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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
25:1-12 Paul Appeals to Caesar. The new procurator Festus wanted to win the favor of his constituents. When approached by the Jewish leaders concerning Paul, he at first resisted but later gave in to their desire to try Paul in Jerusalem. To avoid the fate that awaited him there, Paul invoked his citizen's right of appeal for trial before the emperor.
25:2 The chief priests and the principal men probably refers to the Sanhedrin. Previously they had cooperated with the
25:4 Festus unwittingly protected Paul by insisting that any hearing should take place in his headquarters at Caesarea.
25:9-11 Felix, "desiring to do the Jews a favor," had kept Paul in prison for (24:27). In light of the new plot against Paul (25:2-3), if Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, had done the same, it could have been deadly for Paul. Festus assured Paul that he--not the Jews--would try him. But Paul was not reassured. He feared Festus would give him up to the Jews. As a Roman citizen he had the right to appeal his case to Caesar. He exercised that right in order to remove the matter from the governor's hands (). "Caesar" was the emperor Nero Caesar, who reigned . The first of his reign were relatively peaceful; after that his actions became increasingly cruel and irrational.
25:12 In considering difficult or unusual cases, Roman administrators usually had an advisory board or council of high-ranking officials for consultation.
