Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.” After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Festus - "Sacred and secular history both show Festus in a much more favorable light than Felix. Both show him to have been basically reasonable and just, as well as active and energetic in the discharge of his duties as governor Judaea, which position he held for only two years before his death ... Yet there was much to be considered at this, his first court session in Judaea. If history is correct, the Jews had been responsible for Felix' removal by Nero. If Festus acquitted Paul and released him now, he would bitterly antagonize the Jewish rulers at the very outset of his reign, when he most needed their friendship and support. He therefore made a proposition which, though designed to appease the Jews, still showed that he did not mean to be wholly unjust: Would Paul agree to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried in Festus' presence, or at least under his supervision? (The trial itself, however, would then be by the Sanhedrin, as verses 11 and 20 indicate.) He understood perfectly that Paul need not agree to this, so left the decision with him." (Stam)
to Jerusalem - "Since there was much unrest, Festus thought it prudent to make an early visit to the religious capital, Jerusalem. The Jews saw in this an opportunity to ask that Paul be returned there. If the request were granted they would try to kill him on the way." (Ryrie)
I appeal to Caesar - "Fetus's suggestion that Paul appear in Jerusalem for trial provoked this appeal to Caesar. Paul realized that the trial would not be impartial if conducted by Festus, especially if the case were transferred to Jerusalem, and that he would be in great danger if he was returned to the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin. The right of appeal was one of the most ancient and cherished rights of a Roman citizen. Nero was emperor at this time (A.D. 54-68)." (Ryrie)
"There is historical testimony to the fact that certain, if not all, Roman citizens at that time had the right to suspend trials in which they were involved in the lower courts by appealing directly to the Emperor. Thus the apostle now, doubtless judging this was his only escape from sure death on the one hand, or another long imprisonment on the other, availed himself of this right ... But this left Festus in an embarrassing predicament, for it would hardly help him, in the eyes of Imperial Rome, to have his first official act as governor thus challenged. He therefore conferred with his assessors, evidently to make sure that Paul's Roman citizenship could not be questioned and to see if there were any other possible escape from his dilemma. But the governor dare not deny the apostle's appeal..." (Stam)
his council - "Fetus's advisers." (Ryrie)
To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go - "...we detect a tone of resentment as well as derision in his reply ... 'Little do you know,' he intimated, 'what an appeal to Caesar means.'" (Stam)
Festus - "Sacred and secular history both show Festus in a much more favorable light than Felix. Both show him to have been basically reasonable and just, as well as active and energetic in the discharge of his duties as governor Judaea, which position he held for only two years before his death ... Yet there was much to be considered at this, his first court session in Judaea. If history is correct, the Jews had been responsible for Felix' removal by Nero. If Festus acquitted Paul and released him now, he would bitterly antagonize the Jewish rulers at the very outset of his reign, when he most needed their friendship and support. He therefore made a proposition which, though designed to appease the Jews, still showed that he did not mean to be wholly unjust: Would Paul agree to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried in Festus' presence, or at least under his supervision? (The trial itself, however, would then be by the Sanhedrin, as verses 11 and 20 indicate.) He understood perfectly that Paul need not agree to this, so left the decision with him." (Stam)
to Jerusalem - "Since there was much unrest, Festus thought it prudent to make an early visit to the religious capital, Jerusalem. The Jews saw in this an opportunity to ask that Paul be returned there. If the request were granted they would try to kill him on the way." (Ryrie)
I appeal to Caesar - "Fetus's suggestion that Paul appear in Jerusalem for trial provoked this appeal to Caesar. Paul realized that the trial would not be impartial if conducted by Festus, especially if the case were transferred to Jerusalem, and that he would be in great danger if he was returned to the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin. The right of appeal was one of the most ancient and cherished rights of a Roman citizen. Nero was emperor at this time (A.D. 54-68)." (Ryrie)
"There is historical testimony to the fact that certain, if not all, Roman citizens at that time had the right to suspend trials in which they were involved in the lower courts by appealing directly to the Emperor. Thus the apostle now, doubtless judging this was his only escape from sure death on the one hand, or another long imprisonment on the other, availed himself of this right ... But this left Festus in an embarrassing predicament, for it would hardly help him, in the eyes of Imperial Rome, to have his first official act as governor thus challenged. He therefore conferred with his assessors, evidently to make sure that Paul's Roman citizenship could not be questioned and to see if there were any other possible escape from his dilemma. But the governor dare not deny the apostle's appeal..." (Stam)
his council - "Fetus's advisers." (Ryrie)
To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go - "...we detect a tone of resentment as well as derision in his reply ... 'Little do you know,' he intimated, 'what an appeal to Caesar means.'" (Stam)
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