Romans 1

Romans 1:1

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:2

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:3

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:4

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:5

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:6

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:7

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:8

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:9

Festus Brings the Case Before Agrippa

The decision that Paul shall go to the emperor in Rome has been made. That does not mean that he will be put on transport immediately. There are still the necessary preparations to be made. The greatest concern for Festus, it turns out, is to make up a plausible reason that justifies the transport of this prisoner for the emperor.

To his joy King Agrippa and Bernice appear after a few days. They come to congratulate Festus with his new job. Their arrival was a relief because Agrippa knows the Jewish customs well. King Agrippa is accompanied by Bernice, his sister, with whom he lives.

Festus presents ‘the case of Paul’ to Agrippa. He tells how things went. Like everyone else in the world, Festus presents the case in the manner most favorable to him. He presents himself as the sincere upholder of justice, as if that must have its course and he is committed to it. The facts are as he knows them. He says that his predecessor Felix left behind a man in prison about whom he received an accusation in Jerusalem from the Jews who asked for his conviction.

With a straight face he also tells how he responded to the Jews that the Romans are not in the habit of delivering a man by way of favor. He forgets that he himself acted with Paul only by granting favor to the Jews (Acts 25:9) and that Paul accused him of this in veiled terms (Acts 25:11).

He mentions how he made “the man” come to his judgment seat without delay and listened to the accusers. The suspicions he had about what Paul might have misbehaved turned out to be unfounded. The accusations concerned only some points of disagreement with him about their own religion. He had also picked up something “about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive”.

The way in which Festus speaks about the Lord Jesus is immensely disinterested. Festus has heard the core of the gospel, of which he passes on the summary to Agrippa: that the Lord Jesus died and rose (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). To Festus, the story of the resurrection is only Jewish superstition. Festus does not say ‘alive again’ nor does he talk about the ‘resurrection’. All in all, Festus expresses Paul’s innocence. Once again, the testimony of Paul’s innocence sounds from the mouth of a pagan government servant.

Because he no longer knew what else he could do about this case, he suggested that Paul go to Jerusalem to be tried there. He concealed the motivation for his proposal from Agrippa. He immediately goes on to mention that Paul’s reaction was that he appealed to the emperor. He accepted that appeal, ordering him to be held prisoner until the moment he was sent to the emperor.

Through this report, Agrippa has become so much interested in Paul that he indicates that he wants to hear “the man” himself. Festus promises him that he will give him the opportunity to do so tomorrow.

Romans 1:10

Paul Brought Before Agrippa

The next day the remarkable meeting takes place between the distinguished of life and the scum of the world (1 Corinthians 4:13b). Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with great pomp and ceremony, having within their entourage the commanders and other prominent people of the city. When they have taken their seats, Festus causes Paul to be brought before them. In the midst of worldly splendor, a little man appears, shackled.

Thus the Lord led it to fulfill His word which He spoke when He said that Paul would bear His Name before kings (Acts 9:15). Therefore, the accused Paul is facing wicked people with depraved morals. Never before has he had such an audience.

When Paul is about to open his mouth, the scene changes. Then the judges become the accused and the accused becomes the judge. Pity may have filled the hearts of the dignitaries present when they saw the poor prisoner, but even more pity must have filled Paul’s heart when he saw all the emptiness of these lost souls.

Festus opens the session. With the words “you see” he points to Paul as a curiosity. This is the man who succeeds in antagonizing the whole crowd of Jews to such an extent that they only wish for one thing: his death. But, Festus continues, I have not been able to discover what he would have done to deserve the death penalty.

Once again, Festus testifies to Agrippa of Paul’s innocence, but now he does so in front of all the city’s dignitaries (Acts 25:18; 25). However, he could not release him because the prisoner appealed to the emperor. The prisoner has appealed to the emperor and he will therefore send him to the emperor.

Then Festus comes up with the problem with which he now is confronted. He must send Paul to the emperor, but he has not yet been able to formulate a concrete accusation. Festus has put his hopes in Agrippa that he will be able to help him put something on paper so that he would not lose face if he sent Paul to Rome.

Festus speaks in this context of the emperor as “my lord”. “My lord” is an indication for the emperor in the divine sense of the word. It is the recognition of the divine status of the emperor. Therefore, it is also offensive to the Romans that Christians do not recognize any other Lord but Jesus.

Romans 1:11

Paul Brought Before Agrippa

The next day the remarkable meeting takes place between the distinguished of life and the scum of the world (1 Corinthians 4:13b). Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with great pomp and ceremony, having within their entourage the commanders and other prominent people of the city. When they have taken their seats, Festus causes Paul to be brought before them. In the midst of worldly splendor, a little man appears, shackled.

Thus the Lord led it to fulfill His word which He spoke when He said that Paul would bear His Name before kings (Acts 9:15). Therefore, the accused Paul is facing wicked people with depraved morals. Never before has he had such an audience.

When Paul is about to open his mouth, the scene changes. Then the judges become the accused and the accused becomes the judge. Pity may have filled the hearts of the dignitaries present when they saw the poor prisoner, but even more pity must have filled Paul’s heart when he saw all the emptiness of these lost souls.

Festus opens the session. With the words “you see” he points to Paul as a curiosity. This is the man who succeeds in antagonizing the whole crowd of Jews to such an extent that they only wish for one thing: his death. But, Festus continues, I have not been able to discover what he would have done to deserve the death penalty.

Once again, Festus testifies to Agrippa of Paul’s innocence, but now he does so in front of all the city’s dignitaries (Acts 25:18; 25). However, he could not release him because the prisoner appealed to the emperor. The prisoner has appealed to the emperor and he will therefore send him to the emperor.

Then Festus comes up with the problem with which he now is confronted. He must send Paul to the emperor, but he has not yet been able to formulate a concrete accusation. Festus has put his hopes in Agrippa that he will be able to help him put something on paper so that he would not lose face if he sent Paul to Rome.

Festus speaks in this context of the emperor as “my lord”. “My lord” is an indication for the emperor in the divine sense of the word. It is the recognition of the divine status of the emperor. Therefore, it is also offensive to the Romans that Christians do not recognize any other Lord but Jesus.

