August 6 / Acts 26:1-11

Acts 26:1-11

A couple of weeks ago (July 19) I posted that Luke’s Acts 22 text was the third account of Paul’s conversion. Today we have the fourth and, in my mind, the most personal. Paul begins his account with his earliest years (his “youth”, v. 4) studying in Jerusalem, continues with his life and beliefs as a Pharisee, then moves on to his most personal account of his persecution of Jews who were following Jesus (vv. 9-11), including his account of voting to murder them. In my mind I can hear the passion with which Paul is speaking – making his point as strongly as he has ever made it in our recorded writings.

As to his voting, …when they were put to death I cast my vote against them… (v. 10b) Some have argued that Paul might have been a member of the Sanhedrin. Most scholars, however, argue that Paul’s voting was simply an agreement with others as to the death of these “blasphemers”.

It’s interesting that Paul makes his claim to be a Pharisee. Why? Because King Agrippa would likely be siding with the Sadducees! It was up to the king to appoint the High Priests, and all of those for whom we have record in that first century were Sadducees. So if Paul is stating his Pharisee background, he knows that he might be going against King Agrippa. But then again, he is also speaking to Jews in the audience who are Pharisees and Sadducees. My guess is that he is simply making the strongest point that he can make as to the zeal with which he had lived his former life.

Finally, it’s a curious interlude, in the midst of Paul’s recounting his life prior to his conversion: Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? (v. 8) Here Paul is making an introductory point that is leading to his later claim that Jesus had been raised from the dead. But he asks it as a question instead of simply making a statement. To me this is a noteworthy item in that he is directly appealing to each and every one of the members of his audience, making it personal for them. I think that’s a good model for our own witnessing – asking questions instead of “preaching”.

Slava Bohu!