Acts 25:9

A pleasure. Or, “a favor” (see on ch. 24:27). At first Festus had refused the Jews’ request that Paul be brought to Jerusalem (ch. 25:3, 4). Whether or not he had been influenced against Paul by the charges brought against him, he at least realized more than before the intensity of Jewish feeling against him. All that Festus could reasonably do to please the Jews would, of course, contribute to the success of his administration.

Wilt thou go? It was apparent that the charges against Paul were matters of Jewish, not Roman, law, and it therefore seemed reasonable to Festus to investigate the matter in Jerusalem, the Jewish metropolis.

Before me. The presence of Festus at the hearing was a guarantee that Paul would still be in Roman custody and under Roman protection. However, the Jewish leaders would be in charge of the judicial procedure, and Festus would be more in the role of an interested observer. He was not transferring Paul to Jewish jurisdiction, although the proposal implied a tentative willingness to make such a transfer. This proposal virtually declared Paul innocent of any offense “against Caesar.” Any charges possibly worthy of consideration had to do with Jewish law and custom. Though, as the representative of Rome, Festus had no further direct interest in the case, his desire to win the favor of the leaders of his new administrative district made him willing to comply with their desires as far as possible. Apparently the proposal was not based on the suspicion that Paul was actually guilty of any overt act or of any intention to commit such an act, but solely as a political expedient.