12. “Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? unto Cæsar shalt thou go.”
Though we do not criticize the beloved Apostle Paul, would not it have been better to appeal to the Lord? Christians, living in Western lands especially, may do the same looking to worldly authority to set things right in our lives. May we know more of the spirit of the psalmist: “I lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: whence shall my help come? My help cometh from Jehovah, who made the heavens and the earth” (Psa. 121:11<<A Song of degrees.>> I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (Psalm 121:1)2 JnD).
13-14. “And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæsarea to salute Festus. And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix.”
The world indulges its pomp and glory. Ruler salutes ruler many days while a servant of the true King is left a virtually forgotten prisoner. May we faithfully and willingly serve Him until that glorious day when our blessed Lord will be owned as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:1616And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)). Many days have passed since our blessed Lord’s rejection and death, but the eternal day of His glory is about to begin. Then “we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)).
15-16. “About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.”
How humbling to see an idolatrous Gentile power act with more uprightness than those who claimed to be God’s chosen earthly people. Jehovah had commanded them to guard carefully against false accusations. “Diligent inquisition” was to be made before any judgment was passed (Deut. 19:16-2016If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; 17Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; 18And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. 20And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. (Deuteronomy 19:16‑20)). But in the Apostle Paul’s case, the Jews desired (as a political favor) that he be put to death, disregarding God’s Word. It was such blatant wickedness as this which caused the Gentiles to blaspheme the true God whom the Jews professed to worship (see Rom. 2:17-2417Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. (Romans 2:17‑24)). May we believers be deeply exercised that our daily walk not give cause to the world for dishonoring or blaspheming the “worthy name by the which ye are called” (James 2:77Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? (James 2:7)).
17. “Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.”
18. “Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed.”
Those Jewish accusers who stood up against Paul will eventually bow the knee before the One whom the Apostle served so faithfully. Those who love and serve the Lord must likewise be content to be hated and falsely accused by religious men and misunderstood by the world. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:1212Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12)).
19. “But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.”
“Superstition” is better rendered “system of worship” (JND). Though he did not realize it, Festus’s words were an accurate description of the Jew’s religion. Having rejected and condemned their Messiah sent of God, the guilty nation was left with a mere empty, outward religious “system” one which God has, during the day of grace, set aside. But for believers, the wonderful reality is that our blessed Saviour is alive, risen and seated in glory. May our actions and words also affirm this blessed truth.
20. “And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.”
Festus realized that he had no understanding or ability to question Paul concerning these spiritual matters and thus gave Paul a choice. But the beloved Apostle acted according to his own will in refusing to go to Jerusalem. How precious to think of our Lord Jesus, who, as perfect Man, said to His Father at Gethsemane, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” Let us ever seek to be found walking according to that “good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
21. “But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar. ”
Appeals to the world for righteous judgment concerning difficulties in the path of faith result in loss of the liberty that is ours as “children of God” (JND). Paul himself asked the Corinthian believers, “Why do ye not rather suffer wrong?” rebuking them for going to the world to set wrongs right (1 Cor. 6:68 JND). The Lord Jesus “committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:2323Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23)). Let us do likewise.
22-23. “Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.”
What a worthless display of this world’s fleeting pomp and glory made in the presence of one to whom God had committed the divine, eternal mysteries of the church, hidden in past ages (Eph. 3:1-121For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. (Ephesians 3:1‑12))! The deeds of the king, queen, chief captains and principal men have been long forgotten while Paul’s ministry by divine revelation has been reaping untold, eternal blessing for 2000 years. Which world and its glory do we desire and seek after?
24. “And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. ”
The Jews, claiming the place of being Jehovah’s special favored people, rather than being a source of spiritual blessing to others, followed one single-minded purpose to silence the servant of Christ who spread the good news of God’s love to all men.
25. “But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.”
We see the world make an upright judgment that those to whom the “oracles of God” were committed were, through unbelief, incapable of making.
Ed.