Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Character
- Character: Having the interior life that is necessary to support the work that God sets before a person. It is hearing from God and obeying. It is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.
As I read my theological commentary from three years ago, I
couldn’t help but be reminded of Paul’s circumstances. Paul gives this appeal in the midst of
Agrippa II. This is the son of the man
who had James beheaded and who planned on doing the same to Peter. This is the grandson of the man who killed
scores of babies in an attempt to eliminate Jesus at His birth. Paul knows who this Agrippa is and what he
will do to stay in power and earn the favor of the people.
Paul also knows Festus.
He’s a Roman governor, sent to keep peace. Being a Roman governor, he doesn’t care about
Judaism. He cares about keeping the
populace happy. Plain and simple, he’s
living from a perspective of doing whatever he can to stay in power for as long
as he can without needing Rome to send and army to keep the peace.
In that circumstance Paul gives his testimony. In that circumstance Paul speaks about the
resurrection of the dead and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Could there be a more dispassionate
audience? Yet Paul still speaks the
truth. Paul still confesses to desiring
the conversion of Festus – if it were a genuine possibility.
Festus calls Paul insane.
From the worldly perspective, he is.
But from the perspective of the divine that same insanity is actually
obedience. Paul has the character to be
obedient even when obedience appears to be insanity to the world around him.
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