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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.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple,.... He means the Asiatic Jews, who finding him in the temple, laid hold on him, and dragged him out of it: and, as he says, went about to kill me; for no other reason, but for preaching to the Gentiles, and for preaching the above doctrines to them: what he refers to is in Act 21:27. . Acts 26:22 act 26:22 act 26:22 act 26:22Having therefore obtained help of God,.... Both to preach the Gospel, and escape danger; for he had delivered him many a time both from Jews and Gentiles, according to his promise, Act 26:17 and particularly from the Asiatic Jews, when they were about to kill him, by the means of Lysias the chief captain, who rescued him out of their hands; and also from the lying in wait of the Jews to take away his life, and the various methods they used both with Felix and Festus to get him into their power: but the Lord appeared for him, and saved him from all their pernicious designs against him; and therefore he could say as follows, I continue unto this day: in the land of the living, though in bonds: witnessing both to small and great; to kings and subjects, as now to Agrippa, Festus, the chief captains and principal inhabitants of Caesarea, and to the common people assembled; to high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, male and female, young and old; to persons of every state, age, and sex: saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. This he mentions in opposition to the charge against him, as that he spoke against the law of Moses, as well as against the temple, and the people of the Jews; whereas his doctrine was perfectly agreeable to the writings of Moses, and the prophets, concerning the Messiah, they speak of in many places, and the Jews expected. There is an entire harmony and agreement between the writings of Moses, and the prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New, in all the doctrines of the Gospel revelation; in the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the unity of the divine essence, and of the proper deity of each person; in the doctrines respecting the person, offices, and work of Christ; that he is the Son of God, God and man in one person, and the only Mediator between God and man; and that he is prophet, priest, and King; and that the great work he was appointed to, undertook, and came about, and has fulfilled, is the redemption of his people; and in the several doctrines of grace concerning the choice of men to salvation, the covenant made with Christ on account of them, their redemption, justification, and pardon, their repentance and good works, the resurrection of the dead, and a future state: the particular things instanced in, the apostle preached, and Moses and the prophets said should be, and in which they agreed, are as follow.

"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." See how free from flattery his speech is, and how he ascribes the whole to God. Then his boldness-but neither do I now desist: and the sure grounds-for it is from the prophets that I urge the question.

"Testifying," he says, "both to great and small," that is, both to distinguished and undistinguished. This is also for the soldiers. Observe: having left the post of defendant, he took up that of teacher-and therefore also it is that Festus says to him, "Thou art beside thyself"-but then, that he may not seem to be himself the teacher, he brings in the prophets, and Moses.

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.

For these causes the Jews - went about to kill me - These causes may be reduced to four heads: - 1. He had maintained the resurrection of the dead. 2. The resurrection of Christ, whom they had crucified and slain. 3. That this Jesus was the promised Messiah. 4. He had offered salvation to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. He does not mention the accusation of having defiled the temple, nor of disloyalty to the Roman government; probably, because his adversaries had abandoned these charges at his preceding trial before Festus: see Act 25:8; and see Calmet.

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).