Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 25:15
About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed [me,] desiring [to have] judgment against him.
15. the chief priests ] See note on Act 25:2.
desiring to have judgment against him ] The older MSS. give a stronger word for “judgment” than the Text. Recept. It implies that they held there could be but one opinion and that a condemnatory sentence might be at once pronounced, even by the newly arrived governor.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
About whom … – See Act 25:1-5.
To have judgment against him – To have him condemned.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Desiring to have judgment against him.] Instead of , judgment, , condemnation, sentence of death, is the reading of ABC, and several others, which is probably genuine. This is evidently the meaning of the place, whichever reading we prefer. Nothing could satisfy these men but the death of the apostle. It was not justice they wanted, but his destruction.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To wit, judgment of death upon Paul, that he might be sentenced according to the crimes they had laid against him; being put for . Neither do they at all mind that St. Pauls case was not yet heard; they would rather have had him condemned unheard, as they had gotten our Saviour to be condemned, though the judge declared that he found no fault in him, Luk 23:4; which their unjust desire appears by Festuss answer.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
About whom, when I was at Jerusalem,…. Quickly after he came to his government:
the chief priests and elders of the Jews informed me; brought an accusation to him, exhibited to him charges against him, presented to him a bill of information, setting forth various crimes he had been guilty of:
desiring to have judgment against him; not barely to have his cause tried, but to have a sentence of condemnation passed upon him; some copies read “condemnation”, as the Alexandrian copy, and two of Beza’s; and that punishment is designed, and even death itself, is manifest from the following words.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Informed (). Same word as in Acts 23:15; Acts 23:22; Acts 25:2 which see.
Asking for sentence against him ( ‘ ). Only N.T. example of this old word (penalty, fine, condemnation) from and (justice against).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “About whom when I was in Jerusalem,” (peri ou genoumenou mou eis lerosolema) “About whom when I was in Jerusalem,” a few days, to become acquainted with the Jews and their chief officials, Act 25:1-5.
2) “The chief priest and the elders informed me,” (enephanisan hoi archiereis kai hoi presbuteroi ton loudaion) “The chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me,” filled my ear with accusations, aspersions, and complaints against him (Paul), Act 25:2; Act 24:1; Act 25:7.
3) “Desiring to have judgement against him.” (aitoumenoi kat- autou katadiken) “Appealing for a sentence against him,” without a trial first, to assist them in setting up an ambush plot, by which they would assassinate him, (Act 25:2-3) a thing I learned from Felix they had attempted two years earlier, Act 23:12-21. And second they desired an immediate trial, sending their most able, influential men down here to Caesarea to testify against him.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. Judgment (Note Act 25:4.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for sentence against him. To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before the accused has the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him.”
The facts were these. He had found this prisoner whom Felix had left in chains, but who was a Roman citizen. This had to mean that he had done something wrong. And when he had gone to Jerusalem this had been confirmed by the fact that the Jewish leaders had laid a complaint about this prisoner and had asked that he be condemned, and presumably executed. They had asked ‘for sentence against him’ on capital charges (violating the Temple and disloyalty to Caesar).
He had not, however, been prepared to submit on their word alone and had pointed out that Roman judges did not condemn men without evidence, and without giving the person a fair say. Every man had a right to face his accusers and establish his own defence. All this was altogether admirable.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 25:15-16 . . . .] asking for punishment against him . That (comp. 2Th 1:9 ; Jud 1:7 ) is so to be taken (according to its very frequent use by the classical writers, see Reiske, Ind. Dem . p. 162 f.; Ast, Lex. Plat . I. p. 538), is shown by Act 25:16 . Comp. the passages with . . in Wetstein.
] refers to the conception of condemnation contained in . As to the principle of Roman law here expressed, see Grotius in loc. , and on Act 16:37 . Likewise as to the Greek law, see Dissen, ad Dem. de cor . p. 160. On the optative with after a negative clause, when the matter is reported “ ut in cogitatione posita ,” see Klotz, ad Devar . p. 726.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me , desiring to have judgment against him.
Ver. 15. To have judgment against him ] Damnationem, saith Beza. This was the favour they craved of Festus, Act 25:3 . So a writ came down while the Lady Elizabeth was in the tower, subscribed with certain hands of the council for her execution, Stephen Gardiner being the chief engineer; but God prevented them. The Lord Paget in a certain consultation said that King Philip should never have any quiet commonwealth in England unless Lady Elizabeth’s head were stricken from her shoulders. The Spaniards thereto answered, God forbid that their king and master should have such a mind to consent to such a mischief. (Acts and Mon.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] It seems more probable that the unusual word should have been changed to , especially as precedes, than the converse. Luke never uses , except as personified , ch. Act 28:4 ; and in the only two places besides where it occurs in the N. T. (2Th 1:9 ; Jud 1:7 ), it has the sense of condemnation or punishment ; and in neither place is there any various reading.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 25:15 . . ., see on Act 25:2 . , see Act 25:21 . , see critical note. If we read = “sentence,” R.V., i.e. , of condemnation; LXX, Symm., Psa 89:3 , Wis 12:27 ; so in Polyb., xxvi., 5, 1.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
About = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
was = was come.
at = to. Greek. eis. App-104.
elders. App-189.
desiring to have = asking for. Greek. aiteo. App-134.
judgment. Greek. dike. App-177. The texts read katadike (condemnation), a word found nowhere else in NT.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] It seems more probable that the unusual word should have been changed to , especially as precedes, than the converse. Luke never uses , except as personified, ch. Act 28:4; and in the only two places besides where it occurs in the N. T. (2Th 1:9; Jud 1:7), it has the sense of condemnation or punishment; and in neither place is there any various reading.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
when: Act 25:1-3, Est 3:9, Luk 18:3-5, Luk 23:23
Reciprocal: Act 24:1 – informed Act 24:8 – Commanding Act 25:2 – General 2Co 6:9 – unknown
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Act 25:15. About whom the chief priests . . . informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. The Greek word translated judgment (), in the most trustworthy MSS. is the stronger though unused , which must possess the sense of condemnation or punishment. It would thus seem as though the Sanhedrim authorities had so represented the matter to Festus as to leave the impression on his mind that the trial before his predecessor had resulted in the prisoner having been found guilty of at least some of the alleged crimes, but that condemnation had not been pronounced. This they now asked as a right at the hands of Festus.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 14