Romans 1:12

Paul Brought Before Agrippa

The next day the remarkable meeting takes place between the distinguished of life and the scum of the world (1 Corinthians 4:13b). Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with great pomp and ceremony, having within their entourage the commanders and other prominent people of the city. When they have taken their seats, Festus causes Paul to be brought before them. In the midst of worldly splendor, a little man appears, shackled.

Thus the Lord led it to fulfill His word which He spoke when He said that Paul would bear His Name before kings (Acts 9:15). Therefore, the accused Paul is facing wicked people with depraved morals. Never before has he had such an audience.

When Paul is about to open his mouth, the scene changes. Then the judges become the accused and the accused becomes the judge. Pity may have filled the hearts of the dignitaries present when they saw the poor prisoner, but even more pity must have filled Paul’s heart when he saw all the emptiness of these lost souls.

Festus opens the session. With the words “you see” he points to Paul as a curiosity. This is the man who succeeds in antagonizing the whole crowd of Jews to such an extent that they only wish for one thing: his death. But, Festus continues, I have not been able to discover what he would have done to deserve the death penalty.

Once again, Festus testifies to Agrippa of Paul’s innocence, but now he does so in front of all the city’s dignitaries (Acts 25:18; 25). However, he could not release him because the prisoner appealed to the emperor. The prisoner has appealed to the emperor and he will therefore send him to the emperor.

Then Festus comes up with the problem with which he now is confronted. He must send Paul to the emperor, but he has not yet been able to formulate a concrete accusation. Festus has put his hopes in Agrippa that he will be able to help him put something on paper so that he would not lose face if he sent Paul to Rome.

Festus speaks in this context of the emperor as “my lord”. “My lord” is an indication for the emperor in the divine sense of the word. It is the recognition of the divine status of the emperor. Therefore, it is also offensive to the Romans that Christians do not recognize any other Lord but Jesus.

Romans 1:13

Paul Brought Before Agrippa

The next day the remarkable meeting takes place between the distinguished of life and the scum of the world (1 Corinthians 4:13b). Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with great pomp and ceremony, having within their entourage the commanders and other prominent people of the city. When they have taken their seats, Festus causes Paul to be brought before them. In the midst of worldly splendor, a little man appears, shackled.

Thus the Lord led it to fulfill His word which He spoke when He said that Paul would bear His Name before kings (Acts 9:15). Therefore, the accused Paul is facing wicked people with depraved morals. Never before has he had such an audience.

When Paul is about to open his mouth, the scene changes. Then the judges become the accused and the accused becomes the judge. Pity may have filled the hearts of the dignitaries present when they saw the poor prisoner, but even more pity must have filled Paul’s heart when he saw all the emptiness of these lost souls.

Festus opens the session. With the words “you see” he points to Paul as a curiosity. This is the man who succeeds in antagonizing the whole crowd of Jews to such an extent that they only wish for one thing: his death. But, Festus continues, I have not been able to discover what he would have done to deserve the death penalty.

Once again, Festus testifies to Agrippa of Paul’s innocence, but now he does so in front of all the city’s dignitaries (Acts 25:18; 25). However, he could not release him because the prisoner appealed to the emperor. The prisoner has appealed to the emperor and he will therefore send him to the emperor.

Then Festus comes up with the problem with which he now is confronted. He must send Paul to the emperor, but he has not yet been able to formulate a concrete accusation. Festus has put his hopes in Agrippa that he will be able to help him put something on paper so that he would not lose face if he sent Paul to Rome.

Festus speaks in this context of the emperor as “my lord”. “My lord” is an indication for the emperor in the divine sense of the word. It is the recognition of the divine status of the emperor. Therefore, it is also offensive to the Romans that Christians do not recognize any other Lord but Jesus.

Romans 1:14

Paul Brought Before Agrippa

The next day the remarkable meeting takes place between the distinguished of life and the scum of the world (1 Corinthians 4:13b). Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with great pomp and ceremony, having within their entourage the commanders and other prominent people of the city. When they have taken their seats, Festus causes Paul to be brought before them. In the midst of worldly splendor, a little man appears, shackled.

Thus the Lord led it to fulfill His word which He spoke when He said that Paul would bear His Name before kings (Acts 9:15). Therefore, the accused Paul is facing wicked people with depraved morals. Never before has he had such an audience.

When Paul is about to open his mouth, the scene changes. Then the judges become the accused and the accused becomes the judge. Pity may have filled the hearts of the dignitaries present when they saw the poor prisoner, but even more pity must have filled Paul’s heart when he saw all the emptiness of these lost souls.

Festus opens the session. With the words “you see” he points to Paul as a curiosity. This is the man who succeeds in antagonizing the whole crowd of Jews to such an extent that they only wish for one thing: his death. But, Festus continues, I have not been able to discover what he would have done to deserve the death penalty.

Once again, Festus testifies to Agrippa of Paul’s innocence, but now he does so in front of all the city’s dignitaries (Acts 25:18; 25). However, he could not release him because the prisoner appealed to the emperor. The prisoner has appealed to the emperor and he will therefore send him to the emperor.

Then Festus comes up with the problem with which he now is confronted. He must send Paul to the emperor, but he has not yet been able to formulate a concrete accusation. Festus has put his hopes in Agrippa that he will be able to help him put something on paper so that he would not lose face if he sent Paul to Rome.

Festus speaks in this context of the emperor as “my lord”. “My lord” is an indication for the emperor in the divine sense of the word. It is the recognition of the divine status of the emperor. Therefore, it is also offensive to the Romans that Christians do not recognize any other Lord but Jesus.

Romans 1:16

Beginning of Paul’s Defense

After the introduction by Festus, Agrippa takes charge of the gathering. He gives the floor to Paul. As a greeting Paul stretches out his shackled hand. On other occasions where he was going to speak, he also stretched out his hand, but there it was to obtain silence (Acts 13:16; Acts 21:40; cf. Acts 19:33). Then he starts his defense.

