Acts 28

Acts 28:1

There are yet but twelve days. “It is not more than twelve days” (Revised Version). It would be easy for Felix to ascertain the facts, for only twelve days had passed since he returned to Judea, after many years absence. Of these twelve, the first is the day Paul meets James and the elders (Acts 21:18), the second he enters upon his vow (Acts 21:26), the seventh he is seized in the temple (Acts 21:27), the eighth tried before the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:30), the eleventh day he is delivered to Felix (Acts 23:33), and the thirteenth appears before his court.

Acts 28:2

Neither provoking the people to sedition. This verse is in answer to the first charge, that of sedition (Acts 24:5). He had been perfectly quiet in Jerusalem.

Acts 28:4

But this I confess. Acts 24:14-16 are in answer to the second charge, that he is “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). He confesses that he worships God “after that Way they call a sect” (Revised Version). Yet he is a true Jew, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. In becoming a Christian, he had not, therefore, as they asserted, apostatized from the faith of his fathers.

Acts 28:5

And have hope toward God. This hope of the resurrection, the great doctrine of Christianity, was one that the law and the prophets foreshadow, and which they themselves also allow. The Jews held this same hope. Apart from the Sadducees, a small minority, the Jews believed in a future life and judgment. Hence, even in this matter, he was not preaching a new, unknown and illegal doctrine, for Judaism was acknowledged by Roman law. Josephus says, ``The Sadducees were able to persuade none but the rich. The Pharisees had the multitude on their side.''

Acts 28:6

And herein do I exercise myself. In this belief of a resurrection. His belief was not a theory, but a life, and hence he sought to keep his conscience pure in the sight of God and man.

Acts 28:7

Now after many years I came. Here he begins his reply to the third charge, that of profaning the temple. He came to Jerusalem with the most benevolent motives, to bring alms to my own nation. These were sums of money gathered in the Gentile churches for the poor in Jerusalem. See Romans 15:25-31 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 2 Corinthians 8:9. And offerings. Such as were customary at the temple. It was while engaged in the preparations for a Nazarite offering that he was seized. He thus accounts for his presence in the temple.

Acts 28:8

Certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple. He states how these Jews who raised the outcry found him engaged. He was engaged in a Jewish rite.

Acts 28:9

Who ought to have been here. These foreign Jews were the legal accusers. The Sanhedrin was a court of trial, and its members present were not the accusers. The Roman custom required the accusers to face the accused.

Acts 28:10

Let these same [here] say. Let those present testify if they know one thing against me, save that I declared before the Sanhedrin that “touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question”.

Acts 28:11

Touching the resurrection of the dead. This was the real offense in the eyes of the high priest and his fellow Sadducees.

Acts 28:12

Felix heard these things. The speeches on each side. Having more perfect knowledge. Understanding the real animus of the charges. He was well acquainted with the Jewish hatred of Christians, and understood something of [that] way, the Christian doctrine.

Acts 28:13

He commanded a centurion to keep Paul. Two reasons caused him to keep a prisoner that had done no wrong: (1) He did not like to offend the Jews (Acts 24:27); (2) he hoped to be bribed by the Christians to let Paul go (Acts 24:26). Paul was not put in confinement, but under the charge of an officer who was responsible for him. Usually in this kind of imprisonment the prisoner was bound to a soldier.

Acts 28:14

Felix came with his wife Drusilla. This woman, a Jewess, was the daughter of the Herod who died miserably at Caesarea (Acts 12:23), and the sister of King Agrippa and Bernice (Acts 25:23). She was very beautiful and very profligate, had been the wife of Azizus, the king of Emesa, but had left him and married Felix. Perhaps the interest she felt in Paul was due to the fact that her father had been a persecutor of the Christians, had died a singular death, and this had been pronounced a judgment.

Acts 28:15

As he reasoned. They, no doubt, expected that he would speak of doctrine, but instead he spoke of the life that ought to be lived, with special reference to those who sat before him in such state and glory. Righteousness. When he spoke of righteousness, he spoke of justice to a judge who held this office only for the sake of gain and who took bribes. Temperance. When he spoke of temperance, he rebuked the unbridled sway of the passions and of lust. Judgment. When he spoke of judgment, he pictured the judgment scene when the unjust and impure of earth shall be called to account. With such power he spoke that the stern Roman trembled before the poor prisoner in his power. Depart for this time. Felix does not resent; he is too powerfully moved, but he puts off. Thus thousands destroy their souls.

Acts 28:16

He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul. Almost every Roman governor took a province in order to enrich himself, and hence would welcome bribery and every species of corruption. Felix was no worse than the average official of his time.

