Review of Acts 26

by Pastor Ayo Sparks

Acts 26 | The whole Acts 26 is Paul’s defence speech delivered before Festus and King Agrippa, the last apart from the one before the Jewish leaders in Rome.

This speech mostly repeats the points made in his earlier speeches, but in more detail:

1. Respectful Introduction vv2-3

2. His zeal vv4-8

3. Persecution of the Way vv9-11

4. Conversion and calling vv12-18

5. Subsequent commitment to the calling vv19-20;

6. Recent state of affairs vv22-23

Acts 26:16-18. I have appeared to you… to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you:

These verses combine earlier accounts and describe Paul commission as given directly from Jesus on the spot. The command to stand up and the promise of rescue echo prophetic commissions (Ezekiel 1 28-2.7: 1 Chronicles 16 35, Jeremiah 1.6. 19). Paul would bear witness not only to the things in which you have seen me’ but also to those in which I will appear to you Paul’s mission covered both Jews and Gentiles. His message was about

1. turning from darkness to light or from Satan to God, which is a familiar metaphor for conversion Ephesians 5.8 Colossians 112-141 Thessalonians 5.5);

2. (Present) forgiveness of sins

3. (Future) inheritance (NRSV: ‘a place’) among the saints; and

4. Faith in the risen Christ as the means to attaining such blessings.