PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| UBS4 |
NKJV |
NRSV |
TEV |
NJB |
| Paul Appeals to Caesar | Paul Appeals to Caesar | Appeal to the Emperor | Paul Appeals to the Emperor | Paul Appeals to Caesar |
| 25:1-5 | 25:1-12 | 25:1-5 | 25:1-5 | 25:1-5 |
| 25:6-12 | 25:6-12 | 25:6-8 | 25:6-12 | |
| 25:9 | ||||
| 25:10-11 | ||||
| 25:12 | ||||
| Paul Brought Before Agrippa and Bernice | Paul Before Agrippa | Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa (25:13-26:32) |
Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice | Paul Appears Before King Agrippa |
| 25:13-22 | 25:13-27 | 25:13-22 | 25:13-21 | 25:13-22 |
| 25:22a | ||||
| 25:22b | ||||
| 25:23-27 | 25:23-27 | 25:23-27 | 25:23-26:1 |
READING CYCLE THREE (from “A Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects.
Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing
is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author’s intent,
which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one main
subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
4. Etc.
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:1-5
1Festus then, having arrived
in the province, three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2And
the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul,
and they were urging him, 3requesting a concession against Paul, that
he might have him brought to Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an
ambush to kill him on the way). 4Festus then answered that Paul was
being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave
shortly.
5“Therefore,” he said, “let the influential men among you go there
with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him.”
25:1 “Festus” This was Felix’s
successor. He was a nobler personality, but obviously under the same political
pressure and mind set. He was in office for two years and died in a.d. 62 while still in office (cf. Josephus,
Antiq. 20.8.9).
▣ “three days later” This shows how
upset and persistent the Jewish leadership was concerning Paul. Festus also
wanted to make a good first impression.
25:2 “the chief priest and the leading men of
the Jews” This may refer to the Sanhedrin, which was made up of 70 Jewish
leaders from Jerusalem. They formed the highest judicial body of the Jews in
both politics and religion. See Special Topic at 4:5. However, it could also
refer to the other wealthy and elite citizens of Jerusalem who would be very
anxious to meet the new Roman procurator and begin to establish a good
relationship with him.
It is surely possible that it refers to both groups. After two years there
was a new high priest, Ishmael ben Fabus (a.d.
56-62). He, too, wanted to establish himself and a good way to do this was to
attack the renegade Pharisee, Paul.
▣ “they were urging him” This is an imperfect active indicative. They asked again
and again.
25:3 This shows animosity against Paul
on the part of these religious leaders. They saw Paul as an enemy from within!
▣ “(at the same time, setting an
ambush to kill him on the way)”
The tactics of the Jewish leadership had not changed (cf. 23:12-15).
25:5 “if” This is a
first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the
author’s perspective or for his purposes (cf. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures
in the New Testament, vol. 3, p. 429). Dr. Bruce Tankersley, the Koine Greek
specialist at East Texas Baptist University, says it might be
third class because there is no
verb in the protasis. Festus assumed Paul was guilty. Why else would the
Jerusalem leaders be so persistent, and so tenacious?
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:6-12
6After he had spent not more
than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day
he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought.
7After Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood
around him, bringing many and serious charges against him which they could not
prove, 8while Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no
offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against
Caesar.” 9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul
and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on
these
charges?” 10But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s
tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as
you also very well know. 11If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have
committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those
things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to
them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12Then when Festus had conferred with his
council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go.”
25:6-9 These events showed Paul that
he had no real hope for justice with Festus. He knew what awaited him in
Jerusalem (cf. v. 3). He also knew Jesus wanted him to go to Rome (cf. 9:15).
25:6 “After he had spent not more than eight
or ten days among them” I would imagine the Jewish leaders wined and
dined Festus. They manipulated all the Roman officials.
25:8 Paul asserts that he is innocent
of all charges against
1. the Law of Moses (cf. 21:21,28)
2. the temple (cf. 21:28; 24:6)
3. Caesar (cf. 16:21; 17:7)
Numbers 1 and 2 are exactly what Stephen was charged with in 6:13-14.
25:10-11 Paul asserts that he was
already before the proper authority and in the proper place. Luke records in v.
11 Paul’s official appeal to Caesar.
The right of appeal to Caesar initially started with Octavian in 30 b.c. (cf. Dio Cassius, History, 51.19).
