Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 25:27
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes [laid] against him.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable – Festus felt that he was placed in an embarrassing situation. He was about to send a prisoner to Rome who had been tried by himself, and who had appealed from his jurisdiction, and yet he was ignorant of the charges against him, and of the nature of his offences, if any had been committed. When prisoners were thus sent to Rome to be tried before the emperor, it would be proper that the charges should be all specified, and the evidence stated by which they were supported, Yet Festus could do neither, and it is not wonderful that he felt himself perplexed and embarrassed, and that he was glad to avail himself of the desire which Agrippa had expressed to hear Paul, that he might be able to specify the charges against him.
Withal – Also; at the same time.
To signify – To specify, or make them know. In concluding this chapter, we may observe:
(1) That in the case of Agrippa, we have an instance of the reasons which induce many people to hear the gospel. He had no belief in it; he had no concern for its truth or its promises; but he was led by curiosity to desire to hear a minister of the gospel of Christ. Curiosity thus draws multitudes to the sanctuary. In many instances they remain unaffected and unconcerned. They listen, and are unmoved, and die in their sins. In other instances, like Agrippa, they are almost persuaded to be Christians, Act 26:28. But, like him, they resist the appeals, and die uninterested in the plan of salvation. In some instances they are converted, and their curiosity, like that of Zacchaeus, is made the means of their embracing the Saviour, Luk 19:1-9. Whatever may be the motive which induces people to desire to hear, it is the duty of the ministry cheerfully and thankfully, like Paul, to state the truth, and to defend the Christian religion.
(2) In Festus we have a specimen of the manner in which the great, and the rich, and the proud usually regard Christianity. They esteem it to be a subject in which they have no interest a question about one dead Jesus, whom Christians affirm to be alive. Whether he be alive or not; whether Christianity be true or false, they suppose is a question which does not pertain to them. Strange that it did not occur to Festus that if he was alive, his religion was true; and that it was possible that it might be from God. And strange that the people of this world regard the Christian religion as a subject in which they have no personal interest, but as one concerning which Christians only should inquire, and in which they alone should feel any concern.
(3) In Paul we have the example of a man unlike both Festus and Agrippa. He felt a deep interest in the subject a subject which pertained as much to them as to him. He was willing not only to look at it, but to stake his life, his reputation, his all, on its truth. He was willing to defend it everywhere, and before any class of people. At the same time that he urged his rights as a Roman citizen, yet it was mainly that he might preach the gospel. At the same time that he was anxious to secure justice to himself, yet his chief anxiety was to declare the truth of God. Before any tribunal; before any class of people; in the presence of princes, nobles, and kings, of Romans and of Jews, he was ready to pour forth irresistible eloquence and argument in defense of the truth. Who would not rather be Paul than either Festus or Agrippa? Who would not rather be a prisoner. like him, than invested with authority like Festus, or clothed in splendor like Agrippa? And who would not rather be a believer of the gospel like Paul, than, like them, to be cold contemners or neglecters of the God that made them, and of the Saviour that died and rose again?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. For it seemeth to me unreasonable, c.] Every reader must feel the awkward situation in which Festus stood. He was about to send a prisoner to Rome, to appear before Nero, though he had not one charge to support against him and yet he must be sent, for he had appealed to Caesar. He hoped therefore that Agrippa, who was of the Jewish religion, would be able to discern more particularly the merits of this case; and might, after hearing Paul, direct him how to draw up those letters, which, on sending the prisoner, must be transmitted to the emperor.
This chapter ends as exceptionably as the twenty-first. It should have begun at Ac 25:13, and have been continued to the end of the twenty-sixth chapter, or both chapters have been united in one.
1. FROM St. Paul’s appeal to Caesar, we see that it is lawful to avail ourselves, even in the cause of God, of those civil privileges with which his mercy has blessed us. It is often better to fall into the hands of the heathen than into the hands of those who, from mistaken views of religion, have their hearts filled with bitter persecuting zeal. Those who can murder a man, pretendedly for God’s sake, because he does not think exactly with them on ceremonial or speculative points of divinity, have no portion of that religion which came down from God.
