25:1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

“Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him.” Now this is two years later. I don’t know what happened to those fellows that bound themselves with a great curse; they wouldn’t eat or drink. They’d been two years without food now!

“Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.” Now, if that’s the same bunch, they violated their oath.

“But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.” Accusations. No evidence.

“While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.” And was true. He didn’t offend against the law of the Jews. Their law said if a man had been hanging out with Gentiles, he had to be purified. He was purified. They said if a guy was unclean he had to shave his head to offer his vow at the temple. He shaved his head and offered at the temple. He’s clear. That’s all things to all men. They couldn’t accuse him of offending anywhere.

QUESTION: Is there anything about Pilate’s judgment seat or anything here that tells us something about the Judgment Seat of Christ?

ANSWER: Probably is. I haven’t read all the references. But sure as the word of God is one unit, if you’ve got a concordance of any of those references, you’d find some in every one of those that had something to do with the Judgment Seat of Christ.

For example, right here, in this one right here, seven, at the Judgment Seat of Christ there are probably going to be complaints lodged against us by the devil.

Verse 9: “But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?” Now Paul knows if he goes back to Jerusalem he’s a dead duck. So he says, “You willing to go back to Jerusalem?

And Paul says, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat.” That is, before a governor of Rome.

“Where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.” Boy, that’s really coming in hard on the audience. I mean, you’ve got the wrong motive for sending me there.

Now, here it comes, and you ought to know what verse 11 is. Verse 11 shows the greatest Christian that ever lived approved of capital punishment. So, if the question comes up about capital punishment being Christian and Scriptural, it is Christian, and it is Scriptural. And the greatest Christian that ever lived not only approved of it but submitted to it. “For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die.” See, he says, “If I deserve capital punishment, kill me.”

“But if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.” Now that’s the same as going over circuit court or probate court to the supreme court. And it’s appealing the case, they say. And they say, still today in the legal courts, they say, “appeal to a higher court.”

“I appeal unto Caesar.”

“Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.”

25:13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:

15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

19 But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.

24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

“And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.” Now, here’s a bigger shot. This fellow here has the rank of a king.

“And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: But had certain questions against him of their own superstition.” That’s what he refers to their religion as, as superstition.

“And of one Jesus, which was dead.” See, he takes for granted He’s dead.

“Whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.”

All right, now, come back to Acts chapter 9, when Paul first got saved, and look at this foreknowledge here. Acts chapter 9, verse 15: “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings.” See that thing? So the Lord takes even the wrath of men and make it to praise Him and takes Paul’s disobedience and turn it around and give it a chance to fulfill His commission.

Acs chapter 25, verse 22: “Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp.” That’s a spread, that’s a put-on. That’s upper-crust, high-fallutin’.

“With great pomp.” Trumpets blowing, pages coming in, carpet rolled, red-carpet treatment and all that, you know. And bells, you know, and people bowing and all that business.

“And was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city.” Boy, what a congregation to preach to! Now, the equivalent of that would be if you got called out in Hollywood and had a chance to get up and preach from the night of the awards at the Academy Awards, the Oscars. Get up there and hit that whole bunch. You talk about a crew, boy, you’d be preaching to a crew.

“And principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth. And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.” You ain’t kiddin’. You send a guy up there to Caesar, and Caesar says, “What has he done?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Well, who sent this bum in here?”

“Festus sent him in.”

“Off with his head!”

I mean, you’re not going to fool with that bunch of Roman emperors. You take their time over a thing like that, ol’ Festus is gonna get his head cut off.