This initial dictate was expanded to forbid blinding, scourging, and torture to
any Roman citizen who appealed to Caesar (cf. Paulus, Sententiae
5.26.1).
There is a good discussion of Roman Law of the first century in A. N.
Sherwin-White’s Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament,
“lecture four: Paul before Felix and Festus,” pp. 48-70.
25:11 “If. . .if” These are two
first class conditional sentences which are assumed to be true from the
author’s perspective or for his purpose. These two usages in context show how
this grammatical construction was used to make a point. The first is false to
reality (but exactly the same condition used by Felix in v. 5); the second is
true to reality.
▣ “I do not refuse to die” Paul
recognized the power of the state (cf. Rom. 13:4). The OT perspective on capital
punishment can be found in Gen. 9:6. See an interesting discussion of capital
punishment in Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 114-116.
NASB, TEV“no one can hand me over to them”
NKJV“no on can deliver me over to them”
NRSV“no one can turn me over to them”
NJB“no one has the right to surrender me to them”
The term charizomai basically
means “to gratify” or “grant as a favor.” Paul realized that Festus was trying
to impress the Jewish leadership by giving them himself!
However, it is possible that Festus is trying to abide by a decree from
Julius Caesar (cf. Josephus, Antiq.
14.10.2), which encouraged Roman officials in Palestine to allow the wishes of
the high priest.
▣ “I
appeal to Caesar” This was the legal right of every Roman citizen in
capital punishment cases (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.96). At this point in
history, Nero was the Caesar (a.d.
54-68).
25:12 “his council” This refers to
Festus’ Roman legal experts, not the Jewish leaders.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO ACTS 25:13-26:32
BACKGROUND
A. Herod Agrippa II (Marcus Julius Agrippa)
1. He is the son of Herod Agrippa I (cf. Acts 12), who was the political
ruler of Judea and who had control of the Temple and Priesthood (a.d.
41-44) and grandson of Herod the Great.
2. He was educated in Rome and was pro-Roman. He returned to Rome after the
Jewish war of a.d. 70 and died there in
a.d. 100.
3. At the age of 17 his father died, but he was too young to assume his
kingdom.
4. In a.d. 50 Herod Chalcis,
Agrippa II’s uncle, the King of Chalcis (a small kingdom in Northern Palestine),
died and Agrippa II was given his kingdom by Emperor Claudius. Also, he was
given control over the Temple and the High Priesthood.
5. In a.d. 53 he exchanged this
small kingdom for the tetrarches of Herod Philip (Ituraea and Trachonitis) and
Lysanius (Abilene).
6. Later, Emperor Nero added certain cities and villages around the Sea of
Galilee to his control. His capital was Caesarea Philippi, which he renamed
Neronias.
7. For historical reference cf:
a. Josephus Jewish Wars 2.12.1,7-8; 15.1; 16.4; 7.5.1
b. Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews 19.9.2; 20.5.2; 6.5; 7.1; 8.4;
9.6.
B. Bernice
1. She was the oldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I.
2. She was the sister of Agrippa II, and for a period of time may have been
his incestuous lover (there is no evidence of this, only rumor). Later she was a
mistress to Emperor Titus while he was a general. He was the Roman general who
destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in
a.d. 70.
3. She was Drusilla’s sister (cf. 24:24).
4. She was married to Herod Chalcis (Herod Agrippa I’s brother, her uncle),
but when he died she moved in with her brother.
5. She later married Polemon, King of Cilicia, but left him to return to her
brother who had just been given the title of “King.”
6. She was the mistress of Emperor Vespasian.
7. Historical references
a. Josephus Jewish Wars 2.1.6; 15.1; 17.1.
b.Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jew 19.9.1; 15.1; 20.1.3
c. Tacitus’ History 2.2
d. Seutonius’ Life of Titus 7
e. Dio Cassius’ Histories 65.15; 66.18
f. Juvenal’s Satire 61.156-157
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:13-22
13Now when several days
had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their
respects to Festus. 14While they were spending many days there,
Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as
a prisoner by Felix; 15and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests
and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of
condemnation against him. 16I answered them that it is not the custom
of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to
face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.
17So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next
day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.
18When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against
him not of such crimes as I was expecting, 19but they simply
had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a
dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20Being at a loss
how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to
Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. 21But when Paul
appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be
kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” 22Then Agrippa said
to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you
shall hear him.”
