28 Then Agrippa said to
Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
29 And Paul said, “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.”
30 When he had said
these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those
who sat with them; 31 and when they had gone aside, they talked among
themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”
32 Then Agrippa said to
Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Some things are just too crazy/maddening for me. This scene
is one of them.
When Jesus was on trial before Pilate and Pilate asked Him a
question Jesus didn't respond. To His silence Pilate retorted "Don't you
know I have the power to crucify you and the power to release you?"
These men to whom Paul is speaking have the same power. They
can release him or continue to hold him or send him to Caesar or just have him
killed. Festus has and ready admitted from the beginning of this encounter with
Paul that he hasn't even written to Caesar and ready out the whole thing. If
they chose to let him go they could. Instead they huddle together and then
Agrippa says "Too bad he appealed to Caesar because clearly he is innocent
and we could have just released him."
This is an even deeper level of delusion. In dealing with
people over many years I can assure you we are quite capable of deluding not
only others but ourselves. Agrippa knows Paul is innocent. He knows Jesus was
innocent. He knows the Jewish leaders are as corrupt as a three dollar
bill. He knows and he is in the very position where he can do something about
it but he is a coward. He is a self-preservationist just like Pilate was, and
Felix, and Festus. Men who are in positions to do something about corruption
and injustice but fool themselves into thinking there is nothing they can do
and pass the buck on to someone else, all the while profiting from the system
of lies.
Paul boldly states that Agrippa believes. How he knew we are
not told. Perhaps it was obvious from the look on his face. Perhaps his body
language gave it away. Perhaps God revealed it to him.
All my life I have been told believing is everything. I have
even said it myself. However it is not this kind of believing. Even the devil
believes but he trembles. Why? Because knowing has not moved him to change.
He knows Jesus is the King of kings and that his form of government based on
selfless love is the only legitimate way to run the universe. He knows but
refuses to change. Agrippa is just like him...
To believe without taking action is worse than not believing
at all... :(
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