Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 26:6
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
6. And now I stand and am judged] Rev. Ver. “And now I stand here to be judged.” The idea is “I am on my trial.”
for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers ] i.e. because I entertain the hope that the promise which God made to the patriarchs and to David shall be fulfilled to us. The “promise” must be of the Messiah and of His coming into the world as King. For this is what the ten tribes were looking for. But this in St Paul’s view embraced the doctrine of the resurrection, because that was God’s assurance to the world (Act 17:31) that He who was so raised up was to be the judge of quick and dead.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And now I stand – I stand before the tribunal. I am arraigned.
And am judged – Am tried with reference to being judged. I am undergoing a trial on the point in which all my nation are agreed.
For the hope – On account of the hope; or because, in common with my countrymen, I had entertained this hope, and now believe in its fulfillment.
Of the promise … – See the references in the margin. It is not quite certain whether Paul refers here to the promise of the Messiah or to the hope of the resurrection of the dead. When he stood before the Jewish Sanhedrin Act 23:6, he said that he was called in question on account of holding the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. But it may be observed that in his view the two things were closely united. He hoped that the Messiah would come, and he hoped therefore for the resurrection of the dead. He believed that he had come, and had risen, and therefore he believed that the dead would rise. He argued the one from the other. And as he believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and that he had risen from the dead, and that he had thus furnished a demonstration that the dead would rise, it was evident that the subject of controversy between him and the Jews involved everything that was vital to their opinions and their hopes. See Act 26:8.
Made of God – Made by God. See the marginal references. The promises had been made to the fathers of a Messiah to come, and that embraced the promise of a future state, or of the resurrection of the dead. It will help us to understand the stress which Paul and the other apostles laid on the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead to remember that it involved the whole doctrine of the separate existence of the soul and of a future state. The Sadducees denied all this; and when the Pharisees, the Saviour, and the apostles opposed them, they did it by showing that there would be a future state of rewards and punishments. See the argument of the Saviour with the Sadducees explained in the notes on Mat 22:23-32.
Unto our fathers – Our ancestors, the patriarchs, etc.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. For the hope of the promise] This does not appear to mean, the hope of the Messiah, as some have imagined, but the hope of the resurrection of the dead, to which the apostle referred in Ac 23:6, where he says to the Jewish council, (from which the Roman governor took him,) of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question: see the notes there. And here he says, I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise, c., and to which, he says, Ac 26:7, the twelve tribes hope to come. The Messiah had come, and was gone again, as Paul well knew and what is here meant is something which the Jews hoped to come to, or attain; not what was to come to them; and this singular observation excludes the Messiah from being meant. It was the resurrection of all men from the dead which Paul’s words signified; and this the Jews had been taught to hope for, by many passages in the Old Testament. I shall only add, that when, in the next verse, this hope of the promise is mentioned as what the Jews did then hope, , to come to, it is the very same word which Paul, in Php 3:11, uses to express the same thing: If by any means, (says he) , I might attain to, the resurrection of the dead. Bp. Pearce.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I stand; the posture of such as are held for guilty.
The hope of the promise; St. Paul brings in the discourse of the resurrection, which, as hath been observed, is the foundation of all religion, 1Co 15:14; Act 23:6; 24:15; and now it is called
the hope of the promise, because Gods promise did raise them up to this hope: for God having promised to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, gave them rather less than others in this world; neither had they any propriety in all the Promised Land, but only to a burying place; whence they might certainly infer, that there was another life to be expected, in which God would make this his word good. Paul was also
judged for the hope of the promise, taking this hope for the salvation which Christ did purchase, and Paul preach, which was also promised unto the fathers, though mostly under types and obscure representations. The sum is, Paul was judged for one of those two articles of our faith, viz. the resurrection of the body, or a life everlasting.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. I . . . am judged for the hopeof the promise made . . . to our fathers“for believingthat the promise of Messiah, the Hope of the Church (Act 13:32;Act 28:20) has been fulfilled inJesus of Nazareth risen from the dead.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And now I stand, and am judged,…. Before the Roman governor, and in the presence of Agrippa:
for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; either for the hope of righteousness, life, and salvation, by the Messiah; who was promised to the Jewish fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others; see Ge 22:18 or for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life; of which there are various testimonies in the writings of the Old Testament, committed to the people of the Jews. Job 19:26 and others; and both these senses may be very well joined together, for it was for asserting that the promised Messiah was come, and that Jesus of Nazareth was he; that he was risen from the dead, and that all the dead will be raised by him; and that life and righteousness, salvation, and everlasting glory and happiness, are only by him; for asserting these things, I say, the apostle was now a prisoner, and stood at the bar of a Roman judge, being accused by the Jews.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And now ( ). Sharp comparison between his youth and the present.
