Now, how does the history of the age correspond with this account? The
Agrippa here spoken of was the son of Herod Agrippa, mentioned in the
last article; but that he did not succeed to his father's kingdom, nor
ever recovered Judea, which had been a part of it, we learn by the
information of Josephus, who relates of him that when his father was
dead Claudius intended at first to have put him immediately in
possession of his father's dominions; but that, Agrippa being then but
seventeen years of age, the emperor was persuaded to alter his mind, and
appointed Cuspius Fadus prefect of Judea and the whole kingdom; (Antiq.
xi. c. 9 ad fin.) which Fadus was succeeded by Tiberius Alexander,
Cumanus, Felix, Festus. (Antiq. xx. de Bell. lib. ii.) But that, though
disappointed of his father's kingdom, in which was included Judea, he
was, nevertheless, rightly styled King Agrippa, and that he was in
possession of considerable territories, bordering upon Judea, we gather
from the same authority: for, after several successive donations of
country, "Claudius, at the same time that he sent Felix to be procurator
of Judea, promoted Agrippa from Chalcis to a greater kingdom, giving to
him the tetrarchie which had been Philip's; and he added, moreover, the
kingdom of Lysanias, and the province that had belonged to Varus." (De
Bell. lib. li. c. 12 ad fin.)
Saint Paul addresses this person as a Jew: "King Agrippa, believest thou
the prophets? I know that thou believest." As the son of Herod Agrippa,
who is described by Josephus to have been a zealous Jew, it is
reasonable to suppose that he maintained the same profession. But what
is more material to remark, because it is more close and circumstantial,
is, that Saint Luke, speaking of the father (Acts xii. 1--3), calls him
Herod the, king, and gives an example of the exercise of his authority
at Jerusalem: speaking of the son (xxv. 13), he calls him king, but not
of Judea; which distinction agrees correctly with the history.
VIII. [p. 51.] Acts xiii. 6. "And when they had gone through the isle
(Cyprus) to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a
Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus, which was with the deputy of the country,
Sergius Paulus, a prudent man."
The word which is here translated deputy, signifies and upon this word
our observation is founded. The provinces of the Roman empire were of
two kinds; those belonging the emperor, in which the governor was called
proprietor; those belonging to the senate, in which the governor was
proconsul. And this was a regular distinction. Now it appears from Dio
Cassius, (Lib. liv. ad A. U. 732.) that the province of Cyprus, which, in
original distribution, was assigned to the emperor, had transferred to
the senate, in exchange for some others; and after this exchange, the
appropriate title of the Roman was proconsul.
Ib. xviii. 12. [p. 55.] "And when Gallio was deputy (proconsul) of
Achaia."
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