In this defense he tells what happened to him. Here he will speak extensively about his meeting with the Lord Jesus. To Festus, and also Felix, he has done this more succinctly, but here he stands before someone who knows all the customs and contentious questions of the Jews. For that fact he expresses his gratitude.

This is not flattery, but a justified observation. Agrippa will understand what he is saying, it will even appeal somewhat to his conscience. Moreover, Agrippa is favorable to him. It is pleasant for anyone who has something to say that his hearer will at least understand him.

Paul speaks in the Name of God. While he respects the position of the great ones of the earth, we see that he is morally far above them. The more than two years he has been imprisoned have not been able to depress his heart or faith. He vigorously testifies to what the Lord has done to him, even if it does not have the fervently desired effect on Agrippa and Festus. And there are others present. Maybe it has impressed one of them. Eternity will reveal it.

Paul does not repeat his conversion history just like that. Each of the two times he tells this history, it is in view of the audience he has in front of him. In Acts 22 he stands before the Jews (Acts 21:40; Acts 22:1-2). Here he stands before one who knows Judaism, of whom he even says further on, that he believes the prophets (Acts 26:27). From everything we read of Agrippa, it is clear that to him, faith is only an outward matter.

Romans 1:17

Beginning of Paul’s Defense

After the introduction by Festus, Agrippa takes charge of the gathering. He gives the floor to Paul. As a greeting Paul stretches out his shackled hand. On other occasions where he was going to speak, he also stretched out his hand, but there it was to obtain silence (Acts 13:16; Acts 21:40; cf. Acts 19:33). Then he starts his defense.

In this defense he tells what happened to him. Here he will speak extensively about his meeting with the Lord Jesus. To Festus, and also Felix, he has done this more succinctly, but here he stands before someone who knows all the customs and contentious questions of the Jews. For that fact he expresses his gratitude.

This is not flattery, but a justified observation. Agrippa will understand what he is saying, it will even appeal somewhat to his conscience. Moreover, Agrippa is favorable to him. It is pleasant for anyone who has something to say that his hearer will at least understand him.

Paul speaks in the Name of God. While he respects the position of the great ones of the earth, we see that he is morally far above them. The more than two years he has been imprisoned have not been able to depress his heart or faith. He vigorously testifies to what the Lord has done to him, even if it does not have the fervently desired effect on Agrippa and Festus. And there are others present. Maybe it has impressed one of them. Eternity will reveal it.

Paul does not repeat his conversion history just like that. Each of the two times he tells this history, it is in view of the audience he has in front of him. In Acts 22 he stands before the Jews (Acts 21:40; Acts 22:1-2). Here he stands before one who knows Judaism, of whom he even says further on, that he believes the prophets (Acts 26:27). From everything we read of Agrippa, it is clear that to him, faith is only an outward matter.

Romans 1:18

Beginning of Paul’s Defense

After the introduction by Festus, Agrippa takes charge of the gathering. He gives the floor to Paul. As a greeting Paul stretches out his shackled hand. On other occasions where he was going to speak, he also stretched out his hand, but there it was to obtain silence (Acts 13:16; Acts 21:40; cf. Acts 19:33). Then he starts his defense.

In this defense he tells what happened to him. Here he will speak extensively about his meeting with the Lord Jesus. To Festus, and also Felix, he has done this more succinctly, but here he stands before someone who knows all the customs and contentious questions of the Jews. For that fact he expresses his gratitude.

This is not flattery, but a justified observation. Agrippa will understand what he is saying, it will even appeal somewhat to his conscience. Moreover, Agrippa is favorable to him. It is pleasant for anyone who has something to say that his hearer will at least understand him.

Paul speaks in the Name of God. While he respects the position of the great ones of the earth, we see that he is morally far above them. The more than two years he has been imprisoned have not been able to depress his heart or faith. He vigorously testifies to what the Lord has done to him, even if it does not have the fervently desired effect on Agrippa and Festus. And there are others present. Maybe it has impressed one of them. Eternity will reveal it.

Paul does not repeat his conversion history just like that. Each of the two times he tells this history, it is in view of the audience he has in front of him. In Acts 22 he stands before the Jews (Acts 21:40; Acts 22:1-2). Here he stands before one who knows Judaism, of whom he even says further on, that he believes the prophets (Acts 26:27). From everything we read of Agrippa, it is clear that to him, faith is only an outward matter.

Romans 1:19

Paul’s Youth as a Jew

Paul tells his life story, what happened to him. He came to Jerusalem quite young. There he excelled in the strictest sect, that of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were already strict, but he put a little more on top of it. His enormous zeal was so striking that all Jews knew about it. He adds that he could call them to testify if they wanted to.

He has not been a one-day fly, but he has lived by it consistently. Paul was not just any Pharisee. Opposite Agrippa, who knows the Pharisees, he presents his background as a fanatical Pharisee, so that he will be impressed by the tremendous change that has taken place in him.

As a Pharisee, he believed in the fulfillment of the promises made by God to His people in the Old Testament. Those promises were still not fulfilled. Therefore, all “twelve tribes” were still looking forward to that fulfillment. Paul speaks of the twelve tribes. It is clear to him that the ten tribes that are in the scattering will share in the same promises.

There is no question of any of these tribes being lost. For faith they are there – Anna, the prophetess, for example, came from Aser (Luke 2:36) – and in God’s time these tribes will also appear. By the twelve tribes that earnestly serve God night and day, Paul does not mean the unbelieving mass of the people, but the true Israel of God, the Jews who believe in the Messiah Who has come.

Precisely the hope that the Jews themselves had as a nation was the basis of the accusation against him. That accusation was made by the unbelieving leaders. They rejected Him with Whom the hope of Israel’s future is indissolubly connected. That hope is the Messiah. That hope the believing Jews found in the coming of the Lord Jesus and that is the reason for the attacks of the unbelieving Jews.

