25  Paul on Trial  Phase Three:  Before Agrippa  (Acts 25:13–26:32)

Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and paid their respects to Festus. And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation upon him. And I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. And so after they had assembled here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal, and ordered the man to be brought. And when the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting; but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. And being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” And so, on the next day when Agrippa had come together with Bernice, amid great pomp, and had entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you behold this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense: “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; since they have known about me for a long time previously, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead? So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities. While thus engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. And 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 should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” And 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.” And Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would 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.” And the king arose and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had drawn 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.” (25:13–26:32)

Paul’s appeal of his case to the emperor (25:11) had resolved a difficult impasse for Festus. Like his predecessor, Felix, he knew Paul was innocent of the charges leveled against him by the Jewish leaders. But to release the apostle would anger those leaders and possibly provoke riots among the Jews. Seeking above all to keep peace in Judea, Felix and Festus realized they needed the Jewish leaders’ cooperation.

Felix’s solution was to avoid making a decision, instead allowing Paul to languish in prison for two years (24:22–27). Inheriting Paul’s case from Felix, Festus attempted to compromise by placating the Jewish authorities. He proposed a hearing in Jerusalem, promising Paul he would preside over it (25:9). Realizing that he would not get a fair hearing under any circumstances, Paul exercised his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to the emperor.

That appeal, though resolving an impasse, presented Festus with a fresh difficulty. As governor he was required to send a report along with Paul to Rome, detailing the charges against him. But in Paul’s case, those charges were theological and general in nature. Festus, only two weeks into his term as governor, was unfamiliar with the nuances of Jewish theology. Since he did not understand the charges (cf. vv. 18–19), he could not write a coherent report explaining them to the emperor. Fortunately, aid arrived in the person of Herod Agrippa.

THE CONSULTATION REGARDING PAUL’S TESTIMONY

Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and paid their respects to Festus. And while they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation upon him. And I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. And so after they had assembled here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal, and ordered the man to be brought. And when the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting; but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. And being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.” (25:13–22)

Several days after Paul’s appeal to Caesar, King Agrippa (Herod Agrippa II) and his consort Bernice arrived at Caesarea. They had come to pay their respects to the new governor, Festus. The last in the line of Herods who figured prominently in New Testament history, Agrippa II ruled the northern part of Palestine during the Roman occupation. His father, Agrippa I, was the Herod who killed James, arrested Peter, and met an untimely end, being eaten by worms after failing to give God glory (Acts 12:1–23). His great-uncle, Herod Antipas, figured prominently in the gospels (Luke 3:1) as the ruler who executed John the Baptist (Mark 6:14–29), sought Jesus’ life (Luke 13:31–33), and later tried Him (Luke 23:7–12). His great-grandfather was Herod the Great, who ruled at the time of Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2:1–19; Luke 1:5) and murdered the children of Bethlehem in an effort to kill the newborn King.

Agrippa’s private life was scandalous; Bernice was not only his consort but also his sister. (Their sister, Drusilla, was the wife of the former governor, Felix.) Their incestuous relationship was the subject of gossip in Rome (where Agrippa had grown up). Bernice would occasionally leave her brother and lover for another man (she had been the mistress of Emperor Vespasian and later of his son Titus), but she always returned. They are inseparable in the Acts narrative (cf. 25:13, 23; 26:30); she is, as some have suggested, the symbol of Agrippa’s vice.

Although he did not rule Judea, Agrippa had been granted control of the temple treasury and the right to appoint the high priest. The Romans considered him an expert on Jewish affairs, as did Paul (26:3). Agrippa tried to prevent the Jewish revolt, but when it broke out in A.D. 66, he sided with the Romans and thus became a traitor to his people.

The nature of the royal couple’s state visit required their spending many days in Caesarea. That gave Festus opportunity to seek Agrippa’s experience and expert advice. He laid Paul’s case before the king, saying to him, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix.” Felix had left Paul in prison to placate the Jewish leaders. Festus then reviewed for Agrippa Paul’s situation: When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation upon him. Festus’s words throw new light on the Jews’ request (25:3). From his perspective, they did not want a fair trial for Paul but a summary judgment of condemnation. Steeped in the proud tradition of Roman justice, Festus properly answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face, and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. Although Paul had already faced his accusers before Felix (and was not convicted of any crime), Festus wanted to discharge his duty and hear the case himself before rendering a verdict.

