Act 25:9 | KingComments | STEP | After eight or ten days, Festus returns to Caesarea. The day after his return, he took his seat on the tribunal or judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought to him there. By taking place on the tribunal, the handling of ’the case of Paul’ takes on an official character. But what kind of judge takes his seat? It is a person who is solely out for his own interests. This also happened to Pilate at the time, of whom we also read that he sat down “on the judgment seat” ( ) and that to judge the Judge of the whole earth ( ) Who stood before him. The justice he spoke is the greatest and most gross form of injustice ever committed. It is a great encouragement to know that in front of all the earthly judgment seats there is a heavenly judgment seat. On earthly judgment seats sat and sits people who are incapable of impartial judgment. On the heavenly judgment seat sits Someone Who will judge perfectly ( ; ). Before Festus, the Jews who came along at his invitation also appear. Luke mentions of them that they stand “around him”, which presumably refers to Paul. Like bloodhounds they surrounded him. Then their torrent of “many and serious charges” breaks loose. Luke does not go into detail about their contents. From Paul’s defense, we can deduce what points they accused him of. Because the Jews have still not achieved a result in their accusation, they will have made the accusations very severe, and extended them as much as possible. In doing so, they have violated the truth in a terrible way. It is therefore not surprising that they are unable to prove a single accusation. It is precisely their exaggeration in the charges that makes it easy for Paul to defend himself. In addition, what is important to the Jews does not interest Festus at all. What does he have to do with the law of the Jews? When the Jews accuse Paul of teaching the nations that they do not have to keep the law, that means nothing to him. The same goes for the accusation that he desecrated the temple. The accusation that he would have done something against the emperor could be something important. This accusation was based on the preaching of another king than the emperor, namely Jesus ( ). But no call was made by Paul to rebel against the emperor. On the contrary, he taught that one must submit to the government ( ). This is not a matter for Festus. No, it is clear to him that he is not dealing with someone dangerous to the state, someone who is endangering the widely acclaimed ‘Pax Romana’, the Roman peace. While Festus has so far acted correctly and should now have released Paul, he is making a proposal that is completely contrary to Roman law. He proposes that Paul should go to Jerusalem and stand trial there before him. Luke mentions the motive of the proposal: Festus wants to do the Jews a favor. The main concern of Festus is to gain the favor of the Jews, as was the case with Felix ( ) and Pilate ( ). He wants to be in good standing with them. A good relationship with the Jews is more important to him than doing justice to a prisoner who causes trouble, or at least is accused of doing so. He foresees that his release will only cause him great problems. Paul sees through his intentions. Earlier he wanted to go to Jerusalem, but now he no longer wants to. He does not want to appear before a Jewish court, but before the court of the emperor. By appealing to the emperor, he recognizes the way of the Lord with him, that He led him out of Jerusalem. He also recognizes the judgment seat of the emperor and appeals to him. The judgment seat on which Festus sits is that of the emperor. Festus, as his representative, exercises his authority. The first Christians suffered many injustices, but the charges were always unfounded. They obeyed the laws issued by the government, so they could not be accused on that basis. What they suffered was due to the fact that they were Christians ( ). Paul also speaks to the conscience of Festus by saying to him that he knows well that he, Paul, did not do any wrong to the Jews. By his statement he disqualifies Festus as a judge. Paul expresses his surrender to the law. If he had done something worthy of death, he would not refuse to die. In veiled terms he even accuses Festus of wanting to surrender him to the Jews as a favor. He cannot simply accept this. That is why he appeals to the emperor. If we were to ask ourselves whether he would not have done better to place his cause in the hand of God, it would in any case become clear that God controls the circumstances in such a way that Paul comes to Rome, as the Lord told him earlier ( ). There he would testify before the emperor himself. It is also questionable whether we should ask ourselves if Paul should not have better placed his cause in God’s hand. Is it not rather our duty to remind people of their responsibility and that this also applies, in some cases, to what the government asks of us? It is not about opposing all the wrong decisions that a government makes or wrong laws that a government enacts. As mentioned earlier, Paul has never called for an attack on the government for everything that is wrong. He even says that we should submit to the government without question. As soon as the government says something we should do or not do in which our testimony before the Lord is at stake, we can go the paths that are provided for that purpose. That is why Paul appeals to the emperor here. It seems that Festus did not count on this. What should he do now? He cannot release Paul, because then the Jews will explode. Paul does not want to go to Jerusalem and he cannot force him to do so, because Paul is a Roman citizen. Before he decides, he first confers with his council about what is best. He uses consultation with them to prevent a quarrel with them. Luke does not tell us what has been discussed. That is not important, because the outcome is that Festus confirms Paul’s appeal. The Lord has determined that Paul will go to Rome. With the words “you have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go”, Festus assures Paul that he will go to the emperor in Rome.

