Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 25

For the Jewish population of Palestine, Porcius Festus was a welcome successor to Felix. Nothing is known of him before he assumed the governorship of Judea. Nor can the time of his nomination for the post or his arrival in Palestine be precisely fixed, though it was probably sometime in A. D. 60. He inherited all the troubles and tensions that were mounting during Felix’s maladministration, which culminated in the disaster of 66–70. His term of office was cut short by his death in 62. The situation in Palestine demanded immediate action to bring together opposing factions within the Jewish nation. Therefore on arriving in Palestine, Festus took only three days to settle in at Caesarea before going up to Jerusalem to meet with the leaders of the nation.

The high priest at Jerusalem when Festus took office was Ishmael, appointed by Herod Agrippa II to succeed Ananias during the final days of Felix’s governorship. Ananias, however, continued to exercise a dominant role in Jerusalem affairs right up to his death in 66 at the hands of Jewish nationalists. This is probably why Luke speaks of “the chief priests” and not just the high priest as appearing with the elders before Festus when he came to Jerusalem (cf. 4:23; 9:14; 22:30; 23:14; 25:15).

Counting on the new governor’s inexperience, the Jewish authorities urged Festus to transfer Paul’s case to Jerusalem for trial. They were hoping to ambush and murder him on the way (cf. 23:12–15). Perhaps also they hoped that with such a change of venue, if their plans for an ambush were again frustrated, they could arrange to have Paul tried before the Sanhedrin on the single charge of profaning the temple—for which they had the right to impose the death penalty .

Unwittingly, Festus overturned their plans by inviting the Jewish leaders to return with him to Caesarea and press charges against Paul there. Evidently he desired to carry out only such business as was absolutely necessary on his first visit to Jerusalem and preferred to preside over any extended trial back at Caesarea—particularly since the prisoner was already there.

Unwittingly, Festus overturned their plans by inviting the Jewish leaders to return with him to Caesarea and press charges against Paul there. Evidently he desired to carry out only such business as was absolutely necessary on his first visit to Jerusalem and preferred to preside over any extended trial back at Caesarea—particularly since the prisoner was already there.