13 A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at
Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 Since
they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king.
He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. 15 When
I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought
charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16 “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over
anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to
defend themselves against the charges. 17 When they
came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next
day and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 When
his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I
had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of
dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named
Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20 I was at a
loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go
to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21 But
when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered
him held until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this
man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you
will hear him.”
Now, Paul will witness to a king, just as he had been told
he would by Jesus when he was in Damascus.
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great
pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and
the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought
in. 24 Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are
present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has
petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he
ought not to live any longer. 25 I found he had
done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the
Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. 26 But
I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have
brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that
as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. 27 For
I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the
charges against him.”
Paul gets to witness to the king and rulers with all the
pomp and circumstance of it. This had to
be a regal setting.
Festus is in a bind here.
If Paul is guilty of sedition he should be put to death. If he is not guilty, he should be freed. Festus admits that there is no proof of the charges
against this man. He has appealed to
Caesar but I have no charges to list. He
is also saying, I don’t want to rule him innocent when all of the Jews hate him
and cause riots and mobs against him.
This is what he is really saying and he is putting that decision up the
ladder. He would rather the Jews despise
Agrippa whom they never see rather than him who they will see often and have to
respect his authority daily.
Paul is given this regal setting before this king. He does not use it to defend himself. He uses it to present the gospel
message. He is intent upon presenting
Jesus to the king and all who are present.
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