Acts 25:13-27 Paul Before Agrippa
“And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus. When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying: “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix, about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. To them I answered, ‘It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to answer for himself concerning the charge against him.’ Therefore, when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus’ command Paul was brought in. And Festus said: “King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer. But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him. I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore, I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
There were two King Herod Agrippas mentioned in Acts. Herod Agrippa I persecuted Christians, killing James and imprisoning Peter. Later Agrippa I traveled to Caesarea where he addressed a crowd from his throne. The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” (Acts 12:22). Agrippa, filled with pride, accepted the praise, and “immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (Acts 12:23)
The son of Agrippa I was King Herod Agrippa II, also known as Julius Marcus Agrippa; he was the brother of Bernice and Drusilla and heard Paul’s defense of the gospel in Acts 26. Agrippa II had quite a lot of power in Jewish religious affairs, for he had been given custodianship of the temple and the authority to appoint the high priest. Agrippa II was much more humble and open than his father had been. https://www.compellingtruth.org/Herod-Agrippa.html
Here, Porcius Festus, the new procurator, cleverly transfers some of the burden of Paul’s matters to Agrippa II by engaging him to examine Paul. And Festus truly is bewildered, for it’s no small matter to refer a case to Rome for judgement. If Festus is not careful, he will gain a reputation for incompetence with the judges in Rome complaining that he is referring problems he should handle back in his own territory. There are many hungry politicians out there who would love to displace Agrippa so they can take over his plum appointment. Involving Agrippa II allows Festus to claim that he has exhausted all measures prior to sending Paul to Rome.
All the time Festus is trying to manipulate Agrippa, God is chuckling. This trial before Agrippa and Festus will give Paul a golden opportunity for a detailed re-telling of his encounter with the risen Jesus Christ. Who knows how many others sitting in that gathering might come to a saving knowledge of Jesus from hearing Paul’s testimony?
God never wastes any situation. While we assume God is working to accomplish one purpose, meanwhile, God has ten or twenty other purposes He’s working out at the same time. An old hymn by Arthur Campbell Ainger describes this well.
1 God is working this purpose out,
as year succeeds to year;
God is working this purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be:
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
2 From utmost east to utmost west,
where human feet have trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God:
“Give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.”
3 Let us go forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world.
Let us all fight with sorrow and sin
to set the captives free,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
4 All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blesses the deed.
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed.
Yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust where we cannot see and to remember that when Your hand is upon our lives, You will always work things out for Your praise and Your glory. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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