Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 24:21
Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
21. except it be for this one voice ] i.e. this exclamation or cry. From Act 23:6 we see that St Paul lifted up his voice, when he mentioned the resurrection.
I am called in question by ( R. V. with MSS. before) you ] “To call in question” means “to put one on his trial.” Cf. Shaks. Henry IV. (pt. 2) i. 2. 68, “He that was in question for the robbery.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Except it be for this one voice – For this one expression or declaration. This was what Paul had said before the council – the main thing on which he had insisted, and he calls on them to testify to this, and to show, if they could, that in this declaration he had been wrong. Chubb and other infidels have supposed that Paul here acknowledges that he was wrong in the declaration which he made when he said that he was called in question for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead Act 23:6, and that his conscience reproached him for appearing to be time-serving, for concealing the true cause of offence against him, and for attempting to take advantage of their divisions of sentiment, thus endeavoring to produce discord in the council. But against this supposition we may urge the following considerations:
(1) Paul wished to fix their attention on the main thing which he had said before the council.
(2) It was true, as has been shown on the passage (Act 23:1-10), that this was the principal doctrine which Paul had been defending.
(3) If they were prepared to witness against him for holding and teaching the resurrection of the dead as a false or evil doctrine, he called on them to do it. As this had been the only thing which they had witnessed before the council, he calls on them to testify to what they knew only, and to show, if they could, that this was wrong.
Touching the resurrection … – Respecting the resurrection, Act 23:6.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Except it be for this one voice] The Sadducees who belong to that council, and who deny the resurrection of the dead, may indeed blame me for professing my faith in this doctrine; but as this is a doctrine credited by the nation in general, and as there can be nothing criminal in such a belief, and there can bring no accusation against me relative to any thing else, this, of course, is the sum of all the charges to which I am called to answer before you this day.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As if he had said, Let them object, if they can, any other fault: but if this be a fault, to hold the resurrection of the dead, I do acknowledge it, and there need no other proof concerning it: not that he held any evil to be in this opinion; but he speaks ironically, knowing that they durst not renew their quarrel about it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. Except . . . this one voice . .. Touching the resurrection, &c.This would recall to thePharisees present their own inconsistency, in befriending him thenand now accusing him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Except it be for this one voice,…. Sentence or expression following, which declares his faith about the resurrection; not that he thought or owned that this was an evil in him, but that it was the only one, that any of them, the Jews, a part among them, namely, the Sadducees, could condemn, or judge to be evil in him:
that I cried, standing among them; whereby they were thrown into confusion and division among themselves: and it was this,
touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day; see Ac 23:6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Except it be (). Literally, “than,” but after interrogative = “what else than.”
For this one voice ( ). The normal Greek idiom with the attributive use of calls for the article before , though some inscriptions show it as here (Robertson, Grammar, p. 702).
That (). Genitive of the relative attracted to the case of the antecedent
phons .
I cried (). Reduplicated aorist as is usual with this verb in the LXX (Jud 3:15). Robertson, Grammar, p. 348.
Touching (). Concerning (around, about).
I am called in question (). As in 23:6.
Before you (‘ ). Same idiom as in verses Acts 24:19; Acts 24:20.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Except it be for this one voice,” (e peri mias tautes phones) “Unless or except it be concerning this one thing I voiced;” When Tertullus had failed to get one witness, even one, to get on the stand from among all the Jews present to give any specific or sustaining evidence of the charges against him, he then suggested that the only real thing he recalled might be a matter of his discourtesy in raising his voice before the council and getting a little loud when the issue of the doctrine of the resurrection was before the council.
2) “That I cried standing among them,” (hes ekekraksa en autois hestos) “Which I cried out loudly, while standing in the midst of them,” hardly a serious enough breach of courtesy or speech ethics, under the emotional pressure of the moment, to justify any of the three grave charges lodged against him, Act 24:5-6; Act 23:6; Act 28:20.
3) “Touching the resurrection of the dead,” (hoti peri anastaseos nekron) “That was concerning a resurrection of dead persons,” a doctrinal matter that sharply divided the Pharisees and Sadducees who were on the council. For Paul was a Pharisee in theology and philosophy regarding the resurrection, not a denier or fatalist, like the negative pessimist, stoic Sadducee theological philosophers of the council, Act 23:8; 1Co 15:12-19.
4) “I am called in question by you this day.” (ego keinomai semeron eph’ humon) “I am being judged before you today,” Act 28:20; Job 19:24-27; Dan 12:2; Joh 5:28-29; 1Th 4:16-18.
PERSECUTED INNOCENCE
Then the shepherds had the Pilgrims to another place, called Mount Innocence, and there they saw a man clothed in white; and two men, Prejudice and III-will, continually casting dirt upon him. Now, behold, the dirt, whatsoever they cast at him, would in a little time fall off again, and his garment would look as clear as if no dirt had been cast thereat. Then said the Pilgrims, What means this? The Shepherds answer, This man is named Godly man, and this garment is to show the innocency of his life. Now those that throw dirt at him are such as hate his well-doing; but, as you see, the dirt will not stick upon his clothes; so it shall be with him that liveth innocently in the world. Whoever they be that would make such men dirty, they labor all in vain; for God, by that a little time is spent, will cause that their innocence shall break forth as the ight, and their righteousness as the noon-day.