Refusing to accede to the Sanhedrin’s demands to have the trial in Jerusalem (so that Jews could ambush Paul on the way, 25:3), Festus decided to hold the hearing in Caesarea (25:4–5). “And so, he continued, “after they had assembled here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal, and ordered the man to be brought” (25:6). After his return to Caesarea, Festus moved swiftly to try the case. To his surprise, “when the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting.” Festus had naturally assumed that charges brought against Paul in a Roman court would involve serious violations of Roman law. Instead, he told Agrippa, “they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.” Festus did not understand the issue or its implications and so was not qualified to rule on such matters, which in any case did not belong in a Roman court. The refusal of Gallio, the Roman governor of Achaia, to hear a similar case had established a legal precedent that could have been applied (18:12–16).

Knowing that an obviously intelligent, educated man such as Paul would claim that a dead man had come alive must have especially baffled Festus (cf. 26:24). Yet it was precisely the issue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that most clearly set Christianity apart from Judaism and was the cornerstone of the gospel. Festus could not understand the implications of Christ’s resurrection because he was ignorant of His life and ministry, and of Scripture.

Perplexed, and being at a loss how to investigate such matters, Festus had asked Paul whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. Paul, of course, refused. He knew, even if Festus did not, that he would never get a fair trial in Jerusalem (even if he got there alive). As a Roman citizen, he had the right to be tried before the emperor’s representative in a Roman court (25:10). And since the Jews had presented to Festus no evidence of wrongdoing on Paul’s part (25:10), why bother with another hearing before them?

Having no other recourse, Paul appealed his case to Caesar’s court (25:11). Festus explained to Agrippa that “when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.” Festus’s words put the blame for the present dilemma on Paul; the implication is that had the apostle been willing to go to Jerusalem, the matter could have been settled. Yet it was Festus’s obvious desire to do the Jews a favor (25:9) that forced Paul’s appeal. Had the governor done what justice demanded and released the obviously innocent apostle, no appeal would have been necessary. In God’s providence, Paul was kept in Roman custody as a protection against being assassinated.

The term Emperor is an adjective, Sebastos, and literally means “the revered or worshiped one.” It is the Greek equivalent of the Latin title Augustus, which was commonly applied to the emperor. Because of Paul’s appeal, Festus was duty-bound to order him to be kept in custody until he could send him to Caesar. Festus needed Agrippa’s help to come up with a valid charge against Paul for his report to the emperor.

No doubt flattered by the appeal to his expertise—and curious—Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” The imperfect tense of boulomai (I would like) suggests Agrippa had been wanting to hear Paul for a long time. He undoubtedly knew of Paul and looked forward to hearing the leading spokesman for Christianity in person. “Tomorrow,” Festus assured him, “you shall hear him.”

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF PAUL’S TESTIMONY

And so, on the next day when Agrippa had come together with Bernice, amid great pomp, and had entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you behold this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him. Yet I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. For it seems absurd to me in sending a prisoner, not to indicate also the charges against him.” (25:23–27)

This scene is one of the most riveting in the New Testament. On the next day, the day after Festus’s consultation with Agrippa about Paul, Agrippa came, together with Bernice, amid great pomp and entered the auditorium. Phantasia (pomp) appears only here in the New Testament and denotes a grand, showy pageant. Festus turned Paul’s hearing into an occasion to honor Agrippa. Accordingly, Agrippa and Bernice were accompanied by the commanders (the five tribunes commanding the five cohorts stationed at Caesarea) and the prominent men of the city.

The spectacle must have been breathtaking. Agrippa would have been decked out in all the trappings of royalty, including a purple robe, golden crown, rings, and perhaps a scepter. Bernice, though not technically Agrippa’s queen, would have been similarly attired. The five tribunes would have been wearing their full-dress uniforms, the prominent men of the city wearing their finest clothes. An immaculately dressed honor guard of soldiers undoubtedly escorted the dignitaries into the auditorium.

