Wednesday, December 2, 2020

The Acts of the Apostles, the history of the early church, by Luke the physician - Acts 25:13 to Acts 26:23 comments: Paul makes his case before Agrippa

 


Acts 25:13 ¶  And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus. 14  And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: 15  About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. 16  To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. 17  Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. 18  Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: 19  But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 20  And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. 21  But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar. 22  Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. 23  And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth. 24  And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 25  But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. 26  Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. 27  For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

 

It was said about Paul previously;

 

Acts 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

 

Now he is going to speak before King Agrippa. According to historians this was Herod Agrippa II. He was the eighth and last in the line of Herod, the fifth to bear the title of king. He ruled only over territories outside of Judea as a Roman puppet. Agrippa would be overthrown by his subjects in 66AD and support the side of Rome in the coming rebellion that saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

 

Acts, chapter 26

 

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: 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: 3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. 8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10  Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11  And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

 

One thing of note here was that it was common under persecution for a Christian to be required to renounce Christ before being released. Usually, this followed a great deal of torture and threatening thus the compelled them to blaspheme statement. This occurred under Roman as well as Jewish persecution and even today a Christian in the Sudan who refuses to renounce his faith in Christ is likely to suffer most horribly. This underscores that persecution in the Bible is not about someone ripping off your magnet sign from your car as much as it is about physical suffering and death.

 

Matthew 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

 

Romans 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

 

2Timothy 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

 

There were contentions in the historical church early on whether or not a Christian who denied Christ under torture could be readmitted into fellowship with other Christians. Fortunately, for us, we know from the example of Peter at Christ’s trial that God has provided a way back for those in places like Vietnam or Indonesia today who face terror and persecution and give in, so to speak. Some early Christians did lose their nerve but then came back and led exemplary lives for Christ even being killed in later persecutions.

 

Acts 26:12 ¶  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

 

There are two possibilities here as this account has some additions to the earlier accounts of Paul’s Damascus road experience with Christ. One possibility is that Paul is embellishing his story as people often do when recounting it. But a second more likely possibility is that this is a more fuller version of the event and the Holy Spirit wants us to have all of the information to see the complete picture. This is done throughout the Bible where you need to cross-reference and review every verse on a doctrine or an event to get the complete picture. So, in essence I believe this account to be accurate simply because the Holy Spirit included it in the Bible and it is not challenged by anyone at the time.

 

Here are the other two examples for you to compare. First, from Luke, presumably having been told by Paul, to the pen and parchment;

 

Acts 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

 

Then, Paul, defending himself in front of an angry Hebrew mob.

 

Acts 22:5  As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. 6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 10  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

 

We can piece together the full confrontation with Christ that Paul had by looking at all three. Some also assume that Paul is simply merging events and what he was told into one scene rather than two or three.

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