Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!

“But for a judge thus to treat a prisoner on his "trial," for merely prefacing his defense by a protestation of his integrity, was infamous.”

Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.

“I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee--The true reading seems to be, "the son of Pharisees," that is, belonging to a family who from father to son had long been such.”

A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man.

“(The following words, "Let us not fight against God," seem not to belong to the original text, and perhaps are from Ac 5:39. In this case, either the meaning is, "If he has had some divine communication, what of that?"”

Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully.

“The narrative bears unmistakable internal marks of truth. or ever he come near--Their plan was to assassinate him on his way down from the barracks to the council.”

But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.

“Paul's sister's son--(See on Ac 9:30). If he was at this time residing at Jerusalem for his education, like Paul himself, he may have got at the schools those hints of the conspiracy on which he so promptly acted.”

Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue…

“Claudius--the Roman name he would take on purchasing his citizenship. Lysias--his Greek family name. the most excellent governor--an honorary title of office.”

The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.

“On the morrow they--the infantry. left the horsemen--themselves no longer needed as a guard. The remaining distance was about twenty-five or twenty-six miles. 34, 35. asked of what province he was--the letter describing him as a Roman citizen.”

he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.

“I will hear thee--The word means, "give thee a full hearing." to be kept in Herod's judgment hall--"prætorium," the palace built at Cæsarea by Herod, and now occupied by the Roman procurators; in one of the buildings attached to which Paul was ordered to be…”

When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.

“Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, &c.--In this fulsome flattery there was a semblance of truth: nothing more. Felix acted with a degree of vigor and success in suppressing lawless violence [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 20.8.4; confirmed by TACITUS, Annals, 12.54].”

You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

“The remaining period referred to (Ac 24:1) [MEYER]. This short period is mentioned to show how unlikely it was that he should have had time to do what was charged against him. for to worship--a very different purpose from that imputed to him.”

and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

“And have hope . . . as they themselves . . . allow, that there shall be a resurrection, &c.--This appeal to the faith of his accusers shows that they were chiefly of the Pharisees, and that the favor of that party, to which he…”

In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

“And herein--On this account, accordingly; that is, looking forward to that awful day (compare 2Co 5:10). I exercise myself--The "I" here is emphatic; "Whatever they do, this is my study." to have always a conscience void of offence, &c.--See Ac 23:1;”

Otherwise, let these men state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin,

“Or else let these . . . here say--"Or, passing from all that preceded my trial, let those of the Sanhedrim here present say if I was guilty of aught there."”

As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

“Go thy way for this time; and when I have a convenient season I will call for thee--Alas for Felix! This was his golden opportunity, but--like multitudes still--he missed it.”

After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

“That Luke wrote his Gospel during this period, under the apostle's superintendence, is the not unlikely conjecture of able critics. Porcius Festus--Little is known of him.”

But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”

“Paul's reply, not given in full, was probably little more than a challenge to prove any of their charges, whether political or religious. Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure--to ingratiate himself with them. said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and . .”

Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried.

“Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment seat--that is, I am already before the proper tribunal. This seems to imply that he understood Festus to propose handing him over to the Sanhedrim for judgment (and see on Ac 25:11), with a mere promise of…”

If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die.

“But when the only other alternative offered him was to give his own consent to be transferred to the great hotbed of plots against his life, and to a tribunal of unscrupulous and bloodthirsty ecclesiastics whose vociferous cries for his death had scarcely subsided, no…”

Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

“Festus--little expecting such an appeal, but bound to respect it. having conferred with the council--his assessors in judgment, as to the admissibility of the appeal. said, Hast thou--for "thou hast."”

After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

“On his father's awful death (Ac 12:23), being thought too young (seventeen) to succeed, Judea, was attached to the province of Syria.”

They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

“It cannot be supposed that Festus would use the word in any discourteous sense in addressing his Jewish guest. one Jesus--"Thus speaks this miserable Festus of Him to whom every knee shall bow" [BENGEL]. whom Paul affirmed--"kept affirming."”

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.

“I would also hear--"should like to hear." the man myself--No doubt Paul was fight when he said, "The king knoweth of these things . . .”

especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

“I know thee to be expert, &c.--His father was zealous for the law, and he himself had the office of president of the temple and its treasures, and the appointment of the high priest [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 20.1.3].”

And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,

“This was said to meet the charge, that as a Hellenistic Jew he had contracted among the heathen lax ideas of Jewish peculiarities. I . . . am judged for the hope of the promise made . . .”

the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night.

“For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews--"I am accused of Jews, O king" (so the true reading appears to be); of all quarters the most surprising for such a charge to come from.”