The hope of the fulfillment of the promises, is also connected with faith in the resurrection. All believers to whom the promises were made in the Old Testament died without having received the promises. Nevertheless, they will receive what was promised to them in the resurrection. Promises and resurrection belong together. Above all, it is connected to faith in the resurrection of the Messiah, Who was rejected and killed at His coming to fulfill the promises. By talking about the future restoration of Israel, Paul offers his audience a broad perspective.

With his words Paul especially wants to reach King Agrippa. To that end he addresses him directly when he says to him: “O King.” Afterward he also has a question for all those present. He asks his audience the penetrating question why they judge the raising of the dead by God to be unbelievable. This makes the resurrection the central theme of Paul’s speech. Whoever believes in God must believe in Him as the God of the resurrection. This is the core of the difference of opinion between the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles on the one hand and the Christians on the other hand.

Romans 1:20

Paul’s Youth as a Jew

Paul tells his life story, what happened to him. He came to Jerusalem quite young. There he excelled in the strictest sect, that of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were already strict, but he put a little more on top of it. His enormous zeal was so striking that all Jews knew about it. He adds that he could call them to testify if they wanted to.

He has not been a one-day fly, but he has lived by it consistently. Paul was not just any Pharisee. Opposite Agrippa, who knows the Pharisees, he presents his background as a fanatical Pharisee, so that he will be impressed by the tremendous change that has taken place in him.

As a Pharisee, he believed in the fulfillment of the promises made by God to His people in the Old Testament. Those promises were still not fulfilled. Therefore, all “twelve tribes” were still looking forward to that fulfillment. Paul speaks of the twelve tribes. It is clear to him that the ten tribes that are in the scattering will share in the same promises.

There is no question of any of these tribes being lost. For faith they are there – Anna, the prophetess, for example, came from Aser (Luke 2:36) – and in God’s time these tribes will also appear. By the twelve tribes that earnestly serve God night and day, Paul does not mean the unbelieving mass of the people, but the true Israel of God, the Jews who believe in the Messiah Who has come.

Precisely the hope that the Jews themselves had as a nation was the basis of the accusation against him. That accusation was made by the unbelieving leaders. They rejected Him with Whom the hope of Israel’s future is indissolubly connected. That hope is the Messiah. That hope the believing Jews found in the coming of the Lord Jesus and that is the reason for the attacks of the unbelieving Jews.

The hope of the fulfillment of the promises, is also connected with faith in the resurrection. All believers to whom the promises were made in the Old Testament died without having received the promises. Nevertheless, they will receive what was promised to them in the resurrection. Promises and resurrection belong together. Above all, it is connected to faith in the resurrection of the Messiah, Who was rejected and killed at His coming to fulfill the promises. By talking about the future restoration of Israel, Paul offers his audience a broad perspective.

With his words Paul especially wants to reach King Agrippa. To that end he addresses him directly when he says to him: “O King.” Afterward he also has a question for all those present. He asks his audience the penetrating question why they judge the raising of the dead by God to be unbelievable. This makes the resurrection the central theme of Paul’s speech. Whoever believes in God must believe in Him as the God of the resurrection. This is the core of the difference of opinion between the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles on the one hand and the Christians on the other hand.

Romans 1:21

Paul’s Youth as a Jew

Paul tells his life story, what happened to him. He came to Jerusalem quite young. There he excelled in the strictest sect, that of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were already strict, but he put a little more on top of it. His enormous zeal was so striking that all Jews knew about it. He adds that he could call them to testify if they wanted to.

He has not been a one-day fly, but he has lived by it consistently. Paul was not just any Pharisee. Opposite Agrippa, who knows the Pharisees, he presents his background as a fanatical Pharisee, so that he will be impressed by the tremendous change that has taken place in him.

As a Pharisee, he believed in the fulfillment of the promises made by God to His people in the Old Testament. Those promises were still not fulfilled. Therefore, all “twelve tribes” were still looking forward to that fulfillment. Paul speaks of the twelve tribes. It is clear to him that the ten tribes that are in the scattering will share in the same promises.

There is no question of any of these tribes being lost. For faith they are there – Anna, the prophetess, for example, came from Aser (Luke 2:36) – and in God’s time these tribes will also appear. By the twelve tribes that earnestly serve God night and day, Paul does not mean the unbelieving mass of the people, but the true Israel of God, the Jews who believe in the Messiah Who has come.

Precisely the hope that the Jews themselves had as a nation was the basis of the accusation against him. That accusation was made by the unbelieving leaders. They rejected Him with Whom the hope of Israel’s future is indissolubly connected. That hope is the Messiah. That hope the believing Jews found in the coming of the Lord Jesus and that is the reason for the attacks of the unbelieving Jews.

The hope of the fulfillment of the promises, is also connected with faith in the resurrection. All believers to whom the promises were made in the Old Testament died without having received the promises. Nevertheless, they will receive what was promised to them in the resurrection. Promises and resurrection belong together. Above all, it is connected to faith in the resurrection of the Messiah, Who was rejected and killed at His coming to fulfill the promises. By talking about the future restoration of Israel, Paul offers his audience a broad perspective.

With his words Paul especially wants to reach King Agrippa. To that end he addresses him directly when he says to him: “O King.” Afterward he also has a question for all those present. He asks his audience the penetrating question why they judge the raising of the dead by God to be unbelievable. This makes the resurrection the central theme of Paul’s speech. Whoever believes in God must believe in Him as the God of the resurrection. This is the core of the difference of opinion between the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles on the one hand and the Christians on the other hand.

Romans 1:22

Paul’s Youth as a Jew

Paul tells his life story, what happened to him. He came to Jerusalem quite young. There he excelled in the strictest sect, that of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were already strict, but he put a little more on top of it. His enormous zeal was so striking that all Jews knew about it. He adds that he could call them to testify if they wanted to.

He has not been a one-day fly, but he has lived by it consistently. Paul was not just any Pharisee. Opposite Agrippa, who knows the Pharisees, he presents his background as a fanatical Pharisee, so that he will be impressed by the tremendous change that has taken place in him.

As a Pharisee, he believed in the fulfillment of the promises made by God to His people in the Old Testament. Those promises were still not fulfilled. Therefore, all “twelve tribes” were still looking forward to that fulfillment. Paul speaks of the twelve tribes. It is clear to him that the ten tribes that are in the scattering will share in the same promises.