2. The Jews endeavoured by every means to deny the resurrection of our Lord; and it seems to have been one part of their accusation against Paul, that he asserted that the man, Jesus, whom they had crucified, was risen from the dead. On this subject, a pious writer observes: “What a train of errors and miseries does one single instance of deceit draw after it; and what a judgment upon those, who, by corrupting the guards of the sepulchre, the witnesses of the resurrection of our Lord, have kept the whole nation in infidelity!” Thus it often happens in the world that one bad counsel, one single lie or calumny, once established, is the source of infinite evils.
3. The grand maxim of the Roman law and government, to condemn no man unheard, and to confront the accusers with the accused, should be a sacred maxim with every magistrate and minister, and among all private Christians. How many harsh judgments and uncharitable censures would this prevent! Conscientiously practised in all Christian societies, detraction, calumny, tale-bearing, whispering, backbiting, misunderstandings, with every unbrotherly affection, would necessarily be banished from the Church of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
So great a clamour, so hot a pursuit, and yet after all this the judge (who would willingly have condemned Paul, and gratified the Jews) knows not wherefore all this stir had been: but the more must he have been self-condemned, that durst not absolve or free a prisoner who was detained only by the power and multitude of his adversaries.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22-27. I would also hear“shouldlike to hear.”
the man myselfNo doubtPaul was fight when he said, “The king knoweth of these things .. . for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him;for this thing was not done in a corner” (Ac26:26). Hence his curiosity to see and hear the man who hadraised such commotion and was remodelling to such an extent the wholeJewish life.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner,…. A man bound as if he was a malefactor, and guilty of some heinous crimes, to Rome, to be tried before Caesar:
and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him; for which he is a prisoner, and for which he is sent to the emperor: it seemed to Festus an absurd thing, and what might be justly looked upon by his master, a foolish, silly, and stupid piece of conduct, and void of common sense and reason, mere madness and folly; to send him a prisoner, and not signify in his letter to him, what was laid to his charge; and yet this was so dark and obscure, that he could not tell what to make of it, nor what to write to his lord about it; and hoped therefore, upon this re-examination of Paul before Agrippa, he should come to a more certain knowledge of this affair, and be better furnished to give Nero an account of it, to whom the apostle had appealed.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Unreasonable (). Old word from privative and (reason, speech). “Without reason” as of animals (Judg 1:10; 2Pet 2:12), “contrary to reason” here. These the only N.T. instances and in harmony with ancient usage.
In sending (). Note accusative case with the infinitive though (dative) just before. Cf. same variation in Acts 15:22; Acts 22:17.
Signify (). First aorist active infinitive (not , the old form) of , to give a sign ().
The charges ( ). This naive confession of Festus reveals how unjust has been his whole treatment of Paul. He had to send along with the appeal of Paul litterae dimissoriae () which would give a statement of the case (Page).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Crimes [] . Rev., more correctly, charges.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For it seemeth to me unreasonable,” (alogon gar moi dokei) “For it seems unreasonable to me,” or to be without warrant for me. Three times, already, Paul, like his Lord, had been acquitted; But political position, pride, and covetousness, had held a) the Sanhedrin, b) Felix, and c) Festus in indecision for fear of man, 1Jn 4:13.
2) “To send a prisoner,” (pemponta desmion) “That upon sending a prisoner,” before Caesar, the highest court of appeal in Roman law. His sending a prisoner implied that the prisoner was charged with crimes of grave danger to the Roman world and her people.
3) “And not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.” (me kai tas kat’ autou aitias semanai) “Not even (to send) an abstract of particulars, summarizing some specific criminal charge or charges of substance against him.” God was overruling the wickedness of man to His honor, as He had promised, Act 23:11. The wrath of man is caused to praise Him, Psa 76:10; a matter of concern of Festus, even after this fourth public defense of Paul, Act 26:30-32.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
“For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.”
Indeed Festus’ previous training had actually demonstrated to him that to send a prisoner to be judged against whom no charges have been made seemed a little unreasonable! (It is possible to think of another word for it).
