Acts 26 - Paul Testifies Before King Agrippa and Festus!

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Paul Speaks to Agrippa

Paul was happy to speak with Agrippa not only for him to hear his side of the story, but it also gave him a chance to defend himself against the accusations of the Jews. 

This was a partial fulfillment of what the Lord promised Paul at his conversion: Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. (Acts 9:15) - Guzik

Paul describes his previous way of life as a dedicated Pharisee and points out that his hope is grounded in what the Jews have always believed about God. It is his knowledge of the prophets, which is where his hope is in the resurrection of the dead came from. Certainly Paul reasoned it should not be surprising that God could raise anybody from the dead. 

Paul recounts his previous way of life, when he persecuted and imprisoned Christians and even cast his vote to have some of them put to death. Paul was so obsessed with keeping the Jewish religion pure that he even hunted down Christians in foreign cities. All this was done as he says, "to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth". 

Paul then recounts his conversion story on the way to Damascus, when he was blinded by a brilliant light when he heard a voice in Aramaic saying, "Saul, Saul why do you persecute me!" 

These words changed Paul’s world. He immediately understood that Jesus was alive, not dead. He understood that Jesus reigned in glory instead of being damned in shame. He realized that in persecuting the followers of Jesus he persecuted Jesus, and in persecuting Jesus he fought against the God of his fathers. 

Paul recounted how Jesus had commissioned him to preach to the Gentiles forgiveness of sins and repentance in His name. It was his message of repentance that turned the Jews on him.  

This is a neat summary of Paul’s message. Paul sets repent and turn to God close, understanding them as two aspects of the same action. One can’t turn to God unless they do repent – and actions will confirm true repentance (do works befitting repentance). - Guzik

Paul reaffirmed his message was consistent with everything a Jewish believer should know. 

"I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

Festus thought Paul was crazy, but Paul turned to King Agrippa to see what his thoughts were. He asked him a rhetorical questions, "You believe in the prophets right?" I love King Agrippa's response, 

"Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

Paul does not shy away and is not ashamed of the gospel (see Romans 1:16-17) as he says, 

Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.

At the end of the day all the people gathered concluded, "If Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he could probably have been let go!" 

This does not seem likely given the hostility shown to Paul up to this point! Paul uses a very effective evangelism strategy here when he asked if Agrippa believed in the prophets.

Paul didn’t first ask Agrippa if he believed on Jesus; he asked, “Do you believe the prophets?” Paul did this because he knew that if Agrippa did believe the prophets, truth and reason would lead him to believe upon Jesus. He wanted to connect what Agrippa already believed to what he should believe.

Eventually Paul's ultimate goal was to preach in Rome. 

The appeal to Caesar, and his subsequent journey to Rome at the Empire’s expense, were also the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit’s purpose that Paul should go to Rome (Acts 19:21, 23:11). This also answered a long-standing desire in the heart of Paul to visit the already present Christian community there (Romans 1:9-13).