Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 26:5
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
5. which knew me from the beginnings if they would testify ] Better (with Rev. Ver.) “having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify.” The word for “from the first” is the same which St Luke uses (Luk 1:3) to indicate his perfect understanding of the Gospel story “from the very first.” When we remember that the early part of his Gospel can hardly have been gathered from anybody but the Virgin Mary, who alone could know many of the details, we may well think that the word implies that St Paul had been known from his very childhood. The rest of the sentence seems to intimate that there were some among those who were now his accusers who could give evidence about his previous years if they were so minded.
the most straitest ] There is nothing in the Greek to warrant the double superlative. Read “straitest.”
sect ] The word is that which is rendered “heresy” by the A. V. in Act 24:14. Everywhere else in the Acts it is sect. In the Epistles, where the plural only occurs, it is “heresies.”
our religion ] The word refers more especially to the outward ceremonials of worship, such as those by which the Pharisees were specially distinguished.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Which knew me – Who were well acquainted with me.
From the beginning – anothen. Formerly; or from the very commencement of my career. Who were perfectly apprised of my whole course.
If they would testify – If they would bear witness to what they know.
That after the most straitest – The most rigid; the most strict, not only in regard to the written Law of God, but to the traditions of the elders. Paul himself elsewhere testifies Phi 3:4-6 that he had enjoyed all the advantages of birth and training in the Jewish religion, and that he had early distinguished himself by his observance of its rites and customs.
Sect – Division or party.
I lived a Pharisee – I lived in accordance with the rules and doctrines of the Pharisees. See the notes on Mat 3:7. The reasons why Paul here refers to his early life are:
(1) As he had lived during the early period of his life without crime; as his principles had been settled by the instruction of the most able of their teachers, it was to be presumed that his subsequent life had been of a similar character.
(2) As he, at that period of his life, evinced the utmost zeal for the laws and customs of his country, it was to be presumed that he would not be found opposing or reviling them at any subsequent period. From the strictness and conscientiousness of his past life, he supposed that Agrippa might argue favorably respecting his subsequent conduct. A virtuous and religious course in early life is usually a sure pledge of virtue and integrity in subsequent years.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. After the most straitest sect] That is, the Pharisees; who were reputed the strictest in their doctrines, and in their moral practices, of all the sects then among the Jews. The sects were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This heresy, sect, opinion, or way of the Pharisees, St. Paul rigthly commends, if we consider it comparatively with the other sects of the Sadducees and Essenes: he had called this before, Act 22:3, the most exact manner of the law of the fathers; for it is certain it was more learned and strict, and came nigher to the truth in many things, than the other did.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. if they would“werewilling to”
testifybut this, ofcourse, they were not, it being a strong point in his favor.
after the most straitest“thestrictest.”
sectas the Phariseesconfessedly were. This was said to meet the charge, that as aHellenistic Jew he had contracted among the heathen lax ideas ofJewish peculiarities.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Which knew me from the beginning,…. From his youth, from his first coming to Jerusalem:
if they would testify; what they know, and speak out the truth of things, they must say,
that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee; there were three sects of religion among the Jews, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes; the first of these was the most exact, and came nearest to the truth of doctrine, and was the strictest as to outward holiness of life and conversation, and of this sect the apostle was; and according to it he lived, and that in such a manner, as not to be charged with any notorious crime; and indeed in his own, and very likely in the opinion of others, he was then blameless. [See comments on Mt 3:7].
(Essenes: A Jewish sect, who, according to the description of Josephus, combine the ascetic virtues of the Pythagoreans and the Stoics with a spiritual knowledge of the divine law. It seems probable that the same name signifies “seer”, or “the silent, the mysterious”. As a sect the Essenes were distinguished by an aspiration after the ideal purity rather than by any special code of doctrines. There were isolated communities of the Essenes, which were regulated by strict rules, and analogous to those of the monastic institutions of a later date. All things were held in common, without distinction of property; and special provision was made for the relief of the poor. Self-denial, temperance and labour–especially agricultural–were the marks of the outward life of the Essenes; purity and divine communication the objects of aspiration. Slavery, war and commerce were alike forbidden. Their best known settlements were on the north west shore of the Dead Sea. J.B. Smith one volume Bible Dictionary.)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Having knowledge of me from the first ( ). Literally, “knowing me beforehand” (both and ), from the beginning of Paul’s public education in Jerusalem (Knowling). Cf. 2Pe 3:17.
