Acts 26:28 Komentář

We left Paul at the bar, and Festus, and Agrippa, and Bernice, and all the great men of the city of Caesarea, upon the bench, or about it, waiting to hear what he had to say for himself. Now in this chapter we have, I. The account he gives of himself, in answer to the calumnies of the Jews. And in this, 1. His humble address to king Agrippa, and the compliment he passed upon him (Act 26:1-3). 2. His account of his origin, and education, his profession as a Pharisee, and his adherence still to that which was then the main article of his creed, in distinction from the Sadducees, the "resurrection of the dead," however in rituals he had since departed from it (Act 26:3-8). 3. Of his zeal against the Christian religion, and the professors of it, in the beginning of his time (Act 26:9-11). 4. Of his miraculous conversion to the faith of Christ (Act 26:12-16). 5. Of the commission he received from heaven to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Act 26:17, Act 26:18). 6. Of his proceedings pursuant to that commission, which had given this mighty offence to the Jews (Act 26:19-21). 7. Of the doctrine which he had made it his business to preach to the Gentiles, which was so far from destroying the law and the prophets that it showed the fulfilling of both (Act 26:22, Act 26:23). II. The remarks that were made upon his apology. 1. Festus thought he never heard a man talk so madly, and slighted him as crazed (Act 26:24). In answer to him, he denies the charge, and appeals to king Agrippa (Act 26:25-27). 2. King Agrippa, being more closely and particularly dealt with, thinks he never heard a man talk more rationally and convincingly, and owns himself almost his convert (Act 26:28), and Paul heartily wishes him so (Act 26:29). 3. They all agreed that he was an innocent man, that he ought to be set at liberty, and that it was a pity he was provoked to put a bar in his own door by appealing to Caesar (Act 26:30-32).

Then Agrippa said unto Paul,.... After Festus had made the above speech to him, and to all present, and had introduced the affair of Paul, who now stood before them: thou art permitted to speak for thyself; which a prisoner might not do, until he had leave; and this leave was granted by Festus the Roman governor, who was properly the judge, and not Agrippa, though the permission might be by both; and so the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "we have ordered", or "permitted thee", &c. Then Paul stretched forth the hand; as orators used to do, when they were about to speak; or else to require silence; or it may be to show the freedom of his mind, and how ready he was to embrace the opportunity of pleading his own cause; being conscious to himself of his innocence, and relying on the ingenuity and integrity of his judge; and especially of the king, before whom he stood: and answered for himself; or made an apology, or spoke in vindication of himself, in order to remove the charges brought against him.

And Paul said, I would to God,.... This prayer of the apostle's shows his affection for the souls of men, and his great desire for their conversion, and also his sense of the power and grace of God, as necessary to it: that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am; that is, his wish was that not only Agrippa, but that all that were present, were not only within a little, or in some low degree, but entirely, in the highest and fullest sense, Christians, as he was; that they knew as much of Christ, and had as much faith in him, and love to him, as he had, and were as ready to serve and obey him: he does not wish that Agrippa and the rest that heard him were as he had been, a bigot for traditions and ceremonies, that trusted in his own righteousness, did many things contrary to the name of Jesus, was a blasphemer of him, a persecutor of his saints, and an injurious person; but as he now was, not meaning with respect to his civil circumstances, as a mean poor man, and a tent maker, or with respect to his single state of life, which he elsewhere advises to, Co1 9:5 or with respect to his ministerial capacity, as an apostle of Christ, and a preacher of the Gospel; but as a Christian, and in a private capacity: his sense is, he wished that they were as he, regenerated by the Spirit of God, new creatures in Christ, called by the grace of God with an holy calling, believers in Christ, lovers of him, pardoned by his blood, justified by his righteousness, sanctified by his grace, children of God, and heirs of eternal life: and all this he wishes for of God, saying, "would to God", &c. knowing that the whole of this is not of men, but of God; all grace, and every blessing of it, which make or show a man to be a Christian indeed, are from him. And this wish is expressive of true grace, which desires the good of others, and also of a spirit truly generous, that is not selfish and monopolizing; and which is concerned for the glory of God, the interest of Christ, and the weakening of Satan's kingdom: and from the whole of this it appears, that a person may arrive to true satisfaction of his own state; and that it is an evidence of grace, when the heart is drawn out in desires, after the salvation of others; and that altogether Christians are the only desirable ones; and that to be made a real Christian is the work of God, and to be ascribed to him. This the apostle wished for, for Agrippa and all that heard him; as does every Gospel minister for their hearers, the hearing of the word being the ordinary means of believing; and the rather it is desired by them, because the condemnation of those that hear the word is otherwise thereby aggravated: the apostle adds, except these bonds; which were both troublesome and reproachful: not but that he cheerfully endured them himself, and thought it the duty of Christians to bear them patiently, when called to it, but then they were not things to be desired and wished for; the exception is not only Christian like, but humane and genteel.

