Acts 26:1. Paul's defence before Agrippa 1. _and answered for himself] Rev. Ver_. "and made his defence." The verb is the same as before (Acts 19:33; Acts 24:10; Acts 25:8) and intimates that what is coming is an _apologia_. St Luke here as in other places notices the gesture of the speaker.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I think myself happy_ Because Agrippa was sure to understand much of the feeling imported into the case which would be entirely obscure to a Roman magistrate. Paul would thus be able to make his position clear, and get it explained through Agrippa to the Roman authorities. _because I shall answer... [ Continue Reading ]
_especially because I know thee to be expert] Rev. Ver_. quite correctly "especially because thou art expert." The margin which _R. V._gives "because thou art especially expert" might be accepted, but we have no reason to think that Agrippa was more than other persons of his station expert in Jewish... [ Continue Reading ]
_at the first_ Better (with _Rev. Ver._) "from the beginning." The Apostle though born in Tarsus yet came early to Jerusalem for his education, and it was in the Holy City that his character was formed and his manner of life shewed itself. _among mine own nation at Jerusalem_ The oldest MSS. say ... [ Continue Reading ]
_which knew me from the beginnings if they would testify_ Better (with _Rev. Ver._) "having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify." The word for "from the first" is the same which St Luke uses (Luke 1:3) to indicate his perfect understanding of the Gospel story "from the very... [ Continue Reading ]
_And now I stand and am judged] Rev. Ver_. "And now I stand _here_to be judged." The idea is "I am on my trial." _for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers_ i.e. because I entertain the hope that the promise which God made to the patriarchs and to David shall be fulfilled to us. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto which promise_ This makes it clear that the promise was the sending of Him in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed. _our twelve tribes_ For the Jews regarded themselves as representing the whole race, and not merely the two tribes of the kingdom of Judah. And this no doubt was... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why should it be thought a thing incredible … that God_, &c. More literally (with _Rev. Ver._) "Why is it judged incredible with you if God doth raise the dead." The last clause is not to be understood hypothetically, but "If God doth, as he hath done in the case of Jesus." So that it is equivalent... [ Continue Reading ]
_contrary to the name_ i.e. to the faith of Jesus Christ, into whose name believers were to be baptized. Cp. Acts 5:41, note. "Name" is constantly used in O. T. as the equivalent of "Godhead," and any Jew who heard the language of such a verse as this would understand that the Christians held Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which thing I also did in Jerusalem_ Saul must have been a most active and prominent agent in the work of persecution in Jerusalem, for we learn here that the death of Stephen was not the only one for which he had given his vote. He had also had the warrant of the chief priests for other arrests be... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I punished them oft in every synagogue_ The Gk. continues with a participial construction, represented in _Rev. Ver._"and punishing … in all the synagogues." This closer representation of the original seems to add strength to the description of Saul's former zeal as a persecutor. Of the synagog... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whereupon_ The Greek has "in which _things_," and the sense is given well by the margin of _R. V._"on which errand." _with authority Rev. Ver._"with the authority." Saul was the commissioner sent by the Jewish magistrates, and at this particular time Damascus had been assigned as the district wher... [ Continue Reading ]
_at midday_ There could be no question about the supernatural character of a light which overpowered the midday glare of an Eastern sun.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying_ The oldest MSS. have only "a voice saying unto me." Saul alone gathered the import of what was said. His companions only heard the sound, not the words. Cp. Daniel 10:7. _in the Hebrew tongue_[_R. V._language] Which is therefore represented by a differ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who art thou, Lord_ The readiness with which "Lord," an expression of allegiance, comes to the Apostle's lips lends probability to the notion that God's promptings had been working in his heart before, and that the mad rage against "the Way" was an attempt to stifle them.... [ Continue Reading ]
_to make_[_R. V._appoint] _thee a minister_ The verb is that which in Acts 22:14 is rendered "have chosen" (_R. V._appointed), and implies a deliberate selection and appointment. Saul was "a chosen vessel" (Acts 9:15). _and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen Rev. Ver._"a witness bot... [ Continue Reading ]
