Acts 26 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have readv.

Passage: Acts 26:1-11

1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself.’

So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defence: 2 ‘King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defence against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 ‘The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

9 ‘I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

A. Find Out:

1. How did Paul approach Agrippa? v.2,3
2. How does Paul introduce himself? v.4,5
3. What was it that Paul said caused this trial? v.6-8
4. What had Paul felt he originally should do? v.9
5. How had he done that? v.10,11

B. Think:

1. To what in Agrippa does Paul appeal?
2. How does Paul first show himself?
3. How did he then go on to show himself?

C. Comment:

Herod Agrippa II was the great grandson of Herod the Great. Herod the Great had tried to kill the baby Jesus (Mt 2:16), his son Herod Antipas had killed John the Baptist (Mt 14:3-), his grandson Agrippa I killed James (Acts 12:2), and now his great grandson sits before Paul. With a family reputation like that Paul could have cause to worry, but instead he seems to be grateful that a Jewish king is there to hear his defence, someone who would understand the Jewish customs.

Paul starts by establishing that he comes from a Jewish background and became a Pharisee. Everyone could agree to that. He then went on to describe how he became a persecutor of the Christian group, going out with the authority of the chief priest to put them in prison. In this sense Paul’s Jewish credentials are, at first sight, excellent. Every zealous Jew and Jewish leader ought to be able to identify with him. The only trouble with this approach is that when he comes to the latter part of his testimony it makes the Jews even more mad that such a man should have become a Christian (see what follows). It is because of his belief in raising the dead, he says, a belief that all Jews ought to have, that he is in this situation today. At this stage he simply mentions this in passing but will enlarge on it later on. So far they listen attentively to all he says. No problem – yet!

D. Application:

1. All of us can identify with the world. We came out of it!
2. Our testimony can thus be very powerful – I’ve been where you are.

Passage: Acts 26:12-23

12 ‘On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

15 ‘Then I asked, “Who are you, Lord?”

‘“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied. 16 “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

19 ‘So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen – 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.’

A. Find Out:

1. What does Paul next go on to speak about? v.12-15
2. Why did Jesus say he had chosen Paul? v.16
3. What would Paul do? v.17,18
4. So what had Paul done? v.19,20
5. What was he able to testify? v.22a
6. What was his message? v.22b,23

B. Think:

1. How again, does Paul show the supernatural nature of his conversion experience?
2. How does he seek to show that his commissioning was fully in line with God’s declared plan and purpose in the Old Testament?

C. Comment:

Having shown what a persecutor of the Christians he had been, Paul now goes on to recount his Damascus road experience, a divine encounter where he is shown that it is Jesus he is persecuting. Not only that, he goes on to explain the commission that he was given through this experience. In stating the commission, he summarises it and omits the details that part of it came through Ananias. He simply declares it as one piece: he was called to testify (be a witness) to what had happened to him, and he was to go to both Jew and Gentile so that all might receive forgiveness of sins following their response to his message.

Having had this divine vision, he was obedient to it and had gone to both Jew and Gentile, preaching for repentance and a turning to God. So far all he has said conforms to the Old Testament and to the preaching of John the Baptist. Next he moves on and speaks about Christ rising from the dead. He puts this in the context of the Old Testament, seeing it as a fulfilment of the prophetic Scriptures. Again and again he seeks to appeal to the Jewish side of Agrippa. Everything here ought to be quite reasonable for the Jewish mind – but isn’t!

D. Application:

1. Paul’s life was based on God’s calling. Is yours?
2. Paul’s life had been transformed by God. Is yours?

Passage: Acts 26:24-32

24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defence. ‘You are out of your mind, Paul!’ he shouted. ‘Your great learning is driving you insane.’

25 ‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.’

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’

29 Paul replied, ‘Short time or long – I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.’

30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31 After they left the room, they began saying to one another, ‘This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.’

32 Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.’

A. Find Out:

1. Who interrupted in what way? v.24
2. Who did Paul address himself to, saying what? v.26,27
3. What did that person reply, indicating what? v.28
4. What did Paul want? v.29
5. What was the king’s assessment? v.31,32

B. Think:

1. What was it that provoked Festus? (see v.23)
2. On what grounds did Paul appeal to Agrippa?
3. What is the judgement on Paul’s situation?

C. Comment:

Throughout most of Paul’s discourse the rulers had listened attentively to all he said. When he comes to talking about Jesus rising from the dead, Festus is provoked. He can cope with all the Jewish belief stuff but when it comes to the Cross, something in him is provoked and he rejects it all.

Paul is not put off; he’s had enough rejection in his travels to be able to cope with this man. Instead he turns to the Jewish “king” and appeals to him. Agrippa, we said previously, had been entrusted by the emperor with care of the temple in Jerusalem. He is a man who, despite his family background, does have knowledge of Judaism, he should have knowledge of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming messiah, and it is to this that Paul appeals.

Agrippa is quite aware of what Paul is doing and backs away. Paul confirms he wants everyone to believe as he does, but the royal entourage leave. As they go, they are overheard to acquit Paul of any wrongdoing worthy of death or imprisonment. Yet again he has been declared innocent, but yet again he remains in chains. At this point Paul could withdraw his appeal to Caesar but he knows that it is God’s will for him to go to Rome and testify there, possibly before rulers, even as he has done here. He remains silent.

D. Application:

1. Innocence does not necessarily mean freedom in a sinful world.
2. Awareness of God’s purposes is helpful in trying circumstances.