The Book of Acts Chapter 26
Originally posted Friday, June 6, 2008
General Comment: Paul has been defending his
steadfast adherence to his own Jewish practices since his last trip to
Jerusalem (21:17). We read a hint of
what was to follow when Luke reports the suspicions voiced by a number of
Jewish Christians. What they had heard, and some believed, was that Paul had
forsaken his allegiance to the teachings of Moses and the Law and had
encouraged other Jews to do the same. It was, of course, nonsense, the
disinformation of Hellenistic Jews of the Diaspora. That Paul's message to the
Gentiles, including those attached to Synagogues, did not emphasize the
requirements of that Law with respect to circumcision and much of the
strictures of the Levitical Holiness Code was certainly true. But as for
his own piety and that of Jews converting to Christianity it was not. He was
and would continue to be a practicing Jew, and proud of it. This was the
central feature of his defense against which hearing after hearing could not
successfully impugn.
The
Jewish Sanhedrin had not provided any acceptable proof of Paul's apostasy even
with their attempts to use and manipulate Roman officials. In what may be a
classic demonstration of religious irony, this very Council, strict disciples
of the Law and the guardian's of righteous justice, could reach only one
remedy: to kill the man they could not convict.
After
being heard by two Roman Procurators who found no violation of their
law there still was no conclusion. In order to secure justice for himself,
Paul refused to stand again before the Council which had forsaken any notion of
justice. He had appealed to Caesar. But there would be one more hearing,
arranged more for the sake of Festus' need for documenting the reason for his
transfer of Paul to Rome. This time Paul would stand before a King, the last of
the line of Herods.
Acts Chapter 26:1-23 Paul's
Defense before Agrippa
Paul
was more correct than he knew when he addressed Agrippa as one who knew
"all the customs and controversies of the Jews." Agrippa would watch
the disintegration of Palestine into a battlefield between Jewish zealots and
Roman Legions. In the year 70 CE he would stand along side the Roman General
Titus, son of the Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian, as the walls of Jerusalem
were breached, the magnificent Temple profaned and burnt to the ground. He knew
the "controversies of the Jews very well.
Paul's
defense is consistent. Everybody who is being honest knows his history as
a pious Jew, even as a conservative, zealous Pharisee and could testify
accordingly. The only reason he is standing accused is because of his hope in
the resurrection, a hope promised to Patriarchs, Prophets and all Israel. As
a repudiation of the contrary claims of the priestly Sadducees, Paul
rhetorically asks why anyone would think it incredible that God could raise the
dead.
He
freely admitted he persecuted those who believed in Jesus. He hunted them,
imprisoned them, "cast his pebble" approving their condemnation to
death. He tried every tactic to get them to reject their belief, even
to such lengths that he would chase them wherever they tried to escape. His
hate was all consuming. It was not a hate born of the early Christian
belief in resurrection. Nor was it their claim that Jesus was the Messiah. As a
Pharisee Paul believed in both and that God would fulfill the promise to Israel
for both, but not now and not in a carpenter from Nazareth. Paul's rage
centered on the Messianic movement's demand for repentance and baptism in
Jesus' name and its rejection of the Pharisaic oral tradition. He took this to
be blasphemy against Moses, the Law and the God who gave the Law, the very
charge that had been made against him (21:27-28).
It is a sad thing to watch how destructive a person can be when motivated by
hate. It is a wonderful thing to see how constructive a person can be when
motivated by acceptance, kindness, compassion and justice.
All
of this would change on the Damascus road. In the flash of a
moment's visionary inspiration, all would become clear to him. He had been
"kicking against the goads," resisting the pointed stick urgings of
the Spirit (1). He
was resisting what John Wesley called prevenient Grace, the subtle
nudging of God's invitation to a new life and a new direction. Through his
spiritual eyes he saw what his fellow Jews, former Christian enemies, had
seen and believed. As sometimes happens to the most rabid haters, he
would become the most zealous of advocates. He knew his life would now be spent
in preaching the very message he had hated, not just to Israel but to the
unclean Gentiles as well. The message would be simple: put aside the past and
accept the new; turn to the God who forgets that past and gives the new; see
through new eyes; hear through new ears; take your place among the faithful.
He
was not negligent in his obedience to his vision. Hearing the same words of
mission as did the Eleven, he proclaimed what he envisioned, in Damascus,
Jerusalem, the countryside of Judea and then to the Gentiles. For this he
was seized. For this he faced death. Now for this and with God's abiding
help, he stood and testified to all who would listen: the Messiah must
suffer and be raised and "announce light" to Jew and Gentile
alike.
Acts Chapter 26:24-32"
Paul Tries to Convert Agrippa
A
good evangelist never passes up the opportunity to inject a little
invitation to consider the Gospel. Festus thinks Paul is crazy. All of
this talk of resurrections, Messiahs and roadway visions is a mark of
insanity. Does Paul wish to impose this Jewish mythology on Rome? Does he
want to "turn the world upside down?" It is more than his Roman
rationality can take. But Paul seeks an ally in Agrippa. He surely knows all of
these things. He challenged him. Surely Agrippa believes in the prophets and if
so he would believe in Paul's message about Jesus. Does Paul want him to become
a Christian? Yes, him and everyone who heard him.
The
hearing was over. All the evangelizing aside and whether he was insane or not,
there was no charge to be brought. Paul has done nothing deserving death or
even imprisonment. The last word is Agrippa's to Festus. If Paul had not
appealed to Caesar he could have been set free. Of course, Paul was already
"free" but he had a trip to make. Rome awaited him. It was where he
believed God was sending him by way of this necessary road.
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Notes:
(1) Goads are pointed
sticks used to herd cattle
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