Acts 26
(Acts 26: 1-3, ESV Bible)
Polos’ Fifth Defense: Before Agrippas and Bernikah
Our Master instructed the apostles, "When they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you" (Matthew 10:19-20). Paul addressed himself directly to King Agrippa II, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to make his defense before the king. He said he considered himself fortunate to have the hearing since the king was "an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews." Agrippa II was uniquely qualified to hear the case of a man accused of a crime against the Temple. The Temple in Jerusalem fell under his jurisdiction. Paul asked for the king's patience and then proceeded to offer his testimony.
Agrippa II knew that Paul's opponents charged him with teaching against the Torah. Paul challenged that allegation by stating that he had grown up Jewish and in the city of Jerusalem. He stated that the Jews of Jerusalem who knew him could testify that he had "lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion" (Acts 26:5).
Paul pointed out that the Yeshua movement's beliefs were consistent with Pharisaic theology about the coming of a Messiah, the final redemption, and the resurrection of the dead. The prophets state that God will one day gather all the exiles of the twelve tribes of Israel, bring them back to the land, and unite them under King Messiah. The Pharisees taught that, at the time of the final redemption, God will raise the dead. Paul referred to these basic, apocalyptic beliefs as "the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day." The words "earnestly serve God" implied Torah observance and prayer, but especially the holy sacrifices in the Temple, the "continual service to HaShem day and night."
Paul explained that he stood trial only for the sake of those Pharisaic doctrines. He knew that the Herodians tended to sympathize with the Sadducees both politically and theologically. He asked the king, "Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?" (Acts 26:8). He implied that if it is acceptable to believe that God will raise the dead, it should surely be possible to believe that God had raised Yeshua of Nazareth.
Paul told the story of how he had previously pursued and persecuted the disciples of Yeshua. He once believed it pious to act against the name of Yeshua of Nazareth. He described how Annas and Caiaphas deputized him to arrest the believers and lock them in prison. He told the king about his encounter with the Master while on the road to Damascus. He explained how Yeshua appeared to him and commissioned him to testify before the nations "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light." Paul explained to Agrippa that he had merely obeyed the message he received in the vision. Even the Romans could respect obedience to a heavenly vision. Roman pagans believed in heeding omens, signs, oracles, dreams, and other forms of divine communication.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
(Acts 26:21-24, ESV Bible)
Nothing Except the Prophets and Torah
Paul summarized his message to both Jews and Gentiles. He taught them "that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance" (Acts 26:20). This clear summary of Paul's teaching is consistent with that of John the Immerser, Yeshua, and the apostles, who all declared, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Paul defines repentance as turning to God and performing "deeds appropriate for repentance," a term that echoes the teaching of John the Immerser, who said, "Bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8).
Acts 26:19 dispels the misconception that Paul taught anything contrary to Yeshua's gospel message of repentance. Paul did not profess a gospel consisting only of cerebral apprehension of theological propositions about faith in Messiah and the efficacy of God's grace. He demanded real action and behavioral changes on the part of his disciples. He only cautioned God-fearing Gentiles from adopting "works of the Torah" to become Jewish, i.e., circumcision and conversion. In other words, Paul was not a purveyor of cheap grace and "faith alone "
Paul taught us to "lay aside the deeds of darkness" (Romans 13:12) and not to "participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness" (Ephesians 5:I1). He warned his disciples that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10). He complained about those who "profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed" (Titus I:16). He insisted that "those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds" (Titus 3:8). Yet at the same time, he maintained that God "saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Yeshua the Messiah our Savior" (Titus 3:5-6).
Paul insisted that his message was completely consistent with the Torah and the Prophets and that his assailants had seized him in the Temple and attempted to kill him only on account of his proclamation of this message. He said, "I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place." According to Paul's reading of the Scriptures, Moses and the Prophets predicted that the Messiah was to suffer, rise from the dead, and proclaim "light" to both the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. That brief summary is similar to the Master's own statement at the end of the Gospel of Luke:
He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47)
Paul believed that the story of Yeshua and redemption through His suffering revealed the ultimate meaning and unifying theme of all Scripture. Paul and the apostles could demonstrate from the Torah and the Prophets that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. They found testimony that the good news of the kingdom, repentance, and forgiveness of sins would be preached to both Jews and Gentiles. Simon Peter explained, "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins" (Acts 10:43). "For the Torah will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
(Acts 26:24-26, ESV Bible)
The Madness of Polos
Paul could tell that King Agrippa II and Queen Bernice understood what he was saying even if they did not accept it. He spoke clearly in terms that any educated Jew in his day could understand, but that meant leaving Festus behind in the dark. Festus had no familiarity with basic Jewish concepts such as sin, atonement, exile, redemption, judgment, Messiah, and resurrection. He recognized that Paul must be a great sage and scholar among the Jews, but to him, it seemed as if Paul's learned discourse had degenerated into insane ramblings-particularly the business about someone called Christos coming back from the dead and illuminating nations.
