Acts 26:1-21

1 King Agrippa was a notable figure throughout the closing period of Jewish national life. He was the last prince of the Herodian line. Unlike the Roman governors, who were frequently replaced and most of whom knew little of the people they sought to govern, Agrippa had all his life been in a position to acquire a most intimate acquaintance with the Jews and their religious customs.

4-5 The morality of Saul of Tarsus was as unimpeachable as that of Paul the apostle. He had a good conscience (Act_23:1) and his life was blameless (Php_3:6). But he was the chief of sinners (1Ti_1:15) because his self-righteousness and religion made him a hater of Christ. Mere religion degrades men.

6 Paul's plight has often been repeated in the subsequent history of Christendom. His offense consists in believing the Scriptures-which his opponents claimed to believe. Strange to say, the most bitter persecution, to those who believe God, comes, not from the irreligious world, but from those who claim that they, too, believe the Scriptures, but who do not seem to have received the spirit of love which pervades them.

7 The Jews were expecting the Messiah and the kingdom, and should have rejoiced in the fulfillment of their expectatIon. Instead, they fly in the face of their fondest hopes, when they reject the proclamation of Messiah.

8 The Hebrew Scriptures contain several instances of resurrection besides that predicted concerning the awakening of those who sleep in the soil of the ground at the setting up of the kingdom (Dan_12:2). The only entrance into the kingdom, for those who have fallen asleep, is resurrection, or awakening. Even Israel, now that they die as a nation, will have a national esurrection, as depicted by the dry bones of Ezekiel's vision (Eze_37:1-14). Doubtless the stress which Paul lays on the doctrine of the resurrection in these final discourses, from the time he spoke in the Sanhedrin, arose from the fact that he now looked upon the nation as dead, and nothing but a spiritual resurrection would suffice to revive them when the kingdom should come.

12 This is the fullest account of Saul's call, and the only one which gives his commission to the nations. He forbore to mention this in speaking to his enraged kinsmen (Act_22:7) as he here omits all reference to Ananias. He uses only such parts as suit the place and purpose.

13 Only those acquainted with the glare of the Syrian sun at midday, can grasp the full significance of this. Nature's brightest light is eclipsed by the glorious grace into which Saul is ushered by his call.

14 All fell to the earth at first, but later stood up (Act_9:7) as Saul himself was told to do. The fact that the Lord spoke in Hebrew is shown in the other accounts by the form of the name Saul. It is spelled differently and is not declined, as is the Greek in other places.

15 In the Orient a sharp, pointed rod is used in place of a whip to urge animals to their task. To kick the sharp goad hurts no one but themselves. This is a graphic picture of Saul's service up to this time. The Lord was using him to carry out His purpose, but hitherto Saul did not acknowledge his Master. He had been goaded into persecuting the saints. Henceforth he was to render willing, intelligent service. Henceforth he acknowledges Christ as his Lord.

16 The twelve were to witness to the Lord's life from John's baptism to His ascension (Act_1:21). Paul was to be a witness of Him after His ascension and glorification. It was to be progressive. Further visions were to be given to supplement this first commission.

16 Saul neither sought the Lord nor His service, neither had he a sense of need. He was arrested and saved by despotic grace.

17 As this is a continuation of Luke's account, most of the commissions are based on the commission for mankind (Luk_24:47) proclaiming a pardon for all men. The twelve combined it with the kingdom commissions and limited it to Israelites and proselytes (Act_2:38; Act_5:31; Act_10:43). Saul first preached a pardon of sins to gentiles in Pisidian Antloch (Act_13:1-52 :38), combining it with the first intimation of justification. It is always coupled with repentance, though nothing is said in Saul's commission concerning this.