Acts 26 records Paul’s fullest defense before a ruling authority — King Agrippa II, in the presence of Festus, Bernice, and the leading men of Caesarea. Agrippa invites Paul to speak for himself. Paul stretches out his hand and makes his defense. He counts himself fortunate to speak before one who is expert in all Jewish customs and questions. He reviews his early life as a Pharisee of the strictest sect, then states that he stands on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers — the hope that the twelve tribes earnestly seek to attain. Why should it be judged incredible that God raises the dead? He recounts his former conviction that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, including imprisoning saints, casting votes for their death, and persecuting them even to foreign cities. On the road to Damascus a light brighter than the sun shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus in Hebrew: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” The Lord appointed him a servant and witness, sending him to open the eyes of both the people and the Gentiles, that they might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, receiving forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Him. Paul was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. He declared to Damascus, Jerusalem, Judea, and the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. For this reason the Jews seized him in the temple. With God’s help he continues to this day testifying to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: that the Christ must suffer, and that by the resurrection of the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles. Festus interrupts with a loud voice that Paul is out of his mind. Paul replies that he is speaking words of truth and reason, and that the king knows these things. He presses Agrippa: “Do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” Agrippa answers, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?” Paul replies that he prays whether with little or with much that not only Agrippa but all who hear him might become as he is — except for the bonds. The king, the governor, and Bernice withdraw and agree that this man is doing nothing worthy of death or bonds. Agrippa tells Festus that Paul might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. The path to Rome remains fixed. The transition generation continues to hear the full testimony of the risen Christ before kings while the Temple still stands.
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. 2 “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you today concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, 3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 “Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5 having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa! 8 Why is it judged incredible with you if God does raise the dead?
9 “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. 11 Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. 14 When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you; 17 delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, 23 how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles.”
24 As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
25 But he said, “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. 26 For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?”
29 Paul said, “I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds.”
30 The king rose up with the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them. 31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.” 32 Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Source: ebible.org
Paul begins by establishing common ground with Agrippa. He is fortunate to speak before one expert in Jewish customs and questions. His manner of life from youth is known to all the Jews; he lived as a Pharisee of the strictest sect. The real issue of the trial is the hope of the promise made by God to the fathers — the hope that the twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope he is accused. Why should it be judged incredible that God raises the dead? Paul places the resurrection not as a novel Christian doctrine but as the very hope of Israel itself. The accusation against him is an accusation against the promise God made to the fathers.
Paul then recounts his former zeal. He was convinced that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. In Jerusalem he shut up many of the saints in prison, cast his vote for their death, punished them in the synagogues trying to force them to blaspheme, and pursued them even to foreign cities. On the road to Damascus, with authority and commission from the chief priests, a light brighter than the sun shone around him and his companions at noon. They all fell to the ground. A voice spoke to him in Hebrew: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” When he asked who was speaking, the answer came: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” The risen Lord then appointed him a servant and a witness of both what he had seen and what would be revealed, delivering him from the people and from the Gentiles to whom he was being sent — to open their eyes, that they might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, receiving forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Him.
Paul’s summary of his subsequent life is simple: he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. He declared first in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of repentance. For this reason the Jews seized him in the temple and tried to kill him. With the help that comes from God he continues to this day testifying to both small and great, saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would take place: that the Christ must suffer, and that by the resurrection of the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles. The entire ministry is presented as obedience to the risen Lord and as the fulfillment of Moses and the prophets.
Festus interrupts with a loud declaration that Paul is out of his mind and that his great learning has driven him to madness. Paul replies calmly that he is speaking words of truth and reason, and that the king knows these things — none of this has been done in a corner. He then turns directly to Agrippa: “Do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” Agrippa’s response — “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?” — is met with Paul’s prayer that whether with little or with much, not only Agrippa but all who hear him that day might become as he is, except for the bonds. The hearing ends. The king, the governor, and Bernice withdraw and agree among themselves that this man is doing nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Agrippa observes that Paul might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. The legal path to Rome remains in force. The Lord’s promise continues to stand.
Acts 26 places the full testimony of the risen Christ before a Herodian king and a Roman governor while the Temple still stands. The hope of the resurrection is identified as the hope of the twelve tribes. The commission to open eyes and turn people from darkness to light and from Satan’s power to God is presented as the direct appointment of the risen Jesus. Obedience to that heavenly vision has governed the entire ministry to both Jews and Gentiles. The repeated Roman conclusion is that nothing worthy of death or bonds has been done. The path to the heart of the empire remains open. The New Covenant witness continues to confront kings and governors with the reality of the risen Christ before the old covenant age reaches its end.
Acts 26 presents the New Creation commission in its clearest form before a king. The risen Lord appears to the persecutor and appoints him a servant and witness, sending him to open eyes, to turn people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Him. The hope of the resurrection is the hope of the promise made to the fathers. Obedience to the heavenly vision governs the entire ministry to both Israel and the nations. The repeated judgment of the authorities is that nothing worthy of death or bonds has been done. The path to Rome remains open. The light continues to shine, and the word of the risen Christ continues to confront rulers while the Temple still stands and the old covenant age is still running its course.
Paul’s prayer was that whether with little or with much persuasion, not only Agrippa but all who heard him might become as he was — except for the bonds. How does this desire shape the way we speak about the gospel to those in positions of power or influence? What does the repeated Roman conclusion that Paul had done nothing worthy of death or bonds teach us about the ultimate ground of opposition to the message of the risen Christ?