Acts 28:17

But after two years. It was in the autumn of A.D. 60 that Felix was removed. Procius Festus came in Felix’ room. This officer was more upright, according to Josephus, than most Roman governors, but died in the second year of his office. Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure. He was recalled, because grave accusations were made against him. Had he released Paul, it would have intensified the enmity of the Jews, and hence he was turned over as a prisoner to his successor. The question has been asked how Paul spent these two years of confinement. Dean Howson urges that at this time of the Gospel of Luke was written under the supervision of Paul. He and Luke were in Judea, where the facts could be gathered.

Philip lived at Caesarea. Paul more than once in his writings speaks of “My Gospel”. Irenaeus, who had heard those preach who had heard the apostles, tells us that Paul was accustomed to speak of the Gospel of Luke as written by him, and Origen and Jerome assert the same fact. We know Paul could not have been idle. Hence, for these reasons, Howson suggests that at this period his chief work was the Third Gospel, the “Gospel of the Gentiles”.

Acts 28:19

The Appeal to Caesar SUMMARY OF ACTS 25: The Jewish Leaders Accuse Paul to Festus. Trial Before Festus at Caesarea. Rather Than Be Sent to Jerusalem, Paul Appeals to Caesar. King Agrippa and Bernice Visit Festus. They Ask to See and Hear Paul. On the Morrow a Meeting in Great State. King Agrippa Requested to Examine Paul That Festus May Know What. to Report to Rome. When Festus was come into the province. Had become governor of Judea. See PNT Matthew 27:2.

Acts 28:20

Then the high priest . . . informed him against Paul. Immediately after entering upon his government, Festus went from the Roman capital of Judea to its Jewish capital. The rulers did not lose this opportunity to prosecute Paul. Their aim was to have him transferred from Caesarea to Jerusalem, and thus exposed to their murderous designs.

Acts 28:21

To kill him. This was the real object of their request. Those who will read the account of these times given by Josephus, a Jew of this period, will see that such a murderous purpose is not improbable. Their purpose was for the time baffled by the decision of Festus that the case must be tried before his court in Caesarea instead of before the Sanhedrin.

Acts 28:23

Them . . . which among you are able. Those possessing official power.

Acts 28:25

When he was come. When Festus had returned to Caesarea. The Jews . . . laid many and grievous complaints against Paul. From the substance of Paul’s reply (Acts 25:8), it is easy to determine that these charges were about the same as before Felix, viz.: (1) Teaching a new and illegal religion (Acts 24:6); (2) profaning the temple (Acts 24:6); (3) sedition (Acts 24:5), or offending against Caesar, charges that they could not sustain. It is evident from Acts 25:19 that particular stress was laid upon the fact that he was a “ringleader of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5).

Acts 28:26

25:9 Acts 25:9 Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure. He desired to avoid a difficulty with them at the very beginning of his government. He therefore proposed to Paul to go to Jerusalem for trial. This was the request of the Jews. The charges were in great part concerning a violation of the Jewish law, and the Sanhedrin claimed jurisdiction in that case. But Paul was a Roman, hence Festus could not, without his consent, send him up to the stronghold of his enemies. He perhaps thought that Paul would appeal to his rights as a citizen, and that would prevent the necessity of a refusal to comply with the wishes of the Jews.

Acts 28:27

Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure. He desired to avoid a difficulty with them at the very beginning of his government. He therefore proposed to Paul to go to Jerusalem for trial. This was the request of the Jews. The charges were in great part concerning a violation of the Jewish law, and the Sanhedrin claimed jurisdiction in that case. But Paul was a Roman, hence Festus could not, without his consent, send him up to the stronghold of his enemies. He perhaps thought that Paul would appeal to his rights as a citizen, and that would prevent the necessity of a refusal to comply with the wishes of the Jews.

Acts 28:28

I stand at Caesar’s judgment hall. Before a Roman tribunal. The governor was the representative of Caesar. To be delivered over to the Sanhedrin was to be sent to certain death. Hence, Paul falls back on the right of every Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar himself, or to the imperial tribunal in Rome, a right granted by law to all Romans in the provinces, an essential for protection against unjust governors.

Acts 28:30

When he had conferred with the council. Festus’ own counselors, men called “assessors”, whose duty it was to advise the governor. He then announces the decision, I suppose, in the legal language used in such cases, “Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar thou shalt go”.

Acts 28:31

Agrippa and Bernice came. King Agrippa II, the son of Herod Agrippa, whose death is told in Acts 12:23. Drusilla and Bernice were his sisters. He was the last of the Herodian kings, and was at this time king of Calchis. Bernice, his beautiful sister, was one of the fairest and most dissolute women of her time. She was married several times, had been twice married before Paul saw her, and is discreditably associated with both Vespasian and Titus. The latter took her to Rome, and would have married her had it not been for the storm of public disapproval. To salute Festus. To pay their respects to the new Roman official.