Acts 26:24-26 - Homilies By P.c. Barker

An unwilling contribution to the truth.

The phenomena presented by Festus when, in struggling to insult the truth, he strengthens the body of testimony to it, are to be noticed. They are simply as follows:—

I. FESTUS CANNOT DENY THE SIGNS OF LEARNING IN ITS ADVOCATE . HOW many a time gospel truth has been decried because of the signs of ignorance in its advocates! 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 it is all the contrary.

II. FESTUS NOTES OBSERVANTLY THE SIGNS OF A FULL , DEEP ENTHUSIASM IN THE ADVOCATE OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL .

III. FESTUS FINDS HIMSELF UTTERLY OUT OF SYMPATHY WITH SUCH SIGNS ,

IV. FESTUS MUST FIND SOMETHING TO SAY AND FIT TO BE SAID FROM THE SEAT OF AUTHORITY .

V. IN HIS DIFFICULTY FESTUS IS BETRAYED INTO THE HUGEST ERROR .

VI. THE " LOUD VOICE " OF FESTUS DIES OUT , AND GIVES PLACE TO FIRM THOUGH RESPECTFUL CONTRADICTION OF THE PRISONER . The theory of the "madness" of Paul—not a whisper is heard of it again.—B.