Acts 25:1. Arrival of Festus. Paul's cause heard before him. Paul appeals to the Emperor 1. _Now when Festus was come into the province_ This may either mean "when he had reached Cæsarea," to which, as the seaport, he would naturally come first; or, with margin of the _Rev. Ver._, "when he had ente... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the high priest R. V._"And the chief priests." For the best MSS. give the plural. No doubt Ananias, as before, was the leader of the accusation, but he got others of his own class to support him in Jerusalem. He was their representative when the hearing was in Cæsarea. _and the chief of the J... [ Continue Reading ]
_and desired favour against him_ i.e. they begged that their case might have some special consideration. They were many and rich; the accused man was alone and an obscure person, and it was much easier to bring one man from Cæsarea, than for their whole body to undertake a journey from Jerusalem thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept_, &c. This hardly gives the force of the original, which is better rendered in the _Rev. Ver._, "that Paul was kept in charge at Cæsarea." The governor's position was that the prisoner had been placed by his predecessor in a certain state of custody, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let them therefore … which among you are able R. V._"which are of power among you." The words of Festus do not refer to whether some of them could go to Cæsarea or not, but to the character of those who should go down, that they should be men of influence and character, such as would fitly represen... [ Continue Reading ]
_more than ten days_ The oldest texts read " NOT more than eight or ten days." This seems the more likely reading. It is more probable that the writer would use words to mark the shortness of the stay, than a form which would seem to describe ten days as a long residence at Jerusalem. Festus was evi... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Jews which came_, &c. Better, with _Rev. Ver._, "which had come, &c." _stood round about_ The best authorities give "_round about_ HIM." They were eager to set upon him, and so compassed him on every side. _and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul_ The best MSS. have nothing for the... [ Continue Reading ]
_While he answered for himself] Rev. Ver_., with MSS., "While Paul said in his defence." He offered an "Apologia" for himself. He did not make a defence against the unsubstantiated charges, but alluded only to those points on which they would try to prove their case, i.e. his alleged attempt to defi... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure_ Better (with _R. V._) "desiring to gain favour with the Jews." Cp. Acts 24:27. Though he had not consented to their request when he was in Jerusalem, he now went some way towards doing so by his question to Paul. _Wilt thou … before me_ What Festus pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_I stand at Cesar's judgment seat_ Better (with _Rev. Ver._) "I am standing before Cæsar's judgment seat." This represents more nearly the sense of the original, which implies, "I have been and am standing." The Roman authorities had taken charge of him and had kept him in custody for two years. Of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For if I be an offender_ The best MSS. have not "For." Read, with _Rev. Ver._, "If then I am a wrong-doer." He has asserted that he was innocent so far as the Jews are concerned. If there be anything against him, it is for the civil jurisdiction of Rome, not for the religious tribunal at Jerusalem,... [ Continue Reading ]
_when he had conferred with the council_ Having taken the opinion of those who sat as assessors with him. Such persons would be specially needed for a new governor, and the governors of Judæa were changed frequently. Of the existence of such assessors in the provinces, see Suetonius _Tib_. 33; _Galb... [ Continue Reading ]
Festus consults King Agrippa about his prisoner. Agrippa wishes to hear Paul's defence 13. _And after certain days_ More literally, but with no manifest gain, _Rev. Ver._gives "Now when certain days were passed." _king Agrippa_ This was Herod Agrippa II., son of Herod Agrippa I., and consequently a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they had been there many days] Rev. Ver_. "And as they tarried there many days;" a rendering which may be taken to mean that the length of their stay was a reason why Festus set Paul's cause before the king. This is not the sense of the Greek, so the A. V. appears the better rendering.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the chief priests_ See note on Acts 25:2. _desiring to have judgment against him_ The older MSS. give a stronger word for "judgment" than the _Text. Recept_. It implies that they held there could be but one opinion and that a condemnatory sentence might be at once pronounced, even by the newly arr... [ Continue Reading ]
_to deliver any man to die_ The best MSS. omit the Greek for the last two words. _Rev. Ver._renders "to give up any man." The verb is the same as in Acts 25:11, and implies the granting as a favour. The language throughout shews that the Jews thought the influence of their party was enough to gain f... [ Continue Reading ]
_when they were come hither_ The Greek is (as _Rev. Ver._) "come together here.... [ Continue Reading ]
_of such things as I supposed_ Following the authority of some ancient MSS. the _Rev. Ver._gives "of such evil things as, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
_of their own superstition_[_R. V._religion]. The noun used here is cognate to the adjective employed by St Paul in speaking to the Athenians (Acts 17:22). It is a term which might be employed by any one without offence in speaking of a worship with which he did not agree. Addressing Agrippa, Festus... [ Continue Reading ]
_And because I doubted of such manner of questions] Rev. Ver_., with ancient authorities, gives "And I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things." The whole subject was a strange one to Festus, and when he found that some Jews in part at least agreed with St Paul, while others of them... [ Continue Reading ]
_to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus] Rev. Ver_. "to be kept for the decision of the Emperor." The verb is that which occurs Acts 24:23 where the centurion was commanded to "keep" Paul. He desired to be under the care of the Roman authorities until his case could be properly heard. "Augustus... [ Continue Reading ]
_I would also hear the man myself] Rev. Ver_. "I also could wish [_marg_. was wishing] to hear, &c." The marginal rendering here given is the most literal and appears to bring out the meaning best. What Agrippa means to say is that he had for some time been wishing to see and hear St Paul.... [ Continue Reading ]
_with great pomp_ The children follow in the steps of their father, who formerly had sat on his throne in Cæsarea arrayed in royal apparel, to listen to the flatteries of the Tyrian deputation (Acts 12:21). _were entered_ The A.V. of 1611 has "was entered," and so it will in consequence be found pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Assembly of the Court and address of Festus... [ Continue Reading ]
_have dealt with me] Rev. Ver_. "made suit to me." In all other places of the N. T. this word is used of "making intercession" to God. _and also here_ No doubt the Sadducees from Jerusalem had been able in the course of two years to work up a great deal of feeling against Paul among their party in... [ Continue Reading ]
_committed nothing worthy of death_ To ask for the life of a prisoner because of some offence against the religious observances of the Jews would be absurd in the eyes of a Roman officer. The best texts give at the beginning of this verse "But I found that, &c." _to Augustus_ See note on Acts 25:21... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto my lord_ Octavianus by an edict forbade the title "Lord" to be given to him. The practice had its rise from parasites. But you find "Dominus" often used in Pliny's letters to Trajan. So that not many emperors were like Octavian. _before you_ Spoken with a glance towards the chief priests and... [ Continue Reading ]