And as he answered for his defence with these things, Festus says with a loud voice, Thou art mad, Paul; much learning turns thee to madness.
Paul is defending himself before a Roman governor and a Jewish king. The governor cuts him off and calls him insane. So what in Paul's words sounded like madness? And why could an educated official hear the whole story and take nothing from it?
Paul had just spoken of a man who died and is alive again. That claim is what broke the governor's composure.
To the pagan mind of the Roman, the idea of resurrection was simply unbelievable. Paul had expected this at the start of his speech. So the mention of Christ risen from the dead made Festus cry out loud. How often through the centuries has the Christian been called mad! Here the man of the world flings that taunt for the first time on record.
This was not a question. It was a verdict, shouted by a man who had made up his mind before Paul had finished.
Festus at this point breaks in with the loud confident voice of one who has heard enough, and is prepared with his verdict. With Roman pride he takes it all to be a Jew's superstition, the dream of a man who has read far too much.
Paul's words left the governor out of his depth, and his composure went with it.
To Festus, all this was mere fanaticism… But to a Gentile who was not converted, and whose conscience the truth had not reached, such testimony was nothing but pure madness. Festus felt that these things were completely beyond his knowledge. He saw no crime in Paul, but he understood nothing about the matter. The formal politeness he showed at first now disappears, and so does the dignity of his position. The power of what Paul said was enough to reduce him to his natural state of soul.
The word behind "learning" is the everyday Greek word for letters or writings. It is the same word used when people asked how Jesus knew "letters." Older translations word it that way; the ESV says "learning" in both places.
The word agrammatos, "unlearned," comes from a negative and gramma, "a letter." It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but gramma occurs in John 7:15: "how does this man know 'letters'?" and in Acts 26:24: "much 'learning' makes you mad."
Blaming books let Festus soften the insult. It cost him too: he forgot where he stood and what his office required.
Festus knew nothing of God or His word. The claim that the Messiah had risen left him completely bewildered. He forgot how serious the occasion was, and what his own office required. He branded the apostle a madman, softening the term by blaming it on his much reading. Paul was calm, because he knew God was present and knew the truth that alone gives true freedom. In that splendid gathering he was the only man on higher moral ground. With real courtesy he answers the senseless charge, in words that carry the stamp of the truth he testified to, and of the sober mind in which he laid it all before others.
Festus had rank, culture, and every advantage of his office. None of it gave him the ability to weigh what he was hearing.
The governor could not follow God's dealings with Paul. He could only cry aloud, "You are beside yourself"; "much learning makes you mad."… But there the appeal to Festus ends. He stands before us as one more witness that world-wisdom, rank, earthly position and favoured circumstances are all powerless. They cannot grasp what is of God. They cannot tell the difference between His truth and mere human superstition. Only sovereign grace can do that.
The taunt was not a one-off. It stands alongside the other weapons used against Paul's work, and against faithful service since.
We may trace similar opposition by the great adversary in our own Gospel age. We see it in the service of the Apostle Paul. Delivering his message in cultured Athens, he was mocked as a "babbler" (Acts 17:18). Again before Festus he was considered "mad" (Acts 26:24). Here was ridicule. In Thessalonica there was misrepresentation: people imagined he was turning "the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). Then the adversary's violent opposition showed in the sufferings Paul had to endure. If we in our day were more energetic and more faithful in our service for the Lord Jesus, we would doubtless know more of all three things.
- Trigger — The risen Christ broke Festus. He could not believe in resurrection, and here a man of the world calls a Christian mad for the first time on record.
- Verdict — He broke in with the loud voice of a man who had heard enough and already knew his answer.
- Excuse — "Learning" here means letters, writings, books. Festus blamed Paul's reading, softening the insult while still calling him insane.
- Exposure — Paul's words stripped away the governor's formal politeness. The prisoner, not the judge, was the one calm man in that splendid gathering.
- Lesson — Rank, culture and world-wisdom cannot tell God's truth from superstition. Only sovereign grace can. And the more faithful the service today, the more of this same ridicule it will meet.