When everyone was seated, Festus gave the command, and Paul was brought in. The contrast could not have been more striking. Into the midst of the assembly hall, crowded with the most important people in Caesarea, walked a Jew who has been described as short, bald, and physically unimposing (cf. 2 Cor. 10:10). Murmurs of surprise must have greeted his appearance; many in the crowd probably found it hard to believe that this seemingly unimpressive man was the cause of so much controversy. But appearances can be deceiving. History has judged Paul to be one of the most noble and powerful men who ever lived—and the crowd to be a collection of pompous fools.

The stage was set, and Festus opened the proceedings by introducing Paul: “King Agrippa, and all you gentlemen here present with us, you behold this man about whom all the people of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer.” He then honestly admitted his problem. Festus had heard the Jews’ accusations against Paul and concluded that he had committed nothing worthy of death. Thus again, this Roman official affirmed Paul’s innocence. But Paul, for the reasons noted earlier, had appealed to the Emperor, and Festus had decided to send him. The governor then got to the crux of his dilemma, admitting, “I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord.” Festus did not understand the religious issues at stake. He hoped that the results of this investigation would provide him with something coherent to write in his official report. It was obviously absurd (if not dangerous) to send a prisoner to Caesar for trial and not indicate the charges against him. The emperor would not look favorably on a provincial governor who so wasted his court’s time.

Paul was probably not legally bound to attend the inquiry. He had already appealed his case to the emperor, thus taking it out of Festus’s jurisdiction. But Paul would not think of passing up an opportunity to preach the gospel in such an important setting. Here is still another example of his courageous commitment to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in every circumstance. The vehicle for his gospel proclamation was to be the powerful, dramatic testimony of his conversion on the road to Damascus.

THE COMMENCEMENT OF PAUL’S TESTIMONY

And Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense: “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; since they have known about me for a long time previously, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead? So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities. While thus engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’” (26:1–18)

Agrippa took charge of the proceedings, and, since there were no accusers or accusations, informed Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Taking his cue, Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense. Because Agrippa was the key figure, Paul addressed his remarks to him, beginning with the courteous statement “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today.” That was not flattery; Paul believed that Agrippa, because of his Roman orientation, was not likely to be sympathetic to the Sanhedrin. And his Jewish background made him an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews, so that he could grasp the issues. To Paul, then, Agrippa was both objective and knowledgeable—perhaps a prime candidate for conversion.

The primary goal of Paul’s testimony was not to exonerate himself, but to convert Agrippa (cf. 26:28). The apostle therefore did not hesitate to beg Agrippa to listen to him patiently. Paul saw himself as an ambassador, representing Jesus Christ to the world, begging people to be reconciled to God. That was the goal of his ministry, as he wrote to the Corinthians:

Paul understood his calling from the very first. In Damascus, shortly after his conversion, Ananias told him, “For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15). No matter what his circumstances were, Paul always saw himself as an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Writing from prison in Rome, he could still call himself “an ambassador in chains” (Eph. 6:20). Paul cared nothing for his own life; he cared only that Jesus Christ be exalted (Acts 21:13; Phil. 1:21).

Paul’s testimony contains two main themes: Jesus Christ’s resurrection proves Him to be the Messiah, and Paul’s transformed life proves the reality of Christ’s resurrection. He masterfully weaves the saving gospel through this first-person account.

To show how startling and complete the divine transformation of his life was, Paul began his testimony by describing his life before his conversion. He reminded Agrippa that “all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem.” Paul was well known to the Jewish authorities; he had been educated in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3) and later he became the chief persecutor of the Christian faith (cf. Acts 8:1–3; 9:1–2). The Jewish leaders thus had known about him for a long time. Further, if they were willing to testify to it, they knew that Paul had lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of their religion. Josephus described the Pharisees as “a certain sect of the Jews that appear more religious than others, and seem to interpret the laws more accurately” (Wars 1.5.2). When Paul wanted to describe his zeal for the law, it was enough for him to say “As to the Law, a Pharisee” (Phil. 3:5). Paul stressed that point to show how remarkable his conversion to the Christian faith was. He had been as zealous and committed as any Jew of his day (cf. Gal. 1:13–14) and was an unlikely prospect for such a conversion.

