Acts Last week in chapter 24 we watched Paul on trial before Felix. This week that new procurator, Festus, becomes our focus
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- Daniel Dean
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1 Acts The trials f Paul cntinue, bth literally and figuratively Last week in chapter 24 we watched Paul n trial befre Felix Fllwed by tw years spent in prisn until Felix was relieved and a new prcuratr appeared This week that new prcuratr, Festus, becmes ur fcus Fllwed by a third character, King Agrippa Acts 25:1 Festus then, having arrived in the prvince, three days later went up t Jerusalem frm Caesarea. Acts 25:2 And the chief priests and the leading men f the Jews brught charges against Paul, and they were urging him, Acts 25:3 requesting a cncessin against Paul, that he might have him brught t Jerusalem (at the same time, setting an ambush t kill him n the way). Acts 25:4 Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custdy at Caesarea and that he himself was abut t leave shrtly. Acts 25:5 Therefre, he said, let the influential men amng yu g there with me, and if there is anything wrng abut the man, let them prsecute him. Acts 25:6 After he had spent nt mre than eight r ten days amng them, he went dwn t Caesarea, and n the next day he tk his seat n the tribunal and rdered Paul t be brught. Acts 25:7 After Paul arrived, the Jews wh had cme dwn frm Jerusalem std arund him, bringing many and serius charges against him which they culd nt prve, Acts 25:8 while Paul said in his wn defense, I have cmmitted n ffense either against the Law f the Jews r against the temple r against Caesar. Acts 25:9 But Festus, wishing t d the Jews a favr, answered Paul and said, Are yu willing t g up t Jerusalem and stand trial befre me n these charges? Acts 25:10 But Paul said, I am standing befre Caesar s tribunal, where I ught t be tried. I have dne n wrng t the Jews, as yu als very well knw. Acts 25:11 If, then, I am a wrngder and have cmmitted anything wrthy f death, I d nt refuse t die; but if nne f thse things is true f which these men accuse me, n ne can hand me ver t them. I appeal t Caesar. Festus first meeting with Paul takes a circuitus rute Initially, Festus arrives in Caesarea t take cmmand, but within three days he decides he needs t travel t Jerusalem t meet with Jewish leaders 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
2 Acts 25-26! 2 Yu see the extent t which the Rman leadership felt the need t appease Jewish authrities fr the sake f gd rder Remember, Festus predecessr Felix was dipsed because he treated Jews harshly Festus wisely makes mending fences with the Jewish leaders his pririty One f the first things the Jewish leaders tell Festus is they want Paul returned t Jerusalem t stand trial But as Luke writes, the real purpse fr the request was t get Paul int a vulnerable stretch f rad leading int Jerusalem and ambush him Even after tw years, the nly thing they care abut is killing Paul That s quite a testimny t hw much the enemy wanted t put an end t Paul s ministry f spreading the Gspel Festus immediately recgnizes that this request is a test f his reslve and willingness t wield pwer against the Jews Festus answers that Paul is already under the custdy f a higher authrity It wuld be like a lwer curt asking a higher curt t return a case Once the appeal has been made, the case remains in the higher curt Instead, he ffers t let them cme back t Caesarea with him t try Paul again In less than 2 weeks, Festus is back in Caesarea and the trial begins The leaders cast numerus charges against Paul but still withut prf Paul simply maintained his inncence And Paul was 100% inncent He has dne nthing t vilate any Rman r Jewish law Withut prf, the prceedings g nwhere 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
3 Acts 25-26! 3 Finally, Festus must have recgnized that there wasn t ging t be a way t give the Jews what they wanted cncerning Paul He saw that their hatred fr Paul was intense, s letting Paul g wuld have angered the Jewish leaders at the start f Festus reign But there was n way t cnvict Paul withut ignring Rman law, which culd have brught Festus truble with the Rman gvernment S t appease the Jews, Festus flats the idea f letting them take Paul back t Jerusalem In a sense, Festus is ffering t wash his hands f the whle thing and let the Jews take the matter int their wn hands As a Rman citizen, Paul had the right t refuse this idea, since Jewish law culd nt verrule Rman law Which is why Festus asks Paul first At this pint Paul senses the danger, and refuses t accept this idea Paul says he is standing where he ught t be, meaning he is where Rman citizens shuld be: in a Rman tribunal Paul adds that he has dne n wrng, as yu well knw This last statement is a jab at Festus Paul is calling ut Festus fr nt having the curage t make the judgment he knws he shuld He shuld decide Paul was inncent and put an end t the prceedings Instead, he is giving in t the Jewish leaders Paul adds that he is willing t respect the decisin f the curt If Festus fund him guilty, he wuld face the executiner withut prtest Obviusly, Paul desn t expect t be fund guilty, since he knws the evidence was nnexistent But dn t think Paul didn t mean what he said 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
