Persuading Agrippa

Articles

Doug Kashorek
08/01/24 - Bulletin Article

Persuading Agrippa by Doug Kashorek

Paul was making Agrippa squirm in front of the Roman dignitaries as he presented the gospel to an audience who saw him as an oddity to entertain (1 Corinthians 1:23). “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind,” Festus voiced what all those outside the covenant with God were thinking (Acts 26).

But not Agrippa! The great-grandson of Herod the Great, who in turn was the grandson of an Idumean convert to Judaism, Agrippa struggled to bury his Jewish background and appear important before the occupying elites who had much power. But Paul’s “true and rational” words about a suffering Christ, predicted by “the prophets and Moses,” who would shine a light to all, was too much for the king, who “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.”

A seasoned angler of men, Paul cast out just the right bait to hook this Herod … who was nibbling. How big had been the ripples of Jesus’ resurrection across the sea of the Jewish community, affecting both small and large boats! Hundreds of Jews and Gentiles were obeying the gospel. Of course this did not escape Agrippa’s notice … but, like the authorities who believed in Jesus in John 12:42-43 but for fear of what others might think would “not confess it, so they would not be put out of the synagogue,” he preferred to hide behind his position.

Paul confronted Agrippa, however, and made him decide about Jesus. This is the faithfulness every Christian should show to the Agrippas in our lives. Sadly, loving “the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God,” the king rejected the lure and said, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”

Having tried, Paul responded as we should, “I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am.”