To be judged for the hope (‘ —). The hope of the resurrection and of the promised Messiah (13:32). Page calls verses 6-8 a parenthesis in the course of Paul’s argument by which he shows that his life in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism. He does resume his narrative in verse 9, but verses 6-8 are the core of his defence already presented in Acts 26:3; Acts 26:9-11 where he proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
For the hope [ ] . Lit., “on the ground of the hope.”
Made of God. The article clearly defines what promise, “the one, namely, made of God.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And now I stand and am judged,” (kai nun hesteka krinomenos) “And now, and for the indeterminate future, I stand being judged,” or am standing for judgement of what is in my future, Act 23:6. This hope for which he is now being judged, he asserts, is the same hope, not different from, that he had professed during his whole past life. Not merely of the resurrection but also of the future messianic kingdom of Israel, Luk 1:31-33,
2) “For the hope,” (ep’ elpidetes) “Upon the basis of the hope,” which I have, hold, or possess and express to others in my witnessing, Act 1:8; Rom 1:13-16; 1Co 15:1-4; Act 28:20. He, Jesus Christ, is still the hope set before men, as the anchor for their souls, and the Messed Hope for whom believers are faithfully to look, Heb 6:18-19; Tit 2:13-14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
−
6. For the hope of the promise. He doth now descend into the cause, to wit, that he laboreth for the principal point of faith. And though he seem to have spoken generally of the resurrection, yet we may gather out of the text, that he beginneth with a farther point, and that he did comprehend those circumstances which did properly appertain unto the faith of the gospel. He complaineth that the Jews did accuse him, because he maintained the hope of the promise made to the fathers. Therefore, this was the beginning and also the issue of the matter, that the covenant which God had made with the fathers is referred unto eternal salvation. Wherefore this was the sum of the disputation, that the Jewish religion was nothing worth unless they took heed to the heavens, and did also lift up their eyes unto Christ, the author of the new life. They did boast that they were chosen from among all people of the word. But their adoption did profit them nothing, unless they did trust to the promised Mediator, and look unto the inheritance of the kingdom of God. Therefore, we must conceive much more than Luke doth plainly express. And surely his narration tendeth to no other end, save only that we may know of what things Paul intreated. But what this was, and in what words he uttered it, we cannot tell. Nevertheless, it behoveth us to gather out of a brief sum those things which appertain unto this disputation, which was freely handled before Agrippa, when Paul had free liberty granted to him to plead his own cause. −
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) For the hope of the promise made of God. The words include the whole expectation of a divine kingdom of which the Christ was to be the head, as well as the specific belief in a resurrection of the dead.
Unto our fathers.Some of the better MSS. have simply, to the fathers. The Received text is, perhaps, more in harmony with St. Pauls usual manner of identifying himself with those to whom he speaks. He will claim even Agrippa as of the stock of Abraham. (Comp. in this connection the anecdote as to Agrippa I. given in Note on Act. 12:21.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. And now In accordance with and springing from this deep Judaism.
I stand A phrase of manly firmness.
Promise Namely, of the Messiah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers, to which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king! Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?”
He then declared the hope which was his, and in which he believed. It was a very Jewish hope. He was being judged ‘for the hope of the promise made of God to our fathers’, that is, the hope of the coming Messiah Who would be raised from the dead (Isa 53:10-12; Psa 16:8-11) and Who would raise others from the dead at the last day (Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2; Joh 5:29). This was what all Israel (the twelve tribes) also hoped for, the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection from the dead, ‘Jesus and the resurrection’. Let them therefore be aware that he stands to be judged before them this day, because is a Jew and as a Jew he has a Jewish hope. Paul is not shamming here. He believed that the church was the true Israel, the true Vine (Joh 15:1-6), the Israel of God (Gal 6:16), and that they were God’s true people.