4 Acts 25-26! 4 He was willing t g t death at the judgment f the curt, but Paul knew that whatever the curt did it was accrding t Gd s prvidence Just as Paul himself wrte in Rmans: Rm. 13:1 Every persn is t be in subjectin t the gverning authrities. Fr there is n authrity except frm Gd, and thse which exist are established by Gd. Rm. 13:2 Therefre whever resists authrity has ppsed the rdinance f Gd; and they wh have ppsed will receive cndemnatin upn themselves. Rm. 13:3 Fr rulers are nt a cause f fear fr gd behavir, but fr evil. D yu want t have n fear f authrity? D what is gd and yu will have praise frm the same; Rm. 13:4 fr it is a minister f Gd t yu fr gd. But if yu d what is evil, be afraid; fr it des nt bear the swrd fr nthing; fr it is a minister f Gd, an avenger wh brings wrath n the ne wh practices evil. At sme pint in the mment as Paul spke his answer t Festus, Paul sensed that Festus was nt inclined t d the right thing S as Paul ends his statement with the wrds, I appeal t Caesar. Paul s appeal t Caesar was a legal maneuver He was availing himself f a right granted t every Rman citizen in the year 509 BC In that year, the riginal Rman kingdm ruled by mnarchs was replaced by a republic with a senate and cnstitutin This was the starting pint fr what wuld becme the Rman Empire and wuld last in varius frms fr nearly tw thusand years One f the rights given Rman citizens in that cnstitutin was the right t appeal t Caesar fr judgment in any trial Paul s invking f this special appeal immediately ended Festus authrity ver Paul and frced his hand Festus nw had n chice r decisin t make He must send Paul t Rme t see Caesar Yu might ask why wuldn t every prisner appeal t Caesar especially if facing cnvictin f a crime 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
5 Acts 25-26! 5 The answer is many did, but nly as a last resrt Ging t Rme t see Caesar meant spending a lng time in chains, since there was n guarantee when Caesar might see yu Plus, Caesar wasn t exactly a sfty, s the decisin prbably wasn t ging t be in yur favr Still, it was better than death, s Paul makes the appeal In Paul s case, we might als wnder why Paul didn t make this appeal sner The nly answer that makes sense is that Paul wanted t remain in Caesarea as alng as it appeared he might be set free t influence Felix and nw Festus with the Gspel Nw it must be clear, that his time in Caesarea has run its curse and he needs t mve t Rme After Paul s appeal, Festus cnfers with his staff, and then he acknwledges the nly thing he culd say: it s ff t Rme fr Paul Befre Paul is sent t Rme, an imprtant visitr cmes calling fr Festus Acts 25:12 Then when Festus had cnferred with his cuncil, he answered, Yu have appealed t Caesar, t Caesar yu shall g. Acts 25:13 Nw when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects t Festus. Acts 25:14 While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul s case befre the king, saying, There is a man wh was left as a prisner by Felix; Acts 25:15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders f the Jews brught charges against him, asking fr a sentence f cndemnatin against him. Acts 25:16 I answered them that it is nt the custm f the Rmans t hand ver any man befre the accused meets his accusers face t face and has an pprtunity t make his defense against the charges. Acts 25:17 S after they had assembled here, I did nt delay, but n the next day tk my seat n the tribunal and rdered the man t be brught befre me. Acts 25:18 When the accusers std up, they began bringing charges against him nt f such crimes as I was expecting, Acts 25:19 but they simply had sme pints f disagreement with him abut their wn religin and abut a dead man, Jesus, whm Paul asserted t be alive. Acts 25:20 Being at a lss hw t investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing t g t Jerusalem and there stand trial n these matters. Acts 25:21 But when Paul appealed t be held in custdy fr the Emperr s decisin, I rdered him t be kept in custdy until I send him t Caesar Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
