Acts 26:30

AND WHEN HE HAD THUS SPOKEN, THE KING ROSE UP, AND THE GOVERNOR, AND BERNICE, AND THEY THAT SAT WITH THEM: _ And [when he had thus spoken], the king rose up_ (the bracketed words are certainly an addition to the true text). He was not over easy, we may be sure....

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...

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....

AND WHEN HE HAD THUS SPOKEN,.... These words are omitted in the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions: THE KING ROSE UP; from the judgment seat; that is, King Agrippa: AND THE GOVERNOR; the Roman governor, Festus: AND BERNICE: the sister of King Agrippa: AND THEY THAT SAT WITH THEM; either in council, or to hear; the chief captains, and principal inhabitants of Caesarea....

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 do not suppose Agrippa imagined that Paul would take all the liberty that he did; but inasmuch as the king had said to him, «Thou art permitted to speak for thyself,» Paul, who, even when he was permitted to speak for himself, did not forget that he was the servant of God, and used that liberty as the servant of God, and so took the opportunity to seek to impress the truth upon the conscience and heart of the king. Thus Paul answered for himself:- Acts 26:2. 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: especially because I know thee to be expert

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

RESULT OF THE HEARING. Acts 26:30 scarcely suggests the deliberations of a court after the hearing....

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

AND WHEN, &C. All the texts omit. KING. Paul's appeal had taken the case out of the hands of Festus; so this was not. court of justice, but an inquiry to please Agrippa, and to enable Festus to make his report to the Emperor. Agrippa was the chairman (verses: Acts 26:1; Acts 26:24; Acts 26:26) and so gave the signal for closing the inquiry, probably afraid lest any more such searching questions should be put to him. SAT WITH THEM. Greek. _sunkathemai._ Only here and Mark 14:54....

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 heard in all its fulness: that the Christ by suffering of death and rising to life again should be the source of true enlightenment both to Jews and Gentiles. _Paul, thou art beside thyself_[_R. V._mad]. As the same word is taken up in the following verse, it is better that it should be rendered alike in both places. _much learning doth make thee mad_ Lit. (with _R. V._) "doth turn thee to madness." But there is nothing gained by construing thus, and much is lost in English vigour. "Much learning" is literally "the many writings." As in John 7:15, where the same wor