“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
In the above passage we are reading Paul’s words when he was brought to trial before the governor of the province, Porcius Festus and King Agrippa. Festus had little knowledge about the Jewish faith, but King Agrippa was well informed. Paul is standing trial for false accusations made against him by the Jewish leadership. He is claiming that Christ has risen from the dead and the Jewish leaders oppose his teaching. Mostly because He is stealing converts from their synagogues. Paul, in his defense narrative, is outlining for King Agrippa his background. King Agrippa knows the Jewish faith. Paul begins with that connection they both have with the Jewish faith. It is interesting that here, Paul is claiming some connection with the Jewish leadership. He is doing so to establish credibility with men. When writing, later, to the church in Philippi, however, note what he says about this type of resume:
Philippians 3:8 (ESV)
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Paul is not articulating his resume because he believes it matters to God. He knows that God sees all that we have accomplished in life as rubbish. But Paul does see that mankind often needs a resume. Man looks on the outside. God looks on the inside to our faith in Him. Agrippa will be forced to look inside, as well, as Paul unfolds his defense. But he starts with the known and then moves to the unknown; the resurrection of Jesus. In our work with mankind we, too, should be able to defend the faith. But we also might want to connect what we can with the person we are speaking to. It is not stated in these text if anyone came to Christ as a result of Paul’s message. But we do know that the message of the Gospel was explained. That is the point we are to learn in these passages. God gives the fruit. We are to simply deliver the seed in the best way possible for the seed to be used by God for fruit.
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