Act 26:6-7 | JFB | STEP | 6, 7. I . . . am judged for the hope of the promise made . . . to our fathers —"for believing that the promise of Messiah, the Hope of the Church ( ) has been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth risen from the dead."

Acts 26:6-7

6, 7. I . . . am judged for the hope of the promise made . . . to our fathers—"for believing that the promise of Messiah, the Hope of the Church (Ac 13:32; 28:20) has been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth risen from the dead."

7. Unto which promise—the fulfilment of it.

our twelve tribes— (Jas 1:1; and see on Lu 2:36).

instantly—"intently"; see on Ac 12:5.

serving God —in the sense of religious worship; on "ministered," see on Ac 13:2.

day and night, hope to come—The apostle rises into language as catholic as the thought—representing his despised nation, all scattered thought it now was, as twelve great branches of one ancient stem, in all places of their dispersion offering to the God of their fathers one unbroken worship, reposing on one great "promise" made of old unto their fathers, and sustained by one "hope" of "coming" to its fulfilment; the single point of difference between him and his countrymen, and the one cause of all their virulence against him, being, that his hope had found rest in One already come, while theirs still pointed to the future.

For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews—"I am accused of Jews, O king" (so the true reading appears to be); of all quarters the most surprising for such a charge to come from. The charge of sedition is not so much as alluded to throughout this speech. It was indeed a mere pretext.