Atos 26
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 26
Constable - Jesus had also told His disciples that before the Tribulation enemies would deliver them to prison and bring them before kings and governors for His name's sake (Acts 9:15+). This, He said, would lead to an opportunity for their testimony (Luke 21:12-13+). This is exactly what happened to Paul, and he used this opportunity to give his testimony, as this chapter records. (Acts 26 Commentary) Fortunate (3107)(makarios from root makar, but others say from mak = large or lengthy) means to be happy, but not in the usual sense of happiness based on positive circumstances. From the Biblical perspective Makarios describes the person who is free from daily cares and worries because his every breath and circumstance is in the hands of His Maker Who gives him such an assurance (such a "blessing"). So here is Paul in chains, but sincerely expressing the blessing. Now that's a proper perspective on not looking at one's circumstances, but at the sovereign God in control of all circumstances! In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews - See the lawyer Tertullus' accusations (Acts 24:5-9+) leveled against Paul on behalf of the Jewish religious leaders who had traveled from Jerusalem to Caesarea to re-open the case in the court of Festus. Longenecker- Since Festus had already said that Paul had not committed a capital crime (cf. Acts 25:25+), Paul chose to defend himself only against the charge that he had transgressed against Judaism. I am accused (present tense)(1458)(egkaleo from en = in + kaleo = to call) means to call in,. It was a legal technical term meaning to bring charges against, institute proceedings against someone. Egkaleo in NT - Acts 19:38; Acts 19:40; Acts 23:28; Acts 23:29; Acts 26:2; Acts 26:7; Rom. 8:33 I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense before you today -
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Constable summarizes this section - The essence of the controversy surrounding Paul's ministry and teaching, he explained, was the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel, namely salvation through a Messiah. This promise included personal spiritual salvation as well as national deliverance and blessing that the Hebrew prophets had predicted (ED: SEE EXAMPLE OF A PROPHECY BELOW). The agent of this salvation would be a Savior whom God would anoint and who would rise from the dead. Paul's conclusions concerning that Savior were the basis for the Jews' antagonism against him. (Acts 26 Commentary) Nelson Study Bible - Paul was not being judged because he had done something wrong. He had not turned against his own Jewish heritage. Instead he fervently believed in the promises God had made to the nation of Israel: the promise of a coming Messiah and the reestablishment of the kingdom of God. Paul did not reject the hope of salvation for Israel. Instead he saw that hope fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The fact that Jesus had been raised from the dead confirmed to Paul that all believers would be raised from the dead to enjoy the blessings of the promised kingdom of God. And now I am standing trial - Fruchtenbaum points out that " the expression And now points to a sharp contrast between his youth and his present state." For the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers - The promise refers to the promise of the Messiah and the good news associated with His appearing that righteousness is available to all who believe. Larkin adds the "point at issue is the hope for messianic end-time salvation." Luke repeatedly alludes to the hope of Israel and that it was because of his belief in that hope that he was on trial Acts 23:6+ But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” Acts 24:15+ having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. Acts 28:20+ “For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” Fruchtenbaum - The phrase the hope of the promise refers to the Messianic Hope in Acts 13:32, which was made to our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Messianic Hope was the ideal of Pharisaism.
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Constable - Paul said that it was because of his Jewish heritage, not in spite of it, that he believed and preached what he did. The Jewish hope finds fulfillment in the Christian gospel. It was, therefore, ironic that the Jews, of all people, should have charged him with disloyalty. Related Resources: What happened to the lost tribes of Israel? What is British Israelism and is it biblical? Who are the true Israelites? As they earnestly serve God night and day (same phrase "night and day" Acts 20:31+) - Gilbrant explains that by using the word "earnestly" Paul was "saying that they (the Jews) still hope to attain that promise by “persistent” worship of God night and day with outstretched hands (a symbol of their earnestness)." Anna the prophetess is an example of a Jew who was earnestly serving God night and day... And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving (latreuo) night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Lk 2:36-38+, Simeon is another example of a Jew who was earnestly serving God night and day... And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel.” (Lk 2:25-32+) Earnestly (1616)(ekteneia from ek = out of + teino = to stretch) used only here in the NT and means "a state of eagerness involving perseverance over a period of time - 'earnestness, eager perseverance." (Louw-Nida) BDAG says ekteneia describes "a state of persistence in an undertaking or enterprise, with implication of exceptional interest or devotion." It speaks of persistent firmness of purpose. The related verb ekteino is used 19x in the NT and literally describes one stretching out their hand (e.g., Lk 5:13+, Lk 6:10+). And so taking