Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 25]
25:23 {When Agrippa was come and Bernice} (\elthontos tou Agrippa
kai t•s Bernik•s\). Genitive absolute, the participle agreeing in
number and gender (masculine singular, \elthontos\) with
\Agrippa\, \Bernik•s\ being added as an afterthought. {With great
pomp} (\meta poll•s phantasias\). \Phantasia\ is a _Koin•_ word
(Polybius, Diodorus, etc.) from the old verb \phantaz•\ (Heb
12:21) and it from \phain•\, common verb to show, to make an
appearance. This is the only N.T. example of \phantasia\, though
the kindred common word \phantasma\ (appearance) occurs twice in
the sense of apparition or spectre (Mt 14:26; Mr 6:49).
Herodotus (VII. 10) used the verb \phantaz•\ 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
akroat•rion\). 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 chiliarchois\). \Chiliarchs\, 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' exoch•n\). The use of \kat' exoch•n\, 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_).
\Exoch•\ in medical writers is any protuberance or swelling. Cf.
our phrase "outstanding men." {At the command of Festus}
(\keleusantos tou Ph•stou\). Genitive absolute again, "Festus
having commanded."
25:24 {Which are here present with us} (\hoi sunparontes h•min\).
Present articular participle of \sunpareimi\ (only here in N.T.)
with associative instrumental case \h•min\. {Made suit to me}
(\enetuchon moi\). Second aorist active indicative of
\entugchan•\, old verb to fall in with a person, to go to meet
for consultation or supplication as here. Common in old Greek and
_Koin•_. Cf. Ro 8:27,34. See \enteuxis\ (petition) 1Ti 2:1.
Papyri give many examples of the technical sense of \enteuxis\ as
petition (Deissmann, _Bible Studies_, p. 121). Some MSS. have
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