If they be willing to testify ( ). Condition of third class ( and subjunctive). A neat turning of the tables on the distinguished audience about Paul’s Jerusalem reputation before his conversion.
After the straitest sect ( ). This is a true superlative (not elative) and one of the three (also , Jude 1:20, Rev 18:12; Rev 21:11) superlatives in – in the N.T. (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 279f., 670), though common enough in the LXX and the papyri. H (choosing) is properly used here with Pharisees (Josephus, Life, 38).
Religion (). From and this from (Jas 1:26), old word for religious worship or discipline, common in the papyri and inscriptions (Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary) for reverent worship, not mere external ritual. In N.T. only here, Jas 1:26; Col 2:18.
I lived a Pharisee ( ). Emphatic position. Paul knew the rules of the Pharisees and played the game to the full (Gal 1:14; Phil 3:5). The Talmud makes it plain what the life of a Pharisee was. Paul had become one of the leaders and stars of hope for his sect.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Which knew me from the beginning,” (proginaskontes me anothen) “Have previously known me from the first,” knew me beforehand, from the beginning of my formal, public education in Jerusalem.
2) “If they would testify,” (ean thelosi marturein) “If they are (were) only willing to testify,” to relate the truth concerning my life, my behavior among them, my reputation from my youth among them, relating to my whole course of conduct and association.
3) “That after the most straitest sect of our religion,” (hoti kata ten akribestaten airesin tes hemeteras threskeias) “That according to, or in accord with, the most exact, strictest sect (conservative in Jewish philosophy) of our religion,” in letter, forms, and ceremonies, Gal 1:13-14. The double accusative is here used to emphasize that he emphatically followed the tenets of the most restricted sect or order of Jewish religion, Act 22:3; Act 23:6.
4) I lived a Pharisee.” (ezesa Pharisaios) “I continually lived a Pharisee,” among them, later referred to as “an Hebrew of the Hebrews,” Act 22:3; Php_3:5-6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(5) After the most straitest sect.Better, most rigid, or most precise. The Greek does not contain anything answering to the double superlative of the English. The word for sect is the same as that used in Act. 24:5, and translated heresy in Act. 24:14.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. If they would testify Which as enemies it is not certain that they would have the magnanimity to do.
Most straitest A double superlative retained from the old English of the first translator, Tyndale.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 26:5. After the most straitest sect The strictest sect. So Josephus, in a variety of places, calls the sect of the Pharisees, almost in the very words which the apostle uses. They were in many respects stricter than the Essenes. It appears from the gospels, that many rigorous severities were used by them. Compare Luk 18:11-12. Mat 23:25-28. We are told, among other instances of their rigour, that many of them used to sleep on narrow planks, that, falling down from them, they might soon be awakened to prayer; and that others lay on gravel, and placed thorns so near them, that they could not turn without being pricked by them. See Witsius’s Meletem. 100: i, sect. 15.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Ver. 5. After the most straitest sect ] There were three several sects among the Jews, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes; which last lived a monastic kind of life, and besides the Bible, studied medicine: whence also they had their name of Asa, to heal. The Pharisees were most in request, professing extraordinary strictness, as those districtissimi Monachi, those puritan monks among the Papists (as one calleth them) that carried wooden crosses at their backs continually, and pretended for it Mat 10:38 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5. ] See ch. Act 22:3 ; . Jos. (B. J. i. 5. 2) calls the Pharisees , . The use of the term finds another example in Eph 5:15 , , which command it illustrates.
] , . Suidas.
