Acts 25:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Neither against the law...” Here is a clear and open declaration: I, says Paul, have kept myself pure in everything. I have not sinned against God, or against the law, or against man, or against the church, that is, the temple. In other words, I have never dishonored the Jewish temples built of stones, though I know and preach that God does not dwell in temples made with hands. Likewise, I have never offended the consciences of the Jews by reproaching their priest, though I no longer heed the Jewish chief priests.

The trial of Paul opened again, and the Jews who had come from Jerusalem again began accusing him before the procurator. But the many grave charges they brought against Paul remained unproved. Festus could have released Paul, but since the Jews objected (Acts 28:19), he wished to please them. He asked the apostle whether he wanted his trial transferred to Jerusalem and handed over to the Sanhedrin. But Paul did not wish to be delivered to the Jews, and demanded Caesar’s judgment.

Eight or ten days later, Festus returned to the palace in Caesarea. On the very next day he took his judicial seat on the tribunal to hear the case.

The Jews now found it possible to do without a hired advocate. The proceedings turned into a scene of heated clamor, in which the Apostle Paul answered the many charges against him with calm denial.

The Jews noisily surrounded the judgment seat and repeated their accusations of heresy, sacrilege, and treason. But since not a single witness came forward against him, the Apostle Paul had only to set forth the circumstances of the case again.

They stood around, perhaps among other things in order to frighten Paul and deprive him of presence of mind and courage.

Many and grievous accusations: the writer of Acts does not say what they were. He only notes that these accusations were unsupported assertions and lacked proof.

From the apostle's answer (verse 8), one can see that the accusations were the same as those presented at the trial before Felix (Acts 24:5-6). Yet one charge was either completely new or at least stated more sharply.

They accused the apostle of some offense against Caesar, against the imperial majesty. Perhaps this was the same accusation that he was an agitator (Acts 24:5).

The Apostle Paul's answer corresponded to the accusations brought against him. Since the writer of Acts did not record the accusations, he also indicates only the essential thoughts from Paul's defense.

These were that he was guilty of nothing against the whole Jewish law, nor, in particular, of violating the sanctity of the temple, and still less of anything against Caesar.

"Here is a clear and open testimony. Paul says, I have kept myself pure in all things. I have sinned neither against God, nor against the law, nor against man, nor against the church, that is, the temple.