25:13 “King Agrippa” This refers to
Agrippa II. He was the brother of Drusilla and Bernice. He was educated in Rome
and was very loyal to Rome’s policies and programs.
25:13-19 This again reveals one of
Luke’s literary and theological purposes, which was to show that Christianity
was not a political threat to Rome (cf. v. 25). In the early decades of the
first century Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism, which was
acknowledged by Rome as a legal religion. Rome wanted no part of disputes
between Jewish religious sects!
25:18 “they began charges against him
not of such crimes as I was expecting” This shows the intensity and
nature of the Jewish opposition. It was not political, but religious.
NASB, NRSV,
NJB, NIV“crimes”
NKJV“such things”
TEV“evil crimes”
REB“charges”
NET Bible“evil deeds”
ASV“evil things”
There are several variants.
1. ponērōn – genitive plural
in MSS א2, B, E, meaning “things of evil” (cf. 28:21)
2. ponērau – accusative neuter
singular in MSS P74, A, C*
3. ponēra – accusative neuter
plural in MSS א*, C2
4. omit – MSS L, P, and some Lectionaries (cf. NKJV)
UBS4 puts option #1 in the text with a “C” rating (difficulty in
deciding).
Felix was surprised that the charges were not serious and had to do with
Jewish religious matters, not legal matters.
25:19 “religion” This is literally a
compound term from “fear” and “gods.” This term can mean “superstition,” which
was exactly what these Roman leaders thought about the Jewish religion. However,
Festus would have not wanted to insult his Jewish dignitaries, so he used an
ambiguous term (so too, Paul, 17:22).
Verses 18-19 show again that Roman justice found no fault with Paul or
Christianity.
▣ “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul
asserted to be alive” The resurrection was one the central pillars of the
sermons (kerygma, see Special Topic at 2:14) in Acts (cf. 26:8).
Christianity stands or falls on this theological assertion (cf. I Corinthians
15).
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 25:23-27
23So, on the next day when
Agrippa came together with Bernice amid great pomp, and entered the auditorium
accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command
of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all
you gentlemen here present with us, you see this man about whom all the people
of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he
ought not to live any longer. 25But I found that he had committed
nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided
to send him. 26Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my
lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before
you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have
something to write. 27For it seems absurd to me in sending a
prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.”
25:23 What a wonderful opportunity to
preach the gospel!
▣ “the commanders” This is the term
chiliarch, which means leaders of a thousand, as centurion means leader of a
hundred. We learn from Josephus’ Antiq. 19.19.2, that there were five
auxiliary cohorts in Caesarea at this period. Therefore, possibly five military
men are referred to here.
▣ “the prominent men of the city” This
would refer to the civic leaders of Caesarea.
Notice the groups in the assembly.
1. a Roman procurator
2. an Idumean regional king
3. Roman military leaders
4. prominent civic leaders of Caesarea
▣ 25:26 “the Emperor” This term is
sebastos, which was the Greek equivalent of the Latin term augustus.
Its basic etymology is “revere, “adore,” “venerate,” or “worship.” It was first
used of Octavian in 27 b.c. by the
Senate. Here, it is used of Nero (a.d.
54-68). Nero seems to have expanded the worship of the Emperor cult.
25:26 “I have nothing definite about him to
write” Festus had the same problem as Lysias, the commander from
Jerusalem. He was bound by Roman law to write an indictment against Paul along
with any evidence or judicial opinion. Paul was a mystery to these Roman
leaders.
▣ “lord” The is the Greek word
kurios, which means owner, master, ruler. This is the first documented use
of kurios as a stand-alone title for Nero. This title was rejected by the
Emperors Octavian/Augustus and Tiberias because they felt it was too close to
the Latin rex
(king), which caused the Roman populace and Senate discomfort. However,
it appears often during and after Nero’s day. Vespasian and Titus used the term
“savior” and Domitian used “god” to describe themselves (cf. James S. Jeffers,
The Greco-Roman World p. 101). The term kurios became the focus of
the persecution against Christians, who could use
only this term for Jesus Christ. They refused to use it in the incense
offering and pledge of allegiance to Rome.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study
guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the
Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you
think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Why did the Jewish leaders fear and hate Paul?
2. How does this chapter reflect one of Luke’s purposes in writing Acts?
3. What was Paul’s purpose in defending himself before Agrippa and Bernice?
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