Once again it is clear that Paul sees one of the main reasons why he is being so hounded as arising from the fact of his belief in the resurrection as especially revealed in the resurrection of Christ. It is this is that the chief priests are so bigoted against. And yet the promises of God concerning the Messiah and the coming resurrection are what all the people of Israel (the whole twelve tribes – apart from these few) hope to attain to by serving God faithfully. That indeed is why he himself is serving God faithfully! And this is the hope concerning which he is being accused. And then he challenges them as to why it should be thought so incredible that God can raise the dead. After all, if He is the living God, can He not do anything?
By facing them up with Christ and the resurrection he was bringing what was possibly a new message to the Gentiles among the audience, as he had in Athens (Act 17:18; Act 17:31-32), but at the same time he was wooing the supporters of the Pharisees who taught the resurrection from the dead, and linking it with the Messianic hope. Let all recognise that the living God will do this. He will raise men from the dead, and He has demonstrated this by raising Jesus Christ from the dead. For in the end Paul’s purpose for both Jew and Gentile is eventually to introduce them to the fact that Jesus Christ, Whom all the trouble is about, did rise from the dead, and is now enthroned as Lord and Saviour.
His Wrongly Expressed Zeal in Serving the Lord In Which He Had Been Supported By His Accusers.
Act 26:6-7 . As I was known from of old by every one as a disciple of the strictest orthodoxy, so it is also now far from being anything heterodox, on account of which I stand accused ( ), it is the universal, ardently-cherished, national hope, directed to the promise issued by God to our fathers.
] on account of hope toward the promise, etc. That Paul means the hope of the Messianic kingdom to be erected , the hope of the whole eternal (Heb 9:15 ), not merely the special hope of the resurrection of the dead (Grotius), the following more precise description proves, in which the universal and unanimous solicitude of the nation is depicted. He had preached of this hope, that the risen Jesus would realize it (comp. Act 13:32 f.), and this was the reason of his persecution. See also Act 28:20 .
] issued to our fathers . On the order of the words , the participle after the substantive, see Khner, ad Xen. Anab . v. 3. 4.
refers to the .
] our twelve-tribe-stock (a theocratically honourable designation of the nation as a whole, comp. Jas 1:1 ). The word is also found in the Protevang. Jacobi , 1 (see Thilo in loc ., p. 166 f.); Clem. 1 Cor . 55, comp. chap. 31, p. 76: . Quite analogous is , Herod. v. 66 (comp. in the same place). To understand the expression historically , it need only be remarked, that even after the exile the collective body of the people actually consisted of the twelve tribes; in which view the circumstance, that ten tribes did not return from the exile, did not alter anything in the objective relation, and could not destroy the consciousness, deeply interwoven and vividly bound up by history and prophecy with the whole national character, that every Jew (wherever he was) belonged to the great unity of the , to say nothing of the fact that all the members of the ten tribes did not go into exile, and of the exiled all did not jointly and severally remain in exile. The question, therefore, as to the later fate of the ten tribes (see especially, Baumgarten) does not belong to this place.
. . .] with constancy attending to the worship of God , as well by the (sacrificium juge; see Ewald, Alterth. p. 171) as by prayer and every kind of adoration. Comp. on Luk 2:37 , where also, in order at once to give prominence to the earnestness of the constant worship, precedes. ] to arrive, as if at a goal, which is the contents of the promise. Comp. on Phi 3:7 . The conception ., Act 2:23 , Gal 3:14 , Heb 9:15 ; Heb 11:13 , is analogous. The realization of the Messianic promise is also here represented as attaching itself to the pious preparation of the nation. Comp. Act 3:20 f.
