Acts 25:12

‘Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.” '

Festus was probably relieved to be saved from a difficult dilemma. On the one had he wanted to be fair. On the other he did not want to offend the Jewish authorities, especially at the beginning of his term in office. But he was also probably a little annoyed. It would be quite clear to him that Paul was doubtful whether he would get justice here. But an appeal to Caesar by a Roman citizen was not something he could refuse. He then covered himself by calling his advisers together and seeking their opinion. A man could not be sent to Caesar unless the crime was serious enough. But there was only one conclusion that they could come to. The Jews were constantly seeking the death penalty, and that hinted at a capital crime. Thus whatever they thought of the idea they could not dismiss an appeal to Caesar.

Nevertheless it must be noted that Festus did have another alternative. He could have ordered Paul's release. He was not quite as fairminded as he probably liked to think he was. He was too sensitive about offending the Jewish authorities on whom might depend the success of his procuratorship. Had he known that he was going to die within two years he might have made a different decision. We should always ask ourselves, what will my decision look like if I die tomorrow?

Then Festus called Paul in and gave him the decision that had been reached. “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.” Luke wants us to know that God's will was going forward (Acts 23:11).