"Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar." As a freeman of Rome, St. Paul could only be tried for any crime, by a Court composed of Judges appointed by Cæsar; hence called "Cæsar's judgment seat." Again, he declared that he was innocent of any offence against the Jews, but that he had no wish to escape a lawful trial, or any just punishment; but that if he were not found guilty of any crime, no person had any right to put him in the power of men so well known to be his enemies as the Jews were. He ended by making use of another privilege belonging to a Roman citizen, that of appealing unto Cæsar: after which he could only be tried at Rome, by persons appointed especially for that purpose by the Emperor himself. A freeman of Rome who had been tried anywhere and found guilty, could then appeal to Cæsar, if he thought his sentence unjust. Or before trial, if he suspected that his judge was not acting according to law, he could thus appeal to the Emperor. An appeal to Cæsar was highly respected by every person in authority, and any magistrate who, after such an appeal, dared to punish a prisoner, would himself be liable to severe punishment. This, and all the privileges of a Roman citizen, were so much respected, that many years after this time, when the Christians were persecuted by order of the Emperor Trajan, a Roman called Pliny, whose duty it was to have all Christians put to death, wrote a letter to the Emperor, in which, after speaking of the numbers he had executed because they would not give up their religion, he says, "There are others, guilty of similar folly, but finding them to be Roman citizens, I have determined to send them to Rome." Perhaps these poor creatures had appealed to Cæsar; at any rate, Pliny, respecting their privileges, thought it safest to send them to Rome, though there could be no doubt that the Emperor would immediately order them to be put to death.
It was usual for a Roman President, or Judge, to have a small Council of some of the chief Romans in the province, whose advice he could ask in any doubtful matter. Festus had such a Council; for we read, "Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? unto Cæsar shalt thou go." Thus did the Lord overrule events to fulfil his words, "thou must bear witness also at Rome." Before St. Paul could be sent off from Cæsarea, he was again called upon to defend himself and declare his doctrines. St. Luke says, "And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæsarea to salute Festus." This Agrippa and Bernice were both the children of Herod Agrippa, and therefore Drusilla was their sister. The Emperor Claudius had made Agrippa king of some of the Roman Provinces in Asia, and had also given him some dominions in Judæa, which had been added to by the present Emperor Nero. It was probably to look after these dominions that Agrippa was now come into the country, bringing his sister Bernice with him; and it was very natural that they should go to Cæsarea to visit the governor. Festus, who was evidently rather puzzled about St. Paul, as he could see no reason for the accusations of the Jews, was glad to have an opportunity of talking over the matter with one, who being himself a Jew, would know the laws and customs of his own people, as well as those of the Romans. Therefore, when Agrippa and Bernice had been at Cæsarea "many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: but had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar."
By "their superstition," Festus meant the religion of the Jews: for the heathen always thus spake of it, and said, that "Moses was the inventor of the Jews' superstition." The heathens saw that the Jews believed in an Almighty power, of which they knew nothing, and did certain things to obtain favour from the God they worshipped: this they called Superstition, and no doubt they looked upon the Christian religion in much the same light.
The term "Superstition," might much more properly be applied to the belief and practice of the Romans themselves, with all their omens and auguries, supposed to reveal the will of their imaginary gods; and their sacrifices and ceremonies, in order to gain their favour.
At the time of which we are now speaking, the Jews had indeed introduced many superstitions into their religion; for they thought to please God by outward forms and ceremonies, whilst they committed all manner of sins, and rejected the Messiah.
The Christians were ready to give up all earthly joys and comforts, and to suffer death, rather than act contrary to the religion which they professed; and this the heathens looked upon as "foolishness."
Festus evidently thought that both Jews and Christians were very foolish, to dispute upon such a subject as the life or death of Jesus; for he neither knew nor cared about the doctrines of Christianity, and the need of a Saviour. Little did the Roman governor conceive, that the question concerning the Resurrection of Jesus Christ was one of the greatest importance to all mankind, when he thus slightingly spake of "one Jesus," "whom Paul affirmed to be alive." Had St. Paul been accused of crimes, as the governor supposed would have been the case, he would have known how to act: but when the accusations were only about such matters as to the Romans were "foolishness," Festus was perplexed and doubtful, as to the course which he ought to take; for as these questions had caused disturbances in the country, they could not be allowed to pass unnoticed by a Roman governor. And probably it was as much to relieve himself from his perplexity as to please the Jews, that he proposed to the Apostle to go up to Jerusalem.
All the Roman Emperors had the title of Cæsar, and they also all took that of Augustus: but each one had his own particular name or names besides: the "Augustus Cæsar" here spoken of, was the Emperor Nero. Agrippa listened with interest to all that Festus told him of St. Paul, and then said, "I would also hear the man myself"—a desire which Festus was too happy to gratify. "To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him."