6 Acts 25-26! 6 This King Agrippa is Agrippa II, sn f King Agrippa I Remember that Festu s predecessr Felix was married t the daughter f Agrippa I, Drucilla Agrippa II was the last descendent f Herd t rule ver Judea The Herds were nt Jewish but descendants f Esau Agrippa was the last in a line f men wh ppsed the wrk f Gd Herd the Great tried t kill the infant Jesus Herd s sn Antipas killed Jhn the Baptist And Agrippa s father, Agrippa I, killed the apstle James and imprisned Peter This family had been installed by the Rmans as the Jewish kings t appease the Jews and create a puppet authrity ver the land They thught themselves Jewish kings, thugh they had n credible claim t that title Agrippa II was raised and educated in Rme and was essentially a Rman, thugh he assumed his father s rle f King at a yung age As the declared King f the Jews, Agrippa II angered the Jewish authrities by his frequent meddling with the priesthd and building his palace verlking the temple After the city and temple were destryed in AD 70, he went back t Rme and died 30 years alter childless, thus putting an end t the line f Herds Knwing this backgrund, we can read between the lines fr what is happening in this scene Agrippa is paying Festus a visit n the ccasin f his arrival as the new prcuratr fr Judea Festus must have seen this visit as an pprtunity t help himself ut f the jam with Paul 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
7 Acts 25-26! 7 Festus prblem was Paul s appeal t Caesar Festus was nw bligated t send Paul t Caesar fr the emperr t review the charges and findings against Paul But the prblem fr Festus was there were n findings against Paul What charges was Festus ging t send t Caesar t review? There were n credible charge and certainly n prf f guilt If Festus culdn t trump up credible charges, then he wuld be frced t release Paul rather than sending him t Caesar And if he released Paul, his standing with the Jewish authrities wuld be n rcky grund frm the beginning S Festus deliberately engages Agrippa in a cnversatin cncerning the case f an insignificant Jewish teacher wh has languished in prisn fr the past tw years Festus is hping Agrippa might give him smething t use in charging Paul befre sending him t Rme Festus quickly recunt fr Agrippa hw Paul came t his attentin and the case against Paul, what little there was He includes details n hw the Jews wanted Paul in Jerusalem but Rman citizens are t stand trial by Rman curts When the trial tk place, Festus learned that the charges did nt cncern Rman law but disputes f Jewish religin And in particular, Festus detected that the real issue was their disagreement ver a man Jesus Wh the Jewish leaders claim was dead but wh Paul said was alive Even t a casual bserver like Festus it was nevertheless clear that the real issue at the center f everything was Jesus 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
8 Acts 25-26! 8 Festus finishes by stating that he is at a lss t investigate such matters, s he suggested that Paul be tried in Jerusalem But when Paul appealed t Caesar, Festus hands were tied At this pint Festus stps and waits t see if Agrippa decides t get invlved And right n cue, Agrippa takes the bait Acts 25:22 Then Agrippa said t Festus, I als wuld like t hear the man myself. Tmrrw, he said, yu shall hear him. Acts 25:23 S, n the next day when Agrippa came tgether with Bernice amid great pmp, and entered the auditrium accmpanied by the cmmanders and the prminent men f the city, at the cmmand f Festus, Paul was brught in. Acts 25:24 Festus said, King Agrippa, and all yu gentlemen here present with us, yu see this man abut whm all the peple f the Jews appealed t me, bth at Jerusalem and here, ludly declaring that he ught nt t live any lnger. Acts 25:25 But I fund that he had cmmitted nthing wrthy f death; and since he himself appealed t the Emperr, I decided t send him. Acts 25:26 Yet I have nthing definite abut him t write t my lrd. Therefre I have brught him befre yu all and especially befre yu, King Agrippa, s that after the investigatin has taken place, I may have smething t write. Acts 25:27 Fr it seems absurd t me in sending a prisner, nt t indicate als the charges against him. Paul s time befre Agrippa begins with pmp and circumstances befitting a king hlding curt Paul is brught in befre nt nly the king but an audience f cmmanders f the military guard at Caesarea Als present were the prminent men f the city Festus begins the presentatin with an verview f his predicament Hw he heard the charges, fund nthing t charge Paul with Yet because Paul appealed t Caesar, he must cmply and send Paul frward, yet withut charges This seemed absurd t Festus, s here we are In Festus wn statement, he cndemns himself t a degree 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
