The Jews were not at all happy about the way Felix had handled Paul. So, shortly after Festus took the governor's seat at Caesarea, they tried to get him to bring Paul to Jerusalem for trial, or so they intimated. Actually, they intended to assassinate him along the way. Read verses 1-12. The respected religious leaders of the day were so savage in their hatred toward Paul, the gospel he preached, and the God he represented that in the name of God they were determined to murder him (John 16:2). But Paul, being a Roman citizen, took advantage of his legal rights. Refusing to be tried by a lower court at Jerusalem, he said, "I appeal to Caesar" (v. 11). Festus had no choice under Roman law. He said, "Unto Caesar shall thou go" (v. 12).

Now read verses 13-27. When Agrippa, who was reputed to be a specialist in Jewish matters, came to Caesarea, Festus welcomed the opportunity to discuss Paul's case with him. Agrippa expressed a desire to hear Paul for himself. Arrangements were made. Agrippa and his sister, Bernice, came to "the place of hearing" in great pomp. And Festus displayed the customary flattery and false adulation of one politician to another (vv. 22-27). The fact of the matter was that Festus was fearful of sending Paul to Rome with no legitimate charges against him (vv. 19, 27). By involving Agrippa in the matter he had something to fall back on, were his actions questioned by his superiors at Rome.

TWO THINGS WERE APPARENT TO FESTUS. Remember, he was a pagan politician. He had no regard for Paul or the Jews. He did not even know what the controversy was about. Yet, he quickly perceived two things that distinguished Paul from his enemies.

First, the Jews, the religious skeptics, the unbelieving religionists, raised "certain questions"; but Paul made bold affirmations (vv. 18-19). That is ever the case. Those who oppose the gospel and take offense at the preaching of the cross of Christ assert nothing, but question everything. Where they cannot prove evil, they hope to cast a shadow of doubt by raising questions. In doctrinal matters, their questions are almost always foolish carpings about meaningless things. It is pointless and futile to answer such. We are repeatedly warned not to do so (I Tim. 1:4; 6:4; II Tim. 2:23; Tit. 3:9). We do not need to defend the truth, but simply declare it. That was Paul's method. He boldly, dogmatically affirmed the truth as God revealed it.

Believing men and women are God's witnesses (Isa. 44:8; Acts 1:8). A witness is one who simply tells what he knows. He cares nothing for the questions, speculations, and objections of others. Even so, we simply affirm certain, definite, revealed facts, facts plainly laid down in the Word of God and experienced in our own hearts. Here we stand, oblivious to the science, wisdom, and reason of educated fools. The basis of our faith is the Word of God alone (Isa. 8:20; II Tim. 3:16). The Jews were full of questions. But Paul affirmed that Jesus, who was dead, is alive. He made no attempt to answer their questions or prove his doctrine. He simply affirmed that it was so upon the basis of Holy Scripture and his own experience. He had seen, spoken to, heard from, and felt the power of the risen, exalted, living Christ. He affirmed what he knew to be the truth. That is what we must do as God's witnesses in this world today.

Secondly, Festus observed that the Jews were concerned about their own religion (superstition); but Paul was concerned with a living Person (v. 19). Paul's religion was not a religion of books and creeds. His religion was a Person. He found all his treasure in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He knew, trusted, loved, worshipped, served, walked with, and preached a Person. Christ is more than the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the Sum and Substance of it. We glory not in our creed or denomination, but in the Lord Jesus Christ himself (I Cor. 1:30-31; Gal. 6:14; Phil. 3:3). Christianity is a living union with a living Person. It is Christ in you and you in Christ.

PREACHING, ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN AND PRECEPT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, IS THE DECLARATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. The thing that so greatly disturbed the Jews was not that Paul did any of the things they accused him of doing. They knew he was innocent of their charges. But he went everywhere preaching that Christ, whom they had crucified, is alive. This was such an obvious thing that Fetus himself declared it (v. 19). Paul spoke so much of the risen, exalted, reigning, saving Christ that even this pagan magistrate knew that his message was "Jesus Christ and him crucified" (I Cor. 2:2). In those early days of Christianity, God's preachers, as often as they could get an ear to bend, preached Christ to men. Indeed, to this day, God's preachers go everywhere preaching the Lord Jesus Christ. Any sermon that is not full of Christ, does not point sinners to Christ, and cause men to think upon him, that does not send men away with Christ on their minds ought never to have been preached (I Cor. 2:2; 9:16). A Christless sermon is a useless sermon! "Jesus Christ and him crucified" is the message of Holy Scripture (Lk. 24:27, 44, 45). The only hope of perishing sinners (John 12:32), and the believer's motive, inspiration, and guide in all things (II Cor. 8:9; I Pet. 2:21-24).

Paul laid great stress upon and particularly emphasized Christ's death upon the cross as the sinner's Substitute. He preached, as Festus said, "one Jesus, which was dead." That which was thought to be the most obnoxious, offensive, and ridiculous point of his theology was the very thing which Paul preached most (I Cor. 1:17-23). That which the Jews most despised and the Gentiles most ridiculed, Paul most constantly affirmed (Gal. 6:14). He preached life by Christ's death, salvation by the crucified Substitute, blood atonement and justification by the penal death of Christ in the place of God's elect as their all-sufficient and effectual Redeemer (Rom. 3:24-26). Because of his faithful, dogmatism in preaching Christ to men, Paul was hounded to death by lost religious men who, being ignorant of God's righteousness in Christ, went about to establish their own righteousness (Acts 24:5; Rom. 10:1-4). And you may be assured of this fact - That man who faithfully preaches the gospel of Christ as Paul did, and the congregation which hears and follows him, will have to bear the scandalous reproach and bitter wrath of lost religious people today. The offence of the cross has not ceased (Gal. 5:11).

In preaching the gospel, Paul affirmed that Jesus Christ who died at Calvary, is alive! He had seen the risen Savior, heard his voice, and experienced the transforming power of his grace. Every believer has affirmed this fact in his own soul. Jesus is alive! He lives to claim heaven for his redeemed ones (Psa. 68:18-19), to bestow his Spirit upon God's elect in regenerating grace (Zech. 12:9-10; Gal. 3:13-14), to prepare heaven for the homecoming of his saints (John 14:1-3), to make intercession for his people (Heb. 7:25; I John 2:1-2), to rule all things on behalf of chosen, redeemed sinners (John 17:2), and to come again in power and great glory to consummate his great work of saving his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21; I Thess. 4:13-18).