“Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him” (Acts 25:1-3).
Without “repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” the religious man is a beast. The Jew’s hearts overflowed with murder and deceit.
“But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove” (Acts 25:4-7).
The Jews, in addition to murderous hearts, had lying lips.
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go” (Acts 25:8-12).
Porcius Festus had the same character as Felix — a politician without conscience, quicker to sacrifice the innocent than hurt his relationship with the Jews, his subjects. Paul told him frankly that Festus himself knew very well that he had not done anything wrong. Finally, according to his rights, being a Roman citizen by birth, he appealed to the emperor, Caesar; and Festus accepted.
How great a contrast between the humble servant of the Lord and the men of high category in this world that “lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19).
“And after certain days King Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar” (Acts 25:13-21).
When the Lord Jesus informed Ananias about Saul of Tarsus, he told him: “he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). The Lord’s prophetic word is going to be fulfilled: Paul goes to testify of Christ before King Agrippa:
“Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O King Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him” (Acts 25:22-27).
Festus, just like Lysias, the chief captain (Compare Acts 21:37-38; 23:27) did not tell the whole truth. He did not tell King Agrippa that the only reason Paul appealed to Caesar was because he, Festus, “willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem ... ?” (Acts 25:9). Now he said to King Agrippa: “he had committed nothing worthy of death.” Why then, had he not set him free? Hypocrite! But the Lord’s hand was in all of it, because he wanted Paul to testify before the emperor himself, of the “gospel of God ... Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord ... which was ... declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:1-4).
Then, what happened in Rome? “the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places ... All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household” (Phil. 1:12-13; 4:22). The gospel reached even as far as the emperor’s palace and several people believed.