1466. Paul's Concluding Words

Paul's Concluding Words

"And as he thus spake for himself Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

"And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds" (Act_26:24, Act_26:29).

At verse 24 a break occurs in Paul's address. Festus, who was host to Agrippa, said with a loud voice, "Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad." This interruption brought forth four striking statements from the lips of Paul–his concluding words before Agrippa.

1. "I am not mad, most noble Festus." The slur of Festus is still flung against preachers to-day, who with fire of souls, and conviction of spirit sound forth the Word of the Gospel. At Pentecost the jeer was–"These men are drunken;" with Festus the cry was–"Thou art mad;" with the modernist insult is–"moss back," "untutored," "untaught," "preachers of decadent dogmas" and "time-worn theories."

2. "I speak forth the words of truth and soberness." Festus, and every other critic to the contrary, the message of the Gospel is the message of truth and of soberness. Men have arisen with mockings, saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?" The pew itself will not endure sound doctrine. Yet, with undaunted courage, the minister must still thunder forth the threefold message of Christ crucified, Christ risen and Christ coming again. He must preach the Word.

3. "King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know thou believest." The interruption of Festus led Paul to make this appeal to Agrippa. We would like to ask the same question of one and of all–"Believest thou?" "O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the Prophets have spoken."

The Apostle could plead the Prophets, because he preached "none other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come." He knew that Christ said of the Prophets: "They speak of Me."

The New Testament and the Epistles enlarge upon and give new light to the testimony of the Prophets, but they never contradict or undo one statement, in one jot or in one tittle, of all that the Prophets spoke.

4. "I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds." In these words, which close the chapter and Paul's plea before Agrippa, we have a vision of the inner heart throbbings, of the consuming passion for lost men, which moved the Apostle Paul. With what tenderness, with what yearnings, with what entreaty did Paul plead with Agrippa to step forth on the side of Christ!

Paul did not only yearn for his own people, the Jews, with a continual desire that they might be saved, but he also yearned for Agrippa, for Felix and for Festus, the very men who held him in bonds. He stood before them, each in turn, and with never a plea for his own release, he pled the Gospel of Christ, and sought to turn them to his Saviour. May this same spirit consume every minister of Christ!

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR