13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. 14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ 17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, 19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” 23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
Commentary
Vs. 13 “And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.”
And so, it was that the Apostle Paul spent many days in custody while Festus apparently waited for a time when he could send him to Caesar at Rome to make his defense there (vs. 21). Now during this time King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. Now King Agrippa II was the son of Herod Agrippa I, who was the same Herod who killed the Apostle James (Acts 12:1-4; 20-24). While Bernice was his sister whom he married, and according to antiquity she was both a woman of unusual beauty as well as being quite unsavory (gleaned from Believers Bible Commentary).
Vs. 14-16 14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’
Now with their arrival the Apostle Paul’s case was not immediately presented to king Herod, instead the Scripture says many days past with them being there with him before Festus even mentioned Paul to them. Now when Festus did, he told how Paul had been left bound by Felix (whom he had replaced) and so when he had assumed his position as governor of Judea the chief priests and elders of the Jews came from Jerusalem to Caesarea asking for a judgment against Paul, basically they were seeking to get him to condemn Paul to death (vs. 14). However, Festus resisted this by saying to them that it was not the custom of the Romans to condemn a man until he could meet his accusers face to face and have opportunity to respond to the charges being laid against him.
Vs. 17-19 17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, 19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Having then ordered the Jews to come to Caesarea and lay their charges against Paul before him at the judgment seat. Festus upon their arrival had Paul brought out before him, and them, so that he could adjudicate the case. However, as Festus listened to their serious complaints and charges that they laid against Paul, it became fully apparent to him that this was not a matter of crimes or violations of Roman law, rather it all centered around their religion, and one Man, Jesus whom had died, (i.e., had been crucified) whom Paul affirmed to be alive, (that is resurrected from the dead). However, by Festus recalling these things in such an obtuse manner one can clearly see that he was utterly ignorant and completely blinded to the significance of what these things actually meant for him, and for all (which is accord with the Scriptures, consider 1 Cor. 2:12-16).
Vs. 20-22 20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
Having then confessed his own ignorance (and thus revealed his own spiritual blindness to these things) and knowing he could not condemn Paul for the Jews; Festus now recalls how he tried to appease them by asking Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there before their Sanhedrin council (which governed the Jews religious affairs, vs. 20). However, when Paul appealed to Caesar for ruling from him, Festus’ hands were essentially tied, because Paul was a Roman citizen by birth and could not be condemned to death until he had a chance to make his defense before Caesar (vs. 21). Therefore, Festus tells king Agrippa that is why Paul has remained in custody, until he could send him to Rome to stand before Caesar for a verdict there. Now when king Agrippa heard all of that he said that he also would like to hear Paul, for he was Jew, (but not by birth), and even in that he was not an observant one, at least not in what matters. Nevertheless, his curiosity was stirred by what he heard. As well maybe he could shed some light on what Festus needed to send Paul charged with to Rome. For clearly Festus had no desire to release Paul and anger the Jews. For he had been sent there by Rome to quell the growing spirit of upheaval that was then taking place at Jerusalem, and releasing Paul would only infuriate them.
Vs. 23-27 23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. 26 I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
And so, it was with all of the pomp and ceremony that Festus could muster to impress the crowds, and honor his guests king Agrippa and his wife Bernice, they now enter the auditorium as some of Rome’s royalty, being escorted by military commanders and the prominent men of the city. Having then taken their places and seats, at Festus’ command Paul was then brought in and placed before them (vs. 23). It’s a picture really of the world and all of its privilege, pomp, and power, and every believer’s person as only being on trial before them, but not for crimes and misdemeanors, but only for our faith In Christ (Matt. 10:16-20). Having then brought out Paul before them, (and all those assembled there), Festus now recalls to king Agrippa and his wife Bernice and all the prominent people assembled there with them, how Paul came to be in this state. How the Jews both in Jerusalem and Caesarea had strongly and vehemently petitioned him to put Paul to death, saying that he was no longer fit to live (vs. 24-25). However, as Festus says, he could find nothing that Paul had done that was deserving of death or chains. However instead of releasing him (which would’ve enraged the Jews), but would’ve been the right and just thing to do. Festus now uses Paul’s own request to appeal for the verdict of Caesar, rather than stand trial again before the Jews Sanhedrin council at Jerusalem, (and thus be spared from being killed by them there) to justify Paul’s ongoing incarnation, and his soon to be sent to Rome for the verdict of Caesar about his person. However, as Festus says he has nothing to write to Rome about Paul as to why he should be sent there for Caesars verdict, and so by having king Agrippa; who was well versed in the Jews religion; he says he is hoping that he could shed some light on what he should write regarding Paul and specifying the charges that are to be laid against him (Vs. 26-27). This then was not a trial per-say, but rather an inquiry so as to ascertain what to send Paul to Rome charged with.
Note: This passage runs through more than one chapter, and several sections (or paragraph breaks), therefore it will be continued on in the next blog entry
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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