Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
When Agrippa was come and Bernice (elqontov tou Agrippa kai thv Bernikhv). Genitive absolute, the participle agreeing in number and gender (masculine singular, elqontov) with Agrippa, Bernikhv being added as an afterthought.
With great pomp (meta pollhv fantasiav). Fantasia is a Koin‚ word (Polybius, Diodorus, etc.) from the old verb fantazw (Hebrews 12:21) and it from fainw, common verb to show, to make an appearance. This is the only N.T. example of fantasia, though the kindred common word fantasma (appearance) occurs twice in the sense of apparition or spectre (Matthew 14:26; Mark 6:49). Herodotus (VII. 10) used the verb fantazw for a showy parade. Festus decided to gratify the wish of Agrippa by making the "hearing" of Paul the prisoner (verse Acts 25:22) 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 (eiv to akroathrion). 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 Acts 25:26.
With the chief captains (sun te xiliarxoiv). Xiliarxv, each a leader of a thousand. There were five cohorts of soldiers stationed in Caesarea.
And the principal men of the city (kai andrasin toiv kat ecoxhn). The use of kat ecoxhn, 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 AD (Moulton and Milligan's Vocabulary). Ecoxh in medical writers is any protuberance or swelling. Cf. our phrase "outstanding men."
At the command of Festus (keleusantov tou Fhstou). Genitive absolute again, "Festus having commanded."
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 25:23:
1 Corinthians 6:2
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
