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Acts 26

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

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:

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.

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

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

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

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.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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.

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.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

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.

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.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

What does Acts 26:8 mean?

Explanation

Acts 26:8 is a rhetorical question posed by the Apostle Paul while he was defending himself before King Agrippa.

In this verse, Paul challenges his Jewish listeners who believed in a God who was all-powerful and had performed great signs and wonders throughout their history (such as the parting of the Red Sea), engaging them on the issue of whether the resurrection should be considered an incredible event for a God of such power.

The literal meaning is straightforward: Paul is questioning why anyone would find it unbelievable that God has the power to raise the dead.

On a deeper level, Paul is underscoring the core Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a credible event given God’s displayed might and history of miraculous acts.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

This event occurs during a time when Paul was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Jewish authorities accused him of blasphemy and agitating the people, leading to his arrest by the Romans. Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed to have his case heard before Caesar in Rome.

While he was waiting to be sent to Rome, he was given an opportunity to speak before King Agrippa. The audience comprised of Jews who believed in the concept of resurrection in a general sense but found the idea of Jesus’ resurrection difficult to accept or believe.

Theological Insights

Theological perspectives on this verse vary among different Christian denominations, but most agree that it affirms the credibility and central importance of the resurrection in Christian belief.

Orthodox/Catholic Viewpoint: They hold the resurrection to be a historical and miraculous event that validates the claims of Christ and the foundation of the Christian faith.
Protestant/Evangelical Viewpoint: Similar to the Orthodox/Catholic view, but with a strong emphasis on individual belief in the resurrection as essential for personal salvation.
Liberal Theology: Some may see the resurrection more metaphorically, as a symbol of spiritual rebirth or the triumph of Jesus' teachings over death.

Practical Applications

The verse challenges believers to consider the power of God and the reasonableness of faith in the miraculous.

In daily life, this can inspire Christians to trust God for the impossible and live in the hope of eternal life.

Acts 26:8 can be a source of encouragement to face difficulties and a reminder of the transformative power of faith in God.

Cross-References

1 Corinthians 15:12-14: "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?"
John 11:25: "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
Luke 24:38-39: "And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Language Study

The key phrase in Acts 26:8 within the Greek text is "ἀπίστον", transliterated as "apistos," which means "incredible" or "unbelievable." This term is crucial to Paul's argument as it highlights the incredulity of his audience in the face of God's capabilities.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of resurrection was not unique to Christianity. Ancient cultures had various myths of gods and heroes who died and returned to life (such as the stories of Osiris in Egyptian mythology or Dionysus in Greek mythology).

However, most of these myths occurred in the mythical past or in the divine realm, not within human history as the resurrection of Jesus is claimed to have.

Scientific Perspectives

Resurrection defies natural laws as understood by contemporary science, particularly those regarding life and death.

While some interpret the resurrection as a historical event that occurred contra naturam (against nature), others may consider it a theological truth irrespective of its historical or scientific verifiability.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and theologians have offered insights into Acts 26:8:

John Calvin commented on this verse, emphasizing the sovereignty and power of God in performing miracles, including raising the dead.
Adam Clarke noted that the surprise should not have been at the doctrine of the resurrection, but at their unbelief, given their acknowledgment of God's omnipotence.
The NIV Application Commentary suggests that for the first-century audience, experiencing a world-view conflict between Jewish expectations and the message of Jesus, the resurrection was the key issue that either validated or invalidated Christianity.

Acts 26

Acts 26

What does Acts 26:8 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 26:8 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?