Paul Before King Agrippa Acts 25:22: 32 – JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Paul before King Agrippa is the account of Paul’s defence at Caesarea, after he had appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:22 to 26:32).

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Explain why Paul appeared before King Agrippa.
2. Say who King Agrippa II and Bernice were.
3. List the main points of Paul’s defence.
4. Describe how Festus and Agrippa reacted to Paul’s speech.
5. State lessons we can learn from Paul’s example.

What are the key terms in this lesson?

Five terms are needed to follow the story: appeal to Caesar, governor, Pharisee, centurion and testimony.

• Appeal to Caesar: the right of a Roman citizen to have his case judged by the emperor in Rome.
• Governor: the Roman official who ruled a province. Felix and then Festus ruled Judea.
• Pharisee: a member of the strictest Jewish religious group, which believed in the resurrection of the dead.
• Centurion: a Roman army officer in charge of about one hundred soldiers.
• Testimony: a personal account of how one met Jesus and how one’s life changed.

What was the background to Paul’s appeal to Caesar?

Paul appealed to Caesar because he doubted that he would get a fair trial in Judea.

• Long imprisonment: Paul had been kept in prison at Caesarea for two years under Governor Felix.
• New governor: Festus took over from Felix, and the Jewish leaders repeated their accusations against Paul.
• The appeal: Paul used his right as a Roman citizen and appealed to Caesar.
• Festus’ reply: after consulting his council, he said, “You have appealed to Caesar, so to Caesar you will go.”
• Result: Paul was to be sent to Rome to stand before the emperor, who was Nero.

Who were King Agrippa II and Bernice?

King Agrippa II was a Jewish ruler appointed by the Romans, and Bernice was his sister.

• King Agrippa II: great-grandson of Herod the Great and son of Herod Agrippa I, who had James the apostle killed.
• His rule: the Romans made him king over certain Jewish territories.
• His knowledge: he knew Jewish customs and religious matters well.
• Bernice: Agrippa’s sister, who came with him to Caesarea.
• Purpose of the visit: they came to greet the new governor, Festus, and keep good relations between local rulers and Roman officials.

How did Festus discuss Paul’s case with Agrippa?

Festus told Agrippa about Paul because he did not know what charge to write when sending Paul to Rome.

1. Festus said Felix had left Paul in prison.
2. The chief priests and Jewish elders had asked him to condemn Paul when he went to Jerusalem.
3. Festus told them Romans do not hand over a man before he faces his accusers and can defend himself.
4. The accusers brought no crime that Festus expected.
5. Their quarrel was about their own religion and about a dead man called Jesus, whom Paul said was alive.
6. Agrippa said, “I would like to hear this man myself.”
7. Festus replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.” (Acts 25:22)

What happened at the hearing in Acts 25:23 to 27?

The hearing was a formal gathering in the governor’s audience hall, held so that Festus could decide what to write about Paul.

• Guests: Agrippa and Bernice entered with great ceremony.
• Audience: senior army officers and leading citizens of Caesarea attended.
• Paul: he was brought in as a prisoner, still in chains.
• Festus’ statement: he said Paul had done nothing deserving death.
• The difficulty: Paul had appealed to the emperor, yet Festus had nothing definite to write.
• Festus’ request: he asked Agrippa to help him after the examination.
• His reason: it seemed unreasonable to send a prisoner without stating the charges.

This was not an official trial, since the case was already going to Caesar.

What was Paul’s defence before King Agrippa?

Paul’s defence was a personal testimony in six points, given after Agrippa said, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” (Acts 26:1)

Paul stretched out his hand, a usual gesture at the start of a formal speech.

1. His Jewish background

• He was raised as a strict Jew and lived as a Pharisee from his youth.
• The Jews who knew him could confirm this.
• In an earlier speech (Acts 22:3) he said he was taught under Gamaliel, a famous Jewish teacher.

2. His past as a persecutor

• He once strongly opposed the followers of Jesus.
• He put many Christians in prison.
• He voted for their death when they were condemned.
• He forced them to speak against Jesus.
• He pursued them even to foreign cities.

3. His meeting with Jesus

• On the road to Damascus, a bright light from heaven shone around him.
• He heard Jesus say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
• Jesus told him who He was and gave him a task.

4. His new mission

• Jesus sent him to both Jews and non-Jews.
• He was to help people turn from darkness to light.
• He was to tell them they could receive forgiveness through faith in Jesus.

5. His obedience to the vision

• He preached that people should repent and turn to God.
• His preaching reached Jews and non-Jews.
• For this reason the Jews seized him in the temple and tried to kill him.

6. His message agreed with Scripture

• He taught only what Moses and the prophets had said would happen.
• They said the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead.
• He was on trial for preaching the resurrection.

How did Festus and King Agrippa react?

Festus thought Paul was mad, while Agrippa answered with a question and did not become a Christian.

• Paul’s question: he asked, “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
• Why it was hard to answer: a “yes” supported Paul’s argument, and a “no” would upset Agrippa’s Jewish subjects.

What was the verdict?

Agrippa, Bernice and Festus agreed that Paul had done nothing deserving death or imprisonment. (Acts 26:31)

1. The king, the governor and Bernice left the room and talked privately.
2. They agreed Paul was not guilty of any crime worthy of death or prison.
3. Agrippa told Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
4. Paul’s appeal still stood, so he was sent to Rome.

How did the journey to Rome begin?

The journey began when Paul was handed over to a Roman centurion named Julius.

• Guard: Julius was the centurion in charge of Paul.
• Other prisoners: some were sent to Rome with Paul.
• Companions: Luke, who is traditionally believed to have written Acts, travelled with him.
• Route: they went by ship across the Mediterranean Sea.

What lessons can we learn from Paul’s example?

Paul’s example teaches courage, respect, readiness and faith.

1. God can use difficult situations: Paul shared the gospel with rulers he might never have met outside prison.
2. Be ready to share your story: Paul could explain how he met Jesus and how his life changed.
3. Know your audience: Paul spoke to Agrippa about Jewish beliefs because Agrippa knew them well.
4. Respect authority: though held unjustly, Paul spoke politely to Festus and Agrippa.
5. Stand firm in your faith: Paul did not deny Jesus, even when his life was at risk.
6. Truth can speak for itself: even Festus and Agrippa agreed that Paul had done nothing deserving death.

Evaluation

1. Who was King Agrippa II?
2. Why did Paul appeal to Caesar?
3. List the six main points of Paul’s defence before Agrippa.
4. How did Festus and Agrippa react to Paul’s speech?
5. State two lessons we can learn from Paul’s example.

Discussion questions

1. Why do you think King Agrippa wanted to hear Paul speak?
2. How did Paul’s background as a Pharisee help him explain his faith to King Agrippa?
3. What does Paul’s response to King Agrippa tell us about his character and priorities?
4. How can we apply Paul’s example of sharing his testimony in our own lives?
5. Why do you think God allowed Paul to be imprisoned when he had done nothing wrong?

Assignment

List the six main points of Paul’s defence before King Agrippa. Write one sentence on each point.