There is no question of any of these tribes being lost. For faith they are there – Anna, the prophetess, for example, came from Aser (Luke 2:36) – and in God’s time these tribes will also appear. By the twelve tribes that earnestly serve God night and day, Paul does not mean the unbelieving mass of the people, but the true Israel of God, the Jews who believe in the Messiah Who has come.

Precisely the hope that the Jews themselves had as a nation was the basis of the accusation against him. That accusation was made by the unbelieving leaders. They rejected Him with Whom the hope of Israel’s future is indissolubly connected. That hope is the Messiah. That hope the believing Jews found in the coming of the Lord Jesus and that is the reason for the attacks of the unbelieving Jews.

The hope of the fulfillment of the promises, is also connected with faith in the resurrection. All believers to whom the promises were made in the Old Testament died without having received the promises. Nevertheless, they will receive what was promised to them in the resurrection. Promises and resurrection belong together. Above all, it is connected to faith in the resurrection of the Messiah, Who was rejected and killed at His coming to fulfill the promises. By talking about the future restoration of Israel, Paul offers his audience a broad perspective.

With his words Paul especially wants to reach King Agrippa. To that end he addresses him directly when he says to him: “O King.” Afterward he also has a question for all those present. He asks his audience the penetrating question why they judge the raising of the dead by God to be unbelievable. This makes the resurrection the central theme of Paul’s speech. Whoever believes in God must believe in Him as the God of the resurrection. This is the core of the difference of opinion between the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles on the one hand and the Christians on the other hand.

Romans 1:23

Paul’s Youth as a Jew

Paul tells his life story, what happened to him. He came to Jerusalem quite young. There he excelled in the strictest sect, that of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were already strict, but he put a little more on top of it. His enormous zeal was so striking that all Jews knew about it. He adds that he could call them to testify if they wanted to.

He has not been a one-day fly, but he has lived by it consistently. Paul was not just any Pharisee. Opposite Agrippa, who knows the Pharisees, he presents his background as a fanatical Pharisee, so that he will be impressed by the tremendous change that has taken place in him.

As a Pharisee, he believed in the fulfillment of the promises made by God to His people in the Old Testament. Those promises were still not fulfilled. Therefore, all “twelve tribes” were still looking forward to that fulfillment. Paul speaks of the twelve tribes. It is clear to him that the ten tribes that are in the scattering will share in the same promises.

There is no question of any of these tribes being lost. For faith they are there – Anna, the prophetess, for example, came from Aser (Luke 2:36) – and in God’s time these tribes will also appear. By the twelve tribes that earnestly serve God night and day, Paul does not mean the unbelieving mass of the people, but the true Israel of God, the Jews who believe in the Messiah Who has come.

Precisely the hope that the Jews themselves had as a nation was the basis of the accusation against him. That accusation was made by the unbelieving leaders. They rejected Him with Whom the hope of Israel’s future is indissolubly connected. That hope is the Messiah. That hope the believing Jews found in the coming of the Lord Jesus and that is the reason for the attacks of the unbelieving Jews.

The hope of the fulfillment of the promises, is also connected with faith in the resurrection. All believers to whom the promises were made in the Old Testament died without having received the promises. Nevertheless, they will receive what was promised to them in the resurrection. Promises and resurrection belong together. Above all, it is connected to faith in the resurrection of the Messiah, Who was rejected and killed at His coming to fulfill the promises. By talking about the future restoration of Israel, Paul offers his audience a broad perspective.

With his words Paul especially wants to reach King Agrippa. To that end he addresses him directly when he says to him: “O King.” Afterward he also has a question for all those present. He asks his audience the penetrating question why they judge the raising of the dead by God to be unbelievable. This makes the resurrection the central theme of Paul’s speech. Whoever believes in God must believe in Him as the God of the resurrection. This is the core of the difference of opinion between the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles on the one hand and the Christians on the other hand.

Romans 1:24

Paul’s Zeal Against Christendom

Paul is pre-eminently the man to whom applies what the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “But an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2-3). As a Jew he considered himself obliged to do a lot of hostility “to the name of Jesus of Nazareth”. The name expresses everything that the person is. This Name was hated by Paul because it was against his deepest belief. For him, Jesus of Nazareth was the great deceiver.

In Jerusalem, Paul raged against Him in the persecution and torture of those he now calls “saints”. There was no pity at all for his victims. He forced them to renounce the Name of Jesus and say ugly things of Him. By the way, the fact that he forced them to slander does not mean that the Christians did the same.

He was so passionate about eradicating this sect that he did not confine himself to Jerusalem in his zeal to do so. The saints were not safe from him in foreign cities either. His persecution madness drove him there as well.

Romans 1:25

Paul’s Zeal Against Christendom

Paul is pre-eminently the man to whom applies what the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “But an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2-3). As a Jew he considered himself obliged to do a lot of hostility “to the name of Jesus of Nazareth”. The name expresses everything that the person is. This Name was hated by Paul because it was against his deepest belief. For him, Jesus of Nazareth was the great deceiver.

In Jerusalem, Paul raged against Him in the persecution and torture of those he now calls “saints”. There was no pity at all for his victims. He forced them to renounce the Name of Jesus and say ugly things of Him. By the way, the fact that he forced them to slander does not mean that the Christians did the same.

He was so passionate about eradicating this sect that he did not confine himself to Jerusalem in his zeal to do so. The saints were not safe from him in foreign cities either. His persecution madness drove him there as well.

Romans 1:26

Paul’s Zeal Against Christendom

Paul is pre-eminently the man to whom applies what the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “But an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2-3). As a Jew he considered himself obliged to do a lot of hostility “to the name of Jesus of Nazareth”. The name expresses everything that the person is. This Name was hated by Paul because it was against his deepest belief. For him, Jesus of Nazareth was the great deceiver.

In Jerusalem, Paul raged against Him in the persecution and torture of those he now calls “saints”. There was no pity at all for his victims. He forced them to renounce the Name of Jesus and say ugly things of Him. By the way, the fact that he forced them to slander does not mean that the Christians did the same.