9 Acts 25-26! 9 He makes clear that Paul is inncent yet he cntinues t the justice prcess rather than letting Paul free He says it s absurd t send a man t Caesar withut charges, yet he invkes this audience befre Agrippa precisely t find an accusatin against Paul In respnse t Festus wn wrds, the nly lgical thing t d wuld be t release Paul Once again, we re cnfrnted with the reality that Paul is here because Gd wants him here And Paul will mve t Rme fr the same reasn S then the mment arrives fr Paul s defense befre the prcuratr, a king and many prminent Rman citizens Acts 26:1 Agrippa said t Paul, Yu are permitted t speak fr yurself. Then Paul stretched ut his hand and prceeded t make his defense: Acts 26:2 In regard t all the things f which I am accused by the Jews, I cnsider myself frtunate, King Agrippa, that I am abut t make my defense befre yu tday; Acts 26:3 especially because yu are an expert in all custms and questins amng the Jews; therefre I beg yu t listen t me patiently. Acts 26:4 S then, all Jews knw my manner f life frm my yuth up, which frm the beginning was spent amng my wn natin and at Jerusalem; Acts 26:5 since they have knwn abut me fr a lng time, if they are willing t testify, that I lived as a Pharisee accrding t the strictest sect f ur religin. Acts 26:6 And nw I am standing trial fr the hpe f the prmise made by Gd t ur fathers; Acts 26:7 the prmise t which ur twelve tribes hpe t attain, as they earnestly serve Gd night and day. And fr this hpe, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Acts 26:8 Why is it cnsidered incredible amng yu peple if Gd des raise the dead? It shuld be nted that Paul is the first ne called t speak at this trial S even befre anyne brings a credible charge, Agrippa asks Paul t defend himself As unfair as that was, Paul gladly cmplies because this is the audience he has been waiting fr s his message will have its greatest impact And Paul s respnse is t simply give his testimny 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
10 Acts 25-26! 10 Paul isn t defending himself in this mment...he s declaring Christ and he relishes the pprtunity Paul s pening is a sincere statement cncerning his excitement fr the chance t speak t Agrippa Imagine the pprtunity t preach the Gspel cncerning the King f the Jews t the self-appinted king f the Jews. Paul must have been beside himself in anticipatin fr the pprtunity And Paul himself knew full well what was at stake If Gd was prepared t take the Church s chief prsecutr in Saul and turn him int the chief evangelist, then what might happen fr Agrippa? The Herds had lng been the chief antagnists fr bth the Gspel and fr Jews in general If Gd culd turn Saul, He culd certainly turn Agrippa if he chse And if that happened, what might it mean fr the natin f Israel and the church? Paul must have wndered if such a cnversin was pssible n this day Paul adds that his excitement was als the result f Agrippa s knwledge f Jewish Scripture and custm and teaching Thugh Agrippa was Rman educated, he was als part Jewish and was devted t the Jewish peple and Jewish culture Paul knew that his message f the Messiah wuld hld meaning fr Agrippa even thugh it wuld be lst n mst f the Gentile audience Paul then mves t his testimny prir t faith He is well-knwn as a Pharisee and a well-knwn ne at that But he is standing trial because he believes in the fulfillment f the prmises made t the father s f Israel 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
11 Acts 25-26! 11 Paul says in v.6 that he irnically begin tried fr a hpe that all Jews are suppsed t have, yet Paul s being persecuted fr having it Specifically, Paul is referring t the prmises fr a cming Messiah In v.8, Paul turns frm Agrippa and speaks t the watching crwd, prbably Jews in the audience wh were ppsed t Paul His aside asks the rhetrical questin why he wuld be hated fr claiming that a man was resurrected frm the dead When rthdx Judaism held t resurrectin withut debate But Paul s willingness t declare that Jesus was resurrected is cnsidered grunds fr death Paul pints ut the ridiculusness f their hatred, yet Paul himself knew the surce fr it The enemy wrks hardest against threats that are real and true Christianity s declaratin f a risen Lrd is the greatest threat t Satan s dminatin f unbelievers S this is the fcal pint fr Satan s attacks Acts 26:9 S then, I thught t myself that I had t d many things hstile t the name f Jesus f Nazareth. Acts 26:10 And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; nt nly did I lck up many f the saints in prisns, having received authrity frm the chief priests, but als when they were being put t death I cast my vte against them. Acts 26:11 And as I punished them ften in all the synaggues, I tried t frce them t blaspheme; and being furiusly enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even t freign cities. Acts 26:12 While s engaged as I was jurneying t Damascus with the authrity and cmmissin f the chief priests, Acts 26:13 at midday, O King, I saw n the way a light frm heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all arund me and thse wh were jurneying with me. Acts 26:14 And when we had all fallen t the grund, I heard a vice saying t me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are yu persecuting Me? It is hard fr yu t kick against the gads. Acts 26:15 And I said, Wh are Yu, Lrd? And the Lrd said, I am Jesus whm yu are persecuting Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