As he had in his trial before Felix (cf. 24:14–15), Paul affirmed his commitment to the teaching of the Old Testament. He declared to Agrippa, “I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.” This zealous, orthodox Jew was at that moment standing trial for believing in the hope of the promise made by God to the Jewish fathers. That hope was the coming of the Messiah and His kingdom (cf. 1:6; 3:22–24; 13:23–33; Gal. 3:17–18; 4:4; Titus 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:11–12) and, specifically, the resurrection connected with His coming. It was that promise that was made by God throughout the Old Testament: Messiah would come to take away sin and establish His kingdom of righteousness. And it was that very promise to which the twelve tribes of Israel hoped to attain as they earnestly served God night and day. (Paul’s mention of the twelve tribes shows that the ten northern tribes are not lost [cf. Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30; James 1:1; Rev. 21:12].) Yet, incredibly, it was for proclaiming that very hope fulfilled in Jesus Christ that Paul was being accused by these apostate Jews.

The incongruity of his being condemned for believing what the Jewish people had always believed caused Paul to exclaim, “Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?” By raising Jesus from the dead, God validated the Old Testament promise of resurrection, at the same time demonstrating that Jesus was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah.

But it was just this point that Agrippa, along with many other Jews, was not willing to concede. Most Jews (except for the Sadducees, Matt. 22:23) accepted the general concept of resurrection (cf. John 5:28–29; 11:24). What they did not accept was that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and was their Messiah. When confronted with the undeniable fact of His resurrection, the Jewish leaders had concocted the story that the disciples stole His body. They even bribed the Roman guards to confirm their lie. So while Agrippa no doubt accepted the general Jewish belief in resurrection, he, like the other leaders and the nation, did not accept the resurrection of Christ or His messiahship.

Paul understood that perfectly, having once believed the same way himself. He had once thought that he had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what he did in Jerusalem. Not only did he proceed to lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also, he notes, referring to incidents like the murder of Stephen (7:58), “when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.” The Greek phrase translated I cast my vote literally reads “I threw my pebble.” The reference is to the ancient custom of recording votes—a black pebble for conviction and a white one for acquittal. Paul’s reference to voting against Christians may indicate he had once been a member of the Sanhedrin.

Paul also punished Christians often in all the synagogues, attempting by torture to force them to blaspheme. If he could not kill them, he at least wanted to force them to recant. Viewing Christians as dangerous and blasphemous heretics caused Paul to be furiously enraged at them (cf. 9:1; Gal. 1:13–14). Not content to cleanse Jerusalem of Christians, he kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

It was while thus engaged that the event took place which transformed his life (and marked a major turning point in history). Paul was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests to arrest any Christians he might find there. Suddenly, at midday, he reports, he saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter even than the brilliant Middle Eastern sun, shining all around him and those who were journeying with him. After Paul and his fellow persecutors had all fallen to the ground, he heard the voice of the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ saying to him in the Hebrew dialect (Aramaic), “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” To fight God, as Saul was doing, was to fight a losing battle. It was as stupid as an ox kicking against the goads (sharpened rods used to herd cattle).

Stunned, blinded, and terrified, Saul of Tarsus, the erstwhile persecutor of Christians, says he could only stammer out, “Who art Thou, Lord?” The reply “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,” rocked him to the core of his being. The One Saul had hated and despised as a blasphemer and a false teacher threatening the sacredness of Judaism was indeed who He had claimed to be—Israel’s Messiah. A murmur of surprised disbelief must have gone through the people in the crowd as Paul related Jesus’ words. They believed Jesus to be dead and that His zealous disciples had stolen His body to fake His resurrection. How then could Paul claim to have spoken with Him?

Paul further explains that Jesus appeared to him for a specific purpose: to appoint him a minister and a witness not only to the things which he had seen, but also to the things in which Jesus would appear to him (cf. Acts 18:9–10; 22:17–21; 23:11; 2 Cor. 12:1–7; Gal. 1:11–12). Knowing Paul would face fierce opposition as he preached the One he had persecuted, the Lord promised to be faithful in delivering him from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles. It was they to whom the Lord was sending (apostellō, from which the noun apostolos [“apostle”] derives) Paul. This was Paul’s commissioning as an apostle. An apostle had to have been an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21–22), and Paul was (cf. 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:8).

