"ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

Chapter Twenty-Five

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
  1. To consider the circumstances in which Paul appealed to Caesar
  2. To observe Paul before King Agrippa
SUMMARY

Shortly after Festus arrived in Caesarea, he went to Jerusalem. The high priest and chief men informed Festus of Paul. They petitioned him, asking Festus a favor, to bring Paul back to Jerusalem. The Jews planned an ambush to kill Paul along the road as he traveled. Festus indicated that he would shortly be traveling back to Caesarea, and invited those Jews in authority to travel there as well. They could accuse Paul there. After remaining in Jerusalem about ten days, Festus returned to Caesarea. He called Paul before the judgment seat the next day. The Jews attended and laid serious complaints against Paul; however, they could not prove them. Paul answered, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all." Festus then asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem with him. He suggested that he would judge Paul there. This was recommended to Paul because Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor. Paul responded that he stood at Caesar's judgment seat, "where I ought to be judged." He told Festus he had done no wrong to the Jews, "as you very well know." Paul was willing to die, if he had committed anything worthy of death. But, he had no guilt of the things for which the Jews accused him. Paul was not going to be delivered to the Jews - he was a Roman citizen. Paul then appealed to Caesar. Festus replied, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!" (1-12)

A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus as the new governor, replacing Felix. Festus laid Paul's case before Agrippa. He noted that Felix had left Paul a prisoner with his case not resolved. He recalled that the chief priests and elders of the Jews informed him about Paul during his recent visit to Jerusalem. Festus recounted to Agrippa that he had told the Jews that it was not Roman custom to deliver the accused for "destruction" without the accused having the opportunity to answer the charges face to face. Upon Festus' return to Caesarea, he had Paul come before the judgment seat. He discovered nothing wrong in Paul, other than there were some questions about "their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." Festus asked Paul to go to Jerusalem, since he was "uncertain" about these matters. At that point, Festus noted that Paul appealed to Caesar. After Festus' explanation of Paul's case, Agrippa requested to hear Paul himself. Festus said to Agrippa, "Tomorrow you shall hear him." Paul was brought before King Agrippa the next day, following much pomp upon the entry of Agrippa and Bernice into the auditorium with the commanders and other prominent men of the city. Festus explained the situation to Agrippa and the others. He reported that the Jews claimed Paul was not "fit to live any longer." However, Festus stated that he found Paul had committed nothing deserving death. He noted that Paul had appealed to Caesar, and he was going to send him. Festus indicated that he had nothing to write to Caesar about Paul. He hoped that after Agrippa's examination of Paul, he may have something to write. He thought it was unreasonable to send an appeal to Caesar without specifying the charges. (13-27)

