Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Festus conferred with his council, as governors do; they heard nothing without consent of these chief citizens. He likely spoke with indignation, 'Hast thou appealed to Caesar?', grieved that he could not oblige the Jews as he wished, though I leave this to conjecture since it touches no great matter.
AI summary
See how restless malice is: Paul bears his imprisonment patiently, yet his enemies cannot bear even a three-day delay in pursuing him to death. They rush upon Festus the moment he arrives, trying to prejudge the cause before any fair trial.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 25:1-12
Festus consulted his Roman counsellors, not the Jewish council, to determine whether Paul's appeal should be admitted. The question He posed, 'Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go', served partly to confirm the fact and partly to show the Jews that though He was disposed to favor them, His hands were bound by Roman law.
AI summary