Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: Ver. 1. _And answered for himself_] This the apostle doth most artificially and effectually. _Raptare eum iudices credas, _ as one saith concerning Cicero, _involvere,... [ Continue Reading ]
I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: Ver. 2. _I think myself happy_] _Est quaedam putativa felicitas, _ saith an interpreter here, _si concedatur nobis causam nostram aperte agere. Beatit... [ Continue Reading ]
Especially _because I know_ thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. Ver. 3. _To be expert in all customs and questions_] As being a Jew, and conversant among the Jews (for he was Herod's son), and therefore a more compe... [ Continue Reading ]
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Ver. 4. _My manner of life from my youth_] And although with some, _Principium fervet, medium leper, exitus alget, _ their best is at first, as Nero (who now reigned at Rome) for his first... [ Continue Reading ]
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. Ver. 5. _After the most straitest sect_] There were three several sects among the Jews, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes; which last lived a monastic kind of life, and be... [ Continue Reading ]
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Ver. 6. _For the hope of the promise_] The goodness of his cause made much for his comfort. It is one thing to suffer as a martyr, and another thing to suffer as a malefactor. _Ibi erat Christus, ubi latrones: s... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto which _promise_ our twelve tribes, instantly serving _God_ day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Ver. 7. _Instantly serving God_] And yet finding enough to do, when they have done their utmost, to get to heaven. The time is short, the task... [ Continue Reading ]
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? Ver. 8. _Why should it be thought a thing incredible?_] Philosophy indeed is against it. _A privatione ad habitum, &c. Et redit in nihilum, quod fuit ante nihil, _ as the epicure in Ecclesiastes concludeth. But fi... [ Continue Reading ]
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Ver. 9. _Contrary to the name, &c._] Tertullian testifieth, that in the primitive Christians, _nomen damnabatur, non crimen aut scelus: solum nomen innocuum, hominibus innocuis esse pro crimine,... [ Continue Reading ]
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against _them_. Ver. 10. _I gave my voice_] So did Gerson to the condemnation of John Huss and Jerome of Prague at... [ Continue Reading ]
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled _them_ to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted _them_ even unto strange cities. Ver. 11. _Compelled them to blaspheme_] So the ancient persecutors compelled many not only to renounce their religion, but to curse Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, Ver. 12. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:2 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. Ver. 13. _See Trapp on "_ Act 9:2 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? _it is_ hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Ver. 14. _I heard a voice_] I not only saw a sign. So in the transfiguration, a voice came forth to the... [ Continue Reading ]
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Ver. 15. See Acts 9:5 .... [ Continue Reading ]
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Ver. 16. _But rise and stand upon thy feet_] Thus, " _Deiecit ut relevet; pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Delivering thee from the people, and _from_ the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, Ver. 17. _Delivering thee from_] For though thou art sent to them for their greatest good, viz. "To open their eyes," &c.,Acts 26:18, yet they shall fly at thine eyes, as frantic people fly in the faces of their ph... [ Continue Reading ]
To open their eyes, _and_ to turn _them_ from darkness to light, and _from_ the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Ver. 18. _To open their eyes, &c._] An excellent description of St Paul's commi... [ Continue Reading ]
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: Ver. 19. _I was not disobedient_] As I should have been if I had taken flesh and blood into counsel, Galatians 1:16; _See Trapp on "_ Gal 1:16 _"_ but silencing my reason, I exalted my faith, and putting myself into God's ha... [ Continue Reading ]
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and _then_ to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Ver. 20. _Works meet for repentance_] Gr. "worthy of repentance," that weigh just as much as repe... [ Continue Reading ]
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill _me_. Ver. 21. _Went about to kill me_] Gr. διαχειρισασθαι, to tear me in pieces, or pull me limb from limb with their own hands, as the Senators did Romulus, and afterward Caesar. The Italians that served the French king, ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: Ver. 22. _Saying none other thing_] Truth is one and the same in all ages; it is also ancient, and ever at agree... [ Continue Reading ]
That Christ should suffer, _and_ that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. Ver. 23. _That Christ should suffer_] This verse may be fitly called a little Bible, a short gospel, a model of the mystery of godliness. The Gree... [ Continue Reading ]
And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. Ver. 24. _Much learning hath made thee mad_] _Core diminuit harem, _ the seed is lessened, let it grow, as Ennius hath it. Paul was indeed a man of much learning; for be... [ Continue Reading ]
But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. Ver. 25. _I am not mad_] Paul rather pitieth his ignorance than blameth his blasphemy, and allegeth his own words for a proof of his non-madness; like as Sophocles produced a tragedy he had recently made... [ Continue Reading ]
For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. Ver. 26. _For this thing was not done in a corner_] Neither Christ's passion, nor Paul's conversion. Rome rang of the for... [ Continue Reading ]
King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Ver. 27. _I know thou believest_] _sc._ The truth of what the prophets spoke concerning Christ, and that are accordingly fulfilled in him. Faith hath for its general object the whole Holy Scripture; but for its special object th... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Ver. 28. _Almost thou persuadest me_] Here he was nigh God's kingdom, who yet (for aught we find) never came there. Almost he could be content to be, but altogether may chance bring a chain with it. Jehu will not part with hi... [ Continue Reading ]
And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. Ver. 29. _I would that all_] Charity is no churl; there is no envy in spiritual things, because they may be divided _in solidum:_ one may have as... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: Ver. 30. _The king rose up and the governor_] A little of such sad discourse served their turn: they were soon sated, and ready to say as Antipater king of Macedonia did, when one presented hi... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Ver. 31. _This man doth nothing worthy_] Here Festus, consenting with the rest, condemneth himself. See Acts 25:25 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar. Ver. 32. _If he had not appealed_] Which if he had not, this freeman of Rome had been "free among the dead," Psalms 88:5, free of that company ere this time of day. There was a necessity of h... [ Continue Reading ]