A Study of Acts: Festus Speaks Out and Agrippa is Nearly Persuaded
Acts 26:24-32 - Does your character, passion, and reason help to persuade others to come to Christ?
“While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving 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 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.” Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.””
Acts 26:24-32 NASB1995
As Paul finishes his testimony, Festus interrupts him in a loud voice, declaring that he is out of his mind and that his great learning is driving him mad. This is the secular world’s response to the Gospel. The believers, even if they have great learning and education, are either insane or have fallen for a ludicrous fairy tale. I was born with a logical mind, enamored as a child by the hard sciences and mathematics (I was nuts about the American space program), which is why I became an engineer.
I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs personality test multiple times in my life and have come out invariably as ENTJ (a couple of times it was ESTJ). This means that I am an extrovert, intuitive (maybe sensing), thinking, and judging. If I took the test now, I would bet I have migrated into introvert territory but I peg the scales on thinking and judging (ya think?). According to the MB website, I quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies and enjoy long-term planning and goal setting and am forceful in presenting my ideas - no wonder I was selected to be a lean/six-sigma Black Belt practitioner in my working days, a special skill that required lots of training in process improvements. I also became a subject matter expert in root cause analysis. I could also be practical, realistic, and matter-of-fact (if the sensing element comes into play). Perhaps it makes sense that a childhood hero of mine was Mr. Spock on “Star Trek”.
This rational mindset drove me away from belief. I became like Festus, unable to reconcile my “learning” with the Gospel. Those who have read these devotionals for a while know that we both came back to belief through a series of very interesting God-guided events, but even today, my lefty brain sometimes steps back from Christian belief and stares at it in wonder because of its supernatural substance. I think that’s why I love Paul - he was a well-educated man who was reached by Jesus Himself through the most remarkable circumstance as this probably the only way to get his attention. Paul responds to “most excellent” Festus by saying that he is not out of his mind but is uttering words of sober truth. Paul’s methods of preaching the Gospel are echoed in this commentary from David C. Egner as quoted on Precept Austin; Egner has written sixteen books on using faith to overcome various problems like fear (the last part of this is an interjection from Bruce Hurt, the creator of Precept Austin):
While teaching a college writing class, I used a textbook based on Aristotle’s classic work Art of Rhetoric. He outlined three forms of persuasion that can apply to the way we witness to others about Christ.
1. Ethos (character). Henry Stanley said of Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone, “He never tried to convert me, but if I had been with him any longer I would have become a Christian.” When people around us see the reality of Christ in our lives (1 Thessalonians 4:12), our words are taken more seriously.
2. Pathos (feeling). While touring Europe, a group of students from a Christian college witnessed to their busdriver. One girl tearfully pleaded, “If you don’t accept Jesus, you’ll go to hell. Please, please trust in Jesus.” That reminds me of Paul’s impassioned plea and its effect on King Agrippa (Acts 26:28).
3. Logos (reason). When we live a holy life, we will attract attention. This will lead to questions. It’s then that we are to be ready to give reasons for what we believe, and we are to do so gently and humbly (1 Peter 3:15).
Is God leading you to witness to someone? Ask for His help. One, two, or all three of these classic methods may help open the door of that person’s heart. —DCE
[from Bruce Hurt]
Thinking It Over
Why is your character so crucial to your witness?
Do nonbelievers sense your compassion for them?
Why do you believe in Christ? Have you told anyone?When you know Christ, you want others to know Him too.
There is a place in the believer’s life for exhibiting character, passion AND reason! All personality types are welcome in the Kingdom of God! All personality types can finds ways of persuasion that can lead to changed lives!
Paul continues by noting that King Agrippa should know exactly what he is talking about, that the things that have occurred have not happened in a corner. Agrippa is no doubt aware of the story of Jesus, because the Gospel is being preached everywhere in his jurisdiction and Paul knows that the King believes the prophets. Agrippa responds to Paul that he is almost persuaded to become a Christian. Paul tells him that “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.” Agrippa is not quite there to arrive at belief and likely never got there in his life because the drama of this testimony probably faded in his mind when he looked at his sister and companion. This commentary from Enduring Word is quite good:
b. You almost persuade me to become a Christian: When Paul called Agrippa to faith in the prophets and in Jesus, Agrippa refused to believe and to say he believed. Paul almost persuaded him.
i. The literal idea behind almost is “in a little, you seek to persuade me to act a Christian.” The meaning of little could be “in a short time” or it could mean “there is little distance between me and Christianity.” However close Agrippa was to becoming a believer, it wasn’t close enough.
ii. If the sense is “almost,” Agrippa’s reply is especially sorry. Of course, almost being a Christian means that you almost have eternal life and will almost be delivered from the judgment of hell; but almost isn’t enough.
iii. Far from being admired for how far he did come, Agrippa condemned himself even more by admitting how close he has come to the gospel and how clearly he has understood it, while still rejecting it.
c. To become a Christian: We may say that Paul recounted the words of Jesus on the road to Damascus, saying what a Christian is (Acts 26:18). Agrippa didn’t want it.
· He didn’t want to turn from darkness to light.
· He didn’t want to turn from the power of Satan to the power of God.
· He didn’t want to receive forgiveness of sins.
· He didn’t want a place among God’s people.
· He didn’t want to become one of those set apart by faith in Jesus.
d. You almost persuade me to become a Christian: What stopped Agrippa short? Why did he only almost become a Christian?
i. Why was Agrippa only almost persuaded? One answer was the person sitting next to him – Bernice. She was a sinful, immoral companion, and he may have rightly realized that becoming a Christian would mean losing her and his other immoral friends. He was unwilling to make that sacrifice.
ii. On the other side of Agrippa sat Festus – a man’s man, a no-nonsense man, a man who thought Paul was crazy. Perhaps Agrippa thought, “I can’t become a Christian. Festus will think I’m also crazy.” Because he wanted the praise of men, he rejected Jesus. “Alas, how many are influenced by fear of men! Oh, you cowards, will you be damned out of fear? Will you sooner let your souls perish than show your manhood by telling a poor mortal that you defy his scorn? Dare you not follow the right though all men in the world should call you to do the wrong? Oh, you cowards! You cowards! How you deserve to perish who have not enough soul to call your souls your own, but cower down before the sneers of fools!” (Charles Spurgeon)
iii. In front of Agrippa was Paul – a strong man, a noble man, and man of wisdom and character – but a man in chains. Did Agrippa say, “Well, if I became a Christian, I might end up in chains like Paul; or at the least, I would have to associate with him. We can’t have that – I’m an important person.” “O that men were wise enough to see that suffering for Christ is honour, that loss for truth is gain, that the truest dignity rests in wearing the chain upon the arm rather than endure the chain upon the soul.” (Spurgeon)
e. I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains: Paul declared his continued trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He did not retreat from his stand one inch, despite his long imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.
f. Except for these chains: With a dramatic gesture, Paul showed that even though he was in chains, he had more freedom in Jesus than any of the royalty listening had.
Almost persuaded is not salvation. A person who sees the potential in the story of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection and does not repent and believe is just as lost as the most viciously-minded keyboard-pounding rabid atheist who lurks and laughs on Christian sites, working busily for the enemy. Heaven and glory is infinitely far away from both mindsets. In fact, I would say that the person who is almost persuaded is in some ways worse off, because that person will know how badly they failed when they die and the narrow path is shut off to them. Almost persuaded also doesn’t mean going through the motions of attending church if nothing else is going on, casually reading the parts of the Bible that you like and even putting a few bills in the offering plate, if those actions do not lead to life-changing repentance, obedience and faith.
It is interesting to note that I think the “almost persuaded” faction is rampant in our society and in our churches, second only to the influences of secular world and ahead of the numbers of those who truly believe. We are doing intercessory prayers for a prayer chain at our current church. While some of the prayers are heartfelt petitions for the healing of bodies and family relationships or to bring family members to God, others are difficult to reconcile with His precepts. Some people want God to provide them things, like a house or a better car or a better job, like He is a magic genie. Some want God to intervene in a “happy” way to help them and also hope that He overlooks the sins they are committing (and they even note those sins casually in the prayers). One recent prayer requester, for example, wanted God to provide for her a house for her and her boyfriend to live in. Another wanted prayer for her live-in boyfriend who is facing criminal charges. I prayed for them, but not in the way they might expect.
Back to our passage, King Agrippa stands up, signaling that the session is over; the heat and presence of the Holy Spirit is too strong around them from Paul’s testimony. He gathers to the side with Bernice, Festus and the others who were sitting with them and they agree on two things: 1. Paul has not done anything worthy of imprisonment or death, and 2) If Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free. The commentary on this from Enduring Word is quite good:
a. When he had said these things, the king stood up: Paul’s direct challenge was too much for Agrippa, Festus, and the others on the platform. It was getting too close, too personal, and they felt they had to end it quickly by standing up and ending the proceedings.
b. This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains: Agrippa also saw there was no evidence offered to support the accusations against Paul, and he respected Paul’s great integrity even while rejecting Paul’s gospel. So, Agrippa and the others pronounced a “not guilty” verdict.
c. This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar: Yet, Paul could not be set free, because he had appealed to Caesar. It seems that once an appeal was made, it could not be retracted.
d. Appealed to Caesar: It seems that Paul might have been set free here if he had not appealed to Caesar. So, was Paul’s appeal to Caesar a good thing or a bad thing?
i. Some people believe it was a bad thing, and that Paul was trusting in the power of the Roman legal system instead of in the power of God. They say that Paul might have been set free by Agrippa if he had not appealed to Caesar.
ii. However, we should see the fulfillment of God’s plan through all these events. By his appeal to Caesar, Paul will have the opportunity to preach to the Roman Emperor the way he had to Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, thus fulfilling the promise that Paul would bear My name before…kings(Acts 9:15).
iii. The appeal to Caesar, and his subsequent journey to Rome at the Empire’s expense, were also the fulfillment of the Holy Spirit’s purpose that Paul should go to Rome (Acts 19:21, 23:11). This also answered a long-standing desire in the heart of Paul to visit the already present Christian community there (Romans 1:9-13).
The things that God intended for Paul are coming to pass and this is a good thing. He will be sent away from the dangers of the zealots in the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem and will be brought to Rome (all expenses paid by the Roman Empire); it was also a desire of Paul’s heart to visit the Christian community there.
My next devotional examines Acts 27:1-8 - The first part of Paul’s journey to Rome, from Caesarea to Fair Havens, Crete.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please help me to keep three things in mind: My character (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit), my passion (properly channeled emotions that are concerns for the souls of others), and my reason (using those gifts you have given me to solve the problem of disbelief in others). Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Precept Austin was accessed on 2/10/2025 to review commentary for Acts 26:24-32.
Commentary in Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.