Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 26:3
Especially [because I know] thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
3. especially because I know thee to be expert] Rev. Ver. quite correctly “especially because thou art expert.” The margin which R. V. gives “because thou art especially expert” might be accepted, but we have no reason to think that Agrippa was more than other persons of his station expert in Jewish customs.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To be expert – To be skilled or well acquainted.
In all customs – Rites, institutions, laws, etc. Everything pertaining to the Mosaic ritual, etc.
And questions – Subjects of debate, and of various opinions. The inquiries which had existed between the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, etc. Paul could say this of Agrippa without falsehood or flattery. Agrippa was a Jew; he had passed much of his time in the kingdom over which he presided; and though he had spent the early part of his life chiefly at Rome, yet it was natural that he should make himself acquainted with the religion of his fathers. Paul did not know how to flatter people, but he was not unwilling to state the truth, and to commend people as far as truth would permit.
Wherefore – On this account; because you are acquainted with those customs. The Romans, who regarded those customs as superstitious, and those questions as matters to be treated with contempt, could not listen to their discussion with patience. Agrippa, who knew their real importance, would be disposed to lend to all inquiries respecting them a patient attention.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
This is not flattery, but a plain confession of what was true; for Agrippa, by reason of his birth and breeding, could not be wholly ignorant of those things in question;
1. About the Messiah;
2. About the resurrection;
3. About the giving of the Holy Ghost.
I beseech thee to hear me patiently; it being a matter that concerned religion, and the life and liberty of a man, nothing but ignorance or impiety could take him off from attending unto it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. I know theeto be expert, &c.His father was zealous for the law, andhe himself had the office of president of the temple and itstreasures, and the appointment of the high priest [JOSEPHUS,Antiquities, 20.1.3].
hear me patientlyTheidea of “indulgently” is also conveyed.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Especially, because I know thee to be expert in all customs,…. Rites and ceremonies of the Jews, whether enjoined by the law of Moses, or by the elders, fathers, and wise men:
and questions which are among the Jews; concerning angels, spirits, and the resurrection of the dead; which were moved and agitated between the Sadducees and Pharisees; and a multitude of others, which were disputed between the schools of Hillell and Shammai, of which their Misna and Talmud are full, and with these Agrippa was well acquainted; and to their rites and customs he conformed, of which we have some instances recorded in their writings: when they went with their firstfruits to Jerusalem w,
“a pipe sounded before them till they came to the mountain of the house, and when they came to the mountain of the house (the temple), even King Agrippa carried the basket upon his shoulder, and went in till he came to the court.”
So concerning the reading of the law by a king, they give this following account x:
“a king stands and takes (the book of the law), and reads sitting; King Agrippa stood and took it, and read standing, and the wise men praised him; and when he came to that passage, De 17:15 “Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee”, his eyes flowed with tears; they said unto him, fear not, Agrippa, thou art our brother.”
Some of their writers say y, this was a piece of flattery in them: they also elsewhere commend him for his modesty and humility z;
“according to the tradition of the doctors, when persons attending a funeral met a bride (with her retinue), the former gave way, and both to a king of Israel, when they met him; but they say concerning King Agrippa, that he met a bride, and gave way, and they praised him.”
And whereas it was forbidden to eat on the eve of the passover, before the Minchah, though ever so little, that they might eat the unleavened bread with appetite a; it is observed, that even King Agrippa, who was used to eat at the ninth hour, that day did not eat till it was dark b: so that from hence it appears, that King Agrippa was famous for his exact knowledge and observance of the customs and manners of the Jews, and which was well known, and was by the apostle:
wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently; since he was charged with a breach of the laws and customs of the Jews; and his defence would proceed upon things which Agrippa was not altogether ignorant of.
w Misn. Biccurim, c. 3. sect. 4. x Misn. Sota, c. 7. sect. 8. y Maimon. in ib. & Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, pr. neg. 221. z T. Bab. Cetubot, fol. 17. 1. a Maimon. Chametz Umetza, c. 6. sect. 12. b T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 107. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Especially because thou art expert ( ). Or like the margin, “because thou art especially expert,” according as is construed. is from and means a knower, expert, connoisseur. Plutarch uses it and Deissmann (Light, etc., p. 367) restores it in a papyrus. Agrippa had the care of the temple, the appointment of the high priest, and the care of the sacred vestments. But the accusative gives trouble here coming so soon after (genitive with ). Some MSS. insert or (knowing) but neither is genuine. Page takes it as “governed by the sense of thinking or considering.” Knowling considers it an anacoluthon. Buttmann held it to be an accusative absolute after the old Greek idiom. is such an instance though used as an adverb (1Co 16:6). It is possible that one exists in Eph 1:18. See other examples discussed in Robertson’s Grammar, pp. 490f.
Customs and questions ( ). Both consuetudinum in practicis and quaestionum in theoreticis (Bengel). Agrippa was qualified to give Paul an understanding and a sympathetic hearing. Paul understands perfectly the grand-stand play of the whole performance, but he refused to be silent and chose to use this opportunity, slim as it seemed, to get a fresh hearing for his own case and to present the claims of Christ to this influential man. His address is a masterpiece of noble apologetic.
Patiently (). Adverb from . Only here in the N.T., though occurs several times. Vulgate has longanimiter. Long spirit, endurance, opposite of impatience. So Paul takes his time.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Expert [] . Lit., a knower.
Questions [] . See on ch. Act 14:2.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Especially because I know thee to be expert,” (maIista gnosten onta se)” Most of aII (primarily) because I know you to be an expert,” a definitive authority, a knower, to know what one ought to know, to pass judgement on matters of the nature of things alleged against me by the Jews.
2) “In all customs and questions which are among the Jews: (panton ton kata loudaious ethon te zetematon) “Of all of both the ethics (customs) and questions among all the Jews,” wherever scattered thru the Roman Empire.
3) “Wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently “ (dio deomai makrothumos akousai mou) “Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently,” with patience, as I try to disclose matters that establish my personal identity, in character and conduct, as each relates to the charges maliciously circulated against me, though they might not interest a king.
Identity of a witness is always important in determining the trustworthiness of his testimony. Where he has lived, what he has done, and with whom he has been and is associated, at the moment of the testimony, are proper matters of controversy. Note how thoroughly Paul opened up his life to the king, and the throng before him, in the powerful testimony that follows, Luk 14:35; Rom 10:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(3) Expert in all customs and questions.The former word is used in its half-technical sense, as including all the precepts of the Law of Moses. (See Notes on Act. 6:14; Act. 21:21.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Act 26:3. Because I know thee to be expert Agrippa must have had great advantages for an accurateacquaintance with the Jewish customs, from his education under his father Herod Agrippa, and from his long residence at Jerusalem; and agreeably to this, by the permission of the emperor, he had the direction of the sacred treasure, &c. See on ch. Act 25:13.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. (4) My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; (5) Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. (6) And now I stand and am judge d for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: (7) Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. (8) Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? (9) I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. (10) Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. (11) And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. (12) Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, (13) At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. (14) And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (15) And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (16) But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; (17) Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, (18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (19) Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: (20) But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. (21) For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. (22) 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: (23) That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
The Reader will observe, (and therefrom I hope be led to observe yet more, how much the mind of the Apostle must have been under the blessed influence of the Holy Ghost,) that the one great drift of all Paul’s defense, was not his own defense, but in the defense of the Lord Jesus Christ, and his full, and finished salvation. This was the great point Paul had in view. And, to establish this, he begins in a most masterly manner to shew, first, his original bitter hatred to and his Gospel; and then, to set forth the wonderful change wrought upon him, by his conversion, immediately from heaven, by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. No plan could have been so happily chosen, as this which Paul adopted. For if, as the Apostle proved, and in proof appealed to all the Jews who knew him from a youth, to confirm, he had been born, and lived, a very strict and rigid Pharisee; the question instantly arose, from whence this wonderful change? Paul answers it by declaring it was a call from Heaven. And how then could the Apostle be disobedient, to the heavenly vision?