Bunyan.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
−
24. Felix, with his wife Drusilla. We said somewhat already concerning the covetousness and corruptions of Felix. Now, as touching his wife Drusilla, the readers must understand that she was daughter to Agrippa the elder, of whose filthy death Luke spake before, chapter 12, ( Act 12:23). She was betrothed to Epiphanis, the son of Antiochus. But forasmuch as the young man would not take on him the rites which the Jews did use, which he promised to do, her brother, Agrippa the younger, (of whom mention shall be made in the next chapter) after the death of his father, gave her to wife to Azizus, king of the Emesenes; from whose company she was enticed by the flattery of Felix. For Felix being taken with her singular beauty, did persuade one Simon, a Jew, born in Cyprus, to persuade and allure her to make a new match. Therefore, it came to pass, that this voluptuous woman, having broken promise with her former husband, did marry with an uncircumcised man contrary to the law. But though she had polluted herself with profane wedlock, yet we may easily conjecture by this place that she had not quite abandoned that feeling of religion which she had of [from] a child. −
For Felix would neither have desired to hear Paul, neither would he have vouchsafed to speak to him, unless it had been for his wife’s sake. Luke doth not express thus much, but in that he nameth Drusilla, we may well gather that Paul was called for her sake, that he might dispute of the gospel; though such revolts [apostates] be rather tickled with curiosity, than moved with a sincere desire to learn. −
He heard him touching the faith. This confession of Paul doth witness, that he did not spare to speak of Christ before, because he was afraid, or because he would escape the trouble of the cross; − (592) but because it was not yet time to speak. Seeing he was cited unto the judgment-seat to answer for himself, it stood him upon to answer concerning the crimes which were objected to him, that he might afterward frankly and freely profess the faith of Christ. Therefore, when he now seeth the gate set open, and opportunity offered for speaking, he is not afraid to offend the governor, neither is he terrified with danger, that he doth craftily make as if he were not a Christian. Therefore, we see that he was as well furnished with invincible constancy as with wisdom and judgment; neither did he ever of set purpose suppress the light of the gospel, but did only make choice of the time. −
Now, the wonderful counsel of God is worth the noting in this place, who will have the gospel offered sometimes to the reprobate; not that they may profit thereby, but rather that they may be made inexcusable. It had been better for Felix and Drusilla never to have heard anything concerning Christ; because they did not escape without punishment for refusing the grace of salvation which was offered to them, or for neglecting the same with loathsomeness. Furthermore, we must note this, that certain, by reason of that seed of godliness which is in them engendered, do desire to hear the gospel preached, which, so soon as they have heard, they do by and by either loathe, or else they cannot suffer it. Nevertheless, the preaching of the gospel (what success soever it have) is a good and sweet savor to God; whether it quicken or kill men ( 2Co 2:15). −
(592) −
“
Vel ut se subtraheret a curcis molestia,” or that he might escape from bearing the cross
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
21. This one voice Voice, exclamation. This sentence was uttered, we suppose, with a smile and a slight tone of irony that reminded the Sanhedrists of their own disorderly conduct in their last encounter with Paul, (Act 23:6-10.) If that exclamation was sacrilege they may make the most of it; but what of their breaking up in an uproar?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
Ver. 21. Except it be, &c. ] And if this be a fault in true account, why are not all the whole nation of the Pharisees faulted, that hold the same thing? Is that Naevus in me that is Venus in them? Or is that a vice in Gaius that is a virtue in Titus? Are they not apparently partial in themselves, and become judges of evil thoughts? Jas 2:4 . If Dioscorus the heretic could cry out in the Council of Chalcedon, I am cast out with the Fathers, I defend the doctrine of the Fathers, I transgress them not in any part; may not I more truly lay the like claim to the Pharisees, those fathers of our nation?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] ., before you : less usual than ., which is probably a correction.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 24:21 . = after (Rendall); St. Paul, of course, uses the word ( ) of his accusers. St. Paul is taken by some to speak ironically strange , a question of belief with regard to which the Jews themselves were at variance, and which the procurator would regard as an idle contention! Weiss renders “or let them say, if in other respects they have found nothing wrong, concerning this one utterance,” etc. “in what respect they regard it as an ,” supplying from the previous verse. On the whole verse see further Blass, Gram. , p. 168, Winer-Schmiedel, p. 187; and also p. 225 on probably not for ( cf. Mat 27:50 ), but here is used in the sense of a loud cry, so that the construction resolves itself into , cf. Rev 6:10 ; Rev 5:1 . (and for the expression in LXX. Isa 6:4 ). Farrar, St. Paul , ii., 328, thinks that he sees in this utterance some compunction on St. Paul’s part for his action in dividing the Sanhedrim, and for the tumult he had caused, but see above, p. 467.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
voice = utterance. Greek. phone.
among. Greek. en. App-104.
Touching = Concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
called in question = judged. Greek. krino. App-122.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21.] ., before you: less usual than ., which is probably a correction.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 24:21. ) Never is there an occasion when Paul omits to make mention concerning the resurrection of the dead.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Touching: Act 4:2, Act 23:6, Act 26:6-8, Act 28:20
Reciprocal: Dan 6:5 – General Joh 3:19 – because Act 19:9 – but spake Act 24:15 – have Heb 6:2 – resurrection
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Act 24:21. See the comments on verses 14 and 15.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 24:21. Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day. Paul well knew that many in the Sanhedrim, and the majority in the nation, would sympathise with him here. These words of his, he was aware, had been the occasion of a violent dissension in the great council; but he knew, with reference to his views and teaching on this all-important doctrine, the heart of the people of Israel was on his side. Wordsworth Well summarizes this masterly defence of Paul:They have charged me with profaning the temple. But the fact is, I came from a distance to Jerusalem to worship in the temple; and to bring alms of charity, and also offerings of piety, as a Nazarite; and they themselves found me in the temple, engaged in a holy service, proving my respect for the temple; and they who accuse me of profaning it were guilty of profanation, in abetting those who seized me when there employed in a religious act, of which they prevented the completion.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 10