"Paul, You Are Out Of Your Mind!"
Acts 26:1-29
Porcius Festus was the new governor, appointed by Caesar to replace Antonius
Felix. Felix had been corrupt and despised by the people. Festus was a marked
improvement according to historians. He knew he could not afford to continue to
offend the Jews by the same corrupt policies of his predecessors. This, no
doubt, weighed heavily upon his mind as he began to take care of the unfinished
business of the past administration.
This unfinished business included the case of a man who had been arrested two
years before. It was some sort of religious controversy that had caused this man
to be in jail, and the leaders of the Jews seemed intent on doing away with him.
Festus, as an outsider and a newcomer, knew absolutely nothing about any of it,
but needed to make some kind of decision. He asked King Agrippa for help in
determining what to do, and sent for the prisoner to be brought before them both
(Acts 25:23-27). He is in a precarious position, not wanting to anger the Jews
on the one hand but not wanting to lose control on the other. The prisoner was
invited to speak, and so Paul began his defense.
The Hearing
"And Agrippa said to Paul, 'You are permitted to speak for yourself.' Then Paul
stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense." (Acts 26:1). Paul's
defense consisted of rehearsing how it had come to be that he, who had been an
ardent persecutor of the church of Christ, had become one of its most zealous
soldiers.
It was during Paul's sermon, for that is what his defense really was, that
finally Festus loudly interrupted. "And while Paul was saying this in his
defense, Festus said in a loud voice, 'Paul, you are out of your mind! Your
great learning has driven you mad!' But Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind,
most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. For the king (Agrippa -
JQ) knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I
am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been
done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you
do.' And Agrippa replied to Paul, 'In a short time you will persuade me to
become a Christian.' And Paul said, 'I would to God that whether in a short time
or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day might become such
as I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:24-29).
Crazy Enough to Live Eternally
"And while Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice,
'Paul, you are out of your mind!" (Acts 26:24). Paul answered the charge by
insisting that he was speaking "words of sober truth." The Greek word translated
"sober" denotes "mental soundness, moderation, good sense, self-control."
Certainly Paul's measured and controlled response to Festus bears out the
truthfulness of his soundness of mind.
Poor Festus! He's new to the Jews and their problems. Perhaps he had never heard
of Jesus of Nazareth. He had lived a world away from the miracles and the
controversy surrounding the man of Galilee. Also, it is probable that he knew
little if anything about the Prophets and Moses. Festus' frustrated cry was one
borne of his own ignorance as he tried to follow Paul's defense but simply did
not have the knowledge necessary to put it all together. It reminds me of today,
as folks who know little about what the Bible actually says make similar
baseless charges against believers. Humanists, atheists, feminists, hedonists
and others mock that which is holy, true and righteous, not knowing at all what
they are talking about. It is a matter of the blind leading the blind and
everyone ending up in the ditch.
Familiar And Obviously True
"For the king knows about these matters and I speak to him also with confidence,
since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has
not been done in a corner." (Acts 26:26). Paul appeals to Agrippa's firsthand
knowledge of the things about which he was speaking so that Festus may know that
Paul was not the raving lunatic Festus had thought he was. Agrippa could testify
as to the truthfulness of Paul's claims that he, indeed, had been a leader at
the forefront of the movement against Christianity. He had, at one time,
possessed authority to throw Christians into prison and had voted for their
deaths (Acts 26:9-11). One can almost imagine Agrippa nodding his approval;
"Yes, it is just as Paul stated; he, at one time, had occupied such a position
and had carried out the persecutions he describes." Paul affirms that "this has
not been done in a corner." If Festus had thought Paul was making it all up, he
let Festus know that the things of which he spoke was common knowledge. This is
a very strong evidential point for us today as well. It shows us that Agrippa
and the others present knew that Paul was speaking the truth about what he had
been and what he had become.
The Prophets Speak
"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do." (Acts 26:27).
In addition to the fact that the recent events surrounding Paul's change were
common knowledge, Paul also appeals to Agrippa's knowledge of the Prophets. In
fact, before Festus had interrupted him, Paul had been speaking of the prophets;
"And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying to both
the small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was
going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His
resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the
Jewish people and to the Gentiles." (Acts 26:22,23).
Festus probably didn't know the prophets at all, but Agrippa did. Perhaps Festus
looked at Agrippa waiting for him to deny the validity of what Paul was saying.
The denial never came. We know why. Those of us who have studied the prophets
know what they said about the coming of the Christ; hundreds of prophecies about
Jesus fulfilled centuries after they were made. Agrippa has a decision to make
here. It certainly would not be politically savvy to become a Christian, but
poor Agrippa cannot deny the truth of what Paul was saying. There must have been
turmoil within Agrippa's soul. A spiritual battle was waged between truth and
lie. Which side would win Agrippa's heart?
Two Failures and One Success
"And Paul said, 'I would to God that whether in a short time or long time, not
only you, but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am, except
for these chains." (Acts 26:29). There were at least two failures and one
success that day.
First, there was Festus. His own ignorance deterred him from success. While he
found that Paul was innocent of anything worthy of death (Acts 26:30-32) there
is no record that he ever became such as Paul was "except for these chains."
History shows that Festus served as governor until his death, which was only a
very short time later (62 A.D.).
Second, there was Agrippa. The king had said, "In a short time you will persuade
me to become a Christian." With this statement, Agrippa lost the spiritual
battle. Agrippa was close to doing the right thing, at least for a brief moment.
Unlike Festus, he had the background for a greater appreciation of Paul's
defense. But he didn't have the integrity to pay the political costs of doing
what he should have done. There is no indication that he ever became a
Christian.
Finally, there was the success. I'm talking about Paul, of course. It was the
prisoner in chains, not the governor and not the king that came out on top. Paul
had remained loyal to the Savior and His truth. He had spoken of forgiveness and
sanctification and inheritance and resurrection. Paul was on his way to eternal
reward via Rome and other places where he would continue to live for Christ over
the next several years. Only when we commit ourselves to the same Savior and
prove ourselves obedient to Him will our lives lead toward that same happy
outcome.
"In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian." With this
statement, Agrippa lost the spiritual battle.
By Jon W. Quinn
From Expository Files 7.10; October 2000