We have an instance here of used in an indifferent sense.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 26:5 . . : knowing me beforehand, i.e. , , from the beginning of my public education in Jerusalem. .: twice elsewhere by Paul, Rom 8:29 ; Rom 11:2 , also in 1Pe 1:20 , 2Pe 3:17 . For and cf. Luk 1:2-3 , and for the former also 2Th 2:13 . .: “the straitest sect,” R.V., on the double accusative in A.V. see Humphry, Commentary on R.V. For this classical form, the only instance of a superlative in – in N.T., see especially Blass, u. s. , cf. Act 26:4 ; on the term in its close connection with Pharisaism cf. Jos., B.J. , i., 5, 2; Ant. , xvii., 2, 4, and references above on Act 22:3 . Their “straitness” included not only observance and interpretation of the Mosaic law, but also of the whole . , see on Act 5:17 , the word in the sense of “a sect” was rightly applied to the exclusiveness of Pharisaism as in the N.T., cf. Act 15:5 , and in Jos., cf. Vita , 38. : “ cultus religionis , potissimum externus ,” Grimm, so here and in the other places where it occurs in N.T., Col 2:18 , Jas 1:26-27 ; twice in Wisdom, Wis 14:18 ; Wis 14:27 , of the worship of idols; in Sir 22:5 the reading is doubtful; in 4Ma 5:6 ; 4Ma 5:13 , of the religion of the Jews. The instances of its use both in Philo and Josephus show that it was plainly, distinguished from and . Thus it is contrasted with the latter by Philo, Quod det. potiori insid. , c. 7: ; and in Josephus it is frequently used of the public worship of God, worship in its external aspect, cf. Ant. , ix., 13, 3; xii., 5, 4; v., 10, 1; xii., 6, 2. It was therefore a very natural word for St. Paul to use, and it is not necessary to suppose that he did so merely for the sake of Festus and the Romans (Blass), although the word was used of one mode of worship when contrasted with another; see further Hatch, Essays in B.G. , p. 55; Trench, Synonyms , i., p. 200, and Mayor on Jas 1:26 . : emphatic at the end, expressing the “straitest sect” by name, cf. Gal 1:14 , Phi 3:5-6 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Which knew me = Knowing me before. Greek. proginosko. App-132.
from the beginning. Greek. anothen. See note on Luk 1:3.
would = be willing to. Greek. thelo. App-102.
testify. Greek. martureo. See p. 1511, and note on Joh 1:7.
after = according to. Greek. kata. App-104.
most straitest = strictest, or most precise. Greek. akribestatos. Compare the adverb akribos and the comparative adjective in Act 18:25, Act 18:26. A medical word.
sect. Greek. hairesis. See Act 5:17.
religion = form of worship. Greek. threskeia. Only here, Col 2:18, Jam 1:26, Jam 1:27. Herodotus uses the word of the ceremonies of the Egyptian priests. Used also in the Papyri.
Pharisee. See App-120.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
5. ] See ch. Act 22:3; . Jos. (B. J. i. 5. 2) calls the Pharisees , . The use of the term finds another example in Eph 5:15, , which command it illustrates.
] , . Suidas.
We have an instance here of used in an indifferent sense.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 26:5. ) knowing me, before that I speak.- , if they be willing) But they were unwilling [to testify], because they were sensible that in the conversion of Paul, even in respect to his previous life, there is the most effectual argument for the truth of the Christian faith.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
if: Act 22:5
that: Act 23:6, Phi 3:5, Phi 3:6
sect: Act 24:5, Act 24:14
Reciprocal: Mat 3:7 – the Pharisees Luk 18:10 – a Pharisee Joh 1:24 – were of Act 15:5 – certain Act 22:3 – taught Act 28:22 – sect 1Co 11:19 – heresies Gal 1:13 – ye Gal 1:14 – being
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
Act 26:5. Most straitest is a double superlative and hence is an improper translation. The two words are derived from AKRIBES (by superlative inflection), and Thayer defines it “most exact.” Paul means that he was a member of the Pharisees who were the most exacting of the Jews in their adherence to the law of Moses. They should have known, therefore, that he would not violate that law as the Jewish leaders charged him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 26:5. Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. He speaks here of what was evidently a common knowledge, viz. those details above referred to of his early bringing up. The grave and dignified members of the Sanhedrim, some of whom were doubtless present in that great assembly that morning, could, if they pleased, bow their heads in acquiescence to what he was stating to King Agrippa, but he does not seem to have expected this from them; but, at all events, there was no denial of his words. So he proceeded, After the most straitest sect of our religion; that is, After the most rigid school of our religion. Josephus, in his Wars of the Jews, bears witness to the Pharisees reputation in his days for their religious life and strict observance of the law: The Pharisees are a Jewish Sect who seem to be more religious than others, and who appear to interpret the law more strictly; and in other places he alludes to them as looked upon as most skilled in the exact application of the law.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 4
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
26:5 Which {a} knew me from {b} the beginning, if they would testify, that after the {c} most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
(a) That I was, and where, and how I lived.
(b) That my parents were Pharisees.
(c) The sect of the Pharisees was the most exquisite amongst all the sects of the Jews, for it was better than all the rest.