Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 25:21
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.
21. to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus] Rev. Ver. “to be kept for the decision of the Emperor.” The verb is that which occurs Act 24:23 where the centurion was commanded to “keep” Paul. He desired to be under the care of the Roman authorities until his case could be properly heard. “Augustus,” the title given first to Octavianus, was afterwards conferred on his successors, and so came to mean “His Imperial Majesty,” whoever might be on the throne. The present “Augustus” was Nero. In the noun rendered “hearing” we have a word which implies “thorough inquiry.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But when he had appealed – Act 25:11.
To be reserved – To be kept; not to be tried at Jerusalem, but to be sent to Rome for trial.
Unto the hearing – Margin, the judgment. That Augustus might hear and decide the cause.
Of Augustus – The reigning emperor at this time was Nero. The name Augustus Sebastos properly denotes what is venerable, or worthy of honor and reverence. It was first applied to Caesar Octavianus, who was the Roman emperor in the time when our Saviour was born, and who is usually nailed Augustus Caesar. But the title continued to be used of his successors in office, as denoting the veneration or reverence which was due to the rank of emperor.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Unto the hearing of Augustus] ; To the discrimination of the emperor. For, although is usually translated Augustus, and the Roman emperors generally assumed this epithet, which signifies no more than the venerable, the august, get here it seems to be used merely to express the emperor, without any reference to any of his attributes or titles.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Augustus: the emperor who now reigned, and to whom Paul appealed, was Nero, who was called Augustus; this title being at first appropriated to Octavius, who succeeded Julius Caesar; but out of honour unto him, or because of its signification, it became an appellative, and was given unto all the emperors successively: nay, the emperor of Germany to this day is called Semper Augustus.
Caesar; as from Octavius the emperors of Rome had the name of Augustus, so from the first emperor, Julius, they have the name of Caesars. This word Caesar, which was the proper name of the first emperor, is, in acknowledgment of him, made an appellative to all his successors.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. the hearing of Augustustheimperial title first conferred by the Roman Senate on Octavius.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when Paul had appealed to be reserved,…. In custody at Caesarea:
unto the hearing of Augustus; to have his cause heard, tried, and judged of, by the Roman Emperor Nero, here called Augustus; for as it was usual for a Roman emperor to be called Caesar, from Julius Caesar, the first of them, so to be called Augustus, from Octavius Augustus, the second emperor: his original surname was Thurinus, but this being objected to him as a reproachful one, he afterwards took the name of Caesar, and then of Augustus; the one by the will of his great uncle, the other by the advice of Munatius Plancus; when some thought he ought to be called Romulus, as if he was the founder of the city, it prevailed that he should rather be called Augustus; not only this surname being new, but more grand, seeing religious places, and in which anything was consecrated by soothsaying, were called “Augusta, ab auctu, vel ab avium gestu, gustuve”, according to Ennius t: in the Greek text the name is Sebastos, which signifies venerable and worshipful.
I commanded him to be kept; in Caesarea, by a centurion, and not sent to Jerusalem:
till I might send him to Caesar: till he could have an opportunity of sending him to Rome, to take his trial before the emperor.
t Suetonius in Vit. Octav. c. 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When Paul had appealed ( ). Genitive absolute with first aorist middle participle of , the technical word for appeal (verses Acts 25:11; Acts 25:12). The first aorist passive infinitive (to be kept) is the object of the participle.
For the decision of the emperor ( ). (cf. 24:22, I will determine) is the regular word for a legal examination (), thorough sifting (), here only in N.T. Instead of “the Emperor” it should be “the Augustus,” as is simply the Greek translation of Augustus, the adjective (Revered, Reverent) assumed by Octavius B.C. 27 as the that summed up all his various offices instead of Rex so offensive to the Romans having led to the death of Julius Caesar. The successors of Octavius assumed Augustus as a title. The Greek term has the notion of worship (cf. in Acts 17:25). In the N.T. only here, verse Acts 25:25; Acts 27:1 (of the legion). It was more imposing than “Caesar” which was originally a family name (always official in the N.T.) and it fell in with the tendency toward emperor-worship which later played such a large part in Roman life and which Christians opposed so bitterly. China is having a revival of this idea in the insistence on bowing three times to the picture of Sun-Yat-Sen.
Till I should send him to Caesar ( ). Here can be either future indicative or first aorist subjunctive (identical in first person singular), aorist subjunctive the usual construction with for future time (Robertson, Grammar, p. 876). Literally, “send up” () to a superior (the emperor). Common in this sense in the papyri and Koine writers. Here “Caesar” is used as the title of Nero instead of “Augustus” as (Lord) occurs in verse 26.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Of the Emperor [ ] . Lit., the august one; hence a translation of Augustus, which was not a proper name, but a title of the Roman emperors.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But when Paul had appealed,” (tou de Paulou epikalesamenou) “Then Paul appealed,” made his appeal, or “then upon the appeal of Paul,” on the basis of it, Act 25:11, because the first charge was one of treason or sedition, which if proved against him, carried the death penalty.
