Acts 25:1–27

25:1–12 Paul Appeals to Caesar. Two years do nothing to lessen the Jewish leaders’ hatred of Paul. On Festus’s first trip to Jerusalem—only three days after his arrival to the area—the Jewish leaders immediately take up their case against Paul. Their motives have not changed at all: they want Paul brought to Jerusalem so that they can kill him (v. 3; cf. 23:12). Festus himself has not yet met or heard from Paul, and he is wise, or shrewd, enough not to go along with their terms. If they have something against Paul, they are welcomed to come to Caesarea and make their case. Later Luke notes that Festus desires to do a favor for the Jews (25:9; cf. 24:27), but not at the expense of compromising his own position and authority. The longstanding pattern of Gentile protection of Paul against the Jews continues with Festus, as God continues to make good on his promise to bring his Word to the ends of the earth.

It is clear that the Romans have more interest in upholding their own laws and practices than the Jewish authorities do in upholding the law of Moses. Granted, officials such as Gallio (18:12), the tribune Lysias (23:26), Felix, and Festus have a vested personal interest in upholding Roman law, and they are not above cutting corners (e.g., Felix’s hope for a bribe). Nevertheless, they show far more loyalty to Rome than the Jewish leaders do to Moses and the covenant. The arrest and trial of Jesus was a previous example of this sad reality.

Verses 6–12 return to Caesarea, with Festus taking his place as judge. The Jews bring “many and serious charges” against Paul, but they have no evidence (v. 7). They stand around Paul making their accusations—we can imagine Paul standing calmly in their midst, with deep sadness (cf. Rom. 9:3), as they rant and rave with all of their false accusations, each baseless charge building up more evidence of their own rejection of the Messiah and the covenant God they claim to serve.

Luke does not quote the accusers this time—readers are already familiar with their charges. But he does include a brief report of Paul’s reply that summarizes their case (Acts 25:8). Besides denying any crime against the law or the temple, Paul mentions a supposed wrongdoing unmentioned in the narrative since the uproar in Thessalonica (17:2–7): offense against Caesar. It is a fair assumption that these Jews have charged Paul with the same kind of treason alleged by the Jews in Thessalonica: “acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (17:7). The same issue is likely raised here. Perhaps Paul’s Jewish opponents believe they have found a way to use his Roman citizenship against him. Rather than swearing allegiance to Caesar, Paul’s allegiance is to Jesus of Nazareth, whom he calls King and Lord.

There is precedent for this charge. In the Gospels, the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trap Jesus with a question concerning Caesar’s authority (Matt. 22:17; cf. Mark 12:14; Luke 20:22). Likewise, the Jews apply pressure to the Roman governor Pilate by reminding him, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar” (John 19:12). The same Jews also cry, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15)—an astonishing thing for a Jew to say, but one that provides readers of Acts insight into the depths of the Jewish rejection of Jesus and their subsequent rejection of his disciples. The Jewish leaders out to stop Paul are not faithful to Yahweh; they were unfaithful to him when they killed Jesus, just as their fathers were unfaithful when they persecuted his prophets (Matthew 23).

Festus’s job is to keep the peace, but it becomes clear to Paul that he himself is in a potentially dangerous situation. Festus desires to do the Jews a favor (Acts 25:9; cf. Felix in 24:27), but he does not rule against Paul. Instead he asks him if he wants to make his case in Jerusalem. Paul chooses to invoke his citizenship instead, pointing out that he is right where he is supposed to be: at a Roman tribunal (25:11). He turns the issue back to Festus, pointing out that he knows Paul has not committed anything against the Jews (v. 10). In other words, this is purely a Roman matter, and he is quite willing to face the consequences if he is guilty of anything deserving of death in a Roman context.

Paul must sense that Festus is not above emulating Pontius Pilate and washing his hands of the whole situation. He points out that if he is not guilty regarding the Jews, then no one, not even Festus, can turn him over to them. His appeal to Caesar must have been completely unpredicted and absolutely stunning to Festus. Roman citizens had a right to appeal their cases all the way to the emperor. Luke does not record the Jews’ response (no doubt they have objections), but he does note that the request is enough to force Festus to step aside and confer with his advisers. He returns to the proceedings in what is probably a mix of confusion (see 25:26) and perhaps, at least in the short term, relief. He does what he has to do as a Roman official: he grants Paul’s request. With that, the direction of the rest of the narrative is set. The Jewish leaders and enemies are out of the picture for Paul. Paul’s way was chosen by Christ Jesus, and the apostle to the Gentiles will be sent, under Gentile authority, to the very heart of the Gentile world. In one fell swoop, Paul sheds these accusers forever. The major point of tension in Acts, Jewish unbelief and opposition to the gospel, evaporates.

25:13–27 Festus Refers Paul to Agrippa. Herod Agrippa II, son of Agrippa I (12:1ff.), does not rule Judea, but he does have authority over the temple, including the authority to appoint priests. By this time the Romans have taken back Galilee, Perea, Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, all of which were under the rule of Agrippa I at one time.¹ Agrippa II is, nevertheless, still quite powerful and influential and, more importantly, “familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews” (26:3). When he and his sister Bernice come to Caesarea, Festus wastes no time recounting the recent events. Festus may no longer have to worry about the Jews, but he does not want to send Paul to the emperor without explanation (25:26–27). He lays out the history of the case, careful to show both that he has done everything by the book (vv. 15–17) and also that Paul’s accusers have brought baseless charges. They have simply argued over points of the Jewish religion and the man Jesus, whom some say is dead even though Paul claims he is alive (v. 19). Festus recounts how Paul declined to go to Jerusalem but appealed to Caesar instead (vv. 20–21).

Although Gentile rulers and authorities are the means of saving Paul on a number of occasions throughout Acts, they never know quite what to make of him. Felix had an interest in him, including hope for profit, but he left Paul in limbo, never reaching a conclusion in his case. Likewise, Festus clearly does not know what to do with Paul. He had attempted to shift responsibility for him to the Jews, but Paul halted that attempt by appealing to Caesar. His confusion over Paul continues as he seeks help from Agrippa. What every Gentile authority in the book of Acts recognizes, however, is that whatever the charges, Paul is innocent of anything deserving of death. Kings, rulers, and authorities at various levels see this all as a dispute between a few Jews, but in reality it is a dispute over loyalty to the true King, Jesus of Nazareth.

Agrippa apparently has the same flair for pomp and circumstance that his father had (and died over). Dignitaries and military personnel assemble—the most powerful and influential people in that region of the empire—and Paul is ushered in (v. 23). He stands and listens as Festus both repeats the events that have led to this moment (vv. 24–25) and also reveals the real reason he wants Agrippa to hear the case: Festus now has the responsibility to send a prisoner, a Roman citizen who has appealed to Caesar, to the emperor, and he does not want to do so without a legitimate charge (vv. 26–27).