²⁴While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” ²⁵But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. ²⁶For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner.”

Governor Festus can no longer hold himself back; he loudly bursts out his assessment of Paul’s mental state. His actions are revealing. He makes no assertion that Paul has broken any Roman laws but seems to have taken offense at Paul’s message. He rightly understands that the apostle is inferring that Festus, like all Gentiles, is in the dark and needs the light of Jesus. This is no longer just a Jewish squabble. It has implications for Festus, and in fact, it is an indictment against the entire non-Jewish world, which would include the multitude of non-Jewish religious beliefs. Rome was known for being tolerant of their conquered peoples’ faith systems, but the Jews were intolerant of all other beliefs. And this stubbornness on their part made them hard to rule. Now here was this Roman citizen, Paul, who was also Jewish, proclaiming that his unique form of Jewish belief, which enraged the Jews, was also intolerant of whatever religious beliefs Festus held.

Interestingly, Festus acknowledges the power of Paul’s intellect without trying to refute the apostle’s assertion. In fact, he seems to be completely unable to craft any kind of reasoned answer to Paul. So, as is common when a person cannot stand up to the logic of another, Governor Festus resorts to character assassination: Paul is insane; he is “mad.”

What does he mean by madness? Is he saying Paul was deluded in thinking he had actually seen a vision on the road to Damascus? Or would only a mad man continue such a wild story in the face of the extreme opposition from his own countrymen? He must be crazy to risk his life for a belief system.

The apostle’s response, however, is calm, measured, and respectful. What he proclaims should not be new information to the governor; belief in the risen Messiah has been circulating in Jerusalem quite openly with many becoming followers of Jesus Christ. But Festus rejects the light of the gospel message, because as Paul wrote later, “[W]e preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:23, see also 1 Cor. 1:21–25, 17:32). The governor is close to the truth, but a darkened mind and heart cannot comprehend the light.

Lord, open the eyes of those around me to the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.