Project 119: Acts 25:13-26:32
| Project 119 | Amy Hirsch
Have you ever noticed how people can tell stories so differently? Multiple versions of stories can be factual, but often we choose to emphasize certain things depending on our audience. One of the things I love about Acts is that, as Paul appeared before authorities, we continue hearing his testimony shared—and we learn different tidbits about Paul along the way!
In Acts 26, Paul appeared before a Jewish king named named Agrippa, who ruled over several Gentile territories and who had the right to choose the high priest. When Agrippa traveled through Caesarea, the procurator, Festus, reached out to him about Paul. Festus believed Paul had “done nothing deserving death” (Acts 26:25). Perhaps Festus believed that Agrippa, who was also a Jew, might help him better understand Paul.
Paul shared his story with Agrippa in Acts 26:1-23; while we’ve heard his testimony several times at this point, two things stuck out to me. First, notice verse 14. Paul included an anecdote not mentioned in other passages regarding his conversion: the Lord said to him, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” This proverbial saying would have been well-known to the Romans; goads were sharp sticks used to prod oxen. If oxen resisted the goads by kicking at them, the drivers would use them more fiercely to keep them in line. The Lord used this image to show Paul that He was aggressively pursuing him, and that resisting God would do no good.
Why does Paul use this analogy in this particular testimony? I think Paul wanted Agrippa to see that Jews rejecting Christ were also kicking against the goads. In his testimony, Paul reminds Agrippa of his background, that he too grew up as a Jew and lived as a Pharisee. When Christ appeared to Paul, he realized that Jesus was the Messiah foretold by the prophets of old (Acts 26:22). Paul didn’t see Christianity as some foreign religion, but rather as a natural outworking of the Jewish faith: Christ was the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament promises they treasured and held so dearly.
Sadly, Agrippa continued to kick against the goads, refusing to believe (Acts 26:28-32).
We could easily judge Agrippa and the other religious leaders, but instead, we ought to ask ourselves how we might be kicking against the goads. In what areas of your life are you refusing the Lord’s leadership? Is He calling you to faith and surrender, to following Christ for the first time? Perhaps He is calling you to make a change in your lifestyle and to put a particular sin to death. Maybe He is calling you to share the good news of the gospel with a loved one. Wherever the Lord is leading, my prayer is that, like Paul, you would find yourself in a position of surrender, ready to follow Him, rather than in a position of refusal and disbelief like Agrippa.
Acts 25:13-26:32 (ESV):
13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.”22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”
26 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, 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 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. 31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.”32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”