Greeks and Romans did not believe in the possibility of resurrection.
Festus began to feel embarrassed in front of his guests. They must think that he had assembled them to listen to the mad raving of a lunatic. He interrupted Paul's discourse and said, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad." Paul replied politely, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him with free speech." He made it clear that he intended the discourse for the king, not for Festus. Because of that, he did not feel he had to mince words or explain concepts for the benefit of the Romans present.
Although Festus could not bring himself to believe in something as absurd as a man coming back from the dead, King Agrippa II had heard about Yeshua of Nazareth and His disciples. The Yeshua movement was a public phenomenon, not a secret society of esoteric philosophy. Paul said, "I am persuaded that none of these things escape [the king's] notice; for this has not been done in a corner." The term "done in a corner" functioned idiomatically in Greek to mean something done in secret or outside of general public knowledge. Yeshua of Nazareth conducted public teachings and healings. Reports about His resurrection circulated widely in Judea and Galilee. His disciples made open proclamations about their faith and formed a large and growing segment of first-century Judaism. It was impossible that Agrippa II could be completely ignorant of Yeshua, His alleged resurrection, and the claims of His followers.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
(Acts 26:27-29, ESV Bible)
Christianos
Paul attempted to close his argument before the royal siblings by asking the king, "Do you believe the prophets?" Agrippa II saw the trap closing around him. If he admitted that he believed the prophets, then Paul would prove to him from the prophets that he should believe in the Nazarene. He remained silent. Paul answered the question for him, "I know that you do."
The king quickly dodged out of the discussion. He asked rhetorically, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" It would take more than a short dissertation to convince the king. Paul accepted the designation "Christian" and replied, "I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."
By using the word "Christian" to describe the sect, Agrippa II made it clear that he was already quite familiar with the disciples of Yeshua and their claims. The disciples of Yeshua first picked up the Greek name Christianoi (Χριστιανοί) in Syrian Antioch, but it had already spread widely among Greek-speaking Jews. The name "Christians" became the Greek appellation for the sect of Judaism that revered Yeshua as the Messiah (Christos, Χριστός). It was not originally a pejorative. The word implied allegiance to the Messiah and functioned as the Greek equivalent to the English word "Messianic." The name can be compared to the designation Herodians (Ἡρωδιανοί, Herodianoi), a term applied to people like King Agrippa II, Queen Bernice, and members of their court.
Originally, the name did not indicate the Christian religion. Christianity had not yet developed outside the Jewish community or in antithesis to Judaism. The name "Christians" did not imply a new religion any more than the other titles the believers used to identify themselves: the Disciples, the Way, the Poor Ones, the Saints, and the Sect of the Nazarenes.
Among Greek- and Latin-speakers, the name "Christian" quickly eclipsed the other names attributed to the Yeshua movement. Writing near the end of the first century, Josephus testified to the growing popularity of the new name for the sect when he referred to the believers as the "Tribe of the Christians."
Aside from his impassioned presentation of the gospel message, Paul's fifth defense can be summarized as follows: “[I am] stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place" (Acts 26:22). In other words, Paul's teachings did not contradict Torah and Judaism but emerged directly from within them.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
(Acts 26:30-32, ESV Bible)
Not Guilty
King Agrippa II had heard enough, and he did not want to engage the learned rabbi in a debate over the meaning of the Torah and the Prophets. He signaled that the audience was at an end by rising to his feet. Queen Bernice, Festus, and the rest of the men in the room immediately followed the king's lead and stood up as well. Unfortunately, Luke makes no comment on the queen's reaction to Paul's teachings. Did Bernice dismiss it all as Pharisaic nonsense, or did some of Paul's words lodge somewhere in her heart?
Festus and the royal siblings withdrew to a private chamber with several of the governor's advisors. They discussed the situation and agreed that Paul had done nothing against Roman law to merit punishment or incarceration. They had no charge to lay against him in a Roman court, but what about in regard to Jewish law? Had Paul broken the rules of Judaism?
King Agrippa II was supposed to determine if Paul could legitimately be construed to be a heretic, a disturber of the peace, or an apostate of some type, guilty of breaking the Torah or defiling the Temple. Having heard the apostle's words, the king declared, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment ... This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." King Agrippa II did not base his verdict on Roman law (which Festus could have done) but on Torah law. From the perspective of Jewish law and custom, the king declared Paul innocent. One wonders why the many generations of subsequent interpreters have been unable to reach the same conclusion about Paul.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.