King Agrippa and Bernice

King Agrippa II and Bernice

ACTS 25 COMMENTARY ◄
Acts 25:10-12 The Judgment of Caesar

Acts 25:13-25 King Agrippa and Bernice

ACTS 25:13 13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.

Who is "King Agrippa" (Acts 25:13)?
See King Agrippa.

Who is "Bernice" (Acts 25:13)?
Bernice was the thrice-married, twice-widowed and once-divorced sister of King Agrippa.

Why would King Agrippa bring his sister Bernice instead of his wife?
Agrippa and Bernice were committing incest with each other; Agrippa never married.

ACTS 25:14-19 14 When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, 15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. 16 To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ 17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, 19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

Had Paul presented the Gospel during his trial before Festus?
Apparently so, as the Jews and Paul had argued "about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive" (Acts 25:19).

ACTS 25:20-21 20 “And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar."

Did Luke record every word spoken at Paul's trial before Festus?
Apparently not (see Acts 25), and he wasn't required to. The Bible isn't a verbatim account. Indeed, one-third of the Gospel of John is devoted to the 24 hours immediately preceding Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

ACTS 25:22-23 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” 23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in.

How did Agrippa and Bernice enter the auditorium?
"With great pomp" (Acts 25:23).

How did Paul enter the auditorium?
In "chains" (Acts 26:29, see Festus).

What is ironic about that?
An apostle of Jesus Christ is treated as a criminal while criminals committing incest are treated as royalty.

ACTS 25:24-25 24 And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.

Didn't "Augustus" (Acts 25:25) already die in 14 AD?
The original Greek word translated "Augustus" is σεβαστον (sebaston), which literally means "revered." Augustus, who ruled the Roman Empire from 27 BC to 14 AD and brought relative peace - Pax Romana - to it was so revered that his name was used interchangeably with the position - "Caesar" (Acts 25:11) - he had held, not unlike "Google" is used interchangeably today with the expression "to search online."