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Sketches from the Life of Paul
abhorred their course of sin. But because they possessed, in a limited
degree, power and position, they were the favorites of the world. That
aged prisoner, standing chained to his soldier guard, presented nothing
imposing or attractive in his dress or appearance, that the world should
pay him homage. Yet this man, apparently without friends or wealth
or position, had an escort that worldlings could not see. Angels of
Heaven were his attendants. Had the glory of one of those shining
messengers flashed forth, the pomp and pride of royalty would have
paled before it; king and courtiers would have been stricken to the
earth, as were the Roman guards at the sepulcher of Christ. All Heaven
was interested in this one man, now held a prisoner for his faith in
the Son of God. Says the beloved John: “The world knoweth us not,
because it knew Him not.” The world knows not Christ, neither will
it know those who exemplify Christ. They are sons of God, children
of the royal family; yet their princely claims are not perceived by the
world. They may excite their curiosity, but they are not appreciated or
understood. They are to them uninteresting and unenvied.
Festus himself presented Paul to the assembly, in these words:
“King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this
man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both
at Jerusalem and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
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But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and
that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send
him. Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore
I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O King
Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal
to signify the crimes laid against him.”
King Agrippa now gave Paul liberty to speak for himself. The
apostle knew of how little worth are the outward circumstances of
worldly wealth and position, and he was not disconcerted by the bril-
liant display or the high rank of that titled audience. The imposing
dress of the procurator and his guests, the swords of the soldiers, and
the gleaming armor of their commanders, could not for a moment
daunt his courage or disturb his self-control. Stretching forth his mana-
cled right hand, he said: “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because
I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things
whereof I am accused of the Jews. Especially because I know thee