ACTS LESSON 55


    We will begin this lesson in 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:"

    Festus was really the head of this court, but he had undoubtedly
stepped down so that his superior might deal with this seemingly
impossible situation. He (Agrippa) at once turned the floor over to
Paul. It appears Agrippa is eager to hear from Paul. Paul is eager to
speak on his own behalf.

    Acts 26:2 "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:"  Acts 26:3 "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."

    Paul is a wonderful orator and he knows that he is not really
trying to convince the others, but king Agrippa, so he addresses him.
We see Paul eager to address him and clear his name. Paul immediately
gets Agrippa on his side, when he tells him he is an expert in Jewish
law. In the last sentence above Paul says, if you will hear me out, I
will prove my innocence to you.

    Acts 26:4 "My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first
among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;"

    We see, here, that Paul tells Agrippa that the very Jews that are
trying to kill him, knew him really well when he grew up in Jerusalem.
Paul had gone to school under Gamaliel in Jerusalem we learned in
another lesson, and he was probably class-mates with many of his
accusers. He says, I am no stranger to them.

    Acts 26:5 "Which knew me from the beginning, if they would
testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a
Pharisee."

    He tells Agrippa that these same men knew that he was a Pharisee
and a very strict keeper of Moses' law. None of them would testify in
Paul's behalf, but if they did and told the truth, they would have to
admit that he was a very strict Pharisee.

    Acts 26:6 "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the
promise made of God unto our fathers:"

    The hope of the promise that God had made was that Messiah would
come. All Jews knew of the promise of Messiah. He says, it is because
I believe in the promise God said that he would send Messiah. This
promise had been made to Abraham.

    Acts 26:7 "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."

    The promise of Messiah, and the promise of the resurrection, and
eternal life for the Christian is all the same. Paul says here,
because I believe that Jesus Christ was Messiah and believe in the
resurrection, I am accused of the Jews.

    Acts 26:8 "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you,
that God should raise the dead?"

    Remember, Agrippa is a Jew. He believes that God was Creator of
the world, why would it be hard for him to believe that God could
raise the dead?

    Acts 26:9 "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many
things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth."

    Paul draws back now a little and says, I once did not believe
myself. I could not believe that someone from Nazareth could be the
Messiah, and I, too, was opposed to Jesus of Nazareth.

    Acts 26:10 "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]."

    Paul freely admits his fault in not only consenting to the death
of the Christians, but actually as a member of the Sanhedrin had given
his consent to have them killed. Much of Luke's writings use words
that doctors used, and this just verifies that Luke was the author.  I
believe Luke listened in on this trial. He knows too many details.

    Acts 26:11 "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."

    Paul did not just jail them, but stoned them, and persecuted them
as well, trying to make them renounce their belief in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Paul really worked out of the temple in Jerusalem.

    Acts 26:12 "Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and
commission from the chief priests," Acts 26:13 "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."

    Paul was on his way to capture Christian men and women and bring
them back to be imprisoned in Jerusalem. You see, at that time Paul
was working hand in hand with the high priests. They all thought they
were in the will of God stopping these Christians. All of a sudden,
Paul encountered the Light of the world. This Light (Jesus Christ) is
the source of all light. Even the sun is just a container that we see
a portion of the Light in. The Light that Paul encountered is not to
be even compared to the sun. The sun is not the Light. It is a light.
We see here that Paul didn't immediately understand what this Light
was, he just knew it was much greater than the light of the sun.  He
tells Agrippa that the men with him saw this Light, as well.

    Acts 26:14 "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."

    This Light was so bright that Paul fell blinded to the earth. The
other men did not hear the voice, only Paul heard the voice.  This
kicking against the pricks is just saying to Paul, why fight, just
submit to God. The Light was telling Paul that it was useless to fight
against God. Of course, Paul did not realize he was fighting God.
Paul must submit to God's will now. This voice must have been in
Paul's ear. God can speak to an individual in a large group and no one
else know, just as he did for Paul here. Paul mentioned that this
voice was speaking in Hebrew, so they would know this was the Hebrew's
God.

    Acts 26:15 "And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest."

    Paul's question was a legitimate question. He had really never
come in direct contact with Jesus before. Can you imagine how he felt
when the voice said, Jesus whom thou persecutest? Of course, Paul had
not persecuted Jesus personally, but had persecuted Jesus' followers.


                                 Notes

























                           Acts 55 Questions


1.  What did Agrippa say to Paul in verse 1?
2.  Who did Paul address in his speech?
3.  What did Paul say Agrippa was expert in?
4.  How did Paul ask Agrippa to hear him?
5.  In verse 4, what did Paul say all the Jews knew?
6.  In verse 5, how had Paul lived?
7.  In verse 6, Paul says he stood judged for what?
8.  Who had this promise been made to?
9.  Paul asked Agrippa, why should you think it incredible that God
    could do what?
10. Paul thought it right to do things contrary to whom?
11. Who had Paul put in prison?
12. Who had given Paul this authority?
13. What city did this happen in?
14. What had Paul given his voice against the Christians to do?
15. Verse 11, tells us that Paul tried to force the Christians to do
    what?
16. Where was Paul headed, when he saw the Light?
17. What time of day did he see the Light brighter than the sun?
18. Who else saw the Light?
19. What happened to Paul, when he saw the Light?
20. What language did God speak to Paul in?
21. What question did He ask Paul?
22. What question did Paul ask Him?
23. What name did He give?
24. Who had Paul persecuted, really?


                                 Notes