We must not, however, criticise Festus too much. He had been sent as procurator to a country which was a hotbed of trouble, whose leaders were notorious for complaining to Caesar, whose complaints had contributed to the downfall of the previous procurator, and who were vociferously claiming that Paul was an evil troublemaker. And he was new to the job, and wanted to succeed and keep this hotbed under control. In the light of that we must recognise that he had shown the restraint of an honest, if somewhat wary, man, who found himself in an impasse. What he was looking for was backing and support so that he would be able later to excuse himself if necessary, and a reasonable charge to lay against Paul in sending him to Caesar. Feelings in Judaea were just too high for him to dare to release him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
REFLECTIONS
READER! learn from Paul’s history, in the unceasing pursuits of those men for his blood, the bitterness of heart in a state of nature, against the doctrine of grace; and be convinced, that in every individual of the fallen sons of Adam, the case is the same. The carnal mind is enmity against God. Oh! the blessedness, when brought out of this Adam-nature, by sovereign mercy; and brought into an heartfelt acquaintance, with the Lord Jesus Christ. None but they who know the truth, from a personal experience of its Almighty power, as Paul did, having part in the first resurrection, can, like him, enjoy it. But, where a saving work of God the Holy Ghost, hath taken place in the soul, by regeneration; that person will have the same confidence as the Apostle had, and with the same holy joy, be always speaking, as he did, of One Jesus, who was dead, whom the heart affirms to be alive.
Blessed Lord Jesus! be thou everlastingly loved and adored, for thy grace, and wisdom, imparted to thy servant Paul, when thus ready to be swallowed up by his enemies. Surely, Lord, it was thy strength; made manifest in creature weakness. It was Jesus who taught him, in such a moment, to make an appeal to Caesar: though Caesar no more than Festus was a friend to Paul, or his Lord. Here , Lord, thy promise was fulfilled in giving him a word and wisdom, which all the adversaries of thy poor prisoner, could neither gainsay nor resist! And thus, in a moment, their whole policy fell to the ground! And, thus the Lord is continually doing now, amidst the exercises of his people, by which they are more than conquerors, through Him that loveth them.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.
Ver. 27. For it seems to me unreasonable ] And should not God’s people be as careful to perform unto him a reasonable service, Rom 12:1 , such as whereof they can render a sound and intelligible reason out of the word of God? Should they not prove what that good, and holy, and acceptable will of God is, Act 25:21 , by taking warrant from his word, and doing all to his glory? Is not this to do the works of God, Joh 6:28 , and to do them in God, Joh 3:22 , and for God, according to that, Quicquid agas propter Deum agas? . And is not the contrary will worship, Col 2:22 ; spiritual fornication, Psa 106:39 ; idol worship, Exo 32:4 ; devil worship, 1Co 10:20 ; cf. Act 17:23 ; Rev 9:20 ;
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 25:27 . , cf. Thuc., vi., 85, Xen., Ages. , xi., 1 (elsewhere in N.T., 2Pe 2:12 , Jud 1:10 , cf. Wis 11:15-16 , 3Ma 5:40 (A om. ), 4Ma 14:14 ; 4Ma 14:18 ). It would seem from the verse that the procurator was not bound to send the litter dimissori (O. Holtzmann). : for construction cf. Heb 2:10 , or the expression may be quite general “that any one sending,” etc. : here per litteras significare , as in classical Greek (Wetstein). This decisive turn given to events by Paul’s appeal is regarded by Weizscker ( Apostolic Age , ii., 124, E.T.) as the most certain event in the whole history of the case; Paul as a prisoner could only be taken to Rome if he was to be brought before the emperor’s court, and this had to be done if he invoked such intervention. On Zeller’s and Weizscker’s attempt to see in the appearance of Paul before Agrippa a mere repetition of the episode of our Lord before Annas cf. Spitta’s reply, Apostelgeschichte , p. 281.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unreasonable. Greek. alogos. Only here; 2Pe 2:12. Jud 1:10 (translated “brute”). A medical word.
withal, &c. = to signify the charges also.
crimes = charges. Greek. aitia as in Act 25:18.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pro 18:13, Joh 7:51
Reciprocal: Act 6:2 – It
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Act 25:27. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him. Festus hoped, and not without reason, that the examination before so great a man as Agrippaone, too, who was so well versed in the difficult question of Jewish law and traditionwould elicit fresh facts hitherto kept in the background. At all events, by listening to the proceedings, the Roman official felt he personally would become better acquainted with the secret history of the whole affair, and more competent to write a clear and definite report to the authorities at home. This report evidently weighed much on Festus mind. He had newly come into office, and he was aware that a confused, contradictory statement might seriously injure him at Rome. There is also no doubt but that he was a fair and just man on the whole, wishful to do his duty and to make his office as acceptable as possible among the Jews, who he knew hated the dominion of Rome. This is the character of the man left us by Josephus.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 23