12 Acts 25-26! 12 Acts 26:16 But get up and stand n yur feet; fr this purpse I have appeared t yu, t appint yu a minister and a witness nt nly t the things which yu have seen, but als t the things in which I will appear t yu; Acts 26:17 rescuing yu frm the Jewish peple and frm the Gentiles, t whm I am sending yu, Acts 26:18 t pen their eyes s that they may turn frm darkness t light and frm the dminin f Satan t Gd, that they may receive frgiveness f sins and an inheritance amng thse wh have been sanctified by faith in Me. Paul mves nw t reminding the audience f his cnversin This is the third time we see an accunt f Paul s cnversin In this accunt we have a mre specific descriptin f hw Paul participated in the killing f Christians When early Jewish Christians were tried by the Jewish cuncil, Paul was a vting member f the cuncil He was ne wh vted against these persecuted Christians and ushered them int death fr their faith Literally, the Greek phrase is I cast dwn my stne Vtes were cast by hlding r drpping small stnes Frm there Paul went ut t synaggues and in the Temple t find thse Jews wh wrshipped Jesus s they might be remved He tried t frce them t blaspheme Paul was either trying t cause them t cmmit an ffense wrthy f the death penalty s they culd be killed under Jewish law Or Paul means he was wrking t get believers t speak against Jesus, which Paul nws recgnizes wuld have been blasphemy Either way, the Christians didn t cperate and that enraged Paul, causing him t pursue them in freign cities Paul s testimny is always an pprtunity fr him t remind the crwd frm whence he s cme Once a hater f Christians, nw the leader That s a testimny that s hard t dismiss r ignre 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
13 Acts 25-26! 13 In describing his cnversin, Paul tells essentially the same stry, but adds a few details We a reminded that the light f Gd was even brighter than the light f a nnday sun in the desert And we learn that Jesus spke t Paul in Hebrew And we hear that Jesus spke an idim t Paul Is it hard t kick against the gads? Gads are spikes n the frnt f plws designed t deter xen frm kicking backward against the plw The spikes r gads are painful fr the x, and if the x cntinues t kick against the spkes, it nly succeeds in injuring itself And it accmplishes nthing in terms f remving the weight and burden f the plw Jesus cmpares Paul s burdens in persecuting the grwth f the Church as kicking against the gads It s hurting Paul and it s nt stpping Gd in establishing His church S why keep persecuting Jesus? Finally, Paul says he was appinted t be a minster and t be a witness f the resurrected Jesus, nt nly n the rad but additinal times as well S we knw Paul received persnal instructin frm the resurrected Lrd, much as the ther apstles received their instructin frm the Lrd befre His death And Paul in v.17 is called t the Gentiles specifically Leaving the dminin f Satan and becming a fellw heir in an inheritance appinted fr us This t is ur claim n the basis f faith Acts 26:19 S, King Agrippa, I did nt prve disbedient t the heavenly visin, Acts 26:20 but kept declaring bth t thse f Damascus first, and als at Jerusalem and then thrughut all the regin f Judea, and even t the Gentiles, that they shuld repent and turn t Gd, perfrming deeds apprpriate t repentance Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
14 Acts 25-26! 14 Acts 26:21 Fr this reasn sme Jews seized me in the temple and tried t put me t death. Acts 26:22 S, having btained help frm Gd, I stand t this day testifying bth t small and great, stating nthing but what the Prphets and Mses said was ging t take place; Acts 26:23 that the Christ was t suffer, and that by reasn f His resurrectin frm the dead He wuld be the first t prclaim light bth t the Jewish peple and t the Gentiles. Acts 26:24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a lud vice, Paul, yu are ut f yur mind! Yur great learning is driving yu mad. Acts 26:25 But Paul said, I am nt ut f my mind, mst excellent Festus, but I utter wrds f sber truth. Acts 26:26 Fr the king knws abut these matters, and I speak t him als with cnfidence, since I am persuaded that nne f these things escape his ntice; fr