For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. (Acts 26:26)

It Was Not Done In A Corner

Paul defended himself before Festus, the governor of Judea, powerfully and persuasively. The apostle presented his case before King Agrippa and his wife Bernice while under arrest in Caesarea. Earlier, Paul had appealed his case to Caesar’s judgment seat when he had defended himself before Festus. Agrippa was interested in hearing Paul’s case and had the prisoner brought before them to listen to his defense. Paul recounted his early life and his devotion to the Law of Moses. He admitted to persecuting the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, shutting many saints in prison, and casting his vote for some to be executed.

While he addresses the government officials, Paul recounted how he had become a follower of the One he sought to destroy. The reason the Jews from Jerusalem accused him was because he preached the risen Christ. Paul had taken the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. His preaching was Christ crucified, an event that took place more than twenty-five years earlier. As Roman officials in the Judea region, Agrippa and Festus would have known the stories of Jesus of Nazareth, who had been crucified and then seen alive by many people.

God made provisions for the story of His Son’s death to be known by and not hidden from the world. At the time of Jesus’ death, most people saw three criminals being crucified. When Jesus was buried, no one took notice of any special man receiving a burial in a new tomb carved out of rock. It was not until three days after the crucifixion – the world changed. Jesus of Nazareth appeared to ten men huddled together in a house in Jerusalem. A week later, he appeared to the same ten men with the addition of Thomas. Jesus appeared to more than five hundred people at one time. He spent time with the apostles and showed Himself to James. Paul declares he saw Jesus of Nazareth.

The testimony of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth was the cornerstone of the early church. Three thousand devout Jews became followers of the carpenter’s son and, later, more than five thousand. Scores of people followed the teaching of Jesus, claiming Him as their Lord and Savior. The teachings of Christ spread throughout the Roman Empire. These things did not go unnoticed by the Roman government, specifically Festus and Agrippa.

Paul points out to Festus and Agrippa that the story of Jesus is not a hidden tale obscured in the beliefs of a secret society. The story of Jesus was public and attracted a lot of attention in the world then. Paul could argue that his own conversion to follow Jesus Christ would be front-page news in a lot of places. Agrippa was well-versed in the affairs of the Jews. He would have known about and looked into the movement of disciples who claimed Jesus of Nazareth was alive. The story of Jesus was not done in a corner to be hidden from the hearts of men. By its very nature, the story of Jesus demanded attention.

Jesus has risen from the dead for over two thousand years, yet His story is relevant to the world. The Bible is not a book hidden in a corner. Over the centuries, many have attempted to destroy the Bible, refusing to believe the story of Jesus – but to no avail. The Bible is flourishing with the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God. There can be no excuse for anyone to deny hearing about Jesus Christ. Sadly, most will deny Jesus, but they are denying something that is clearly revealed and not hidden from the minds of men.

Festus loudly yelled at Paul, telling him his belief had driven him mad. The governor would not accept what Paul said, although he knew what Paul was preaching was true. Agrippa had an experience suggesting to the apostle that he had almost persuaded him to become a follower of the risen Christ. The king acknowledged the truth of Paul’s message. Agrippa and Festus heard the message of Christ and refused to accept Jesus as the Son of God. They lived in the time of Jesus and rejected Him. Those who live today do the same thing when they reject the Bible. The story of Jesus continues and is not hidden in a corner. God presented to the world the greatest story of all so that all could see and understand the story of Jesus. What you do with that story will determine your eternal destiny. You make the decision. Someone who almost becomes a Christian is lost. Obey the gospel of Christ. It has not been hidden. The story is for the world to see.