2) “To be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus,” (terethenai auton eis ten tou Sebastou diagnosin) “To be himself kept (guarded) to the decision of Augustus,” the court of Augustus Caesar, in Rome at that time; Tho Nero had become the Roman Caesar or Emperor, Act 25:12.
3) I commanded him to be kept,” (ekeleusa tereisthai auton) “I then commanded him to be kept,” held under guard, in detainment, for a convenient time to send him under guard by ship to Rome, Act 25:12.
4) “Till I might send him to Caesar.” (heos hou anapempso auton pros Kaisara) “Until I may be able to send him to Caesar;” Caesar was a dynasty title, here alluding to Nero, then Emperor.” Festus was likely waiting for a ship bound for Italy on which he could send both Paul and other Roman prisoners, Act 25:13-18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(21) Unto the hearing of Augustus.The title is the Greek equivalent, as seen in the name Sebaste (= Augusta) given to Samaria, for the epithet which, like our his majesty, had become a kind of official title of the Roman emperor. It had first been given by the Senate to Octavianus (Sueton. Aug. c. 7), and was adopted by his successors. As connected with augur, it had originally, like Sebastos, a religious connotation. The month of August, dedicated to the first emperor as July had been dedicated to Julius, and the names of Augsburg and Sebastopol, arc interesting as perpetuating its memory. The word for hearing (the same as our medical term diagnosis) corresponds rather to our thorough investigation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Augustus When the nephew of Julius Cesar, Octavianus became emperor the Senate decreed to him the title of Augustus, the august or worshipful; much like the more modern phrase his majesty.
Act 25:21. Of Augustus, Of our august emperor. As Augustus was not properly one of the names of Nero, though it was of Titus, the above version more justly expresses the import of , which was plainly a complimental form of speaking.
Act 25:21 . After, however, Paul had appealed to be kept in ward (Act 25:4 ) for the cognizance (judicial decision, Wis 3:18 , and often in the classical writers) of Augustus , etc.
] is not equivalent to . (Grotius, Wolf, Heinrichs, and others), but is the contents of the expressed appeal, namely, the legal demand which it contained. After this appeal had been in law validly made, no further proceedings might be taken by the authorities at their own instance against the appellant. See Wetstein on Act 25:11 .
] is not to be written , as there is no reflexive emphasis.
] Venerandus , the Lat. Augustus , the well-known title of the emperors since the time of Octavianus [157] ( , Philo, Leg. ad Caium , p. 1012). Vell. Paterc. ii. 91; Dio Cass. liii. 16; Herodian, ii. 10. 19, iii. 13. 7; Strabo, vii. p. 291.
(see the critical remarks [158] ) is direct address. Comp. on Act 23:12 .
[157] See generally, Fincke, de appellationib. Caesarum honorif. et adulator. usque ad Hadrian ., Regiom. 1867.
[158] On , to send up , of the transport of prisoners to Rome, comp. Polyb. i. 7. 12, xxix. 11. 9; Lucian, Tox . 17; and Jacob in loc . See also on Luk 23:7 .
21 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.
Ver. 21. Send him to Caesar ] That is, to Nero. But for memory of their two first emperors, Caesar and Augustus, all their successors bore these two names. Many other swelling titles they had; but all or most of them, till Constantine, died unnatural deaths, and got nothing by their adoption or designation, nisi ut citius interficerentur, but to be sent out of the world the sooner.
21. ] is not for . (as Grot. and De W.), but follows directly on . The construction is again a mixed one between ‘ appealing so as to be kept ,’ and ‘ demanding to be kept .’
] This title, = Augustus, was first conferred by the senate on Octavianus ( , Philo de Legat. ad Caium, 21, vol. ii. p. 566), and borne by all succeeding emperors. Dio Cassius (liii. 16) says: , , . . , , , . On , Bornemann cites Lucian, Tox. 17: .