But, while the Reader will remark with me these things, which both carry with them the highest, and most decided testimonies, in proof of divine truths; and no less hold forth, in a very blessed point of view, for the comfort of the Church, , the glorious account of Paul’s conversion: there is one thing more, which I hope the Reader will not fail I to notice, which is highly important; I mean, the overruling power of God, in affording this renewed occasion, and in so public a manner, for the Apostle to go through the account once more, of his wonderful conversion, Surely this was the Lord’s great design all along, in the imprisonment of Paul. Hence, he shall be apprehended at Jerusalem. A multitude shall assemble, both of Jews and Gentiles, upon the Occasion. And, while the one party would have killed him; and the other party would have had him examined by scourging, neither of them shall touch him to his hurt; but he shall boldly stand upon the stairs of the Castle, and rehearse before them all, the miraculous account of his Conversion. See Act 21:30 to the end, and Act 22 ; 1-22.
In like manner, upon the occasion, as here related, at Caesarea, what a wonderful coincidence of circumstances are brought together to produce such an audience, as the present? Not only a large concourse of people of Caesarea, but this Agrippa, who was king of a large territory, as the history of those times shew, under the Roman emperor, and Bernice, and, no doubt, the usual attendants of Princes; all shall have rehearsed before them, Paul’s history, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; they shall be told of God’s sovereignty and grace to this man. And wherefore all this? The Lord Jesus answered this question, when silencing the fears of Ananias, at Paul’s conversion. Go thy way, said the Lord unto him, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, Act 9:15 . And, here it is explained. Even though in chains, Paul shall twice deliver, in the most public manner possible, and before an immense congregation, (which, but for an overruling providence of the Lord, leading to it, never could have taken place;) the account of his conversion. The people of Jerusalem, and the people of Caesarea, yea, and strangers from afar, shall be all brought together for this purpose, and shall hear it. Both Jews, and Gentiles, shall be assembled on this occasion, who never would have mingled in any religious worship; and shall receive this testimony to the truth’ as it is in Jesus, whether under grace, for their everlasting joy, or in despising the means of grace, to their everlasting shame and confusion, Dan 12:10 .
And, Reader, before you pass away from the consideration of these things, as relating to the different audiences before whom Paul delivered in his testimony; I would beg of you to pause, and contemplate, if you can, to what extent this design of God the Holy Ghost then reached to others, not present at those meetings, to whom the wonderful story must have been related, after those assemblies broke up, and the multitudes were scattered abroad, both far and near? Who shall say, what blessed effects followed, in the conversion of numbers, who heard these things; and where that hearing was accompanied with the gifts of the Holy Ghost? Who shall calculate the blessedness, which, from that hour to the present, hath arisen, from God the Holy Ghost, having caused the record of this miraculous conversion of Paul to be in his holy Scriptures, and commissioning the hearing; or the reading of it, in Churches, and families; and among the people? Yea, to ages yet unborn, the precious record of Paul’s conversion must, and will have a blessed tendency, of the highest good; for we know, and from God the Holy Ghost’ s own assurance concerning this man, that it was for this cause he obtained mercy, that in him, first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting, 1Ti 1:16 : Hence, among other causes, of which, in the present short-sighted state of our faculties, we have no discernment, we here discover enough to admire, and in that admiration to adore, the wonderful design of God the Holy Ghost, in the government of his Church, in opening such repeated opportunities for his servant proclaiming the circumstances of his conversion; and for causing double records to be made, and handed down, to all ages of his people, of an event, so full of grace to the Church, and of glory to God. Reader! will you not feel constrained, in the view of such rich, free, and unmerited mercy, (the relation of which hath been blessed to thousands,) to look up, and bless God the Holy Ghost, for this instance, among numberless others, in giving to his Church, the repeated record of Paul’s conversion?
