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. 121:12 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. 19:16). 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 3:2).
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. 19:16-20). 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. 2:17-24). 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 2:7).
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.”
Festus evidently had no thought or concern that there is coming a day when he who sat in such arrogant judgment on an apostle of Jesus Christ will himself stand before an infinitely more glorious seat of judgment there to be judged according to divine holiness and righteousness. Let us live in view of the judgment seat of Christ where all will be divinely evaluated by Himself (see Rom. 14:10-13).
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. 3:12).
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 2:23). 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. 3:1-12)! 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.