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Festus, procurator of Judaea.
asked by the Jews to take Paul down to Caesarea and they would jump him on the way. Festus said no, and that he would go to caesarea and hear any charges they could bring against Paul, which they did. 2 men brought charges they could not prove.
The Jews had set up Paul, telling Festus they would jump him on the way. so Festus offers Pual to be tried at Jerusalem… by the Jews. Remember Acts 25.9
But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?”
Paul knows this would happen. He was not going to be blindsided… he knew the operations of his people. He chose to appeal to Caesar because that would take him to Rome.
Agrippa,,, herod agrippa. A ruler in first centurry palestine… He is the second Agrippa, who, unlike his father did not persecute Jews but rather came to know them and liked them.
While at Claudius’ court, Agrippa took the opportunity of representing Jewish causes (Ant 15.407; 20.10ff. and 135).
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary Agrippa (Person)
His concern for Judaism is not in doubt; his discussions on Jewish legal matters with Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus tend to indicate as much (as Schürer [HJP², 475] allows). That Agrippa’s sister’s husbands underwent circumcision may or may not be a further indication (pace HJP², 475, who overemphasizes this). The book of Acts tends to suggest some interest in matters of religion, if a little detached, for he and his sister Bernice wished to see and hear Paul (25:22ff., especially 26:3). In particular, Agrippa’s support of Jewish causes with Claudius ought not to be forgotten (above), nor the fact that he took costly steps to save the Temple from subsidence (War 5.36; Ant 15.391).
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
what was he saying? He was talking about his conversion experience and his faith in Christ.
Acts 26.1-11… one verse at a time.
1 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,
3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews.
5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.
Paul says that he is not out of his mind, but rather was just telling the truth.
The same group that accused Jesus is now accusing Paul.
Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.
The King knows about these things. The king had an interest in the Jews.
Remember, the Jews were gathered at Jerusalem for their own celebration when the day of Pentecost fell.
Remember, when Paul begins his speech before Agrippa, he details this fact in Acts 26.2-3
“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
Paul says that King Agrippa’s interest in Jewish matters makes him know that what Paul was talking about is not only true for the Jews, but also was true for Agrippa’s understanding of Jesus… that is to say Agrippa knew the Jewish teachings, and he now knew enough to make a leap of faith that those teachings were talking about Jesus Christ.
Remember, Paul has just linked Jesus as being the Messiah the Jews were looking for… look at Acts 26.2-3
“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
This is the issue today. There is plenty of evidence for who Jesus is. It is not a hard thing to figure out.
The truth is under assault today. The truth of the gospel, because we don’t want the truth to make our own lives difficult.
Truth is, if you don’t change the oil in your car, one day that engine will fail. So we change our oil.
Parallel, there is enough truth concerning Christ and the gospel, that no one has reason NOT to believe it. But they don’t . Because we don’t see hell and its aftermath in front of our eyes.
The hesitancy is the human heart, not the spiritual truth.
And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
Yesterday, my son called, and he said, “What are you doing on Saturday at about 8:30 am.” I checked my calendar, nothing was there so I told him… it depends on what you’re about to ask me if I’m busy or not.
Earlier, when he spoke to Felix, Felix became nervous with the truth… and sent Paul away. See Acts 24.25
people become nervous with the truth.
Remenmber, Felix preceded Festus… and had left Paul in prison.
And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”
And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
Paul’s desire for all people was that they would become believers in Christ. That has always been the heart of God’s prophets and apostles and servants....
When Jeremiah addressed his people.
But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.
Listen to Paul’s statement regarding his own desire for people to be saved in Romans 9.1-3
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
Jesus prays over Jerusalem in Luke 19.41-42
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.
And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
three key verses in this regard.
If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him.
Agrippa.
Paul asks, “Do You Believe the Prophets?
Remember, Felix had said… go away and I’ll hear from you at a later time.
But Agrippa. He’s the subject in this passage.
If he says to Paul, Yes, Jesus is the Messiah- he immediately alienates the Jews. If he says “No” to Paul, he alienates the Jews as well. He’s got a no win situation.
And so he asks a question. Agrippa says, “Paul, Do You expect me to believe in such a short time?”
Spiritual Questions Cannot Be Answered With Earthly Answers
Spiritual Questions Cannot Be Answered With Earthly Answers
Imagine studying for a math test by using your spelling words.
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”
20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
Paul stated the truth, nothing more.
2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?”
35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.