It seems to have been standard practice to bribe officials to obtain one’s release from custody, and Felix, it is implied, wants to release Paul. Apparently, though, no bribe has yet materialized.
But why should Paul be in any hurry here? A Jewish mob is waiting to tear him to pieces outside and, while in custody, he seems to be enjoying an extraordinary degree of “freedom” even as his friends are allowed to attend to his needs. He also seems to have had an interested and captive audience in the exalted Roman Governor Felix, who pays him regular visits while in his “captivity.” Moreover, Felix is actually said to have become afraid when Paul spoke about the Final Judgment. Does this Roman governor actually believe in Paul’s gospel?
Felix seems to respect Paul to an inordinate degree since political issues make releasing him or granting “the Jews” their trial of him inconvenient for a very long time.
For two years, in fact, Paul seems to be a rather important “prisoner.” And his enemies do not like the situation. When the new Governor Festus (a Gentile with no known “Jewish” connections) is installed in the province, we are told that after only three days:
Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. (Emphasis added.) (44)
Festus opts instead to give them a hearing of their case back in the Roman port city of Caesarea. There, once more, both sides make their arguments, but rather than render a decision on whether to transfer the case to Jerusalem, Festus somewhat unbelievably asks Paul’s own opinion about having his case transferred to Jerusalem. According to Acts, Festus does this in order to “do the Jews a favor.” (45)
In reply, Paul famously appeals his case to Caesar himself (in Rome). After conferring with his own council, Governor Festus answers: “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” (46)
The next characters to enter the New Testament are none other than Titus’s friends Herod Agrippa II and his future fiancée, Bernice:
A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.” (Emphasis added.) (47)
Notice the respect that the author of Acts has for the Roman legal system—far greater respect than he shows for the Jewish counterpart, the Sanhedrin. Also observe that Festus had expected the Christian to be charged with real crimes, such as sedition or making rebellion, rather than the sectarian disagreements of religious doctrine Jewish authorities had with Paul. The now obvious political implications of Paul’s message are simply glossed over in the text of Acts. Finally, once more we have a Roman governor who, just like Pilate before him, can find nothing worth punishing in a “New Testament” Christian accused by Jewish authorities.
In Acts, we continue as Paul begins his defense by saying:
King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. (Emphasis added.) (48)
Titus’s friend Agrippa listens patiently to Paul as he recounts his personal travails in some detail, and also the many plots of “Jews” who have been attacking him. When Paul explains his vision of Christ and his project to convert the Gentiles, “Festus interrupt[s] Paul’s defense. ‘You are out of your mind, Paul!’ he shout[s], ‘Your great learning is driving you insane.’” (Emphasis added.) (49)
Notice that even the skeptical Governor Festus with no known Jewish connections, acknowledges Paul’s “great learning.”
“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king [Agrippa] is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” (Emphasis added.) (50)
Again, echoing Pilate and Festus, both of Titus’s friends are likewise convinced of the Christian leader’s innocence. The mutual admiration exhibited between Paul and Agrippa II is clear in any translation. Later generations would grapple with the following declaration with considerable difficulty because of what appears to be Agrippa’s impossible Christian sympathies: “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
The Greek original of this pregnant quote ascribed to Agrippa has given birth to a contentious litter of translations:
“In a little thou persuadest me to become a Christian.” (Douay-Rheims, American)