Welcome to Acts 25

Acts 25 introduces a new phase in Paul's imprisonment, as Porcius Festus replaces Felix as governor of Judea, immediately confronting the unresolved case of Paul. Just three days after arriving in Caesarea, Festus goes up to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and leading men of the Jews waste no time in pressing their case against Paul. They eagerly request that Paul be transferred back to Jerusalem, secretly plotting an ambush to kill him on the way. This relentless pursuit highlights the enduring Christianity Accepted and Opposed that Paul faced. Festus, however, prudently denies their request, insisting that Paul remain in Caesarea and that the accusers come there to present their case. This decision, though not motivated by concern for Paul, providentially thwarts the assassination plot and keeps Paul on his path toward Rome.

Eight or ten days later, Festus returns to Caesarea and convenes court. The Jews present many serious accusations against Paul, which they are unable to prove. Paul, in his defense, asserts his innocence, stating, "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." (Acts 25:8). Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor and perhaps hoping to clarify the complex religious charges, asks Paul if he is willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there. Paul, keenly aware of the dangers in Jerusalem and recognizing his legal rights as a Roman citizen, makes his momentous declaration: "I appeal to Caesar!" (Acts 25:11). This appeal, a direct and legally binding step, immediately shifts jurisdiction, ensuring Paul's eventual journey to Rome and irrevocably propelling The Great Commission to the heart of the Roman Empire, fulfilling God's earlier promise to Paul (Acts 23:11).

A few days later, King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice arrive in Caesarea to greet Festus. Festus, finding himself in a difficult position—needing to send Paul to Caesar but having no concrete charges to write to the Emperor—seizes the opportunity to consult Agrippa, who is an expert in Jewish customs and questions. Festus recounts Paul's case, admitting that the Jews' charges were not about criminal offenses but about "disputes about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive" (Acts 25:19). Agrippa expresses a desire to hear Paul himself. Thus, the stage is set for Paul's powerful testimony before King Agrippa, an event crucial for Teaching About Jesus and the Gospel to yet another high-ranking official, demonstrating how God uses trials to expand His witness, further Connecting Acts to the Rest of the NT through providential circumstances.