Acts 26 Study Notes

26:20-21 Paul’s faithfulness to “the heavenly vision” (v. 19) was the very reason the Jews seized him and wanted him dead. Thus, Paul’s stance is reminiscent of the one taken by “Peter and the apostles” in 5:29, where they said, “We must obey God rather than people.” This is living out the principle Jesus taught in Mt 10:28.

26:22-23 Paul emphasized that the message of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection matched OT teachings. He probably had in mind such prophetic passages as Is 52:13-53:12.

26:24 Festus took Paul to be mad because of talk about resurrection and Messiah, Jewish beliefs that seemed foolish to the Gentile world.

26:25-26 As evidence for his good judgment, Paul pointed out that the major events of Christianity had not taken place in a corner, out of sight and scrutiny. Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection were all public and could not have escaped King Agrippa’s notice.

26:27 Paul played to the king’s Jewishness. If Agrippa was a good Jew, he should have accepted the prophets and their message about Jesus.

26:28 Scholars disagree over whether Agrippa’s response was sarcastic anger, a jest, or a sign that Paul’s logic was close to persuading him.

26:29 Paul’s rhetorical skills were at their best as he concluded his speech. His confidence in Christ was such that he wished that all who listen could become as him, except for the chains.

26:30-31 Objective judgment could lead to only one conclusion: Paul was innocent. But Paul’s life was held in the service of the Lord, not the judgments of men.

26:32 The charges against Paul were found to be groundless before both Roman and Jewish authorities. Nevertheless, Paul’s appeal to Rome put his case in a special category that must be discharged by Caesar himself.