A STUDY GUIDE ACTS 26:1-32

1. A Study Guide

a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.

2. Acts 26:1-32  

a)  The verses record Paul’s speech to King Agrippa at Caesarea.

#1) Acts 26:1-3
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to make his defense:

2 “In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today; 3 especially because you are an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

i) Paul’s opening formalities. Paul makes the customary, but in this case quite genuine, compliment to the king, and the formal appeal for a hearing.

#2) Acts 26:4-8
4 “So then, all Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. 6 And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. 8 Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?

i) Paul addresses the Jews’ accusations. Agrippa would have read the transcript of Paul’s previous hearing. Agrippa was also grounded in a knowledge of Judaism. So Paul was on solid ground opening his defense with reference to the resurrection of the dead. Because Pharisees confessed a belief in the resurrection whilst Sadducees denied it, Paul had been able to divide and cripple the Sanhedrin by mentioning the resurrection (Acts 23:6-9). From a Roman point of view, Paul was at the same time able to point out that he was on trial not for a crime against Roman law, but merely on account of a religious dispute amongst the Jews —a matter in which Roman law had no interest so long as it didn't disturb the public peace.

ii) Paul challenges his audience. Paul, ever the preacher, takes the opportunity to challenge the audience to question their own beliefs. Paul’s question has little to do with his own defence, but a lot to do with their accountability to God.

#3) Acts 26:9-11
9 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.

i) Paul describes his former status. Paul next informed (or perhaps reminded) Agrippa that Paul himself had been a zealous persecutor of the way of Jesus. This then gave Paul an opportunity to show why he had turned completely around and was now a zealous disciple of Jesus. His explanation follows:

#4) Acts 26:12-18
12 “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’

i) Paul describes his encounter with Jesus. This testimony by Paul was dramatic, but true in every detail. It was certain to gain the attention of the audience and to give credence to Paul’s current devotion to Jesus.

ii) Contradictions? Paul says that he and his companions all fell to the ground (Acts 26:14), whereas Luke says that Saul fell to the ground and his companions stood speechless (Acts 9:7). Paul also says that his travelling companions did not hear the voice of Jesus who spoke to him (Acts 22:19), whereas Luke says they heard the sound (Acts 9:7). This is one of those famous “contradictions” that some people think they have discovered in the Bible. However Luke is hardly likely to write an account that contradicts Paul’s own accounts, and then quote those accounts in the same document! It is easy to reconcile these accounts: Saul and his companions all fell to the ground when the light shone, but his companions stood up before Saul did. Saul heard what Jesus said, but his companions heard only the sound, but did not hear in the sense of catching what was said.

#5) Acts 26:19-23
19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. 21 For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 23 that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

i) Paul Summarizes his mission. Paul next summarized his mission. He was guilty of no sedition against Rome, and of no crime even against Jewish law. His mission was simply to preach the resurrection of Christ which Moses and the prophets had predicted. From Agrippa’s viewpoint, Paul would be preaching his version of Judaism, which he had as much right to do as the Pharisees had to preach theirs, or the Sadducees theirs.

ii) Paul summarizes his message. Paul defines the basic message of his ministry: Christ should suffer, and be the first to rise from the dead and thereby proclaim light to both Jew and Gentile.

#6) Acts 26:24-29
24 While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. 26 For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” 29 And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.”

i) Paul answers Festus. Festus was getting frustrated. Nothing new was coming out of this —certainly nothing that he could write in his letter to the emperor. He loudly interrupted Paul with a remark possibly designed to throw Paul off his well rehearsed track. Festus may have hoped Paul might say something that would lead to the outcome Festus was seeking.

ii) Paul challenges Agrippa. Paul gave a polite answer to Festus. However Festus had turned Paul’s monologue into an opportunity for dialogue. So Paul threw out a challenge to Agrippa: “Do you believe the prophets?” Paul didn't wait for an answer, but said, “I know that you do”. This spared Agrippa from having to acknowledge that he was on different ground to Festus.

iii) Paul again challenges the audience. Seeing that his defense was about to be curtailed, Paul finished on the high note of offering the gospel invitation to all.

iv) These chains. Paul mentioned his chains not as an appeal to be set free, because he himself had made that impossible by appealing to Caesar. However perhaps Paul was pleading for his custody in Caesarea to be brought to an end and his transfer to Rome expedited.


#7) Acts 26:30-32

30 The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, “This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

i) If only he had not appealed. The king stood up. This effectively brought the hearing to a close, except for a private conference among the main players. It was acknowledged that Paul had committed no crime. Festus would have to write as much to Caesar, and explain that he was unable to set Paul free, and was compelled to send him to Rome, because Paul had appealed to Caesar. This was not a good look for Festus, but there it was, and Festus had to live with it.

ii) To Caesar. In due course, Paul was dispatched to Rome. Luke does not tells us directly whether Paul ever got his trial before Caesar, but only that he spent two years in Rome (Acts 28:31). However, we may safely assume that Paul did stand trial, because an angel said to him, "You must stand before Caesar" (Acts 27:23-24). From Paul’s letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Timothy, and Titus, we can glean some details of Paul’s two years’ custody in Rome, and of his release thereafter.  

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