JUDGED FOR THE HOPE
Acts 26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Festus, the Roman governor, who has recently replaced Felix (Acts 24:27), has received a visit from King Agrippa, and his Jewish wife, Bernice. (Acts 25:13). Agrippa has always been interested in Jewish matters, and probably has learned quite a bit from, not only his involvement with the Jewish community, but especially from his wife. Therefore, we read:
Acts 25:22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. 23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
Then, before this crowd of “principal” men, Festus gives the reason that he is thankful to have Agrippa’s help in this matter. Acts 25:25 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. 26 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. 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.
And that very fact, that Festus is new and inexperienced to this position as governor brings a very important matter to mind. For when he first came into this position he traveled to Jerusalem to introduce himself to the Jewish officials. And immediately they try that which is seemingly common to all in such circumstances; they try to overcome the “new guy” with pressure to obtain a much sought for desire. They try to arrange with him favorable circumstances for an assassination of the Apostle Paul. They asked that Paul be brought to Jerusalem for trial! (Acts 25:1-3).
But He who governs even the governors put it within the character of this novice not to adhere to their craftiness. Proverbs 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. Therefore we read in Acts 25:4,5 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
But what is so important about this small circumstance? It reveals a provided blessing to one of his sheep that the Good Shepherd would not allow for himself! For no defendant charged, as was the Apostle Paul, with treason against Rome could be sentenced in a religious court. And the accusations of treason, sacrilege, and heresy had been laid down by the Jew’s lawyer, Tertullus. Acts 24:5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: 6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
But as we say, the Lord Jesus did not allow himself this same privilege. For he had to be “in all points tempted … yet without sin!” And even though Pilate and Herod were both more seasoned veterans in their offices than was Festus, we see that this novice acts more lawful than they did! John 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
What a marvelous Savior we have in not providing for himself that which he provides for his children! For of his ordeal of trial we read, He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8). Upon him was laid both the responsibility for the entirety of the elect’s sin, and the responsibility to recover satisfaction for His Father! Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore he tread the winepress alone! But of our afflictions we read, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corin. 10:13).
No being in the history of the entire universe could justly cry out as he did, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” For not one single soul among God’s redeemed people, no matter how awful his sufferings have been, has ever been so abandoned by God, as was our Lord! He died while in the midst of originating faith for himself and for all others of his elect body! At that moment he became the author of faith! Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of (our) faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. {That word our is not in the original.} For here is the word he believed by faith: For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psa. 16:10).
What a marvelous thing to consider! As God, he had never needed, or depended upon anything outside of his own personal glorious character. But as the God-man, now held responsible for the sin of his Bride, he was required to seek aid outside Himself! And in ‘feeling’ that need, he became the perfect high priest who can now be “touched with the feeling of our infirmities!” (Heb. 4:15).
Also we must notice that in the verse preceding our text we read concerning the Apostle’s defense that he proclaimed himself to have lived a Pharisee. (26:5). And in the history of this religious belief, there has never, ever, been any allegation brought forth that the doctrine of the Pharisees was in any way treasonable! We can surely find strong and heated arguments between Sadducee and Pharisee (see Acts 23:6-9), but never the slightest hint of treason! And we surely recall the preaching of our Lord concerning their blindness against him, (Matt. 23:26), but again, nothing like treason against the authority of Rome in their doctrine.
Now let us look at Paul’s defense of himself. And his defense is, as it has always been, the setting forth of the gospel! He is here recorded as preaching concerning, the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers. For he then brings this to bear upon his accusers and their accusations against him. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. He is stating to the Roman authorities that his belief in the hope, which even the ancient prophets had always held, was the reason these unbelieving Jews were so against him!
And just what is that hope? He addresses that very clearly in the next statement he makes to King Agrippa. He makes it in the form of a question. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? The christians hope lies in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which speaks both of their personal regeneration, and of Christ’s return to earth to raise all from the dead, both the just and the unjust! And that Greek word, here translated into English as hope, is translated as faith in Hebrews 10:23. So it is not just that kind of “hope” of religious “expectation.” But it is a personal confidence in God’s word through the gift of faith that he has given each of us!
For what is regeneration (being born again), except a spiritual resurrection? For the condition of every sinner is that he is dead in trespasses and sins! (Ephesians 2:1) This is that of which our Lord was speaking in chapter five of John! John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
The dead here spoken of are those, not physically dead in activity and appetite, but those dead in trespasses and sins! For be sure to notice the words, and now is! For it was at that point in time that the Person of the Word began to call dead sinners to life! And he appointed his friend Lazarus to physically die for the glory of God (John 11:4), in order that he might reveal himself as the resurrection, and that the resurrection is not just an event in time as Martha thought (John 11:24)!
To farther clarify himself he speaks these words in the following verses of John chapter five: John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. This time after he again says, the hour is coming, as in verse 25, listed above, he does not say, and now is. For now he speaks only of the physical resurrection of the physically dead! He says we are not to wonder at his power in spiritual regeneration, for it is the same power he has in physical resurrection!
He does this same thing in raising up the lame man from his bed of affliction and also forgiving him his sins. Luke 5:23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. The spiritual, invisible act of forgiveness was manifest by the physical and visible act of raising him from his affliction. Therefore the physical act of resurrection is given so men will not be in wonder at the invisible act of their spiritual resurrection, or regeneration.
The understanding of this is also the key to having Revelation chapter twenty opened to our hearts. And my, how this passage has been mutilated by today’s pulpits! For in understanding that regeneration is but a spiritual resurrection, we understand this to be what is meant by the words, This is the first resurrection. (Rev. 20:5). For this resurrection from spiritual death into the spiritual life of Christ by the Holy Spirit, alone, renders one Blessed and holy! Rev. 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The physical resurrection at the end of the age will not change a single soul! It cannot render one blessed and holy! For if they have done evil, during their earthly lives, they shall be in the resurrection of damnation. And those who have done good, by the power of the Holy Spirit within them, are raised unto the resurrection of life. They are raised up morally in the same condition that they were in when they were put into the grave!
And this message of the true christian hope is also that which the apostle preaches when he comes to Rome. Acts 28:20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. For the resurrection gives a confident trust to all believers in Christ that is not to be had by other religions, or of just formal church members.
This hope was also the central theme of the very first gospel message delivered on Pentecost. For the Apostle Peter declares it as he refers to David. Acts 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
And Abraham, with whom the Lord God began the household of faith, had also to deal with this issue of hope. Romans 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. That is, as someone has rightly stated, “against any evidence, cherished his expectation.” For faith is it’s own evidence! Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hence, this verse: Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Pastor Gene Breed, September 21, 2013