But Paul said, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but utter words of truth and soberness;
Paul is on trial before Festus, the Roman governor, and King Agrippa, and he has just spoken of a crucified man risen from the dead. The governor shouts that too much study has driven Paul mad, and the scene now turns on one question: who in that room is thinking clearly?
The interruption came at a precise moment in Paul's defence. He had named the resurrection, and that was the point a Roman mind could not cross.
To the Roman mind the idea of resurrection was simply unbelievable. Paul had expected that, as he showed at the start of his speech. So the mention of Christ risen from the dead made Festus cry out loud. How often through the centuries have people called Christians mad! This is the first recorded time a man of the world threw that taunt. Yet it was not vulgar abuse, for Festus was a polished Roman. He did at least put Paul's "madness" down to too much study and learning. But he still thought him mad!
Paul does not drop the governor's title. He gives the office its honour, and he still refuses the charge.
Paul replies, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words." Notice the full respect he gives. At the same time, he could not stay silent and let the ignorance of a blind pagan put such a stain on the truth.
This courtesy under pressure is the same thing Paul later wrote to others about, and one writer points to this very verse as proof that he lived it. Only one thing releases a believer from that submission:
Only one thing exempts us from the subjection here demanded, and that is when subjection to authorities would involve us in disobedience to God. Then we must be obedient to the highest Authority. As Peter said, "We ought to obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29).
Two words carry Paul's reply: truth and sobriety. Older translations read "words of truth and soberness" where the ESV has "true and rational words". One word describes what Paul said; the other describes how he said it. Festus lost his composure, and the prisoner kept his.
Festus knew nothing of God or His word. The claim that the Messiah had risen left him completely bewildered. He forgot how serious the occasion was, and how serious his own office was, and branded the apostle a madman. He softened the word, though, by blaming it on Paul's much reading. Paul stayed calm, aware of God's presence and of the truth which alone gives true freedom. In that splendid crowd he was the one man on higher moral ground. So with real courtesy he answered the senseless charge, in words stamped with the "truth" he testified to and the "sobriety" with which he laid it all before others.
Festus had learning, office and power. None of it helped him weigh what he had just heard, and after this verse Paul's appeal to him ends.
The governor could not follow God's dealings with Paul. He could only cry aloud, "You are out of your mind"; "much learning is making you mad." Paul answered that rude interruption with charming Christian grace. But there the appeal to Festus ends. He stands before us as another witness that worldly wisdom, rank, earthly position and favoured circumstances are completely unable to grasp what is of God. They cannot tell the difference between His truth and mere human superstition. Only sovereign grace can do this.
Paul was not the first man to hear this charge. People close to the Lord Jesus once said the same of Him.
"When His friends heard it, they went out to seize Him, for they said, 'He is out of His mind.'" It was mainly, I suppose, because of a complete devotion they could not appreciate... To His friends it was mere infatuation. They thought He must be out of His mind. This is especially so with one's own relatives, where the powerful grace of God calls a person out and separates him from all natural claims. It is always like this in the world. Even His own friends made this hurtful charge against the Lord Jesus Himself.
Paul's reply is more than a defence. It sets a standard for how our own message should sound.
Paul's reply was moving in its dignified simplicity... To Festus it was all the fantasy of a drunken mind. The gods he revered had no power beyond the grave... Let us all aim so to declare the Gospel that our hearers may recognize that we are speaking the sober truth.
- The charge — the shout of madness came the moment Paul named a risen Christ. It was the first recorded time a man of the world threw that taunt at a Christian.
- The answer — Paul keeps the governor's title and still refuses the insult. He honours the office, but he will not let the charge stain the truth.
- The proof — his calm was the argument. Truth in what he said, sobriety in how he said it — and in that room only the prisoner kept his composure.
- The limit — learning, rank and position cannot tell God's truth from superstition. Only sovereign grace can, so Paul's appeal to Festus ends here.
- The company — His own friends once said the same of the Lord. So speak in a way that lets your hearers hear sober truth.