What was happening when Paul spoke to King Agrippa in this passage?

Paul was a prisoner, accused by some Jewish leaders of offenses they said deserved death. Before any final judgment, he was brought before King Agrippa to explain himself. Agrippa knew Jewish customs, so Paul was glad to speak to someone who could understand his background. In this setting, Paul did more than defend himself. He told his life story, described his strict Pharisee past, his meeting with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, and his God-given mission to preach repentance and resurrection hope to Jews and Gentiles.

Why does Paul say he is judged for the hope of the promise made to the fathers?

Paul explains that the real reason he is on trial is his preaching about the hope God gave to Israel’s ancestors. This promise includes the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead. Paul says the twelve tribes serve God day and night hoping to reach this promise. By preaching that Jesus is the promised Christ who suffered, rose first from the dead, and brings light to Jews and Gentiles, Paul is standing on that same hope. His accusers oppose him, but he insists his message fits what God promised long ago.

What does Paul mean by asking, “Why should it be thought incredible that God should raise the dead?”

Paul challenges Agrippa and the others to think about God’s power. If they believe in the living God who created and rules all things, then raising the dead should not sound impossible. Paul is saying that the resurrection is not a wild idea but fits with faith in an all-powerful God. He uses this question to move from general belief in God’s power to the specific claim that Jesus suffered, rose from the dead first, and brings light and salvation, which is the heart of the message he preaches.

How did Paul describe his life before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus?

Paul says that from his youth he lived in Jerusalem and was known as a strict Pharisee, belonging to the most exact group in Jewish religion. Far from being neutral, he was fiercely against followers of Jesus. He imprisoned many believers with authority from the chief priests, voted against them when they were put to death, punished them in synagogues, tried to force them to blaspheme, and chased them even to foreign cities. He calls this being exceedingly mad against them, showing how far his zeal went before his conversion.

What mission did Jesus give Paul according to this passage?

Jesus sent Paul to both his own people and the Gentiles with a clear purpose. Paul was to open their eyes, turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Through this turning, they would receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are made holy by faith in Jesus. Paul says he was not disobedient to this heavenly vision. He began preaching first in Damascus, then Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and then to the Gentiles that they should repent, turn to God, and do works that fit real repentance.

What does it mean to turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God here?

In this passage, darkness pictures life without the truth of Christ, under sin and spiritual bondage. Light pictures the knowledge of God and the new life that comes with faith in Jesus. The power of Satan describes the realm where sin and lies rule, while turning to God means coming under His rule, grace, and truth. When people’s eyes are opened and they turn from darkness to light and from Satan to God, they receive forgiveness of sins and share in the inheritance with all who are set apart by faith in Christ.

Why did many Jews oppose Paul and try to kill him according to his own words?

Paul says that he preached that people must repent, turn to God, and do works that match real repentance. He also preached that Christ would suffer, rise from the dead first, and show light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. Because of this message, some Jews caught him in the temple and tried to kill him. They saw his preaching about Jesus as a threat. Yet Paul insists he is only saying what Moses and the prophets said would happen and that he continues by the help of God to witness to both small and great.

What does this passage teach about God’s character and plan?

This passage shows God as faithful to His promises and powerful over life and death. The hope of the promise to the fathers, including resurrection, is still active. God did not abandon His people but fulfilled His word in Christ, who suffered and rose again. God also shows mercy and power in changing Paul from a violent persecutor into a bold witness. The mission to open eyes and turn people from darkness to light shows God’s desire to forgive sins and give an inheritance to those made holy by faith in Jesus, from Israel and from the nations.

Acts.26.1

Acts 26:1

Q: What happened to Paul in the heavenly vision on the road to Damascus?

On the way to Damascus with authority to persecute Christians, Paul saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun at midday, surrounding him and his companions. They all fell to the ground, and Paul heard a voice speaking in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” When he asked who was speaking, the reply came, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” Jesus then told him to rise, stand on his feet, and explained He had appeared to make Paul a minister and witness of what he had seen and would yet see.

KJV

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

Paul’s Testimony to Agrippa

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

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.

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

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.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

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.

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.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

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.

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.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

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;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

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.

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

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:

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.