Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense. Acts 26:1
Paul was on trial for believing that Jesus was the Messiah, the very one for whom the Jews were longing and looking. To him, belief in the resurrection was not difficult, because he witnessed the resurrected Lord first hand on the road to Damascus, as well as his own miraculous transformation from death to life as a result.
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? Acts 26:6–8
How could his own people not recognize this potentiality after hearing time and time again “what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place?” (Acts 26:22) It’s like your mother predicting you’d meet the perfect woman and marry, and when she finally materializes in front of you in all her splendor saying, “here I am,” you refuse her in disbelief!
Paul had clearly presented evidence of his own “resurrection,” that he was once “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” of the Church, yet he was shown mercy because he “acted ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Timothy 1:13) He had now turned “from the dominion of Satan to God,” and received “forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Him.” (Acts 26:18)
Not only had he seen the resurrected Christ and been dramatically saved, but they’d seen with their own eyes his remarkable transformation from persecutor to preacher of the Way!
From then on, Paul called out to all people, “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.” Acts 26.20
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.” Acts 26:24-25
To this speech, Festus responded with incredulity, thinking the man had gone mad. Agrippa, on the other hand, sensing the speech was directed to him, remarked, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” Most translations follow Agrippa’s statement in Acts 26:28 with a question mark, but in the New American Standard, Agrippa appears to issue a progress report. But it’s safe to conclude given the context that he wasn’t buying Paul’s argument.
“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. Acts 26:26
Sadly, there wasn’t anything else to say. Paul had essentially emptied both barrels and rested his case. Agrippa had heard all he needed to hear, all that there was to say, and he’d be leaving his Messiah at the altar.
Truth is, Paul had already written these words describing how intense he passion was to win over his own people, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Romans 9:3
Then King Agrippa and his sister Bernice, with whom he had an incestuous relationship, and Festus the governor, conferenced together in a side bar, all agreeing that if Paul hadn’t appealed to Caesar, he’d be a free man! Acts 26:32
Time immemorial, this has been the familiar response to the good news, the gospel. That it’s just “crazy talk.”
Leave a Reply