominus ("lord"), because it implied the relation of master and slave. The appellation had now come (rather, was now coming) into use as one of the imperial titles.' Wherefore I have brought him forth before you

− 26._That after examination had. _We cannot tell whether the governor, in acquitting Paul before them, doth seek by this policy to entice him to let his appeal fall. For it was a thing credible that he might easily be persuaded to lay away fear, and to submit himself to the judgment and discretion of a just judge, especially if Agrippa should give his friendly consent. To what end soever he did it, he condemneth himself of iniquity by his own mouth, in that he did not let a guiltless man go free whom he is now ashamed to send unto Caesar, having nothing to lay against him. This did also come to pass by the wonderful providence of God, that the Jews themselves should give a former judgment on Paul’s side. Peradventure, the governor goeth subtilely to work, that he may pick out what the king and the chief men of Cesarea do think, that if it so fall out that Paul be set at liberty, he may...

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 25:26. _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 himself was accustomed to say that he was _lord_ only of his _slaves, emperor_ or general of the _troops_, and _prince_ of the _senate_. See _Suetonius,_ in his life of this prince. The succeeding emperors were not so modest; they affected the title. Nero, the then emperor, _would_ have it; and Pliny the younger is continually giving it to Trajan in his letters....

OF WHOM - Respecting his character, opinions, and manner of life; and respecting the charges against him. NO CERTAIN THING - Nothing definite and well established. They had not accused Paul of any crime against the Roman laws; and Festus professes himself too ignorant of the customs of the Jews to inform the emperor distinctly of the nature of the charges and the subject of trial. UNTO MY LORD - To the emperor - to Caesar. This name Lord the Emperors Augustus and Tiberius had rejected, and would not suffer it to be applied to them. Suetonius (Life of Augustus, v. 53) says “the appellation of Lord he always abhorred as abominable and execrable.” See also Suetonius’ Life of Tiberius, v. 27. The emperors that succeeded them, however, admitted the title, and suffered themselves to be called by this name. Nothing would be more satisfactory to Nero, the reigning emp

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

OF WHOM I HAVE NO CERTAIN THING,.... No certain crime, charge, or accusation; nothing of any moment or consequence, no particular thing, nothing but a heap of confused notions, of I know not who or what: TO WRITE UNTO MY LORD; meaning the Roman emperor, under whom he served as governor of Judea: WHEREFORE I HAVE BROUGHT HIM BEFORE YOU; the whole company then present: AND ESPECIALLY BEFORE THEE, O KING AGRIPPA; as being not only a man of eminence, dignity, and authority, but of knowledge in such matters, which the Jews accused Paul of; see Acts 26:2. THAT AFTER EXAMINATION HAD; of Paul, and his case; I MIGHT HAVE SOMEWHAT TO WRITE; concerning him, and the charges exhibited against him to the emperor....

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...

ACTS 25:24-26 evnqa,de After evnqa,de the Western text, preserved in the margin of the Harclean Syriac, and partially supported by a few other witnesses, adds the following, as reconstructed by A. C. Clark: o[pwj paradw/ auvto.n eivj ba,sanon avnapolo,ghton (25) ouvk hvdunh,qhn de. paradou/nai auvto,n( dia. ta.j evntola.j a]j e;comen para. tou/ Sebastou/) eva.n de, tij auvtou/ kathgorei/n qe,lh|( e;legon avkolouqei/n moi eivj Kaisa,reian ou- evfula,sseto\ oi[tinej evlqo,ntej evbo,wn i[na avrqh|/ evk th/j zwh/j) avkou,saj de. avmfote,rwn katelabo,mhn evn mhdeni. auvto.n e;nocon ei=nai qana,tou\ eivpo,ntoj de, mou( Qe,leij kri,nesqai metV auvtw/n evn ~Ierosolu,moij* Kai,sara evpekale,sato (26) peri. ou-...

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