Like Herod Agrippa II, people can shield themselves with all kinds of things—power, prestige, wealth, learning—but in the end, we are all stripped bare by the gospel and must ultimately answer the question, “Do we believe in Jesus?”
Agrippa II was the son of Agrippa I, the ruler over all the land of Israel. Several years after Agrippa I’s death, Agrippa II was made ruler over the northern part of Israel.
After Paul’s third missionary journey, he was arrested in Jerusalem and sent to a prison in Caesarea after some Jewish leaders incited a riot against him (Acts 21–23). While he was there, the Roman governor asked Agrippa to listen to Paul’s case and help him decide what to do with Paul.
Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived “with great pomp,” including an entourage of high-ranking officers and leaders of the city. Paul, however, saw right through Agrippa’s grand display and spoke very directly to him about Jesus. He even asked Agrippa if he believed the prophets, at which point Agrippa tried to dodge the question by asking if Paul believed he could persuade him to become a Christian in such a short time. Paul unswervingly answered that he wished that everyone in the room would become Christians, like him (Acts 25–26).
Apparently this was too much heat for Agrippa, and he and Bernice left the room, affirming Paul’s innocence. The Bible never speaks about Agrippa again, so we don’t know if he ever reflected on Paul’s words or not.
Sharing the gospel with certain people can seem intimidating, but ultimately we can rest assured that God is in control, and we should fear Him, not other people. Follow Paul’s example and boldly share the gospel with others.