Paul Before King Agrippa Series

Background

The context of this message is that Paul had recently finished his third missionary journey and went to Jerusalem. When he got to Jerusalem, he told James the brother of Jesus and all the church leaders what happened in his ministry where the gentiles turned to God. The Jerusalem church leaders were rejoicing in what God had done. But they did tell Paul that in Jerusalem thousands of Jews and priests had come to the Lord and they wouldn’t be happy about the gentiles coming to faith in Christ.

So, because some Jewish Christians would probably oppose Paul’s ministry to the gentiles, they told him that he needed to do a purification ceremony which he did. He was going to the temple to pay the offering as part of the purification ceremony when there was an uproar by the Jews. The Jews were about to kill Paul until the soldiers rescued him and took him into the barracks.

He spoke to the soldiers in Greek and told them he was a Roman citizen. At this the soldiers listened to Paul, and he requested to speak to the crowd. They allowed this and Paul addressed the crowd in Aramaic. When he spoke in Aramaic the crowd became quiet and listened to Paul.

Paul told them he was a Jew who himself persecuted Christians and dragged them off to prison. When Paul went on to say that his calling was to the gentiles the crowd again became furious. The soldiers took him into the barracks a second time to keep him from being killed.

Then the next day Paul was on trial to appear before the Sanhedrin so the soldiers could get a better understanding of the charges against him. Paul was struck in the face when he said he had fulfilled his duty to God. Not only was he hit in the face, but he had to be taken to the barracks a third time because once again his life was in danger.

After this a plot formed by forty Jews to ambush and kill Paul as soon as he would leave the barracks. The plot was found out and he was taken to Caesarea under heavy guard and imprisoned there. In Caesarea Paul appeared and spoke about the Lord many times before Governor Felix. He stayed in Caesarea for two years. Felix left Paul imprisoned for two years as a favor to the Jews.

After two years Felix was replaced as Governor by Festus. Paul first appeared before Festus soon after he became governor. Festus had asked Paul if he was willing to go back to Jerusalem for trial. Paul knew that leaving for Jerusalem would have meant death since the Jews were still waiting to kill Paul as soon as he was taken back to Jerusalem. Because of the plot to kill him Paul appealed to Caesar.

A few days later King Agrippa came for the installation of the new governor Festus. Festus discussed Paul’s case with King Agrippa and told him that there wasn’t anything that Jews accused Paul of that was deserving imprisonment or death. It was a matter of their own law that this dispute was over because Paul was claiming that Jesus was alive, raised from the dead.

Festus had been at a loss of how to investigate this case and then Paul had made the appeal to Caesar for the emperor’s decision. Paul was now waiting to be sent to Caesar. Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear Paul myself”. So, Festus arranged for Paul to appear before king Agrippa the very next day.

King Agrippa stood in the royal family linage of Kings who had done great harm to Jesus and his followers. King Agrippa’s Great grandfather was outwitted by the Magi and at that he gave orders to kill the boys in Bethlehem and vicinity who were two years or younger in an attempt to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:16). His grandfather beheaded John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1-12). His grandfather also ridiculed and mocked Jesus before his crucifixion (Luke 23:8-12). His father had James the brother of John put to death by the Sword (Acts 12:1-2).

For us to grasp the context of Paul standing before King Agrippa in chains we need to remember how wicked his family had been. They were part of attempting to kill Christ since the birth of Christ. They killed and arrested prophets, apostles, and numerous Christians.

Festus will be there also and this marks two years after Paul reached Jerusalem at the end of his third journey. Paul has now been in the Caesarea prison for two years. The Lord had told Paul that he would be going to Rome to testify in Rome as he did in Caesarea.

The Message

So, the message of Paul began with king Agrippa giving Paul permission to speak. Paul acknowledged the privilege to speak to the King making his defense to the accusations brought against him. He was even more fortunate to be before King Agrippa because he was well acquainted with the Jewish customs and controversies. With that Paul begged the king to listen patiently to him.