Paul Appeals to Caesar.
"When Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, and desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem." In making this request they purposed to waylay Paul along the road to Jerusalem and murder him.But Festus had a high sense of the responsibility of his position, and courteously declined to send for Paul."It is not the manner of the Romans,"he declared, "to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him." He stated that "he himself would depart shortly" for Caesarea."Let them there...which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him."This was not what the Jews wanted.They had not forgotten their former defeat at Caesarea.In contrast with the calm bearing and forcible arguments of the apostle, their own malignant spirit and baseless accusations would appear in the worst possible light.Again they urged that Paul be brought to Jerusalem for trial, but Festus held firmly to his purpose of giving Paul a fair trial at Caesarea.God in His providence controlled the decision of Festus, that the life of the apostle might be lengthened.
Their purposes defeated, the Jewish leaders at once prepared to witness against Paul at the court of the procurator.Upon returning to Caesarea, after a few days' sojourn at Jerusalem, Festus "the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought." "The Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove." Being on this occasion without a lawyer, the Jews preferred their charges themselves.As the trial proceeded, the accused with calmness and candor clearly showed the falsity of their statements.
Festus discerned that the question in dispute related wholly to Jewish doctrines, and that, rightly understood, there was nothing in the charges against Paul, could they be proved, that would render him subject to sentence of death, or even to imprisonment.Yet he saw clearly the storm of rage that would be created if Paul were not condemned or delivered into their hands.And so, "willing to do the Jews a pleasure," Festus turned to Paul, and asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem under his protection, to be tried by the Sanhedrin.
The apostle knew that he could not look for justice from the people who by their crimes were bringing down upon themselves the wrath of God.He knew that, like the prophet Elijah, he would be safer among the heathen than with those who had rejected light from heaven and hardened their hearts against the gospel.Weary of strife, his active spirit could ill endure the repeated delays and wearing suspense of his trial and imprisonment.He therefore decided to exercise his privilege, as a Roman citizen, of appealing to Caesar.
