SEV Biblia, Chapter 25:23
Y al otro día, viniendo Agripa y Berenice con mucha pompa, y entrando en la audiencia con los tribunos y principales varones de la ciudad, por mandato de Festo, fue traído Pablo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 25:23
Verse 23. With great pomp] meta pollhv fantasiav; With much phantasy, great splendour, great parade, superb attendance or splendid retinue: in this sense the Greek word is used by the best writers. Wetstein has very justly remarked, that these children of Herod the Great made this pompous appearance in that very city where, a few years before, their father, for his PRIDE, was smitten of God, and eaten up by worms! How seldom do the living lay any of God's judgments to heart! The place of hearing] A sort of audience chamber, in the palace of Festus. This was not a trial of Paul; there were no Jews present to accuse him, and he could not be tried but at Rome, as he had appealed to Caesar. These grandees wished to hear the man speak of his religion, and in his own defense, through a principle of curiosity.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come , etc.] Into the hall, or court of judicature: and Bernice ; his sister, along with him: with great pomp : in rich dress, with the regalia, or ensigns of royalty carried before them, and attended with a large train and retinue of servants: and was entered into the place of hearing ; the causes that were tried in court, that particular part of the hall, which was assigned for that purpose; for as there were the proper places for the judge and council, and for the plaintiffs and defendants, so for those that came to hear: with the chief captains ; or tribunes, who had the command of the Roman soldiers; and who had each of them a thousand men under them, as their title signifies: and principal men of the city ; that is, of Caesarea; the magistrates, and chief inhabitants of the place: at Festuss commandment Paul was brought forth ; and became a spectacle to a vast number of men, as he himself says; and which in part fulfilled what Christ had foretold to his disciples, that they should be brought before kings and governors for his sake; (see 1 Corinthians 4:9 Matthew 10:18).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-27 - Agrippa had the government of Galilee. How many unjust and hast judgments the Roman maxim, ver. #(16), condemn! This heathen, guide only by the light of nature, followed law and custom exactly, yet ho many Christians will not follow the rules of truth, justice, an charity, in judging their brethren! The questions about God's worship the way of salvation, and the truths of the gospel, may appear doubtfu and without interest, to worldly men and mere politicians. See ho slightly this Roman speaks of Christ, and of the great controvers between the Jews and the Christians. But the day is at hand when Festu and the whole world will see, that all the concerns of the Roman empir were but trifles and of no consequence, compared with this question of Christ's resurrection. Those who have had means of instruction, an have despised them, will be awfully convinced of their sin and folly Here was a noble assembly brought together to hear the truths of the gospel, though they only meant to gratify their curiosity by attendin to the defence of a prisoner. Many, even now, attend at the places of hearing the word of God with "great pomp," and too often with no bette motive than curiosity. And though ministers do not now stand a prisoners to make a defence for their lives, yet numbers affect to sin in judgment upon them, desirous to make them offenders for a word rather than to learn from them the truth and will of God, for the salvation of their souls But the pomp of this appearance was outshon by the real glory of the poor prisoner at the bar. What was the honou of their fine appearance, compared with that of Paul's wisdom, an grace, and holiness; his courage and constancy in suffering for Christ It is no small mercy to have God clear up our righteousness as the light, and our just dealing as the noon-day; to have nothing certai laid to our charge. And God makes even the enemies of his people to d them right __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
τη 3588 T-DSF ουν 3767 CONJ επαυριον 1887 ADV ελθοντος 2064 5631 V-2AAP-GSM του 3588 T-GSM αγριππα 67 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ της 3588 T-GSF βερνικης 959 N-GSF μετα 3326 PREP πολλης 4183 A-GSF φαντασιας 5325 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ εισελθοντων 1525 5631 V-2AAP-GPM εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN ακροατηριον 201 N-ASN συν 4862 PREP τε 5037 PRT τοις 3588 T-DPM χιλιαρχοις 5506 N-DPM και 2532 CONJ ανδρασιν 435 N-DPM τοις 3588 T-DPM κατ 2596 PREP εξοχην 1851 N-ASF ουσιν 5607 5752 V-PXP-DPM της 3588 T-GSF πολεως 4172 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ κελευσαντος 2753 5660 V-AAP-GSM του 3588 T-GSM φηστου 5347 N-GSM ηχθη 71 5681 V-API-3S ο 3588 T-NSM παυλος 3972 N-NSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
25:23 {When Agrippa was come and Bernice} (elthontos tou Agrippa kai ts bernikes). Genitive absolute, the participle agreeing in number and gender (masculine singular, elthontos) with Agrippa, bernikes being added as an afterthought. {With great pomp} (meta polles fantasias). fantasia is a _Koin_ word (Polybius, Diodorus, etc.) from the old verb fantazw (#Heb 12:21) and it from fainw, common verb to show, to make an appearance. this is the only N.T. example of fantasia, though the kindred common word fantasma (appearance) occurs twice in the sense of apparition or spectre (#Mt 14:26; Mr 6:49). Herodotus (VII. 10) used the verb fantazw for a showy parade. Festus decided to gratify the wish of Agrippa by making the "hearing" of Paul the prisoner (verse #22) an occasion for paying a compliment to Agrippa (Rackham) by a public gathering of the notables in Caesarea. Festus just assumed that Paul would fall in with this plan for a grand entertainment though he did not have to do it. {Into the place of hearing} (eis to akroaterion). From akroaomai (to be a hearer) and, like the Latin _auditorium_, in Roman law means the place set aside for hearing, and deciding cases. Here only in the N.T. Late word, several times in Plutarch and other _Koin_ writers. The hearing was "semi-official" (Page) as is seen in verse #26. {With the chief captains} (sun te ciliarcois). ciliarcs, each a leader of a thousand. There were five cohorts of soldiers stationed in Caesarea. {And the principal men of the city} (kai andrasin tois kat' exocen). The use of kat' exocen, like our French phrase _par excellence_, occurs here only in the N.T., and not in the ancient Greek, but it is found in inscriptions of the first century A.D. (Moulton and Milligan's _Vocabulary_). exoce in medical writers is any protuberance or swelling. Cf. our phrase "outstanding men." {At the command of Festus} (keleusantos tou festou). Genitive absolute again, "Festus having commanded."