_delivering thee_ i.e. though they may and will seize upon thee and persecute thee, yet I am with thee and will save thee from their hands. From the first the Apostle knew that in every city persecution was to be his lot. _the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee_ The best authorities (with _Rev. Ver... [ Continue Reading ]
_to open their eyes, and to turn them_ More literally _Rev. Ver._"that they may turn". A sentence full of hope and promise of success. If the eyes of the Gentiles be but opened, then they will turn. In blindness the Jews often said (as Paul found) "We see," therefore their sin remained. _them which... [ Continue Reading ]
_I was not disobedient_ The verb should be more fully translated "I did not become disobedient." The thought goes back to the "kicking against the pricks," the opposition of previous times. That was at an end now. Jesus was "Lord," and Saul's only question "What wilt thou have me to do?... [ Continue Reading ]
_but shewed_[_R. V._declared] The word signifies the delivery of a message. Saul was henceforth God's evangelist. _and at Jerusalem_ Cp. Acts 9:29. Here he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians, so that they went about to kill him. _and throughout all the coa... [ Continue Reading ]
_For these causes_ Lit. "on account of these things" which the _R. V._better represents by "for this cause." _the Jews caught me_[_R. V._seized me] The word implies an arrest with violence. _and went about_[_R. V._assayed] _to kill me_ St Paul combines the riot in the Temple with the subsequent pl... [ Continue Reading ]
_Having therefore obtained help of God_[_R. V._the help that is from God.] The "therefore" implies that against such attempts the help which alone could deliver him was divine. The word for "help" means the succour of an ally, and recalls God's promise "Surely I will be with thee." _I continue_[_R.... [ Continue Reading ]
_that Christ should suffer Rev. Ver._"How that the Christ must suffer," but giving in the margin on "How that" _or_"if" _or_"whether." The Greek is the conjunction ordinarily rendered "if," and the literal meaning is "If the Christ be one who has to suffer." The original puts it as though it were a... [ Continue Reading ]
Interruption by Festus. Appeal to Agrippa. Consultation and decision 24 _Festus said with a loud voice_ Probably what had last fallen from Paul seemed to him little better than lunatic ravings. The Gospel of the Cross did appear as "foolishness" to the Gentile world. And this Gospel he had just hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_most noble_[_R. V._excellent] _Festus_ The same title of respect which is given to Felix (Acts 23:26; Acts 24:3). As St Chrysostom remarks the Apostle now answers with gentleness, not as to the high priest (Acts 23:3). _soberness_ The word, in classical Greek, is the opposite to that "madness" unt... [ Continue Reading ]
_none of these things are hidden from him_ i.e. the history of the life and works of Jesus, of His death and resurrection, of the marvellous gifts of Pentecost, and the preaching of the Gospel since Jesus had been crucified. _for this thing was not done in a corner_ Of the truth of this we can be s... [ Continue Reading ]
_believest thou the prophets_ Whose writings foretell these events of which I am speaking, and which have had their fulfilment in the history of Jesus of Nazareth. _I know that thou believest_ The Apostle answers his own question, for he is sure that Agrippa would not have given a different answer,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian Rev. Ver._"With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian." The original is "with [_or_in] little (labour _or_time) thou art persuading me, &c." It would seem therefore that the _Rev. Ver._represents Agrippa's words more nearly than A.... [ Continue Reading ]
_both almost, and altogether_ The literal rendering of the Greek is given by the _Rev. Ver._"whether with little or with much," and it is difficult to see how the sense of the A. V. can be extracted from the words. The Apostle takes up the jeer of the king in a serious tone, and replies: "I may have... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when he had thus spoken_ The oldest MSS. omit these words. _they that sat with them_ i.e. the chief captains and the principal men of Cæsarea. (See Acts 25:23.) The authorities withdrew to consult upon what they had heard.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they talked between themselves R. V._"they spake one to another." This is more literal and conveys better the idea that they were all of one mind about the case.... [ Continue Reading ]
_might have been set at liberty_ Thus Agrippa, looking at the question from the Jewish stand-point, confirms the opinion of the Roman magistrate (cp. Acts 25:25). So that St Paul was acquitted on all hands, and Festus may rightly be deemed guilty because he had driven an innocent man to appeal to a... [ Continue Reading ]