] by Jews! placed at the end, brings into emphatic prominence the contrast. The absurdity and wickedness of being impeached by Jews concerning the hope of the Messianic kingdom were to be made thoroughly palpable.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Ver. 6. For the hope of the promise ] The goodness of his cause made much for his comfort. It is one thing to suffer as a martyr, and another thing to suffer as a malefactor. Ibi erat Christus, ubi latrones: similis poena, dissimilis causa. Christ and the thieves were in the like condemnation, but their cause was not alike. (Angustin.) Samson died with the Philistines by the fail of the same house; simili quidem poena, sed dissimili culpa, et diverso fine ac fato, but for another end, and by a different destiny. (Bucholcer.) Together with the Lord Cromwell was beheaded the Lord Hungerford; neither so Christianly suffering, nor so courageously dying for his offence committed against nature. (Speed.) Blessed are they that suffer “for righteousness’ sake,” Mat 5:10 ; and, “for thy sake are we slain all the day long,”Psa 44:22Psa 44:22 . And, O beata Apocalypsis, quam bene mecum, agitur qui comburar tecum? said a certain martyr when he saw the Revelation cast into the fire with him. (Fox.) So might St Paul say by that hope of the promise made of God unto the fathers, for the which he now stood and was judged.
6. ] The rec. text has apparently been corrected after ch. Act 13:32 ; for there we have , and no . The has its propriety here, combining the ideas of address towards , and of ethical relation to , its object: so , sch. Pers. 159: , Eur. Bacch. 778 (735): , Herod. vi. 43. See Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 217, where many more examples are given.
The promise spoken of is not that of the resurrection merely, but that of a Messiah and His kingdom, involving ( Act 26:8 ) the resurrection . This is evident from the way in which he brings in the mention of Jesus of Nazareth, and connects His exaltation ( Act 26:18 ) with the universal preaching of repentance and remission of sins. But he hints merely at this hope, and does not explain it fully; for Agrippa knew well what was intended, and the mention of any king but Csar would have misled and prejudiced the Roman procurator. There is great skill in binding on his former Pharisaic life of orthodoxy (in externals), to his now real and living defence of the hope of Israel. But though he thus far identifies them, he makes no concealment of the difference between them, Act 26:9 ff.
Act 26:6 . : the expression does not indicate any contrast with Act 26:4 : this hope for which he stands to be judged is in full accord with his whole past life. : phrase only found elsewhere in St. Paul’s Epistles, where it is frequent; Rom 8:20 , 1Co 9:10 , Tit 1:2 . A hope not merely of the resurrection of the dead, but of the Messiah’s kingdom with which the resurrection was connected, as the context points to the national hope of Israel; cf. Schrer, Jewish People , div. ii., vol. ii., p. 175, E.T., see also pp. 137, 148, 149, and Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah , i., pp. 75, 79, on the strong bond of the common hope of Israel. , see critical note. With either preposition we have a Pauline expression; on the force of see Alford and Weiss, in loco . If we read after . perhaps including Agrippa with himself as a Jew.
judged. Greek. krino. App-122.
for = upon (the ground of). Greek. epi. App-104.
God. App-98.
unto. The texts read eis. App-104.
6.] The rec. text has apparently been corrected after ch. Act 13:32; for there we have , and no . The has its propriety here, combining the ideas of address towards, and of ethical relation to, its object: so , sch. Pers. 159: , Eur. Bacch. 778 (735): , Herod. vi. 43. See Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 217, where many more examples are given.
The promise spoken of is not that of the resurrection merely, but that of a Messiah and His kingdom, involving (Act 26:8) the resurrection. This is evident from the way in which he brings in the mention of Jesus of Nazareth, and connects His exaltation (Act 26:18) with the universal preaching of repentance and remission of sins. But he hints merely at this hope, and does not explain it fully; for Agrippa knew well what was intended, and the mention of any king but Csar would have misled and prejudiced the Roman procurator. There is great skill in binding on his former Pharisaic life of orthodoxy (in externals), to his now real and living defence of the hope of Israel. But though he thus far identifies them, he makes no concealment of the difference between them, Act 26:9 ff.
