Paul's
testimony before Festus in Acts 25 where we come to this;
Acts
25:6-12 When Festus had tarried among them more than ten
days, he went down to Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the
judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. When
he was come, the Jews which came from Jerusalem stood round about,
and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could
not prove. While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of
the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I
offended any thing at all. But Festus, willing to do the Jews a
pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and
there be judged of these things before me? To that Paul said, I stand
at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews
have I done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I be an offender,
or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but
if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may
deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar. Then Festus, when he had
conferred with the council, answered, You have appealed to Caesar? to
Caesar shall you go. Next we see that Festus wanting to gain the favor of King Agrippa, brings Paul to him and thereby passes the buck, or in his case the septer over to him. Paul will again rehearse his testimony before King Agrippa.
Acts 26:1-32 Agrippa said to Paul, You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think myself happily, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before you touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: Especially because I know you are an expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: therefore I beseech you to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Who know me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand an am judged for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers: to which promise our twelve tribes, instantly (with all due diligence) serving God day and night, in the hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which things I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to strange cities.
Paul
from here on Proclaims
the Gospel of God's
Grace received in and through Christ alone.
Otherwise
known by John the Baptist and Jesus as the kingdom of heaven and of
God because of the Jewish despensational period and the Abrahamaic Covenant
restrictions and limitations (in the Mosaic Law , the Prophets and
Psalms) they were under.
Whereupon
as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief
priests, then at midday, O king, I saw in the way, when a LIGHT from
heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and
them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the
earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew
tongue, Saul,
Saul, why persecute you Me?
it
is
hard
for thee to kick against the pricks.
To which I said, Who are You, LORD? And He said, I
am Jesus whom you persecute.
But
arise, and stand upon your feet: for I have appeared to you for this
purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things
which you have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear
to you;
Delivering
you from the people, and
from
the
Gentiles, to whom now I send you,
to
open their eyes,
to
turn
them
from
darkness to Light, and
from
the
power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.
Thereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision: But have showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet (showing) for repentance. For these causes (charges) the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, that He should be the first that should arise from the dead, and should show Light to the people, and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spoke for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are beside yourself; much learning does make you mad.
But
Paul said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak the words of
truth and soberness. For the king knows of these things, before whom
also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are
hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner, but openly.
King Agrippa, believe you the prophets? I know that you believe. Then
Agrippa said to Paul, Almost you persuade me to be a Christian. And
Paul said, I would to God, that not only you, but also all that hear
me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except
these bonds.
What is this Gospel which Paul bears witness to?
No comments:
Post a Comment