Acts 25:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When Festus, soon after assuming office, came to Jerusalem, the high priest and the most prominent of the Jews appeared before him with complaints against Paul. They asked him to summon the apostle for trial before them in Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the road. But the procurator did not grant their request. He proposed that they appear for trial in Caesarea, where Paul was being kept under guard and where he himself intended shortly to return. Consequently, when he returned to Caesarea, Paul’s accusers also came there.

The new procurator was a more worthy and just man. At the very beginning he showed himself prompt in administration and practical in action. He arrived in Palestine around the month of August, and three days after arriving in Caesarea he went directly to Jerusalem.

Festus went up to Jerusalem after three days. It is natural that the new ruler of the province, after arriving at his residence in Caesarea, hastened to go to the chief city of the province, Jerusalem.

Both his personal and official interests required this. There he could enter into closer relations with the native authorities and come to know them.

There also he could better learn the character of the people, since this character is expressed more in the capital than in the provinces. Moreover, simple curiosity surely drew him there.

The hatred of the Jews against the Apostle Paul did not die out even during the years when Felix kept him languishing in custody at Caesarea.

As soon as a new procurator appeared in place of Felix, on his very first journey from Caesarea to Jerusalem, they asked him to summon Paul, supposedly for examination of his case.

In reality, they wished to kill him on the road. So great was the hatred against him of the high priest, who was then Ishmael, and of the most prominent Jews.

Clearly the successes of Christianity, both in Judea and everywhere, were very great. Therefore the enemies of Christianity wished to pour out their malice in the murder of one of Christianity’s most zealous spreaders.