Acts 25:10-27

10 Paul's reply is a marvelous compendium of his defense and his rights as a Roman citizen. Festus had supreme criminal jurisdiction in Judea over all except Roman citizens. Even these, should they be caught in some gross crime, such as banditry or piracy, could be condemned and executed by the provincial governors, with no recourse to any higher tribunal. Festus' consultation with the council was to determine this point. But it was all too evident that Paul was not guilty of such open violations of the law. Hence his appeal must stand. Festus had no right to try his case.

11-12 One of the legal advantages of a Roman citizen was his right to appeal to Caesar. But this right was not permitted to burden the supreme court of the empire with trifling cases, and the governor of a province was empowered to investigate such claims and to decide whether or not the appeal should be granted.

13 The Roman law required that the person of a prisoner who had appealed to the emperor should be sent to Rome for trial at the earliest moment, but he must be accompanied by an official report of the case up to the time of the appeal. All of the acts and documents, the depositions of the witnesses on both sides, and a record of the judgment of the lower tribunal had to be sent to aid the emperor in his consideration of the case. Here is where Festus was in a quandary. The evidence, if such it could be called, was quite unintelligible to him. He did not wish to make his government ridiculous at its very commencement by sending a prisoner against whom he could not even formulate a definite indictment.

22 Herod Agrippa II, king of Chalcis, was familiar with the Jewish law and customs from his youth and had the power of appointing the high priest. Together with his sister, Bernice, he had come to pay a complimentary visit to the newly appointed procurator. Here was an opportunity for Festus to get the information he required concerning Paul's case, for the king was the most likely one to help him formulate an indietment, as he was an expert in all questions relating to the Jews, besides having spent much of his youth in Rome. To him, then, Festus details Paul's case.

23 Caesarea was the capital of Judea and thus provided Paul with an audience composed of the principal political personages of the province. To this was added Agrippa and his retinue, altogether such a company as few heralds of the kingdom could hope to find. Besides, Agrippa had doubtless heard concerning the Lord and His disciples, and especially of Paul, whom he was hoping to hear. All the notables of the city as well as the military leaders assembled with them on the morrow to hear Paul's last proclamation of Messiah in the land. What thoughts must have surged in the breast of the apostle as he is led forth to face this display of worldly power! Could anything be more expressive of the fact that, through Israel's apostasy, the longed-for kingdom, which he had proclaimed in the land and among the dispersion, was now withdrawn? Hence his defense contains no allusion to the theocratic rule to be established by Messiah. To have spoken before kings and governors before this crisis and declared the destruction of human governments by the advent of Messiah would have been suicidal. Now that the kingdom recedes, he is less and less occupied with it.

24 The well chosen words of Festus show that, though he could not understand the feeling of the Jews against Paul, he was convinced of his innocence. The examination which followed was in no sense a trial, for there were no accusations. The apostle is given liberty to speak concerning himself, yet he skilfully brings in his meeting with the Lord and his commission, so that all the elements of the evangel are put before his hearers. It is but one more example of God's inimitable ways of turning evil into good, of making human opposition work out His purpose. Paul, in his chain, and persecuted by his own people, was performing a ministry which could be accomplished in no other way.