Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and sought him,
Acts 25:15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
Acts 24:1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
Job 31:31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.
They urged Festus
Festus, the Roman governor, had recently succeeded Felix. His role was to maintain order and administer justice in the province of Judea. The Jewish leaders' urging of Festus demonstrates their determination to have Paul condemned. This reflects the political maneuvering often necessary in Roman provinces, where local leaders sought favor with Roman authorities. The urgency in their request suggests their fear of Paul's influence and the spread of Christianity. Festus's involvement is crucial, as Roman governors had the authority to enforce capital punishment, which the Jewish leaders could not do under Roman rule. This interaction highlights the complex dynamics between Roman authority and Jewish leadership during this period.
– Festus has barely arrived in office (Acts 25:1), yet the Jerusalem leaders waste no time.
– They lay “formal charges” (Acts 25:2) much like they did earlier before Felix (Acts 24:1-9).
– Their hostility has been brewing since Paul’s temple arrest (Acts 21:27-31) and the thwarted assassination plot (Acts 23:12-15).
– Their persistence mirrors earlier opposition to Jesus (Luke 22:1-2) and to Peter and John (Acts 4:1-3), showing the ongoing clash between religious power and the gospel.
– The verse underscores that the accusations are political-religious, not merely theological. They want Rome to see Paul as a threat, just as they framed Jesus (John 19:12).
– “They urged Festus” (Acts 25:2) conveys relentless pressure:
• Asking for a favor (Acts 25:3) while plotting an ambush—duplicity reminiscent of their earlier oath to kill Paul (Acts 23:12-15).
• Counting on Festus’s inexperience; he has been governor only three days (Acts 25:1).
• Exploiting Roman legal channels, just as they once manipulated Pilate (John 18:30-31).
– Scripture shows that behind human schemes God still directs outcomes (Acts 23:11; Proverbs 19:21).
– Paul’s situation fulfills Jesus’ promise that His witnesses would stand before governors and kings (Matthew 10:18; Acts 9:15).
Acts 25:2 highlights the Jewish leaders’ swift, calculated move to keep Paul under indictment and sway a new governor. Their immediate presentation of charges and their forceful urging of Festus expose a persistent, coordinated opposition to the gospel, yet God is quietly orchestrating events for Paul to testify in Rome—just as He said.
(2) Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews . . .--Some of the best MSS. give the plural, "the chief priests." It is clear that they hoped to take advantage of the newness of Festus to his office. He was likely enough, they thought, to accept their statements and to yield to the pressure of those who had shown themselves powerful enough to bring about his predecessor's recall. And they have not forgotten their old tactics. Once again priests and scribes are ready to avail themselves of the weapon of the assassin. Possibly Festus had heard from Felix or Lysias, or others, of the former plot, and took care to be on his guard against this, and so the conspirators were again baffled.Verse 2. - And for then, A.V.; chief priests for high priest, A.V. and T.R.; principal men for chief, A.V.; and they besought for and besought, A.V. Chief priests; as in ver. 15 and Acts 22:30. But the reading of the T.R., "the high priest," is more in accordance with Acts 24:1, and is approved by Alford. The high priest at this time was no longer Ananias, but Ismael the son of Phabi, who was appointed by King Agrippa towards the close of Felix's government (Josephus, 'Ant. Jud.,' 20. 8:8). He went to Rome to appeal to Nero about the wall which the Jews had built to screen the temple from being overlooked, and which Agrippa had ordered to be pulled down; and being detained at Rome as a hostage, he was succeeded in the high priesthood by Joseph Cabi the son of Simon. We may feel sure that on this occasion he was present before Festus, for he had not yet gone to Rome. Informed him (ἐνεφάνισαν); see Acts 24:1, note. The principal men of the Jews (οἱ πρῶτοι). In ver. 15 Festus speaks of them as οἱ πρεσβύτεροι. The question arises as to whether the two phrases are identical in their meaning. Meyer thinks that the πρῶτοι includes leading men who were not elders, i.e. not Sanhedrists. Josephus calls the leading Jews of Caesarea οἱ πρωτεύοντες τῶν Ἰουδαίων ('Ant. Jud.,' 20. 8:9).