CHAPTER 26 PAUL BEFORE KING AGRIPPA II.—THIRD APOLOGY § 1. Paul’s Appeal to his Past Life; or, a Vindication of his Jewish Orthodoxy (Acts 26:1). § 2. Paul’s Rehearsal of an Old Story; or, the Secret of his Conversion Explained (Acts 26:9). § 3. Paul’s Subsequent Career as a Christian; or, How... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 26:1. AGRIPPA SAID UNTO PAUL.—On this occasion Agrippa, not Festus, presided over the tribunal. The “stretching forth” of the hand was the gesture of an orator preparing himself to speak, and differed from the act of “beckoning” or shaking “with the hand” (Acts 12:17, Acts 13... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 26:9. Commences the second part of Paul’s apology. Paul would not despair of converting his countrymen from doubt to belief, since he himself had undergone a similar mental revolution, and had become a believer in, and a preacher of, the resurrection of Jesus. I OUGHT.—Paul... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 26:19.—Begins the third part of Paul’s defence, and furnishes the reason for his Gentile mission. WHEREUPON.—Lit., _whence_, wherefore, accordingly—_i.e._, having been so instructed. Acts 26:20. SHOWED FIRST UNTO THEM OF DAMASCUS.—(Compare Acts 9:20.) No contradiction to Ga... [ Continue Reading ]
_CRITICAL REMARKS_ Acts 26:24. AS HE THUS SPAKE FOR HIMSELF.—Lit., _he speaking these things in his defence_—ταῦτα, these things, being the words just uttered about the resurrection, rather than the entire speech. The notion of a resurrection appeared as absurd to Festus as it had done to the Athen... [ Continue Reading ]