261 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 . 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 e 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 ? 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 e 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 .
12 "While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests , 13 at midday e , 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.'
19 "So , King Agrippa , I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision ,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 26:1-19
Commentary on Acts 26:1-11
(Read Acts 26:1-11)
Christianity teaches us to give a reason of the hope that is in us, and also to give honour to whom honour is due, without flattery or fear of man. Agrippa was well versed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, therefore could the better judge as to the controversy about Jesus being the Messiah. Surely ministers may expect, when they preach the faith of Christ, to be heard patiently. Paul professes that he still kept to all the good in which he was first educated and trained up. See here what his religion was. He was a moralist, a man of virtue, and had not learned the arts of the crafty, covetous Pharisees; he was not chargeable with any open vice and profaneness. He was sound in the faith. He always had a holy regard for the ancient promise made of God unto the fathers, and built his hope upon it. The apostle knew very well that all this would not justify him before God, yet he knew it was for his reputation among the Jews, and an argument that he was not such a man as they represented him to be. Though he counted this but loss, that he might win Christ, yet he mentioned it when it might serve to honour Christ. See here what Paul's religion is; he has not such zeal for the ceremonial law as he had in his youth; the sacrifices and offerings appointed by that, are done away by the great Sacrifice which they typified. Of the ceremonial cleansings he makes no conscience, and thinks the Levitical priesthood is done away in the priesthood of Christ; but, as to the main principles of his religion, he is as zealous as ever. Christ and heaven, are the two great doctrines of the gospel; that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. These are the matter of the promise made unto the fathers. The temple service, or continual course of religious duties, day and night, was kept up as the profession of faith in the promise of eternal life, and in expectation of it. The prospect of eternal life should engage us to be diligent and stedfast in all religious exercises. Yet the Sadducees hated Paul for preaching the resurrection; and the other Jews joined them, because he testified that Jesus was risen, and was the promised Redeemer of Israel. Many things are thought to be beyond belief, only because the infinite nature and perfections of Him that has revealed, performed, or promised them, are overlooked. Paul acknowledged, that while he continued a Pharisee, he was a bitter enemy to Christianity. This was his character and manner of life in the beginning of his time; and there was every thing to hinder his being a Christian. Those who have been most strict in their conduct before conversion, will afterwards see abundant reason for humbling themselves, even on account of things which they then thought ought to have been done.
Commentary on Acts 26:12-23
(Read Acts 26:12-23)
Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Christ both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was made a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong to their everlasting peace, who are yet ignorant of them. A world that lies in wickedness must be sanctified and reformed; it is not enough for them to have their eyes opened, they must have their hearts renewed; not enough to be turned from darkness to light, but they must be turned from the power of Satan unto God. All who are turned from sin to God, are not only pardoned, but have a grant of a rich inheritance. The forgiveness of sins makes way for this. None can be happy who are not holy; and to be saints in heaven we must be first saints on earth. We are made holy, and saved by faith in Christ; by which we rely upon Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, and give up ourselves to him as the Lord our Ruler; by this we receive the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life. The cross of Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and they were in a rage at Paul's preaching the fulfilling of the Old Testament predictions. Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead; the Head or principal One. Also, it was foretold by the prophets, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God by the Messiah; and what in this could the Jews justly be displeased at? Thus the true convert can give a reason of his hope, and a good account of the change manifest in him. Yet for going about and calling on men thus to repent and to be converted, vast numbers have been blamed and persecuted.