Today’s devotion comes from Acts 25:1-23 which covers Paul appearing before Festus who succeeded Felix the governor, Paul’s defense against the charges, and Paul’s appeal to Caesar. We will focus on Festus describing this matter to King Agrippa who took interest.
“13 Now when several days had elapsed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.
14 While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix;
15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.
16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges.
17 So after they had assembled here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought before me.
18 When the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such crimes as I was expecting,
19 but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.
20 Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters.
21 But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he *said, “you shall hear him.”
——————————
After Festus “laid Paul’s case before the king”, Agrippa said: “I also would like to hear the man myself.” And, Festus replied: ““Tomorrow, you shall hear him.”
It is noteworthy that Festus drew the interest of Agrippa. The word of God can spread even through ungodly men. In a sense, Festus was “peddling the word of God”, just as a matter of interest, telling a good story to win personal favor.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 recognizes the difference between those who peddle the word of God and those who speak in sincerity. 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 recognizes the difference between those who react to this knowledge of Christ as an aroma of death and those who react to this knowledge of Christ as an aroma of life.
“14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-17.
