Felix was moved back to Rome by Emperor Nero. He had been at the center of an uprising, behaved poorly and proved to be unjust to the Jews. This apparently came to the attention of Nero who had Felix removed. At that time, Paul had been in prison for 2 years awaiting an answer. The charges were sedition (a plague, creating dissension), sectarianism (of the sect of the Nazarene), and Sacrilege (desecration of the temple). No evidence was brought, only accusation. Paul was waiting on Felix who refused to offer a verdict or, more properly, throw the case out for lack of evidence. Felix saw nothing to gain and dealing with Paul and much to lose by angering the Jews.
After Felix was removed, Porcius Festus stepped in as governor. Porcius was a good ruler who cared about people and ruled justly. However, he inherited a mess from Felix. One of those messes was a man named Paul who was in prison without charge or conviction, only accusation. This had drug on now for 2 years.
Acts 25:1-5
Festus wasted no time in getting to Jerusalem, probably the most important and influential city in the Judean province that he had just inherited. The Jewish people were a huge part of this province. It was important for Festus to connect with the people there in order to rule them. The Jews had a reputation of being able to stir up trouble against leaders they had no control over.
The Jews tried to get Festus to come to an agreement of letting them take Paul back to Jerusalem. This was for the sole purpose of laying a trap for Paul and killing him along the way. The Jews may have been used to dealing with the corrupt governors and assumed Festus was like Felix. History tells us Festus was basically good governor. Festus governed well, despite all the problems left him by Felix.
Festus told these men to go with him to Caesarea where Paul was being held. There they could make their accusations, present their case, and he would see if there was any fault in him.
Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea was providential. God had not forgotten Paul; he was going to Rome but he would go God's way and in His timing. Until then he was in protective custody of Rome, protected from the murderous intentions of the religious leaders. This is longest Paul had remained in one place for many years. It may have been God's way of slowing him down, resting him up and giving him time to write.
It's incredible that the hatred the Jews had for Paul had not cooled in 2 years. They held fast to their incessant plotting to kill or imprison Paul. This is even more fascinating when you know that Felix plotted to the have the high priest Jonathon killed. The new high priest was a man named Ishmael and he picked up where the previous regime had left off. We are left with the impression that these guys must have always been plotting to kill someone.
Acts 25:6-9
When Festus got back to Caesarea, he took his seat in the tribunal as judge. This is the 'bema' seat, the final ruling authority. This is the same word used in Romans 14 when Paul said we would all stand before the Bema of Christ. He called Paul to stand before him. It was a replay of the previous session with Felix. The Jews made charges they couldn't prove. Paul pleaded his innocence.
The Jewish High Priest and the Jewish leadership were a powerful group. They were probably the ones that led to Felix's demise. Festus didn't want to make them mad at him right off the bat. He wanted to do them a favor. He could gain a lot of good press in Jerusalem by coming down on Paul. This is strange because now he's heard there is no evidence and knows that the only right thing is to find him innocent or just outright throw it out. Just a couple of days before, the High Priest wanted Festus to send Paul to Jerusalem, at which Festus said he would hear the case in Caesarea. Now, just a short time later he is trying to coax Paul into going. This may seem strange that he would ask the accused but that was Roman law. A Roman judge could not move a case to another court without the consent of the accused. Paul, knowing how that would go, declined the invitation to disaster. If it went to Jerusalem, Paul would not live. Yet, he knows he could not release Paul in front of the Jews. Festus was known to be a fair man and a good governor, but it looks as though he was either going to allow the ambush or convict Paul as favor to Jews. Either way, he would die.
Acts 25:10-21
Paul points out to Festus just how ridiculous this request was. At this point Paul knew that Festus was working to make the Jews happy. He appealed to Caesar which was his right as a citizen. What's really fascinating is Paul appealed to the Caesar whose name would be synonymous with Christian persecution. Paul appealed to Nero. Yet Nero ruled wisely for the first five years. He was a good emperor in the beginning. Later he became an enemy to Christians and became the evil man history records and was a type of Anti-Christ.
Obviously, Paul didn't know any of this when he appealed. The minute Paul appealed to Caesar, the case was no longer in the hands of Festus and there was nothing Festus could do to stop it. Festus was probably shocked at this appeal but couldn't refuse the request or dismiss it.
Agrippa II, son of Agrippa I (Acts 12:23) was an authority on all things Jewish. Agrippa II is the last of along list of nasty Herod's. Paul was a very Jewish enigma that Festus couldn't comprehend. Bernice was his sister but also had a famous incestuous relationship; she would later be a mistress to two Roman Emperors, Vespasian and Titus. Drusilla, the wife of Felix, was sister to Bernice and Agrippa II.
Festus admitted to Agrippa that he saw through the charges and ascertained that this was about Jesus and the Resurrection.
Acts 25:22-27
Herod Agrippa II ruled a district of the Roman Empire to the northeast of Festus' province. He is the last of the Herodians. Agrippa is Herod II, son of the Herod who killed James and imprisoned Peter. His great uncle was Herod Antipas – this was Herod of the gospels. Herod beheaded John the Baptists and Jesus stood before Herod and was tried.
Agrippa didn't have any jurisdiction over Paul in this case but he wanted to hear the matter. Since Festus didn't know how to handle this situation, Herod might be able to help.
Festus neither found anything out nor made a decision. Paul's appeal took it out of his hands. This probably had the potential to make Festus look bad. He had to send him to Caesar but could give no reason.
Paul was brought out and presented to the King Agrippa and Bernice like some sort of curiosity. Nobody knows what to do with this man. The Jews said he wasn't fit to live any longer but no one associated with Rome could find anything against him.
Now that Paul had appealed to Caesar, Felix had to come up with something to write when he sent him to Rome to see Nero. To send him with no legitimate charges would be foolish and dangerous. Festus intends to use this trial to prepare an official brief for Paul's upcoming trial before Caesar. He's looking to Agrippa with his pen in hand and ready to start writing.
©2008, 2014, 2022 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater
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