THE KING’S BUSINESS
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mendous, startling and soul awakening question: “ King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?” It was a master-stroke. King Agrippa was all ears, his eyes were fixed on Paul in intense attention, his guard was thoroughly down, and at that most opportune moment Paul drove in this tremendous blow. The question that Paul put to Agrippa is a good question to put to the unconverted Jew today. It is a good question to put to unconverted Gen tiles also, and then show them how won derfully the prophecies have been ful filled in the person and history and work of Jesus. The argument from prophecy is unanswerable. Many o f the “Higher Crit ics” are trying to break its force, but they have failed utterly. They have succeeded in turning the eyes o f some foolish people from .the contents o f the prophecies to questions o f authorship, but if any one will study the prophecies themselves, instead of wasting time in the endless jangle o f words about their authorship and “ sources,” he will soon find that God is the real author, that the position o f the destructive critics cannot be true, and that “Jesús is the Christ, the Son o f God.” v. 28. “ Then (And) Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian (With but little persuasion thou wouldst fain make me a Christian)." Agrippa’s answer is full o f suggestion: “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Chris tian.” While : the Authorized Version is not a literal translation o f the Greek, it comes far nearer to being a literal transla tion than that found in the Revised Version. The literal translation of Agrippa’s words is, “In a little thou persuadest me to make a Christian.” It is said that Agrippa said this in sarcasm. Possibly so, but like many another, the attempted jest revealed the real state of- his heart. Agrippa was deeply moved. He saw the cost o f further consid eration o f the claims o f Christ; he was unwilling to pay that cost; So he tried to put his convictions aside, first by a jest, then by turning to others with forced com posure (vs. 30-32). Thus Agrippa lost his
soul. And Agrippa was within one step o f eternal life. v. 29. “And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and alto gether such as I am (that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am) except these bonds." Paul took Agrippa’s words seriously: he was wise in so doing. He said: “ I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether (more exactly, might become both in little and in great) such as I am.” How Paul’s heart longed that Agrippa and every one in the company might become in everything, in little things and great things, thorough believers in and utterly surren dered servants to his Lord Jesus. But there was one thing in which he had no desire that they should be like him, that was his chains: he would have them escape the chains o f bondage even though they were responsible for his. What a glimpse we get here into his loving heart. He was willing and glad for his part to suffer any thing for Jesus Christ his Lord (2 Cor. 1 2 : 10 ), but he would spare everyone else. Paul felt in spite o f his bonds that his posi tion was higher and better than o f the king to whom he spoke. And it was. vs. 30-32. “And when he had thus spoken, ( omit, when he had thus spoken,) the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they.'that sat with them: and when they were gone aside (had with drawn), they talked between themselves (spake one to another), saying, This man doest nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then (And) said Agrippa (Agrippa said) unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar." The final, pathetic, noble plea o f Paul failed. The king would listen no longer. Pulling himself together, he tried to appear judicial and magnanimous. He spoke a feeble word for Paul, but put aside Paul’s Lord and perished. It is not patron izing a preacher, but accepting, the Savior,
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