the literal picture of one stretching out, in this present context ekteneia speaks of the fervency and earnestness with which the Jews were worshiping and serving of God. Serve (present tense = continually)(3000)(latreuo from latris = one hired or latron = reward, wages) means to work for reward, for hire or for pay, to be in servitude, render cultic service. Latreuo was used literally for bodily service (e.g., workers on the land, or slaves), and figuratively for “to cherish.” In the NT the idea is to render service to God, to worship, to perform sacred services or to minister to God in a spirit of worship (in fact in the NT uses below, note several passages clearly associate worship with serving.) Paul used this same verb to describe himself in Acts 26 Luke recording "I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets." Latreuo in Acts - Acts 7:7; Acts 7:42; Acts 24:14; Acts 26:7; Acts 27:23; And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews - The hope that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ was the very reason for which the Jews accused him. David
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Constable - The figure of kicking against goads was and is a common rural metaphor that describes opposing the inevitable (like "banging your head against a wall"). Such action only hurts the one doing it, not the object of his hostility. This was the case in Paul’s antagonism to God that his persecution of Christians expressed. Marshall - These words reflect a proverbial way of speaking, attested in several Classical Greek writers, and especially in Euripides, Bacchae, 794f., where Pentheus, the opponent of the cult of Dionysus, is warned: ‘You are a mortal, he is a god. If I were you I would control my rage and sacrifice to him, rather than kick against the pricks.’ But the proverb was also known in Judaism (Psalms of Solomon 16:4), and Philo spoke of how conscience stabs at a man (Decal. 87). Bruce thinks that the point here is that Paul was struggling against his conscience, but Hanson (p. 238) points out that in Greek literature the proverb refers to struggling against one’s destiny; this seems the more likely interpretation. (Acts Tyndale New Testament Commentary) Hard (harsh, difficult) (4642)(skleros from skéllo = to harden, dry up; English = sclerosis) literally means hard, stiff, dried up, dry, severe. When referring to voices or sounds it means hoarse or harsh (Jn 6:60). When referring to things it means hard or tough. When referring to people, it conveys an inhuman character. "The word always conveys a grave reproach; it indicates a character harshly inhumane and uncivil" (Trench). Moody Bible Commentary - The goads are spikes on a pole or plank that is used to train and control an ox or horse to pull a cart. The imagery implies that resistance against Jesus is painful and useless. Goad (2759)(kentron from kenteo = to prick, stimulate) means anything by which a puncture is made. A pointed stick used in driving draft animals. The sting of an animal. Zodhiates - "to kick against the pricks" or goads, meaning to offer vain and rash resistance which is a proverbial expression alluding to unruly oxen and applied to those who by unruly rage hurt themselves). Kentron - goads(1), sting(2), stings(1). Acts 26:14; 1 Co. 15:55; 1 Co. 15:56; Rev. 9:10 (1 Co. 15:55) “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” (1 Co. 15:56) The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; (Rev. 9:10) They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. Kentron in Septuagint - Prov. 26:3; Hos. 5:12; Hos. 13:14; Gilbrant - From the time of Homer this noun denoted a variety of things: “goad, any sharp point, spike, spur, instrument of torture, sting of a bee, sting of a scorpion, sting of an animal, point around which a circle is drawn,” etc. It even is used in the metaphoric sense of something serving as an incentive, and it became part of the proverb “to kick against the goads.” In the Septuagint kentron is used to translate the Hebrew words methegh, “bridle” (Proverbs 26:3), and qōṯev, “sting, prick” (Hosea 13:14). It is also used with no Hebrew counterpart in Sirach 38:25; Hosea 5:12; and 4 Maccabees 14:19. Kentron occurs five times in the New Testament. The Lord himself used it in a figurative sense when He reminded Saul of Tarsus of the difficulty involved in resisting the divine call to salvation and service (Acts 9:5). In his testimony before King Agrippa, Paul alluded to this aspect of the experience he received when he was gloriously converted and called into apostolic ministry (Acts 26:14). Paul used another figurative meaning for the term in the famous resurrection chapter of the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15. There Paul alluded to the “sting” of death as disappearing for Christians at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:55). In the next verse he specified that sin is the sting of death. That is to say, had sin never entered the human race, death never would have entered it. However, because Jesus dealt with the sin problem, He also conquered the sting of death. At the proper time the process will be complete for God’s people. The apostle John utilized the same Greek word to describe one of the events which will occur during the Tribulation. Under the fifth trumpet judgment, God will loose demonic forces out of the abyss. They will be permitted to torment the earth’s inhabitants for 5 months, but they will not be allowed to kill these people. John said the sting of these creatures will be like the sting of a scorpion (Revelation 9:10). Wikipedia on goad - The goad is a traditional farming implement, used to spur or guide livestock, usually oxen, which are pulling a plough or a cart; used also to round up cattle. It is a type of long stick with a pointed end, also known as the cattle prod.