"King Agrippa," he says, "believest thou"-he does not say, the Resurrection, but-"the prophets?" Then he forestalls him, and says: "I know that thou believest." "In a little" (i.e. within a little,) "almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Paul did not understand what the phrase "in a little" meant: he thought it meant "with little cost or trouble", wherefore also he answers as to this: so unlearned was he.

In short, that is, with few words, in brief sayings, in a short teaching, without much labor and continuous discussion. Wherefore Paul also fittingly says to him: "I would pray to God even for a little while," and the things that follow. For example, that it is my earnest desire that all should become Christians, and this is my prayer to God. Since I am ready both for many words and for few to preach the faith in Christ, and with work and labor, and immediately. For work and labor in teaching and preaching are in no way counted against me, but it is the same to me to work or not, and to spend much time in proclaiming or little, provided that I see some turning to Christ. He said these things while at once showing his own eagerness and zeal, and at the same time calling to that man, as if he wished both to hear more and to receive more instruction; not only would he not shrink from anything, but he was so ready, providing readiness itself, that he would even perform an act of prayer, if only he should obtain the object. The phrase "even for a little while," Agrippa?—he took instead of "almost," that is, of what was required to be small. But if anyone else, like you, Paul, discourses about divine and human matters, using spoken delivery rather than the wording or what is signified for the advantage of the speech, he put "even for a little while but also in length of days" instead of "in a few words in the contest of words," and also "in more," and he offered "I would wish you to become a Christian." So that he might say, "Both by few words and by many words I would wish you to become a Christian." For the sake of everything I am ready to do all things for your salvation, not only for yours alone, but also for those associated with you.

Paul answers for himself before Agrippa, to whom he pays a true compliment, in order to secure a favorable hearing, Act 26:1-3; gives an account of his education from his youth up, Act 26:4, Act 26:5; shows that the Jews persecuted him for his maintaining the hope of the resurrection, Act 26:6-8; states his persecution of the Christians, Act 26:9-11; gives an account of his miraculous conversion, Act 26:12-16; and of his call to the ministry, Act 26:16-18. His obedience to that call, and his success in preaching the doctrine of Christ crucified, Act 26:19-23. While he is thus speaking, Festus interrupts him, and declares him to be mad through his abundant learning, Act 26:24; which charge he modestly refutes with inimitable address, and appeals to King Agrippa for the truth and correctness of his speech, Act 26:25-27. On which, Agrippa confesses himself almost converted to Christianity, Act 26:28. Paul's affectionate and elegant address to him on this declaration, Act 26:29. The council breaks up, and they all pronounce him innocent, Act 26:30-32.

Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian - Εν ολιγῳ με πειθεις ΧριϚιανον γενεσθαι. This declaration was almost the necessary consequence of the apostle's reasoning, and Agrippa's faith. If he believed the prophets, see Act 26:22, Act 26:23, and believed that Paul's application of their words to Christ Jesus was correct, he must acknowledge the truth of the Christian religion; but he might choose whether he would embrace and confess this truth, or not. However, the sudden appeal to his religious faith extorts from him the declaration, Thou hast nearly persuaded me to embrace Christianity. How it could have entered into the mind of any man, who carefully considered the circumstances of the case, to suppose that these words of Agrippa are spoken ironically, is to me unaccountable. Every circumstance in the case proves them to have been the genuine effusion of a heart persuaded of the truth; and only prevented from fully acknowledging it by secular considerations.

PAUL'S DEFENSE OF HIMSELF BEFORE KING AGRIPPA, WHO PRONOUNCES HIM INNOCENT, BUT CONCLUDES THAT THE APPEAL TO CÆSAR MUST BE CARRIED OUT. (Acts 26:1-32) Agrippa said--Being a king he appears to have presided. Paul stretched forth the hand--chained to a soldier (Act 26:29, and see on Act 12:6).

Almost--or, "in a little time." thou persuadest me to be a Christian--Most modern interpreters think the ordinary translation inadmissible, and take the meaning to be, "Thou thinkest to make me with little persuasion (or small trouble) a Christian"--but I am not to be so easily turned. But the apostle's reply can scarcely suit any but the sense given in our authorized version, which is that adopted by CHRYSOSTOM and some of the best scholars since. The objection on which so much stress is laid, that the word "Christian" was at that time only a term of contempt, has no force except on the other side; for taking it in that view, the sense is, "Thou wilt soon have me one of that despised sect."