Act 25:21 . . : on the construction after words of request or command of the infinitive passive see Simcox, Language of the N. T. , p. 121, and also Blass, Gram. , p. 222. : “for the decision of the Emperor,” R.V., “the Augustus,” margin; cf. Act 24:22 , and for the noun Wis 3:18 . .: here and in Act 25:25 rendered “Emperor,” R.V. the title Augustus, A.V., might lead to confusion. The Csar Augustus in Luk 2:1 was Octavian, upon whom the title of Augustus was first conferred, Suet., Aug [394] , 7, B.C. 27. The title was inherited by his successors, and thus it is ascribed to Nero here and in Act 25:25 . The divine sacredness which the title seemed to confer ( cf. its Greek form, and the remark of Dio Cassius, liii., 16, 18, that Augustus took the title as being himself something more than human) excited the scruples of Tiberius, but succeeding emperors appear to have adopted it without hesitation. , see critical notes; the reading would mean, literally, “till I should send him up,” i.e. , to a higher authority, cf. Luk 23:7 , where it is used of “referring” to another jurisdiction, and in Act 25:11 ; Act 25:15 , of “sending back ” (Phm 1:12 ); see Plummer’s note. For the use of this word in its technical sense of sending to a higher authority (as it is used in Plut., Phil., Jos., Polyb.) see further instances from inscriptions, Deissmann, Neue Bibelstudien , ii., 56. The verb is only used by Luke and Paul. : in N.T. the name is always official, never personal. It was first assumed as an official title by Octavius, the nephew of Julius Csar (see above), who doubtless took it on account of the fame of his uncle, and as a name not likely to be hated and despised by the Romans like that of “king”. After the death of Gaius Csar, the last of the Julian stock, it was adopted by Claudius and by succeeding emperors, Tac., Hist. , ii., 80, until the third century, when the title Augustus was reserved for the supreme ruler, and that of Csar was adopted for those who shared his government as his possible heirs, as earlier still it had been conferred upon the heir presumptive: “Csar,” Hastings’ B.D. and B.D. 2 .
[394] Augustine.
reserved = kept. Greek. tereo.
hearing = examination. Greek. diagnosis. Only here. See note on Act 23:15.
Augustus. Greek. Sebastos. The Greek word means “venerable”, the same as the Latin augustus, a title first used by Octavianus, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, and his successor, and by the Emperors succeeding. Compare the title “Ahasuerus”. App-57.
kept. Same as “reserved”.
send. Greek. pempo. App-174., but the texts read anapempo. App-174.
21.] is not for . (as Grot. and De W.), but follows directly on . The construction is again a mixed one between appealing so as to be kept, and demanding to be kept.
] This title, = Augustus, was first conferred by the senate on Octavianus ( , Philo de Legat. ad Caium, 21, vol. ii. p. 566), and borne by all succeeding emperors. Dio Cassius (liii. 16) says: , , . . , , , . On , Bornemann cites Lucian, Tox. 17: .
Act 25:21. , to be kept) By this verb Festus betrays that he had wished to have given up Paul to the will of the Jews.-) Augustus.
had: Act 25:10, Act 26:32, 2Ti 4:16
hearing: or, judgment
Augustus: Act 27:1, Luk 2:1
I commanded: Act 25:12
Reciprocal: Act 28:19 – I was
1
Act 25:21. When Festus granted the appeal of Paul, that took the case out of his hands, and he was waiting to get the “appeal papers” ready to send up to the higher court. Augustus is from a Greek word that was one of the titles of the Roman emperors, not a personal name as in other cases.
Act 25:21. 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 Csar. There is evidently in Festus words an under-current of a not unnatural displeasure at the appeal to Csar. He was not able to refuse permission to the citizen Paul to appeal; still he felt it was somewhat of a slight thrown upon him, Festus, that a Roman citizen should prefer the imperial tribunal at Rome to his own. He could not help feeling, too, that it was his proposition to remove the trial to Jerusalem which had moved the prisoner to take this step. The Greek word translated Augustus () is an adjective signifying venerable (venerandus), and is the Greek equivalent for Augustusa title of pre-eminent honour and dignity first given by the Roman senate to Octavianus (see Suetonius, Augustus). It is apparently connected with augur, and possesses a religious signification. It soon became the royal title assumed by rather than conferred on, the emperors. Csar, if we examine the true meaning of the term, was in the first instance the family name answering to Plantagenet, Hohenzollern, Hapsburg, though it very soon, like Ptolemy in the royal Egyptian line, became a title of the chief magistrate of the Empire. Later in the story of Rome, Augustus was assumed as the designation of the older and superior; Csar, that of the younger and subordinate emperor. It is curious that of these two world-famous titles, while the higher, Augustus, now belongs to the storied past, the lower and less distinguished has been adopted not by the Roman, but, singularly enough, by the Teutonic and Slavonic peoples, as the designation of their supreme magistrate, under the very slightly altered Kaiser and Czar. Plumptre calls attention to the memory of this name or title Augustus being perpetuated in the month August, and in the names of the cities of Augsburg and Sebastopol.
I commanded him to be kept till I might tend him to Cear. Thus intimating that he was only waiting for a fit opportunity to send the prisoner under a proper escort to Rome.
See notes on verse 14
Verse 21
Augustus–Cesar. Both these names were applied to the Roman emperors.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament