Acts 26:27

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. King Agrippa, believest thou the Prophets? I know that thou believest. The courage and confidence here shown proceeded from a vivid persuasion of Agrippa's knowledge of the facts and his faith in the predictions which they verified; and the king's reply is the highest testimony to the correctness of these presumptions and the immense power of such bold yet courteous appeals to conscience....

24-32 It becomes us, on all occasions, to speak the words of truth and soberness, and then we need not be troubled at the unjust censures of men. Active and laborious followers of the gospel often have been despised as dreamers or madmen, for believing such doctrines and such wonderful facts; and for attesting that the same faith and diligence, and an experience like their own, are necessary to all men, whatever their rank, in order to their salvation. But apostles and prophets, and the Son of God himself, were exposed to this charge; and none need be moved thereby, when Divine grace has made them wise unto salvation. Agrippa saw a great deal of reason for Christianity. His understanding and judgment were for the time convinced, but his heart was not changed. And his conduct and temper were widely different from the humility and spirituality of the gospel. Many are almost persuaded to b...

Verse Acts 26:27. _BELIEVEST THOU THE PROPHETS?_] Having made his elegant compliment and vindication to Festus, he turns to Agrippa; and, with this strong _appeal_ to his religious feeling, says, _Believest_ _thou the prophets_? and immediately anticipates his reply, and, with great address, speaks for him, _I know that thou believest_. The inference from this belief necessarily was: "As thou believest the prophets, and I have proved that the prophets have spoken about Christ, as suffering and, triumphing over death, and that all they say of the Messiah has been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, then thou must acknowledge that my doctrine is true....

KING AGRIPPA - This bold personal address is an instance of Paul’s happy manner of appeal. He does it to bring in the testimony of Agrippa to meet the charge of Festus that he was deranged. BELIEVEST THOU THE PROPHETS? - The prophecies respecting the character, the sufferings, and the death of the Messiah. I KNOW THAT THOU BELIEVEST - Agrippa was a Jew; and, as such, he of course believed the prophets. Perhaps, too, from what Paul knew of his personal character, he might confidently affirm that he professed to be a believer. Instead, therefore, of waiting for his answer, Paul anticipated it, and said that he knew that Agrippa professed to believe all these prophecies respecting the Messiah. His design is evident. It is: (1) To meet the charge of derangement, and to bring in the testimony of Agrippa, who well understood the

EXPOSITION ACTS 26:1 And for _then, _A.V.; _his _for _the, _A.V.; _made his _defense_ _for _answered for himself, _A.V. AGRIPPA SAID. It was by the courtesy of Festus that Agrippa thus took the chief place. It was, perhaps, with the like courtesy that Agrippa said, impersonally, THOU ART PERMITTED, without specifying whether by himself or by Festus. STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND. The action of an orator, rendered in this case still more impressive by the chains which hung upon his arms. Luke here relates what he saw. MADE HIS DEFENSE (ἀπελογεῖτο); Acts 25:8; Acts 24:10, note....

KING AGRIPPA, BELIEVEST THOU THE PROPHETS?.... What they have said concerning the person, office, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, and that what they have said is fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth? I KNOW THAT THOU BELIEVEST; that what the prophets said were true, and are accomplished....

Three times we have in Holy Writ a graphic report of the conversion of Paul. This may be accounted for partly from its being one of the most remarkable events of early sacred history, Paul having had a greater effect upon the Christian Church than any other living man. At the same time I think it teaches us that the Holy Spirit sets especial store by the facts connected with this very remarkable conversion. If he gives it three times, in the sacred volume, we ought to give it a triple attention, and see if we cannot learn therefrom. Acts 26:1. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: I think myself happy, king Agrippa. because I shall never answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews. Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and

CHAPTER 26 __ 1. The Address of the Apostle Paul (Acts 26:2). 2. The Interruption by Festus and the Appeal to the King (Acts 26:24). 3. The Verdict (Acts 26:30). The opening words of the Apostle are indeed gracious. Even as he stands in chains the great Apostle counts himself happy. His happiness consisted in the knowledge that he was now privileged to bear witness of His Lord and the Gospel committed to him before such an audience. What an opportunity it was to him, and how he rejoiced that he could speak of Him, whom he served. He also honored the King by a brief remark in which he expressed his delight in speaking before one who was so well acquainted with Jewish customs and questions. Then

CHALLENGES AND REJOINDERS. That Paul was out of his senses was said of him at Corinth (2 Corinthians 5:13); there is nothing in what he is reported to have said on this occasion that would suggest it even to a heathen, who must have seen various forms of religious enthusiasm. Paul answers that he is in his sober senses, but he turns to Agrippa, in whom he is interested; he is acquainted with the facts about Christ which are notorious; he believes the prophets and must concede that they spoke of Christ. The speech of Agrippa in Acts 26:28 is given in a text which has many variants and which WH (ii. _App._ 100) despair of restoring. [102] With the reading of Ephraim, given below, AGRIPPA PUTS Paul's question aside as a trifling one; of course he believes the prophets, but what then? Paul, o

THE DEFENCE OF A CHANGED MAN (Acts 26:1-11)...