OUTLINE
  1. PAUL APPEALED TO CAESAR (1-12)
    1. THE JEWS PETITIONED FESTUS TO RETURN PAUL TO JERUSALEM (1-5)
      1. Shortly after Festus arrived, he went to Jerusalem
      2. The high priest and chief men informed Festus of Paul
      3. They petitioned him, asking a favor, to bring Paul back to Jerusalem
        1. The Jews planned an ambush to kill Paul along the road
      4. Festus invited those Jews in authority to travel to Caesarea with him
        1. They could accuse Paul there
    2. PAUL STOOD BEFORE FESTUS IN CAESAREA (6-9)
      1. After remaining in Jerusalem about ten days, Festus returned to Caesarea
        1. He called Paul before the judgment seat the next day
      2. The Jews laid serious complaints against Paul
        1. They could not prove them
        2. Paul answered, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all."
      3. Festus asked Paul if he would go to Jerusalem with him
        1. Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor
        2. Festus suggested that he would judge Paul there
    3. PAUL APPEALED TO CAESAR AND AVOIDED A RETURN TO JERUSALEM (10-12)
      1. Paul stated that he stood at Caesar's judgment seat, "where I ought to be judged"
        1. He said he had done no wrong to the Jews, "as you [Festus] very well know"
      2. Paul was willing to die, if he had committed anything worthy of death
        1. He had no guilt of the things the Jews accused him
        2. He was not going to be delivered to the Jews - he was a Roman citizen, and he then appealed to Caesar
      3. Festus stated, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!"
  2. PAUL'S CASE WAS HEARD BY KING AGRIPPA (13-27)
    1. FESTUS PRESENTED PAUL'S CASE TO KING AGRIPPA (13-22)
      1. A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus
      2. Festus laid Paul's case before Agrippa
        1. He noted that Felix had left Paul a prisoner
        2. The chief priests and elders of the Jews informed Festus about Paul
        3. He told the Jews that it was not Roman custom to deliver the accused for "destruction" without the accused having the opportunity to answer the charges
        4. Festus had Paul come before the judgment seat
        5. Festus discovered nothing wrong, other than there were some questions about "their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive"
        6. He asked Paul to go to Jerusalem, since he was "uncertain" about these matters
        7. Then Paul appealed to Caesar
      3. Agrippa requested to hear Paul himself
        1. Festus said to Agrippa, "Tomorrow you shall hear him"
    2. PAUL STOOD BEFORE AGRIPPA AND BERNICE (23-27)
      1. Paul was brought before King Agrippa the next day, following much pomp upon the entry of Agrippa and Bernice
      2. Festus explained the situation to Agrippa and the men gathered
        1. Festus reported that the Jews claimed Paul was not "fit to live any longer"
        2. Festus stated he found that Paul had committed nothing deserving death
        3. He noted that Paul had appealed to Caesar, and he was going to send him
        4. Festus indicated that he had nothing to write to Caesar about Paul
        5. He hoped that after Agrippa's examination of Paul, he may have something to write, for he thought it unreasonable to send an appeal to Caesar without specifying the charges
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
Show / Hide Answers
  1. What are the main events in this chapter?
    - Paul appealed to Caesar (1-12)
    - Paul's case was heard by King Agrippa (13-27)
  2. After arriving in the province, how many days was it before Festus went from Caesarea to Jerusalem? (1)
    - Three days (1)
  3. Of what did the high priest and chief men inform Festus? (2-3)
    - Informed him against Paul and petitioned him (2)
    - They asked a favor for Festus to send Paul to Jerusalem (3)
  4. What was the real plan of the Jews for Paul? (3)
    - They were laying an ambush to kill him on the road (3)
  5. How did Festus respond to the Jews' request? (4-5)
    - Paul would be kept in Caesarea; he was going there shortly (4)
    - The Jews with authority were to go to Caesarea to accuse him (5)
  6. When did Paul come before the judgment seat of Festus? (6)
    - Festus returned to Caesarea after about 10 days in Jerusalem (6)
    - He called Paul to the judgment seat the next day (6)
  7. The Jews laid many serious complaints on Paul. Were they able to prove them? (7)
    - They were not able to prove any of them (7)
  8. List the three things Paul had not offended against. (8)
    - He had not offended against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar (8)
  9. Why did Festus ask Paul to go to Jerusalem? (9)
    - He wanted to do the Jews a favor (9)
  10. Where did Paul believe he should be judged? (10)
    - Where he was - at Caesar's judgment seat (Caesarea) (10)
  11. Did Paul recognize that Festus found no wrong in him? (10)
    - Yes, he stated that to Festus; "as you very well know" (10)
  12. What was Paul trying to avoid by appealing to Caesar? (11)
    - None of their accusations had been proven; therefore, he did not want to go back to Jerusalem before the Sanhedrin (11)
  13. How did Paul have the right to appeal to Caesar? (11)
    - Paul was a Roman citizen (11; cf. Acts 22:25-28)
  14. How did Festus respond to the appeal? (12)
    - He conferred with the council and then said, "You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!" (12)
  15. Why had Agrippa and Bernice come to Caesarea? (13)
    - To greet Festus (13)
    - He was the new governor, replacing Felix (cf. Acts 24:27)
  16. What did Festus tell Agrippa about, after they had been there many days? (14-15)
    - He told them about Paul's case (14)
    - He told them how the Jews had informed him about Paul (15)
  17. How did Festus describe his response to the Jew's request? (16)
    - It was not the Roman's custom to delivery any man to destruction with allowing the accused to answer his accusers face to face (16)
  18. What questions was Festus uncertain about? (18-20)
    - Questions "about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." (19-20)
  19. What was Agrippa's response to Festus? (22)
    - "I also would like to hear the man myself" (22)
  20. While before Agrippa, what did Festus state that the Jews cried out about Paul in Jerusalem? (24)
    - He was "not fit to live any longer" (24)
  21. What was Festus' finding in Paul's case? (25)
    - He had committed nothing deserving of death (25)
  22. What was Festus' dilemma in which he found himself? How was he hoping Agrippa could help? What did he find unreasonable? (26-27)
    - Paul appealed to Caesar, but no charges were against him (26)
    - He hoped to have something to write based on Agrippa's examination of Paul (26)
    - It was unreasonable to send Paul to Caesar without charges (27)