He was so passionate about eradicating this sect that he did not confine himself to Jerusalem in his zeal to do so. The saints were not safe from him in foreign cities either. His persecution madness drove him there as well.

Romans 1:27

Paul’s Conversion

The chief priests had in him a great tool for their evil intent. They were only too happy to give him mandate and order to track down and eradicate this new movement in Damascus as well. And then the totally unexpected happens. At the height of his fanaticism comes the turnaround. In the fire of his report Paul experiences this impressive event once again. What he saw then, he cannot deny. How can someone deny a personal experience, something he himself observed?

Through the exclamation “O King” Paul speaks again emphatically to Agrippa in a personal way and emphasizes for him the observation he made. At midday he saw a light brighter than the sun. This cannot but be the light of the Lord Jesus, Who is called “the sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). Until this moment, this man was blinded by his legalistic zeal against the grace of God in Christ. Then the light shines into his soul. Then that same Christ reveals Himself and thereby erases everything on which he boasted as a Jew and in which he rested, and makes it to nothing.

This is the moment of his conversion. The jailer is converted in the very midst of the night (Acts 16:25; 33), Paul comes to conversion at the clearest of the day. The impression this has made on him he presents here again stronger than the last time when he recounted his conversion history. Then he spoke of a bright light from heaven (Acts 22:6). Now he speaks of a light from heaven that is brighter than the sun. It shows that his impression of Who the Lord is, has become ever greater. This is how it should be with us. The longer we live with the Lord, the greater He must become for us. We should always be able to bear witness to that increasing greatness.

The light radiated not only all around Paul, but also all around those who travelled with him. They also fell to the ground. What may have been interpreted by Paul’s companions as nothing more than a natural phenomenon, meant a lot more to Paul. He heard a voice addressing him in the Hebrew language and by his Hebrew name.

His name Saul reminds us of King Saul. It is possible that his parents called him so because they expected the same from him as they saw in Saul. King Saul was bigger than all the people and they wanted their son to be too. This parallel also came true in a spiritual sense and not only in the fact that he stood out in knowledge and zeal above all his contemporaries. King Saul became a persecutor of God’s anointed King David; the New Testament Saul became a persecutor of God’s Messiah, which means ‘Anointed’.

In that way of resisting and persecuting the Messianic Jews, Saul was warned by God. God made him feel the goads of His Word (Ecclesiastes 12:11). We can discover these goads in Stephen’s testimony and that of other believers Saul tortured. The words of those believers affected him, but he did not want to listen to them. Until the moment the breakthrough comes on the road to Damascus.

The answer to the Lord’s question is a question from Paul which immediately shows all his submission. He asks: “Who are You, Lord?” The answer is that he persecutes “Jesus”. But he persecuted the church, didn’t he? Here we see that ‘Jesus’, the name of the Lord in His humiliation on earth, identifies Himself with His persecuted and humiliated church. Paul thought Him dead and saw the Way he was persecuting as dangerous. That image and all his ensuing activities with which he thought he was doing God a service, are suddenly completely undermined by this encounter.

Romans 1:28

Paul’s Conversion

The chief priests had in him a great tool for their evil intent. They were only too happy to give him mandate and order to track down and eradicate this new movement in Damascus as well. And then the totally unexpected happens. At the height of his fanaticism comes the turnaround. In the fire of his report Paul experiences this impressive event once again. What he saw then, he cannot deny. How can someone deny a personal experience, something he himself observed?

Through the exclamation “O King” Paul speaks again emphatically to Agrippa in a personal way and emphasizes for him the observation he made. At midday he saw a light brighter than the sun. This cannot but be the light of the Lord Jesus, Who is called “the sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). Until this moment, this man was blinded by his legalistic zeal against the grace of God in Christ. Then the light shines into his soul. Then that same Christ reveals Himself and thereby erases everything on which he boasted as a Jew and in which he rested, and makes it to nothing.

This is the moment of his conversion. The jailer is converted in the very midst of the night (Acts 16:25; 33), Paul comes to conversion at the clearest of the day. The impression this has made on him he presents here again stronger than the last time when he recounted his conversion history. Then he spoke of a bright light from heaven (Acts 22:6). Now he speaks of a light from heaven that is brighter than the sun. It shows that his impression of Who the Lord is, has become ever greater. This is how it should be with us. The longer we live with the Lord, the greater He must become for us. We should always be able to bear witness to that increasing greatness.

The light radiated not only all around Paul, but also all around those who travelled with him. They also fell to the ground. What may have been interpreted by Paul’s companions as nothing more than a natural phenomenon, meant a lot more to Paul. He heard a voice addressing him in the Hebrew language and by his Hebrew name.

His name Saul reminds us of King Saul. It is possible that his parents called him so because they expected the same from him as they saw in Saul. King Saul was bigger than all the people and they wanted their son to be too. This parallel also came true in a spiritual sense and not only in the fact that he stood out in knowledge and zeal above all his contemporaries. King Saul became a persecutor of God’s anointed King David; the New Testament Saul became a persecutor of God’s Messiah, which means ‘Anointed’.

In that way of resisting and persecuting the Messianic Jews, Saul was warned by God. God made him feel the goads of His Word (Ecclesiastes 12:11). We can discover these goads in Stephen’s testimony and that of other believers Saul tortured. The words of those believers affected him, but he did not want to listen to them. Until the moment the breakthrough comes on the road to Damascus.

The answer to the Lord’s question is a question from Paul which immediately shows all his submission. He asks: “Who are You, Lord?” The answer is that he persecutes “Jesus”. But he persecuted the church, didn’t he? Here we see that ‘Jesus’, the name of the Lord in His humiliation on earth, identifies Himself with His persecuted and humiliated church. Paul thought Him dead and saw the Way he was persecuting as dangerous. That image and all his ensuing activities with which he thought he was doing God a service, are suddenly completely undermined by this encounter.

