The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 277

V ers. 24-32.-.A. thretifold illustration of the irrepressible energy of the truth. This paragraph has its value, and that a great value, in the grouping of its contents. And the three members that make the group are worthy each of individual consideration as well But here we notice only certain great though general facts. I. THE ENERGY OF TRUTH. It will not let Festus remain silent in the court. Immediately afterwards it shows that Agrippa cannot persuade himself to hold hie peace before the prisoner and the court. And lastly, it finds them something to say "between themselves," in private, and that something was certainly a witness to the right. I l Tm!: IIUCCESS OF THE ENERGY OJ' TRUTH IN VERY V J.RIOUB CBABAOTEBB. Festus and Agripps were as different in :ra.ce, religion, character, as perhaps could be. But while the force of truth makes them both :find an utterance when it had been wiser for them had they kept silence, yet how amazingly different those utterances were I Festus ~es Paul with madness. Agrippa, whether utterly serious or not, bears testimony to the influence he feels from what Paul says, in its persuasiveness. Neither of them refuse, even though the case is involved in all possible publicity, to leave the last word with Paul He does, as it were, hold the field, and in a very real sense finds himself left, n.ot only in his own. heart, but in the " pomp " of that open court, master of the field. III. Tm: REVENGE THAT THE ENERGY OP TRUTH TAKES. When open. honour ie not done spontaneously to it, its victory not proclaimed, and its rights smothered, how superficially soever, it secures its own. in a yet more emphatic way. It secures a place indelible for itself, and on. a page that shall endure to all time ; and it owes nothing to human favour, no thanks to human patronage, no atom of indebtedness to any lifting hand of the great, the wise, the mighty, the proud, Never mind all the suppression. of these, it transpires, and it gets all it needs from the very rehearsal of how they suppressed (vers. 80-32).-B. Ver!!. 24-26.-.An unwi1ling eon,erDni,tion to the truth. The phenomena presented by Festus when, in struggling to insult the truth, he strengthen.a the body of testimony to it, are to be noticed. They are simply as follows:- I. FF.STUB C.A.l>'NOT DENY THE SIGNS OF LEJ.BNJli"G IN 1TB J.DVOOATB. How many a time gospel truth has been fiecried because of the signs of ignoranrAJ in its advocates I The enemies of the gospel of almost all kinds love learning, would appraise it highly, and times without number have professed that this is their desideratum. But now U is all the contrary. ll FEBTUB liOTBII OBSEBVillTLY THE BIGIITB OP 4 J'D'LL, DEEP BIITTHUBUBH IN TBll .i)VOOATB OF 'l'BB TBOTB OP TBE GOSPEL, al. FUTUB 1DI111 BlllllELI' tJ'l"l'DLY OUT OP BTIIPATBY WITH IIU<JB 810111,, on. xxvr. 1-32.] THE AOTB OF THE APOSTLES. 285