Act 26:6. , and) These things which are contained in Act 26:6-8, are spoken as it were in a parenthesis: that Paul may show that he has not thrown aside that very tenet, which the Pharisees rightly maintain, viz. concerning the resurrection of the dead, but that he really asserts and vindicates it. As to the connection of Act 26:5; Act 26:9, to which the words are subservient, comp. ch. Act 22:3-4, Zealous toward God, as ye all are this day: And I persecuted this way unto the death. In fact it was Pharisaism that had prompted Paul to persecution.-) even still [though no longer a Pharisee in other respects].-, for the hope) There is force contained in the repetition: hope (); for which hopes sake ( ), Act 26:7.-, of the promise) The hope therefore is firmly established.-, I stand) on this day.-, being put on my trial) at this time.
am: Act 26:8, Act 23:6, Act 24:15, Act 24:21, Act 28:20
the promise: Act 3:24, Act 13:32, Act 13:33, Gen 3:15, Gen 12:3, Gen 22:18, Gen 26:4, Gen 49:10, Deu 18:15, 2Sa 7:12, 2Sa 7:13, Job 19:25-27, Psa 2:6-12, Psa 40:6-8, Psa 98:2, Psa 110:1-4, Psa 132:11, Psa 132:17, Isa 4:2, Isa 7:14, Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7, Isa 11:1-5, Isa 40:9-11, Isa 42:1-4, Isa 53:10-12, Isa 61:1-3, Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6, Jer 33:14-17, Eze 17:22-24, Eze 21:27, Eze 34:23-25, Eze 37:24, Dan 2:34, Dan 2:35, Dan 2:44, Dan 2:45, Dan 7:13, Dan 7:14, Dan 9:24-26, Hos 3:5, Joe 2:32, Amo 9:11, Amo 9:12, Oba 1:21, Mic 5:2, Mic 7:20, Zep 3:14-17, Zec 2:10, Zec 2:11, Zec 6:12, Zec 9:9, Zec 13:1, Zec 13:7, Mal 3:1, Mal 4:2, Luk 1:69, Luk 1:70, Rom 15:8, Gal 3:17, Gal 3:18, Gal 4:4, Tit 2:13, 1Pe 1:11, 1Pe 1:12
Reciprocal: Dan 8:18 – he touched Act 15:5 – certain Act 26:7 – For Act 26:22 – none Act 28:23 – both Rom 1:2 – Which Col 1:5 – the hope
7
Act 26:6-7. The promise has a general reference to the benefits expected to come to the world through the seed of Abraham (Christ), but the special item of those benefits was the resurrection from the dead (verse 8). The Pharisees professed to believe in the resurrection as well as did Paul, but they resented his teaching that it was to be accomplished through Jesus (chapter 4:2).
Act 26:6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers. In other words, Paul said: I, who am well known as one trained in the severe and rigid Pharisee school, stand accused, because I press home to men the hope of the resurrection, in which hope the Pharisees themselves sharea hope which is taught in the sacred Scriptures, which record the promise made to our fathersa hope which the temple services, which cease not day nor night, symbolise and ever keep in mind. The hope of the promise made of God unto the Fathers included more than the expectation of a Divine Messiah; it embraced the hope of a resurrection and of a future glorified life.
Our apostle had vindicated his life before, his doctrine now: he tells Agrippa, That for believing, expecting, and preaching the doctrine of the resurrection, he was questioned of the Jews; this he calls the hope of the promise made by God unto the fathers.
Others understand it of the promise of the Messias, which was made unto the fathers and was generally depended upon by the most pious among the twelve tribes scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth; and in the faith and expection whereof they fervently served God night and day.
Learn thence, 1. That the pious and godly among the Jews lived in hopes of the Messias’ appearing, of a glorious resurrection by him, and of an eternal life and salvation with him.
2. That their hope of this promised mercy did cause them to serve God instantly day and night. Hope is the great exciter of industry and endeavour, expectation puts it upon action; hope of obtaining is the motive to every undertaking: the Christian’s hope, or thing hoped for, is great and excellent in the esteem is high, the endeavour will be strong.
The Christian, who has a well-grounded belief and hope of a life to come, will serve God with an unwearied diligence and industry; if by any means he may attain the fruition and enjoyment of it: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.
See notes on verse 4
Verse 6
And am judged; am upon trial.–The hope of the promise, &c.; meaning the promise that a Messiah was to come. His belief that Jesus was the Messiah–that is, his belief in the realization of that hope–had been the true origin of the difficulty.
26:6 {3} And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
(3) There are three chief and principal witnesses of true doctrine: God, the true fathers, and the consent of the true Church of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes