Paul confidently stood before the prominent men of his people and the officers of the colonial forces with no personal complex or lack of self-confidence. He was filled with his message, and stretched out his hand, as if he expected their attention, while he answered for himself. He defended himself gladly, knowing that King Agrippa II had knowledge of the measure and depth of the religious things of the Jews. Therefore, Paul hoped that the king would be understanding of the problem.
Paul did not introduce his defense by reporting on principles, questions, and notions, but instead sketched before his hearers the history of his life. The apostle was spiritually realistic, avoiding empty opinions and laughter over deceptive imaginations. He structured his case on the fact of God´s interference in the history of men.
The Jews, wanting to know exact information about Paul’s past, had been told that he was a strict Pharisee, who did not philosophize by keeping the law, but loved God with all the power of his will, spirit, soul, and body. The glorious Holy One was the goal and longing of all his thought, and to literally keep the law had appeared to him the only way to God. In addition to his religious bigotry, Paul had awaited, together with all the Jewish lawyers, the fulfillment of the divine promises to the fathers of the faith. The great hope would soon be realized. Christ would come in wisdom, power, and peace to earth. For this expectation of Christ Paul was standing before the court.
It is probable that the king raised his brows at that moment, as if wanting to say to Paul: “It is not because of the expectation of the coming of Christ that you are standing here, but because of your claiming that He had come, had been crucified and buried, and that he had been raised. This is the essence of this serious problem.
Paul, reading the thoughts of the king, answered before he could speak, saying: “Then why do you not believe that God can raise the dead?” The question about Christ always centered on the empty tomb and the triumph of the Lord over death. The sign of Jonah remains either a stumbling block or a foundation for the church. So what do you personally think? Do you think that Jesus’ body rotted away in the grave? Do you believe that the Man Jesus is living in glory, reigning with his Father, and coming again to us soon? This faith is not easy. It comes through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and grows in the one who continually reads the word of God.
Paul hated this message in the past. He angrily rejected the thought that the crucified and despised Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and the Son of God himself, and considered this faith to be blasphemy. Acting in the name of the Jewish Council, he began a comprehensive persecution against Christians, closed prison doors on imprisoned believers, and brought charge against Holy Spirit- filled saints before the national courts, with the result that many were sentenced to death. During the interrogation in the councils of Jerusalem and Judea he forced believers to abjure their faith, and to testify falsely that Jesus was not the Christ, thus denying his divinity. So Saul (Paul) became a cause for the weak and harmless to blaspheme. This legal expert compelled them, against the experience and witness of their consciences, to reject salvation through Jesus. Saul was also empowered by the highest council to make raids even in foreign cities, so that this dangerous heresy might be pulled up by the roots. He had trained himself in practicing this aggression with zeal, hatred, and foolishness.
Then Jesus came. He stood in the way of this young, proud man, and struck him with His shining light, so that he fell down dazzled from his horse. The glory of Christ’s appearance was above the brightness of the sun. Paul’s innermost heart was burnt and shaken, and he thought frightfully that the judgment of God had all of a sudden come upon him and on the whole world.
Luke, the evangelist, reported three times in his book the meeting between Christ and Paul on the road to Damascus (chapters 9, 22, and 26), that we might recognize this experience as the center as well as the mystery behind the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. It manifested the true motive in his Gospel.
The glorious Lord did not, in accordance with His justice and truth, destroy Saul, the murderer of His saints, but compassionately revealed to him that, in spite of his zeal for God, he was, in reality, an enemy. He persecuted Christians in vain, who were united and one their Lord forever. Paul supposed he would be in harmony with God´s will if he tortured and destroyed the Christians. Now Christ revealed to him that those who are persecuted, and not Paul, are in harmony with God. Saul was the servant of the evil one; flowing out of him was hatred, blasphemy, murder, and spite.
At that moment all pride and forms of pride in Paul were broken, and his belief in his legal righteousness melted away. He hated what he had become, and was ashamed for all the evil he had done. At the same time, he probably wondered in his innermost heart why the great Lord had not destroyed him. So he dared to ask him about his name and his identity, seeking grace and knowledge. He expected an answer from heaven, knowing that he himself was a murderer and an enemy of God at heart.
Jesus did not reject the seeker, but spoke to him in clear language, as if to say to him: “I am Jesus. You suppose that I am crucified, dead, corrupt, and crumbled. No, I am living, glorious, and one with God. Poor Saul, you thought that the cross was My punishment. No! No! I died for you, and bore the punishment of all mankind. I, the Righteous One, gave my life for unjust you. I am innocent, but you are reprobate. So repent soon, and turn to me. Be converted, for I am living, and my being is the cornerstone of life. You will either build yourself on me, or be crushed by me.”
Dear brother, did you recognize Jesus indeed? Did you see him before you alive? Have you given up your life to him completely? Do you live in harmony with the Spirit of God? Do not forget that the triumphant Christ is living, existent, and present at all times, and all places. He brings every believer into His triumphal procession.