Acts 25:13-22 (NIV)
A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 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. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges. 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. When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 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. 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. 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.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”
Agrippa’s visit to Festus with his sister Berenice was a courtesy call. While Agrippa was not a king in the same sense as his great grandfather, Herod the Great, he had been given the rulership over several territories on the borders of Palestine, as well as the supervision of the temple in Jerusalem and the right to assign the high priest. He was answerable to the governor of the province, so he came to see Festus as soon as he could after his arrival.
Festus used the opportunity to see if perhaps Agrippa could provide a little insight into the puzzling case of Paul. Unlike Felix, his predecessor (Acts 24:22), Festus had little or no information about “the Way” that seemed to be at the center of the controversy surrounding Paul. He hoped that, on the basis of his responsibilities for the temple and his interactions with the priests, Agrippa might be able to shed a little light on the issue.
To his disappointment, Agrippa was not as useful or informed in this area as he had hoped. But he was intrigued by the case and interested in hearing more, an offer which was eagerly seized upon by Festus, who arranged a hearing on the spot for the very next day.
Father, a big part of Festus’ discomfort with Paul was that the whole case did not concern normal legalities and the issues and things of this world. Instead, they dealt with spiritual matters and miracles, chiefly the resurrection of Jesus. How, indeed, was an earthly governor supposed to judge something like that? To his credit, Festus recognized his own inadequacy, and was looking for help wherever it might be found. It is clear that we, as Your people, need to remember that the people of the world are poor judges of what is and is not valid in the kingdom, and what is true and not true about You Yourself (1 Corinthians 2:14). So, we always need to pay attention to You and Your word, not to them. Thank You for Your word and the guidance of Your Holy Spirit through which we may discern both Your truth and Your will for us. Amen.
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