In 25:13-27 Paul’s case is referred to King Agrippa. Verse 13 says, “Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.” This Agrippa was Herod Agrippa II, who reigned over the region north and east of Galilee. He was the son of Herod in chapter twelve and was a Jew by religion.
Bernice, who came with Agrippa, was the sister of Drusilla, wife of Felix (24:24). She was also a sister of Agrippa, with whom she lived incestuously. This again shows the corruption of the politicians in the circle of Roman politics.
Agrippa’s status was quite complicated. He had either a Jewish father or a Jewish mother. His sister Drusilla is called a Jewess in 24:24. Because Agrippa was a Jew in religion, Festus was careful in talking to him concerning Jewish matters. In 25:19 Festus said to Agrippa regarding Paul and the Jews, “They had certain questions against him concerning their own religion and concerning a certain Jesus who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” Here we see that Festus was cautious in referring to Judaism.
Although Festus referred Paul’s case to Agrippa and conferred with him about it, this case actually was not in Agrippa’s jurisdiction. Festus ruled Judea from Caesarea as the center, and Agrippa ruled another region. However, they were relatives and knew each other well. Therefore, when Agrippa came to Caesarea to visit Festus, Festus referred Paul’s case to him.
As we read 25:13-22 we see that Festus and Agrippa, officials of the Roman government, were “playing” with Paul’s case. When Festus told Agrippa that the Jews had questions against Paul “concerning their own religion and concerning a certain Jesus who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive” (v. 19), Festus was merely playing with words. His manner of speaking exposes the kind of person he was. After Festus told Agrippa that Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor and that Festus had ordered him to be kept in custody until he was sent up to Caesar (v. 21), Agrippa said to Festus, “I also myself was desiring to hear the man” (v. 22). Then Festus replied that Agrippa would hear Paul the next day. The more we study the conversation between Festus and Agrippa, the more we realize both the Roman politicians were evil.
Acts 25:23 says, “Therefore on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered into the hall of audience together with the commanders and prominent men of the city, Festus gave order and Paul was brought.” Luke’s description of the way Agrippa and Bernice came into the hall indicates the kind of people they were. Once again, no title is given to Bernice. We are not told whether or not she was the queen. Luke simply says that they entered into the hall with great pomp.
After Paul had been brought in, Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, you behold this man concerning whom all the multitude of Jews petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. But I perceived that he had done nothing worthy of death; and when he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him, concerning whom I have nothing definite to write to my lord; wherefore I brought him before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that when the examination has taken place, I may have something to write. For it seems unreasonable to me, in sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him” (vv. 24-27). In verse 26 the Greek pronoun rendered “you” is in plural and refers to the commanders and prominent men who were present (v. 23). As we shall see, Agrippa then gave permission to Paul to speak for himself, and he proceeded to defend himself before Agrippa (26:1-29).
In chapter twenty-five of Acts we have a picture of the situation in which Paul was. As the one standing in the midst of this situation, Paul was different from the Jewish people in their religion, from the Roman politicians, and also from the church in Jerusalem. This picture reveals that Paul was one who lived Christ. Paul was a genuine witness to Christ. It is no wonder, then, that the Lord Jesus considered him a witness when He said to Paul, “Take courage, for as you have solemnly testified concerning Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (23:11). According to 26:16, the Lord had appointed Paul a minister and a witness. Actually, in all his defenses Paul did not say very much concerning Christ. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus recognized that Paul was solemnly testifying concerning Him.
Paul could testify of the Lord because he lived Christ. As one who lived Christ and was a living testimony of Him, Paul was absolutely different from the Jewish religionists, the Roman politicians, and those in the church in Jerusalem.
We need to be deeply impressed with the fact that in these chapters of Acts Paul was a genuine witness of Christ. We have seen that these chapters describe three categories of people: the Jewish religionists, the Roman politicians, and those weak and compromising ones in the church in Jerusalem. Now with Paul we have a fourth category. In this category Paul stands alone as a person who lived Christ. Paul not only preached the propagation of the resurrected Christ; he lived this Christ. Paul lived a life that was the propagation of the resurrected Christ. What a glory! What a victory! What a gain for the Lord and what a shame to the enemy that Paul both preached Christ and lived Christ! In the center of the enemy’s activity stood Paul, a person who lived Christ. The resurrected Christ had propagated Himself by coming into Paul and making him a living witness of Christ.