As an apostle, Paul was called to proclaim the good news of salvation from judgment through the work of Jesus Christ. That life-giving message would first open people’s eyes. Jesus characterized unbelievers as blind, led by blind leaders (Matt. 15:14), of whom 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving.” The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, Jesus taught, by

Genuine conviction will result in transformation of life, as those convicted turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God. The Bible teaches that unbelievers live in spiritual darkness. Paul described them as

Scripture frequently uses light as a metaphor for salvation (Matt. 4:16; John 1:4, 5, 7–9; 3:19–21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:36, 46; Acts 13:47; 26:23; 2 Cor. 4:4; 6:14; Eph. 5:8–9, 14; 1 Thess. 5:5; 1 John 1:7; 2:8–10). Because of that, salvation can be described as being called “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet.2:9), and believers can be described as sharers “in the inheritance of the saints in light,” who have been “delivered … from the domain of darkness, and transferred … to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:12–13).

The blessed result of salvation is forgiveness of sins (Matt. 1:21; 26:28; Luke 1:77; 24:47; Acts 3:19; 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 1 Cor. 15:3; Gal. 1:4; Col. 1:14; Heb.8:12; 9:28; 10:12; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; 1 John 2:1–2; 3:5; 4:10; Rev. 1:5). In Romans 4:7–8, Paul wrote, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” Later in that same epistle, he described the complete forgiveness believers experience by asking rhetorically,

The apostle John said simply, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake” (1 John 2:12).

A final gospel blessing Paul mentions is that believers receive an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (cf. Acts 20:32; Eph. 1:11, 14, 18; Col. 1:12; 3:24; Heb. 9:15). Peter described that inheritance as one that is “imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4). That inheritance is the riches of eternal heaven.

The clear teaching of Scripture is that this salvation comes to a person only by faith in Jesus Christ apart from any human works (John 3:14–17; 6:69; Acts 13:39; 15:9; 16:31; Rom. 3:21–28; 4:5; 5:1; 9:30; 10:9–11;Gal. 2:16; 3:11, 24; Phil. 3:9). Writing to the Ephesians, Paul stated that truth clearly and succinctly when he wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).

Paul’s dramatic testimony provides powerful evidence for Christ’s resurrection, especially because he had formerly been such a hostile and violent opponent of the Christian faith. Paul was not seeking to discover whether or not Jesus was the Messiah; he had already decided He was not. Nor had he been persuaded by talking with Christians. Paul did not talk to Christians—he arrested them and sought their imprisonment and execution. Only the direct, miraculous, supernatural intervention of the risen, living Jesus Himself turned Paul from persecutor of Christians to apostle of Jesus Christ.

THE CULMINATION OF PAUL’S TESTIMONY

Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. And 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 should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” (26:19–23)

The call to the ministry, like the call to salvation, is a sovereign act of God that demands and incorporates human response. Consequently, Paul did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision he had received of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Obedience is the sine qua non of the Christian life. It accompanies true salvation (Rom. 6:16; 1 Pet. 1:14), acknowledges God’s authority (Acts 5:29), is an expression of trust in God (Heb. 11:8), and is the proof of believers’ love for Him (John 14:15, 21).

Paul expressed his obedience by declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. That sentence summarizes Paul’s ministry, which began in Damascus (Acts 9:20–22), spread to Jerusalem (9:26–29), from which it influenced Judea, then finally extended even to the Gentiles. Everywhere he preached, his message was the same: people should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. Metanoia (repentance) involves a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. Paul’s use of epistrephō (turn), which frequently describes sinners turning to God (Luke 1:16–17; Acts 9:35; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19; 2 Cor. 3:16; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Pet. 2:25), reinforces that meaning. Those who truly repent and turn to God will perform deeds appropriate to repentance (Matt. 3:8; 7:16, 20; James 2:18).

