ACTS 26:24 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.”
At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. 'You are out of your mind, Paul!' he shouted. 'Your great learning is driving you insane!' - Festus's interruption ('you are out of your mind,' mainomai, mainomai-'you are mad, raving') reveals the limits of pagan reason when confronted with resurrection. The 'great learning' (mathēsis, mathēsis-'learning, study') Festus perceives, paradoxically, drives Paul to 'insanity' (paraphrosynē, paraphrosynē-'madness'). The resurrection claim, grounded in Scripture and experience, sounds like madness to Gentile ears. Festus cannot process resurrection, not because it is illogical but because it violates his materialist assumptions.
Church Fathers on Acts 26:24
Whether He, as the first to rise from the dead, should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles. Acts 26:23 Festus saw the boldness, and what says he? For Paul was all along addressing himself to the king — he was in a manner annoyed, and says to him, You are beside yourself, Paul: for, while he thus discoursed, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself: much learning does make you mad. Acts 26:24 What then says Paul? With gentleness, I am not mad,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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