"So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
While 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." But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. "For 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. "King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do." Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian." And Paul said, "I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."
The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment." And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."
My thoughts -
Paul has been arrested while in Jerusalem. While captured he has escaped multiple assassination plots. The Romans have found nothing wrong with him according to their laws and have attempted to hand him back over to the Jews to be tried by them, but as the Jews are the ones trying to kill him Paul has, as is his right as a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar.
Paul has been taken before Agrippa before being sent to Rome and has been given the opportunity to defend himself. As you would expect from the Apostle Paul, his defense is less a legal argument and more his personal testimony. Paul's life hangs in the balance here. He has already attempted a rather risky strategy in appealing to Caesar. He has also survive two different assassination plots while imprisoned. He is in grave peril. And he is using it as an opportunity for evangelism.
So he tells Agrippa of his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. He tells Agrippa about Jesus. He shares the good news. He shares the hope that he has in the resurrection. And at this point Festus can take no more and declares that Paul has lost his mind.
Paul, of course, has done no such thing. He tells Festus something along those lines. And then he explains to Festus that he's talking to Agrippa. Agrippa's a bright guy. He can tell what's up. He can make decisions for himself as to what's crazy and what isn't. Butt out, Festus. This is between me and Agrippa here.
Now, I'm not sure what his intent was but I always read Agrippa's response here as sarcastic. After all, what Paul is doing is a bit absurd. Sharing the gospel, for which he has been imprisoned for years, and also for which people are trying to kill him, with Agrippa, a very successful and powerful man. What need does Agrippa have for this?
"You know, Paul," Agrippa casually supposes, "you're going to persuade me to become a Christian pretty soon, aren't you?"
Of course this is crazy. Christians are, in this culture, a little sect of Jews. They're small, kind of crazy, and being persecuted and put to death regularly. Paul is standing before Agrippa right now in chains for being a Christian. Agrippa is a powerful and important man. The idea that he would be persuaded to join this little "cult" is certifiably nuts. It's ridiculousness should be self evident here.
But that is exactly what Paul is doing. Though he faces death at this very moment, in potentially one of his last acts on the planet, when he should be making his defense or at least offering a bribe, he is sharing the gospel with a man that he knows needs Jesus. While facing death he shares the joy he has in Christ.
"Not only you, Agrippa," Paul responds, "but I wish everyone here could be exactly like me, minus these chains."
Paul's wish is not that they would face the persecution that he has faced. That would be what his accusers and would be murderers would deserve. But his desire is that they would all find the joy, peace, and hope that he has found in Christ.
Agrippa must be impressed by this. He remarks to Festus that Paul might even be free, if only he had not appealed to Caesar. Since he has he must be sent to Rome. Perhaps the legal maneuver backfired. It's hard to say. If he had been set free they very well may have killed him, anyway. But whether or not his legal strategy worked Paul made the most of what he really saw this situation, and all others as; an opportunity for evangelism.
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