this has nt been dne in a crner. Acts 26:27 King Agrippa, d yu believe the Prphets? I knw that yu d. Acts 26:28 Agrippa replied t Paul, In a shrt time yu will persuade me t becme a Christian. Acts 26:29 And Paul said, I wuld wish t Gd, that whether in a shrt r lng time, nt nly yu, but als all wh hear me this day, might becme such as I am, except fr these chains. Acts 26:30 The king std up and the gvernr and Bernice, and thse wh were sitting with them, Acts 26:31 and when they had gne aside, they began talking t ne anther, saying, This man is nt ding anything wrthy f death r imprisnment. Acts 26:32 And Agrippa said t Festus, This man might have been set free if he had nt appealed t Caesar. Finally, Paul testifies that his trial is merely the result f his bedience t Christ in testifying that the Messiah has cme and risen And in particular, n this day Paul says his testimny was the result f having btained help frm Gd Withut Gd s help, Paul wuld have already died at the hands f his enemies, but instead he stands here t testify Ntice that relatinship: Paul is alive because Gd has sustained his life And his life has been sustained s that he can testify in this mment and later mments Paul understd that his life was nt his wn, just as ur lives are nt ur wn 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
15 Acts 25-26! 15 We live each day because there is smething mre we must testify cncerning Else the Lrd wuld have already called us hme At a pint, Festus has heard enugh and declares that Paul is mad with his great learning Frm Festus unbelieving perspective, nthing Paul said made sense It seemed insanity t believe such things This is the universal perspective f unbelievers The Gspel is nnsense unless and until the Lrd s Spirit brings an understanding Paul s respnse is t rebuke Festus and declare he spke sber r sund-minded truth Since Festus had spken up and cast his vte against Paul s testimny, Paul sensed the pprtunity t press Agrippa fr a pint f view He turns t the king and makes a direct appeal Paul says d yu believe in the prphets? I knw yu d Paul is taking sme advantage here f the king As the king f the Jews, Agrippa wuld have t publicly agree with Paul He culdn t deny his belief in the writings f Jewish prphets S Paul was hping that Agrippa s willingness t agree with the prphets wuld cause him t g the next step and agree with Paul s message Agrippa respnds with a very plitically astute but nncmmittal respnse He culdn t agree with Paul r else risk cuntering Festus public statement and ruining his new relatinship with the prcuratr My versin translates the phrase Agrippa speaks in a lighthearted and dismissive way 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
16 Acts 25-26! 16 In reality, there are fur pssible ways t translate the meaning f that phrase First, a matter-f-fact Yu are wrking quickly t persuade me t be a Christian Secndly, a questin Are yu trying t persuade me t be a Christian in such shrt time? Third, In summary, yu are trying t persuade me t becme a Christian. Furth, anther questin, D yu think yu can persuade me t be a Christian in such a shrt time. Sme Bible chse a fifth rendering f I am almst persuaded t becme a Christian but this translatin is nt prper given the Greek cnstructin And there is n such thing as an almst Christian in any case, s the sentence wuld have n meaning in that sense Paul respnds by saying he desn t care which way it happens (i.e., fast r slw), but nly that Agrippa and everyne else in the rm cme t faith This is the heart f an evangelist Paul understd and taught Biblical truths f electin and Gd s svereignty in salvatin He recgnized that human pwer is nt a functin f salvatin Yet he als knew that Gd purpsed t wrk thrugh men and the prclamatin f the Gspel S Paul wrked fr every sul and didn t care what techniques r methds wrked s lng as faith arrived We shuld wrk equally hard and with equal willingness t mve as the Spirit leads At the cnclusin f the trial, the verdict is the same as befre Paul is clearly inncent f any charge, and his pwerful testimny is enugh t put an end t the prceedings 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
17 Acts 25-26! 17 Luke s accunt reaches a climax with the recrding f Agrippa s final wrds cncerning Paul He was inncent and wuld have been set free had he nt appealed t Caesar This is Luke s ftnte t prve what is s clearly evident in the events depicted: Paul was inncent And therefre, his incarceratin and his cntinuing mvement t Rme were rchestrated by Gd and nt by men 2011 Verse By Verse Ministry f San Antni ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.
Easter Many of us remember this account from the reciting a confession of faith common to many churches
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