Act 26:22 | KingComments | STEP | With the argumentative word “so” Paul again addresses himself to King Agrippa personally. If the king has heard all this, it is clear that Paul could not disobey this heavenly vision, could he? That was simply impossible for him. It is as much about direct obedience to Him Who appeared to him as it is about making known the great privilege he saw. You simply want to testify to this; you are inwardly just forced to do so it. Such a personal experience can be fought by anyone, but cannot be cancelled by anyone. Such personal encounters with the Lord also determine the way in which we testify today. Paul tells us what effect this encounter and the task associated with it have had on him. With the same zeal with which he first fought against Christendom, he dedicated himself to spreading it through the proclamation of the gospel. He started with this immediately in Damascus. Then he proclaimed it in Jerusalem, then throughout the whole country of Judea and then also to the nations. He brought the gospel in its most elementary form. He tells what he preached, with which he also shows Agrippa and everyone else, the way of salvation. It is about people repenting, that is, changing their minds, turning around and confessing their sins before God. At the same time with this inner change, a turning to God must take place, which means that God has the say in life and can determine the course of life. Paul also tells his audience that it is not a confession with the lips. He points out that he has also proclaimed that repentance and conversion must be followed by works that are in accordance with this ( ). Faith without works is dead ( ). These are not works that lead to salvation, but works that result from salvation. This preaching is the reason the Jews seized him in the temple and tried to kill him ( ). That they did not succeed, he attributes to the help of God. God gave him life to testify and he still does, until this very moment. Here he stands before the great ones of the earth, but his testimony also applies to the little ones, the ordinary citizens. After all, small and great will have to account for and be judged according to everyone’s work ( ). In all the testimonies he has given, he has in no way said anything that does not correspond with what the prophets and Moses have said. The prophets and Moses have announced the coming of the Messiah and His kingdom. The Jews were not mistaken in their expectation of the Messiah and His kingdom, of which Israel will be the center. What they are blind to, however, is the testimony of the law and the prophets that the Messiah had to suffer and be killed and rise from the dead. This means that Paul did not proclaim anything contrary to the Old Testament. He brings nothing new, no anti teaching, but what the Old Testament has always presented as hope for Israel and also for the nations ( ). The Lord also makes this clear to the disciples of Emmaus ( ). The suffering and resurrection of Christ form the core of the gospel for Jew and Gentile.

‏ Acts 26:22

Paul’s Work as an Apostle

With the argumentative word “so” Paul again addresses himself to King Agrippa personally. If the king has heard all this, it is clear that Paul could not disobey this heavenly vision, could he? That was simply impossible for him. It is as much about direct obedience to Him Who appeared to him as it is about making known the great privilege he saw. You simply want to testify to this; you are inwardly just forced to do so it. Such a personal experience can be fought by anyone, but cannot be cancelled by anyone. Such personal encounters with the Lord also determine the way in which we testify today.

Paul tells us what effect this encounter and the task associated with it have had on him. With the same zeal with which he first fought against Christendom, he dedicated himself to spreading it through the proclamation of the gospel. He started with this immediately in Damascus. Then he proclaimed it in Jerusalem, then throughout the whole country of Judea and then also to the nations. He brought the gospel in its most elementary form.

He tells what he preached, with which he also shows Agrippa and everyone else, the way of salvation. It is about people repenting, that is, changing their minds, turning around and confessing their sins before God. At the same time with this inner change, a turning to God must take place, which means that God has the say in life and can determine the course of life.

Paul also tells his audience that it is not a confession with the lips. He points out that he has also proclaimed that repentance and conversion must be followed by works that are in accordance with this (Mt 3:8). Faith without works is dead (Jam 2:17). These are not works that lead to salvation, but works that result from salvation.

This preaching is the reason the Jews seized him in the temple and tried to kill him (Acts 21:30-31). That they did not succeed, he attributes to the help of God. God gave him life to testify and he still does, until this very moment. Here he stands before the great ones of the earth, but his testimony also applies to the little ones, the ordinary citizens. After all, small and great will have to account for and be judged according to everyone’s work (Rev 20:12).

In all the testimonies he has given, he has in no way said anything that does not correspond with what the prophets and Moses have said. The prophets and Moses have announced the coming of the Messiah and His kingdom. The Jews were not mistaken in their expectation of the Messiah and His kingdom, of which Israel will be the center. What they are blind to, however, is the testimony of the law and the prophets that the Messiah had to suffer and be killed and rise from the dead.

This means that Paul did not proclaim anything contrary to the Old Testament. He brings nothing new, no anti teaching, but what the Old Testament has always presented as hope for Israel and also for the nations (Isa 42:6 ; Isa 49:6 ; Isa 60:1-3). The Lord also makes this clear to the disciples of Emmaus (Lk 24:26-27 ; 44-47). The suffering and resurrection of Christ form the core of the gospel for Jew and Gentile.