SEV Biblia, Chapter 25:27
Porque fuera de razn me parece enviar un preso, y no sealar las causas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 25:27
Verse 27. For it seemeth to me unreasonable, &c.] Every reader must feel the awkward situation in which Festus stood. He was about to send a prisoner to Rome, to appear before Nero, though he had not one charge to support against him; and yet he must be sent, for he had appealed to Caesar. He hoped therefore that Agrippa, who was of the Jewish religion, would be able to discern more particularly the merits of this case; and might, after hearing Paul, direct him how to draw up those letters, which, on sending the prisoner, must be transmitted to the emperor. This chapter ends as exceptionably as the twenty-first. It should have begun at ver. 13, and have been continued to the end of the twenty-sixth chapter, or both chapters have been united in one.
1. FROM St. Paul's appeal to Caesar, we see that it is lawful to avail ourselves, even in the cause of God, of those civil privileges with which his mercy has blessed us. It is often better to fall into the hands of the heathen than into the hands of those who, from mistaken views of religion, have their hearts filled with bitter persecuting zeal. Those who can murder a man, pretendedly for God's sake, because he does not think exactly with them on ceremonial or speculative points of divinity, have no portion of that religion which came down from God.
2. The Jews endeavoured by every means to deny the resurrection of our Lord; and it seems to have been one part of their accusation against Paul, that he asserted that the man, Jesus, whom they had crucified, was risen from the dead. On this subject, a pious writer observes: "What a train of errors and miseries does one single instance of deceit draw after it; and what a judgment upon those, who, by corrupting the guards of the sepulchre, the witnesses of the resurrection of our Lord, have kept the whole nation in infidelity!" Thus it often happens in the world that one bad counsel, one single lie or calumny, once established, is the source of infinite evils.
3. The grand maxim of the Roman law and government, to condemn no man unheard, and to confront the accusers with the accused, should be a sacred maxim with every magistrate and minister, and among all private Christians. How many harsh judgments and uncharitable censures would this prevent! Conscientiously practised in all Christian societies, detraction, calumny, tale-bearing, whispering, backbiting, misunderstandings, with every unbrotherly affection, would necessarily be banished from the Church of God.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 27. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner , etc.] A man bound as if he was a malefactor, and guilty of some heinous crimes, to Rome, to be tried before Caesar: and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him ; for which he is a prisoner, and for which he is sent to the emperor: it seemed to Festus an absurd thing, and what might be justly looked upon by his master, a foolish, silly, and stupid piece of conduct, and void of common sense and reason, mere madness and folly; to send him a prisoner, and not signify in his letter to him, what was laid to his charge; and yet this was so dark and obscure, that he could not tell what to make of it, nor what to write to his lord about it; and hoped therefore, upon this re-examination of Paul before Agrippa, he should come to a more certain knowledge of this affair, and be better furnished to give Nero an account of it, to whom the apostle had appealed.
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
αλογον 249 A-NSN γαρ 1063 CONJ μοι 3427 P-1DS δοκει 1380 5719 V-PAI-3S πεμποντα 3992 5723 V-PAP-ASM δεσμιον 1198 N-ASM μη 3361 PRT-N και 2532 CONJ τας 3588 T-APF κατ 2596 PREP αυτου 846 P-GSM αιτιας 156 N-GSF σημαναι 4591 5658 V-AAN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
27. Crimes (aitiav). Rev., more correctly, charges.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
25:27 {Unreasonable} (alogon). Old word from a privative and logos (reason, speech). "Without reason" as of animals (#Jude 1:10; 2Pe 2:12), "contrary to reason" here. These the only N.T. instances and in harmony with ancient usage. {In sending} (pemponta). Note accusative case with the infinitive semanai though moi (dative) just before. Cf. same variation in #15:22f.; 22:17. {Signify} (semanai). First aorist active infinitive (not semenai, the old form) of semainw, to give a sign (semeion). {The charges} (tas aitias). this naive confession of Festus reveals how unjust has been his whole treatment of Paul. He had to send along with the appeal of Paul _litterae dimissoriae_ (apostoli) which would give a statement of the case (Page).