Romans 1:29

Paul’s Conversion

The chief priests had in him a great tool for their evil intent. They were only too happy to give him mandate and order to track down and eradicate this new movement in Damascus as well. And then the totally unexpected happens. At the height of his fanaticism comes the turnaround. In the fire of his report Paul experiences this impressive event once again. What he saw then, he cannot deny. How can someone deny a personal experience, something he himself observed?

Through the exclamation “O King” Paul speaks again emphatically to Agrippa in a personal way and emphasizes for him the observation he made. At midday he saw a light brighter than the sun. This cannot but be the light of the Lord Jesus, Who is called “the sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). Until this moment, this man was blinded by his legalistic zeal against the grace of God in Christ. Then the light shines into his soul. Then that same Christ reveals Himself and thereby erases everything on which he boasted as a Jew and in which he rested, and makes it to nothing.

This is the moment of his conversion. The jailer is converted in the very midst of the night (Acts 16:25; 33), Paul comes to conversion at the clearest of the day. The impression this has made on him he presents here again stronger than the last time when he recounted his conversion history. Then he spoke of a bright light from heaven (Acts 22:6). Now he speaks of a light from heaven that is brighter than the sun. It shows that his impression of Who the Lord is, has become ever greater. This is how it should be with us. The longer we live with the Lord, the greater He must become for us. We should always be able to bear witness to that increasing greatness.

The light radiated not only all around Paul, but also all around those who travelled with him. They also fell to the ground. What may have been interpreted by Paul’s companions as nothing more than a natural phenomenon, meant a lot more to Paul. He heard a voice addressing him in the Hebrew language and by his Hebrew name.

His name Saul reminds us of King Saul. It is possible that his parents called him so because they expected the same from him as they saw in Saul. King Saul was bigger than all the people and they wanted their son to be too. This parallel also came true in a spiritual sense and not only in the fact that he stood out in knowledge and zeal above all his contemporaries. King Saul became a persecutor of God’s anointed King David; the New Testament Saul became a persecutor of God’s Messiah, which means ‘Anointed’.

In that way of resisting and persecuting the Messianic Jews, Saul was warned by God. God made him feel the goads of His Word (Ecclesiastes 12:11). We can discover these goads in Stephen’s testimony and that of other believers Saul tortured. The words of those believers affected him, but he did not want to listen to them. Until the moment the breakthrough comes on the road to Damascus.

The answer to the Lord’s question is a question from Paul which immediately shows all his submission. He asks: “Who are You, Lord?” The answer is that he persecutes “Jesus”. But he persecuted the church, didn’t he? Here we see that ‘Jesus’, the name of the Lord in His humiliation on earth, identifies Himself with His persecuted and humiliated church. Paul thought Him dead and saw the Way he was persecuting as dangerous. That image and all his ensuing activities with which he thought he was doing God a service, are suddenly completely undermined by this encounter.

Romans 1:30

Paul’s Conversion

The chief priests had in him a great tool for their evil intent. They were only too happy to give him mandate and order to track down and eradicate this new movement in Damascus as well. And then the totally unexpected happens. At the height of his fanaticism comes the turnaround. In the fire of his report Paul experiences this impressive event once again. What he saw then, he cannot deny. How can someone deny a personal experience, something he himself observed?

Through the exclamation “O King” Paul speaks again emphatically to Agrippa in a personal way and emphasizes for him the observation he made. At midday he saw a light brighter than the sun. This cannot but be the light of the Lord Jesus, Who is called “the sun of righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). Until this moment, this man was blinded by his legalistic zeal against the grace of God in Christ. Then the light shines into his soul. Then that same Christ reveals Himself and thereby erases everything on which he boasted as a Jew and in which he rested, and makes it to nothing.

This is the moment of his conversion. The jailer is converted in the very midst of the night (Acts 16:25; 33), Paul comes to conversion at the clearest of the day. The impression this has made on him he presents here again stronger than the last time when he recounted his conversion history. Then he spoke of a bright light from heaven (Acts 22:6). Now he speaks of a light from heaven that is brighter than the sun. It shows that his impression of Who the Lord is, has become ever greater. This is how it should be with us. The longer we live with the Lord, the greater He must become for us. We should always be able to bear witness to that increasing greatness.

The light radiated not only all around Paul, but also all around those who travelled with him. They also fell to the ground. What may have been interpreted by Paul’s companions as nothing more than a natural phenomenon, meant a lot more to Paul. He heard a voice addressing him in the Hebrew language and by his Hebrew name.

His name Saul reminds us of King Saul. It is possible that his parents called him so because they expected the same from him as they saw in Saul. King Saul was bigger than all the people and they wanted their son to be too. This parallel also came true in a spiritual sense and not only in the fact that he stood out in knowledge and zeal above all his contemporaries. King Saul became a persecutor of God’s anointed King David; the New Testament Saul became a persecutor of God’s Messiah, which means ‘Anointed’.

In that way of resisting and persecuting the Messianic Jews, Saul was warned by God. God made him feel the goads of His Word (Ecclesiastes 12:11). We can discover these goads in Stephen’s testimony and that of other believers Saul tortured. The words of those believers affected him, but he did not want to listen to them. Until the moment the breakthrough comes on the road to Damascus.

The answer to the Lord’s question is a question from Paul which immediately shows all his submission. He asks: “Who are You, Lord?” The answer is that he persecutes “Jesus”. But he persecuted the church, didn’t he? Here we see that ‘Jesus’, the name of the Lord in His humiliation on earth, identifies Himself with His persecuted and humiliated church. Paul thought Him dead and saw the Way he was persecuting as dangerous. That image and all his ensuing activities with which he thought he was doing God a service, are suddenly completely undermined by this encounter.

Romans 1:31

The Lord’s Command to Paul

From now on, his life will take a radical turn. The Lord has not only spoken to him to bring him to repentance and salvation. He has to get up and stand on his feet, because the Lord wants to make him a servant and a witness. Paul immediately learns the purpose of his conversion. This also applies to us (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:14). There was a great work ahead of him. For this the Lord appeared to him.