‏ Acts 25:9

Paul Appeals to the Emperor

After eight or ten days, Festus returns to Caesarea. The day after his return, he took his seat on the tribunal or judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought to him there. By taking place on the tribunal, the handling of ’the case of Paul’ takes on an official character. But what kind of judge takes his seat? It is a person who is solely out for his own interests.

This also happened to Pilate at the time, of whom we also read that he sat down “on the judgment seat” (Jn 19:13) and that to judge the Judge of the whole earth (Gen 18:25) Who stood before him. The justice he spoke is the greatest and most gross form of injustice ever committed.

It is a great encouragement to know that in front of all the earthly judgment seats there is a heavenly judgment seat. On earthly judgment seats sat and sits people who are incapable of impartial judgment. On the heavenly judgment seat sits Someone Who will judge perfectly (Rom 14:10; 2Cor 5:10).

Before Festus, the Jews who came along at his invitation also appear. Luke mentions of them that they stand “around him”, which presumably refers to Paul. Like bloodhounds they surrounded him. Then their torrent of “many and serious charges” breaks loose. Luke does not go into detail about their contents. From Paul’s defense, we can deduce what points they accused him of.

Because the Jews have still not achieved a result in their accusation, they will have made the accusations very severe, and extended them as much as possible. In doing so, they have violated the truth in a terrible way. It is therefore not surprising that they are unable to prove a single accusation. It is precisely their exaggeration in the charges that makes it easy for Paul to defend himself.

In addition, what is important to the Jews does not interest Festus at all. What does he have to do with the law of the Jews? When the Jews accuse Paul of teaching the nations that they do not have to keep the law, that means nothing to him. The same goes for the accusation that he desecrated the temple.

The accusation that he would have done something against the emperor could be something important. This accusation was based on the preaching of another king than the emperor, namely Jesus (Acts 17:7). But no call was made by Paul to rebel against the emperor. On the contrary, he taught that one must submit to the government (Rom 13:1).

This is not a matter for Festus. No, it is clear to him that he is not dealing with someone dangerous to the state, someone who is endangering the widely acclaimed ‘Pax Romana’, the Roman peace. While Festus has so far acted correctly and should now have released Paul, he is making a proposal that is completely contrary to Roman law. He proposes that Paul should go to Jerusalem and stand trial there before him.

Luke mentions the motive of the proposal: Festus wants to do the Jews a favor. The main concern of Festus is to gain the favor of the Jews, as was the case with Felix (Acts 24:27) and Pilate (Mk 15:15). He wants to be in good standing with them. A good relationship with the Jews is more important to him than doing justice to a prisoner who causes trouble, or at least is accused of doing so. He foresees that his release will only cause him great problems.

Paul sees through his intentions. Earlier he wanted to go to Jerusalem, but now he no longer wants to. He does not want to appear before a Jewish court, but before the court of the emperor. By appealing to the emperor, he recognizes the way of the Lord with him, that He led him out of Jerusalem. He also recognizes the judgment seat of the emperor and appeals to him. The judgment seat on which Festus sits is that of the emperor. Festus, as his representative, exercises his authority.

The first Christians suffered many injustices, but the charges were always unfounded. They obeyed the laws issued by the government, so they could not be accused on that basis. What they suffered was due to the fact that they were Christians (1Pet 4:15-16).

Paul also speaks to the conscience of Festus by saying to him that he knows well that he, Paul, did not do any wrong to the Jews. By his statement he disqualifies Festus as a judge. Paul expresses his surrender to the law. If he had done something worthy of death, he would not refuse to die.

In veiled terms he even accuses Festus of wanting to surrender him to the Jews as a favor. He cannot simply accept this. That is why he appeals to the emperor. If we were to ask ourselves whether he would not have done better to place his cause in the hand of God, it would in any case become clear that God controls the circumstances in such a way that Paul comes to Rome, as the Lord told him earlier (Acts 23:11). There he would testify before the emperor himself.

It is also questionable whether we should ask ourselves if Paul should not have better placed his cause in God’s hand. Is it not rather our duty to remind people of their responsibility and that this also applies, in some cases, to what the government asks of us?

It is not about opposing all the wrong decisions that a government makes or wrong laws that a government enacts. As mentioned earlier, Paul has never called for an attack on the government for everything that is wrong. He even says that we should submit to the government without question. As soon as the government says something we should do or not do in which our testimony before the Lord is at stake, we can go the paths that are provided for that purpose. That is why Paul appeals to the emperor here.

It seems that Festus did not count on this. What should he do now? He cannot release Paul, because then the Jews will explode. Paul does not want to go to Jerusalem and he cannot force him to do so, because Paul is a Roman citizen. Before he decides, he first confers with his council about what is best. He uses consultation with them to prevent a quarrel with them.

Luke does not tell us what has been discussed. That is not important, because the outcome is that Festus confirms Paul’s appeal. The Lord has determined that Paul will go to Rome. With the words “you have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go”, Festus assures Paul that he will go to the emperor in Rome.