THE BOOK OF ACTS. CHAPTER 26 OUTLINE AND COMMENTARY. MARK DUNAGAN I. OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 26: I. Paul's defense before King Agrippa: Acts 26:1-29 A. Introduction: Acts 26:1-3 B. Paul's well known past in Judaism: Acts 26:4-11 C. The events on the road to Damascus: Acts 26:12-15 D. His commissio... [ Continue Reading ]
"And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defense"Agrippa" Pronounced. grip uh. This man was known as Agrippa II. He was the son of Agrippa I, the same man who had been responsible for the death of James (Acts 12:1), and th... [ Continue Reading ]
"I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that. am to make my defense before thee this day touching all the things whereof. am accused by the Jews"I think myself happy" "I think myself fortunate" (Wey). Note that Paul is not flattering Agrippa or buttering him up. He is sincere. "Just as there was frankn... [ Continue Reading ]
"especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore. beseech thee to hear me patiently"Thou art expert" '"As thou art well versed"(Rhm). "Thoroughly acquainted" (Ber). "Like his Uncle Herod, Agrippa II was in control of the temple treasury and the ves... [ Continue Reading ]
"My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews"From my youth up" At some point in his "youth" Paul had been sent to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). "From the beginning among mine own nation" "Spent from... [ Continue Reading ]
"having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion. lived. Pharisee"Having knowledge of me from the first" "They have always known" (TCNT). "They are fully aware" (Ber). "If they be willing to testify" "If they chose to admit it" (Mof... [ Continue Reading ]
"And now. stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers"For the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers" This was the same point that Jesus made, that His teaching was the fulfillment of everything the prophets had said (Matthew 5:17). Notice that the "pro... [ Continue Reading ]
"unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope. am accused by the Jews,. king!"Our twelve tribes" This is an expression that indicates that the 10 tribes were not lost. This statement Included Jews in and outside of Palestine. Eve... [ Continue Reading ]
"Why is it judged incredible with you, if God doth raise the dead?"Judged incredible" "Why do you Jews of all people find it impossible to believe" (Rieu). "The purpose of the demand was to challenge them to produce in their own minds. reason for their incredulity" (McGarvey pp. 251-252). "You" This... [ Continue Reading ]
"I verily thought with myself that. ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth"I verily thought with myself" "I myself was convinced" (RSV). "At the time. was convinced" (Rieu). "He gently excuses their unbelief by confessing that he himself had once felt like them" (P.P. Comm... [ Continue Reading ]
"And this. also did in Jerusalem: and. both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death. gave my vote against them"And this. also did" Paul had put his convictions into action. "Shut up many of the saints in prisons" (Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
"And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues,. strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them,. persecuted them even unto foreign cities"And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues" Not that Christians were members of the synagogue, but Christians often tried t... [ Continue Reading ]
"Whereupon as. journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests" This he did while on the mission of persecuting Christians. Acts 26:13 "at midday,. king,. saw on the way. light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed w... [ Continue Reading ]
"And. said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said,. am Jesus whom thou persecutest" "Who art thou, Lord?" "Who are you that. am persecuting?" (Stott p. 372). "I am Jesus" Upon hearing this simple statement, Paul realized that he had been persecuting innocent people who were God's people. He was actu... [ Continue Reading ]
"But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have. appeared unto thee, to appoint thee. minister and. witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen Me, and of the things wherein. will appear unto thee"Stand upon thy feet" "In Paul's account to Agrippa of what happened on the Damascus roa... [ Continue Reading ]
"delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom. send thee"Delivering thee from the people" "The people in this sentence refers to the Jews who wouldn't accept the gospel message. Notice how Jews who did not believe in Jesus are simply called "the people". They are not called God'... [ Continue Reading ]
"to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Me" "To open their eyes" Through his preaching (Romans 1:16). "Turn from darkness to light" All t... [ Continue Reading ]
"Wherefore,. king Agrippa,. was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision"I was no disobedient unto the heavenly vision" Paul could have disobeyed. Like Pharaoh, if Paul had been dishonest, if Paul had let pride rule him, Paul could have resisted and even grown more stubborn and bitter in his feeling... [ Continue Reading ]
"but declared both to them of Damascus first and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance"But declared" Paul's obedience was prompt and without delay to the command of Christ (Acts 9:19... [ Continue Reading ]
"For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me"For this cause" Here is the real reason why Paul had been arrested in Jerusalem some two years previous. The Jews seized Paul because they resented the fact that he was preaching to Gentiles (Acts 26:20). "Assayed to kill me':... [ Continue Reading ]
"Having therefore obtained the help that is from God,. stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come"Obtained the help that is from God,. stand unto this day" Jesus had kept His promise (Acts 26:17), and Paul had been deliv... [ Continue Reading ]
"how that the Christ must suffer, and how that He first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles" How that the Christ must suffer" Luke 24:25-26; 44-46. "Proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles" "In spite of clear prophecies, like the... [ Continue Reading ]
"And as he thus made his defense, Festus saith with. loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning is turning thee mad"As he thus made his defense" "The present participle here indicates that Festus broke in and interrupted Paul's defense" (Reese p. 882). "Festus" His full name was Porcius (POUR... [ Continue Reading ]
"But Paul saith,. am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness"I am not mad" Be impressed with how Paul calmly, respectfully and pointedly handles this rude interruption. Paul is not intimidated nor is he unsettled by this bold accusation. "Most excellent Festus" ... [ Continue Reading ]
"For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also. speak freely: for. am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in. corner"For the king knoweth of these things" Notice how Paul quickly backs up his claim of "telling the truth" with evidence. "Agrippa... [ Continue Reading ]
"King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?. know that thou believest"Believeth thou the prophets?" Notice how Paul is not intimidated by Agrippa's position or standing. "With Paul, to believe the Prophets was the logical step toward believing in the One of whom they spoke. There was no logical alte... [ Continue Reading ]
"And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me. Christian"With but little persuasion" We do not know for sure in what tone of voice or in what attitude (sincerity, irony, or sarcasm) the above statement was made. Various translations give different spins on this r... [ Continue Reading ]
"And Paul said,. would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as. am, except these bonds" "Whether with little or with much" "This was. direct answer to Agrippa's words 'in. little'. Paul is saying, 'With one sermon or. hun... [ Continue Reading ]
"And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them"The king rose up" Signaling the end of this discussion. "The governor" Festus. "Bernice" (ber NIH see). The oldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, who ruled Palestine A.D. 37-44. This was the sister of Agrippa II. "Bernic... [ Continue Reading ]
"and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds" The unanimous conclusion was that Paul was innocent (Acts 25:25). Acts 26:32 "And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar... [ Continue Reading ]