His testimony has a glorified Lord as its object. He is a completely different witness than the twelve apostles who travelled through Israel with the Lord. Just as the service of Peter and John was typified by the Christ on earth, so his service is characterized by a glorified Lord, a Lord in heaven. Wherever the Lord will appear to him, it will have to do with revealing the mystery of Christ and the church.

His service will also be characterized by being detached from Judaism and all other people in order to be set apart for a service to them all. He occupies a chosen position both with regard to Judaism and paganism. He has a message from the Lord for both, Who sends him to them. He has to bring that message to blind Jews as well as to the Gentiles. Judaism has lost its privileged position.

In a similar way we have been detached from the world at our conversion (Galatians 1:4). This is not to live in isolation, but to be sent straight back into it (John 20:21) to serve the lost people for the purpose of their conversion.

Only God can open eyes (Psalms 146:8). If Paul is commanded to do the same, it means that he can act in the name of God. Opening eyes means that someone’s eyes are opened for who he is toward God to then see what has been given to him by God. In order to open the eyes of others we must have an eye for the possibilities God gives for that. For example, Paul opened the eyes of the Athenians by pointing out the altar to the unknown God (Acts 17:22-23). Here he stands before Agrippa, whose eyes he also wants to open. He speaks to him in a penetrating way what this opening of the eyes means.

The few words the Lord has spoken to him about this and which he passes on to Agrippa, contain the fullness of the gospel. Through the gospel one’s eyes are opened; he comes into the light and to God (cf. Colossians 1:12) with all the glorious consequences. In the first place it is about people turning from the power of darkness to light. Paul has just given an impressive personal testimony of this light. The power of darkness is the darkness in which the soul is enveloped by sin. This power of darkness also reigned in Paul’s soul, despite all his religiousness.

People must also turn from the power of satan to God. The power of satan focuses more on the outward bondage through which people come to a life that revolves only around themselves and the satisfaction of their own needs. Paul has testified to this as well. In order to live meaningfully, conversion to God is necessary. God is the Creator and knows perfectly what is necessary for a life to His glory and He also gives what is necessary for that. Such a life “is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and [also] for the [life] to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

The consequences of conversion are also great. This is what Paul also speaks about. It is a life based on the forgiveness of sins received through faith “in Me”, that is in the Lord Jesus. The forgiveness of sins is the awareness that there is nothing more between the holy God and the sinful man who has converted. When sins are gone that make separation between God and man, it opens the way for the Lord to give every converted soul an inheritance among the saints.

Christendom is not some kind of fulfillment of Judaism, but goes far beyond it. It is about “an inheritance among those who have been sanctified”, an inheritance together with all the other saints, in the light. It is not an inheritance on earth, but “in the light” (Colossians 1:12). It is an inheritance with Christ (Ephesians 1:10-11). All these glorious things are connected with the faith in Him Who was once hated so much by Paul, but Who stopped him.

Romans 1:32

The Lord’s Command to Paul

From now on, his life will take a radical turn. The Lord has not only spoken to him to bring him to repentance and salvation. He has to get up and stand on his feet, because the Lord wants to make him a servant and a witness. Paul immediately learns the purpose of his conversion. This also applies to us (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:14). There was a great work ahead of him. For this the Lord appeared to him.

His testimony has a glorified Lord as its object. He is a completely different witness than the twelve apostles who travelled through Israel with the Lord. Just as the service of Peter and John was typified by the Christ on earth, so his service is characterized by a glorified Lord, a Lord in heaven. Wherever the Lord will appear to him, it will have to do with revealing the mystery of Christ and the church.

His service will also be characterized by being detached from Judaism and all other people in order to be set apart for a service to them all. He occupies a chosen position both with regard to Judaism and paganism. He has a message from the Lord for both, Who sends him to them. He has to bring that message to blind Jews as well as to the Gentiles. Judaism has lost its privileged position.

In a similar way we have been detached from the world at our conversion (Galatians 1:4). This is not to live in isolation, but to be sent straight back into it (John 20:21) to serve the lost people for the purpose of their conversion.

Only God can open eyes (Psalms 146:8). If Paul is commanded to do the same, it means that he can act in the name of God. Opening eyes means that someone’s eyes are opened for who he is toward God to then see what has been given to him by God. In order to open the eyes of others we must have an eye for the possibilities God gives for that. For example, Paul opened the eyes of the Athenians by pointing out the altar to the unknown God (Acts 17:22-23). Here he stands before Agrippa, whose eyes he also wants to open. He speaks to him in a penetrating way what this opening of the eyes means.

The few words the Lord has spoken to him about this and which he passes on to Agrippa, contain the fullness of the gospel. Through the gospel one’s eyes are opened; he comes into the light and to God (cf. Colossians 1:12) with all the glorious consequences. In the first place it is about people turning from the power of darkness to light. Paul has just given an impressive personal testimony of this light. The power of darkness is the darkness in which the soul is enveloped by sin. This power of darkness also reigned in Paul’s soul, despite all his religiousness.

People must also turn from the power of satan to God. The power of satan focuses more on the outward bondage through which people come to a life that revolves only around themselves and the satisfaction of their own needs. Paul has testified to this as well. In order to live meaningfully, conversion to God is necessary. God is the Creator and knows perfectly what is necessary for a life to His glory and He also gives what is necessary for that. Such a life “is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and [also] for the [life] to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

The consequences of conversion are also great. This is what Paul also speaks about. It is a life based on the forgiveness of sins received through faith “in Me”, that is in the Lord Jesus. The forgiveness of sins is the awareness that there is nothing more between the holy God and the sinful man who has converted. When sins are gone that make separation between God and man, it opens the way for the Lord to give every converted soul an inheritance among the saints.

Christendom is not some kind of fulfillment of Judaism, but goes far beyond it. It is about “an inheritance among those who have been sanctified”, an inheritance together with all the other saints, in the light. It is not an inheritance on earth, but “in the light” (Colossians 1:12). It is an inheritance with Christ (Ephesians 1:10-11). All these glorious things are connected with the faith in Him Who was once hated so much by Paul, but Who stopped him.