Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as you very well know.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
St. Paul, seeing Festus only sought a plea to get rid of his cause, by putting it into the hands of the Sanhedrim, appeals to Cæsar. According to the ordinary rules of jurisprudence, appeals are only made after sentence is pronounced; but Roman citizens had a privilege of anticipating the sentence, when the judge did any thing contrary to justice; as Festus evidently did in this case, by wishing to deliver Paul, a Roman citizen, to the tribunal of his declared enemies, the Jews. The apostle knew he was secured by making this appeal: as the Roman law declared provincial governors violators of the public peace, who should either strike, or imprison, or put to death a Roman citizen, that appealed to the emperor. (Calmet)
Hence Pliny sent some Christians to Rome for this same reason, as he writes himself in his epistles. (Lib. x. ep. 97.) Fu runt alii similis amentiæ, quos, quia cives Romani erant, annotavi in urbem remittendos.
he did not say, I will not, lest he should make the judge more vehement, but (here) again is his great boldness: They cast me out once for all, themselves, and by this they think to condemn me, by their showing that I have offended against Cæsar: at his bar I choose to be judged, at the bar of the injured person himself. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well know. Here now he reproved him, that he too wished to sacrifice him to the Jews: then, on the other hand, he relaxes (the sternness of) his speech: if then I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die. I utter sentence against myself. For along with boldness of speech there must be also justness of cause, so as to abash (the hearer). But if there be nothing in the things whereof these accuse me, no man— however he may wish it— no man may sacrifice me to please them. He said, not, I am not worthy of death, nor, I am worthy to be acquitted, but, I am ready to take my trial befor...
