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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 25:11 - 25:11
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
If I am a wrong-doer (ei men oun adikō). Condition of the first class with ei and the present active indicative of adikeō (a privative and dikē): “If I am in the habit of doing injustice,” assuming it to be true for the sake of argument.
And have committed anything worthy of death (kai axion thanatou pepracha). Same condition with the difference in tense (pepracha, perfect active indicative) of a single case instead of a general habit. Assuming either or both Paul draws his conclusion.
I refuse not to die (ou paraitoumai to apothanein). Old verb to ask alongside, to beg from, to deprecate, to refuse, to decline. See notes on Luk 14:18. Josephus (Life, 29) has thanein ou paraitoumai. Here the articular second aorist active infinitive is in the accusative case the object of paraitoumai: “I do not beg off dying from myself.”
But if none of these things is (ei de ouden estin). Deuteronomy here is contrasted with men just before. No word for “true” in the Greek. Estin (“is”) in the Greek here means “exists.” Same condition (first class, assumed as true).
Whereof these accuse me (hōn houtoi katēgorousin mou). Genitive of relative hon by attraction from ha (accusative with katēgorousin) to case of the unexpressed antecedent toutōn (“of these things”). Mou is genitive of person after katēgorousin.
No man can give me up to them (oudeis me dunatai autois charisasthai). “Can” legally. Paul is a Roman citizen and not even Festus can make a free gift (charisasthai) of Paul to the Sanhedrin.
I appeal unto Caesar (Kaisara epikaloumai). Technical phrase like Latin Caesarem appello. Originally the Roman law allowed an appeal from the magistrate to the people (provocatio ad populum), but the emperor represented the people and so the appeal to Caesar was the right of every Roman citizen. Paul had crossed the Rubicon on this point and so took his case out of the hands of dilatory provincial justice (really injustice). Roman citizens could make this appeal in capital offences. There would be expense connected with it, but better that with some hope than delay and certain death in Jerusalem. Festus was no better than Felix in his vacillation and desire to curry favour with the Jews at Paul’s expense. No doubt Paul’s long desire to see Rome (Act 19:21; Rom 15:22-28) and the promise of Jesus that he would see Rome (Act 23:11) played some part in Paul’s decision. But he made it reluctantly for he says in Rome (Act 28:19): “I was constrained to appeal.” But acquittal at the hands of Festus with the hope of going to Rome as a free man had vanished.