I shall not think it necessary to go over the several parts of the Apostle’s sermon; having already noticed some of the more striking passages, in the review of the account: Act 9 and Act 22 . I therefore would refer the Reader to the Commentary on both those Chapters. I shall rather desire, in addition to what is there offered, that the Reader will make the whole review of the subject, somewhat more personal, that the gracious mercy of God the Holy Ghost, in the record, as it concerns himself, may be blessed. Of all the arguments upon earth, as far as written testimonies can go, in proof of any one truth; none can produce greater, and few equal, to this of Paul’s conversion. When we contemplate what he here said, of the manner of his life from his youth: his zeal in the Jewish religion: his earnestness to promote it: his extravagant anger at the first, against Christ and his people: the astonishing change wrought by his conversion: and the whole of his eventful life, which followed: such an history, attested as it is, by every evidence that can be desired; cannot but carry conviction wherever it comes, as far as outward testimony can reach, of the truth it is intended to establish. But, my Reader will bear with me while I say, that if it goes no further than this, in obtaining the cold, uninterested consent of the understanding, without influencing by grace the heart; it is of little consequence, whether believed, or not. But, when by divine teaching, Paul’s history carries some resemblance, however faint, to our own; and while we read his conversion, we know of a work of grace having passed in our own hearts every tittle of the abundant grace Paul speaks of, which was shewn him, we can fully subscribe to, and say as he did: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, 1Ti 1:15 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Ver. 3. To be expert in all customs and questions ] As being a Jew, and conversant among the Jews (for he was Herod’s son), and therefore a more competent judge.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3. . ] For the construction see reff.; and cf. Viger (ed. Hermann), p. 337, where many examples are given e.g. Herod. vi. 109: , . . .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 26:3 . : (1) “especially because thou art expert,” R.V. (so Blass, Felten, Weiss), or (2) “because thou art specially expert,” margin, R.V. (so Wendt, Rendall, Bethge, Zckler). See critical notes, and for construction Winer-Moulton, lxiii., 2, a , and xxxii. 7, Wendt (1899), p. 389. : an anacoluthon, as if an accusative had been previously used, ., cf. Act 22:1 . Zckler takes it as an accusative absolute, following A. Buttmann (see Winer-Moulton., u.s. ), but no clear example ( cf. Eph 1:18 , and Hackett’s note, in loco ). , cf. Susannah, ver 42 (Theod., not LXX), with genitive as here. .: “ consuetudinum in practicis, qustionum in theoreticis,” Bengel, on Act 26:32 see above, Act 25:19 . , only here in N.T., but frequent in St. Paul’s Epistles ( cf. Sir 5:11 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
because, &c. Literal. thou being an expert. Greek. gnostes. Only here. Compare gnostos (Act 1:19).
customs. Greek. ethos. See Act 6:14.
questions. Greek. zetema. See Act 15:2.
among = according to. Greek. kata. App-104.
beseech. Greek. deomai. App-134.
patiently. Greek. makrothumos. Only here. Figure of speech Protherapeia, App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3. . ] For the construction see reff.; and cf. Viger (ed. Hermann), p. 337, where many examples are given-e.g. Herod. vi. 109: , …
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 26:3. ) Two accusatives, an Attic idiom: i.e. especially as thou art expert or acquainted with. See Heupel. de Dialectis, Can. 98, Raphel. from Xen. and Arrian. , is one who seeks and has acquaintance with. Festus was not one of this character: ch. Act 25:20.-, customs) in matters of practice.-, questions) in matters of theory. Festus had used this term in the absence of Paul: ch. Act 25:19. Accordingly Paul, by the Divine guidance, repeats and explains it.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
because: Act 26:26, Act 6:14, Act 21:21, Act 24:10, Act 25:19, Act 25:20, Act 25:26, Act 28:17, Deu 17:18, 1Co 13:2
to hear: Act 24:4
Reciprocal: Jer 32:11 – according Act 16:21 – General Act 18:15 – a question Act 24:22 – having
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
Act 26:3. Paul here states the reasons for his happiness expressed in the preceding verse. Agrippa was not of pure Jewish blood, yet he was brought up under the influence of Jewish teaching, and was acquainted with the law of Moses. This would qualify him to appreciate the things that Paul would say.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 26:3. Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Agrippa II., singularly enough, was especially fitted to act as judge in such a cause as that of Paul, accused of treason to the religion and sacred law of his forefathers; for he was not merely a ruler of Jewish lands, and the appointed guardian of the Jerusalem temple, but was also in religion, professedly at least, a Jew. His father, Herod Agrippa I., was famous for his rigid observance of all Jewish customs and rites, and prided himself upon his connection with the chosen people. The young sovereign himself was well versed in the law and the prophets, and even in the more abstruse traditions of the Fathers. The rabbinic writers speak of him as having attained a more than ordinary knowledge of these matters, as having even excelled in a knowledge of the law, and, as it has been well urged by Dr. Hackett, as the traditions which these rabbinic writers follow, who thus speak of King Agrippa II., could not have flowed from this passage, it confirms the representation here by an unexpected agreement.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 1
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 3
I know thee to be expert, &c. Agrippa being himself a Jew.