Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

thus forcing his enemies at their own expense to carry him to Rome that he might preach the Gospel
in the world’s metropolis. When Festus found that he had appealed to Cæsar, and that Roman law
compelled him to send him to the diagnosis of the world’s emperor, he regarded it a sine qua non
that he also send the criminal charges against him, as the very novelty and inconsistency of sending
a prisoner for trial with no bill of charges would expose his administration to criticism and burlesque
at the imperial court. Hence he does his utmost, even availing himself of the co-operation of King
Agrippa, an adept in all Jewish law. They both do their best to find criminal allegations against Paul,
but signally and hopelessly fail. Hence Festus is forced to meet the issue and actually write a letter
to the emperor stating that he had only sent the prisoner pursuant to his own right of appeal as a
Roman citizen, there being no criminal allegation whatever against him. The letter of Festus and the
exceedingly favorable report of Julius, the Roman centurion who had charge of the prisoners during
the voyage, and saw the power of God on Paul during the awful shipwreck and miraculous
deliverance, besides the wonderful miracles of healing wrought by him on the island of Melita, gave
Paul an exceedingly favorable introduction to the authorities at Rome, at once commanding the
unparalleled leniency of the imperial administration, virtually setting him free, making his
imprisonment but nominal; meanwhile “unhindered” he proceeds to establish a great mission in the
heart of the world’s metropolis. Having sailed from Cæsarea in September, after his long and
perilous voyage he arrives at Rome late in February, A.D. 61, inaugurates his gospel mission, in
which he preaches two years; meanwhile he dictates to Luke this wonderful history of the Apostolic
Church, founded on the day of Pentecost, entrusted with the responsible mission of preaching the
gospel of the coming kingdom to all nations, thus preparing the world for the return of the glorious
King. Why was Paul, at the expiration of two years, ruthlessly dragged out of his gospel mission,
and, loaded with chains, brought a prisoner into the barracks of the prætorian army? This resulted
from the death of Burrus, the commander-in-chief of the imperial guards, who, in lieu of the
emperor, had received the letter of Festus and the report of Julius, and administered in the case of
Paul on his arrival as a substitute for the emperor, being completely won over into sympathy with
Paul and magnanimously protecting him as long as he lived. Now Paul’s only influential and
powerful friend and protector at the imperial court having passed away, there is nothing left for him
but the rigors of military despotism. During these memorable two years in his hired house, he not
only preaches day and night, but dictates to Luke, his faithful amanuensis, the Acts of the Apostles,
the epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.