It was for this reason, because of Paul’s faithful preaching of the gospel, that some Jews seized him in the temple and tried to put him to death (21:27ff.). That set all the events in motion that had led to this very moment of encounter with Agrippa. They were especially irate that he proclaimed the spiritual equality of Jews and Gentiles (cf. 22:21–23). But Paul obtained help from God, who had recently delivered him from two plots against his life (23:12ff.; 25:2–5) and who had helped him throughout his ministry (2 Cor. 1:8–10; 2 Tim. 3:11; 4:17–18). Because of God’s help, Paul could declare to Agrippa, “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.” By placing himself in the line of Moses and the other Old Testament writers, Paul again stressed that Christianity is not heretical but the fulfillment of Scripture. The Old Testament predicted “that the Christ was to suffer (Ps. 22; Isa. 53) and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead (Ps. 16:10; cf. Acts 13:30–37), He should be the first (prōtos; first in preeminence, not chronology) to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (cf. Isa. 42:6; 49:6).

Paul’s testimony may be summarized as follows. He was a devout, zealous Jew—even to the extreme of persecuting Christians, whom he believed perverted Judaism. Jesus Christ, whose appearance to Paul proves His resurrection, sovereignly changed his life and called him both to salvation and to the ministry. Paul thereafter preached the gospel of grace to the Gentiles, thus placing them on a spiritual par with the Jews. Because of that, some jealous Jews tried to kill him, and that is why he stood before Agrippa that day.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF PAUL’S TESTIMONY

And 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.” And Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would 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.” And the king arose and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had drawn 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.” (26:24–32)

Festus had listened with growing bewilderment as Paul continued speaking in his own defense. Paul was obviously a learned and brilliant man, so how could he believe what he was saying was really true? Did he really think that Jesus of Nazareth, a man executed under one of Festus’s predecessors as governor, Pilate, was alive and had spoken to him? Finally, Paul’s explicit declaration of Christ’s resurrection was too much for Festus’s rational sensibilities. Interrupting Paul’s speech, he blurted out in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” Every intelligent Roman knew that dead men do not come back to life and talk to people; therefore, Paul’s mental musings must have caused him to lose touch with reality.

It is not surprising that Paul was accused of being insane; so was Jesus (Mark 3:21; John 8:48, 52; 10:20). The reason for the accusations against both is found in 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” But Paul was definitely not out of his mind. On the contrary, he spoke words of sober truth, from a sound mind, with total control of his senses.

Paul took advantage of Festus’s interruption to focus on Agrippa, first speaking of him in the third person, then addressing him directly. Continuing to address Festus, Paul said, “the king (Agrippa) 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.” Paul called Agrippa as a witness to his sanity, since the Jews believed in resurrection, and the matters of which the apostle spoke (the death of Jesus, and the claim of the Christians that He rose from the dead) were common knowledge in Palestine. By remaining silent, Agrippa confirmed the truth of what Paul said.

Then Paul boldly confronted Agrippa directly. “King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” The implication was that if he did, he would have to concede that Jesus was the Messiah. Agrippa was stuck in a quandary. Admitting his belief in the prophets was tantamount to acknowledging Jesus as Messiah. That would make him look foolish before his Roman friends and outrage his Jewish subjects. Yet a Jewish king could hardly disavow the revered prophets of his people. Consequently, he avoided the question, mockingly replying instead to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” The phrase is better translated as a question: “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian in such a short time?”

Paul’s response was gracious and dignified: “I would 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.” No matter how long it took, it was Paul’s heartfelt desire that all who heard him would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. The scene is again one of startling incongruity. A lowly prisoner in chains tells the gathered political and military leaders and other important figures that he wishes they could be like him. Their fading, fleeting treasure was here on earth; Paul had “an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys” (Luke 12:33).

With these words by Paul, the inquiry ended. Agrippa the king arose, along with the governor and the wicked Bernice, and those advisers who were sitting with them. After they had drawn aside, they began talking to one another about Paul’s case. Whatever their view of Paul’s sanity, they all agreed that he was not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment, yet they lacked the courage to release him. Agrippa summed up the view of all when he said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

The question arises as to why Paul could not be released, since both Festus and Agrippa had found him innocent of wrongdoing. Noted expert on Roman law A. N. Sherwin-White explains:

Once again, Paul had been found innocent of any wrongdoing. He had boldly proclaimed the gospel to some of the most important people in Palestine. Now, after two years of waiting, it was time for the Lord’s promise to Paul to be fulfilled: “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also” (Acts 23:11).