“But Festus,
Wishing to do the Jews
A favor,
Asked Paul.
‘Do you wish
To go up to Jerusalem
And there be tried
Before me
On these charges?’”
ὁ Φῆστος δὲ θέλων τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις χάριν καταθέσθαι, ἀποκριθεὶς τῷ Παύλῳ εἶπεν Θέλεις εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀναβὰς ἐκεῖ περὶ τούτων κριθῆναι ἐπ’ ἐμοῦ;
The author of Acts indicated that Governor Festus (ὁ Φῆστος δὲ) wished (θέλων) to do or give (καταθέσθαι) the Jews (τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις) a favor (χάριν). He asked Paul (ἀποκριθεὶς τῷ Παύλῳ εἶπεν) if he wanted (Θέλεις) to go up to Jerusalem (εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀναβὰς) and there (ἐκεῖ) be tried before the governor (κριθῆναι ἐπ’ ἐμοῦ) on these charges (περὶ τούτων). Acts was the only Greek biblical writing that used this word καταθέσθαι, that means to lay down, deposit a favor, with the view of receiving one in return, or seek favor. Governor Felix in the preceding chapter, 24:17, also wanted to do the Jews in Jerusalem a favor by keeping Paul in jail in Caesarea. Instead here, Governor Festus wanted to know if Paul wished to go back to Jerusalem for a trial there where Festus preside over it. He believed that the Jews might want to make a spectacle of Paul in Jerusalem. What are some valid reasons for moving a trial to a different place?
