Acts 25:23-27 – Paul before Agrippa

As promised, Festus set the meeting on the next day for Agrippa and Bernice to hear Paul. The whole proceeding was done in great style, amidst great pomp and ceremony. The whole entourage, including the honored Agrippa and Bernice, the commander and leading men of the city, entered the auditorium at the direction of Festus.

 

When Paul was brought in, Festus began his presentation stating the occasion. Festus’ presentation was more for the crowd gathered there than for the benefit of Agrippa.  For he had already made known the facts of the case to him prior to the gathering. In a rhetorical hyperbole, Festus exaggerated, saying that all the Jews had appealed to him, both in Jerusalem and Caesarea, for Paul’s death. Here, he interpreted the Sanhedrin’s intention as the demand of all the Jews.

 

Festus, however, acknowledged that he found nothing in the charges against Paul being so serious that they demanded a death sentence. He also stated that he couldn’t set Paul free because as a Roman citizen Paul had appealed to go before Caesar. Now Festus needed to have specific charges to send Paul to face Caesar. His problem was that Paul was not guilty of any punishable offense and should have been released.

 

Festus’ dilemma was this: he didn’t free Paul because he did not want to set himself up against the Jews. And now that he had to send the apostle before Caesar without any punishable charge, he would be setting himself up as an incompetent governor. So his agenda for the gathering was to help him to gather something to incriminate Paul, so that he could write to Caesar.
    

Two Roman governors, Felix and Festus, could not find Paul guilty. Then why didn’t they just obey their conscience and free Paul? This is because the Lord had already personally told Paul in Acts 23:11 “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.” Like Paul, we shouldn’t be stressed by the oppositions we may encounter at times. It could well be that God is working out His purpose in our lives through those oppositions. All we need to do is to calmly state our stand and remain steadfast in the Lord. He will work out all things for good to us who love Him, and are called according to His purpose.