Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
Parallel Translations
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Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen,
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Neverthelesse I obtayned helpe of God and cotynew vnto this daye witnessyng bothe to small and to greate saying none other thinges then those which the prophetes and Moses dyd saye shuld come
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Neuertheles, I obteined helpe of God, and continue vnto this day, witnessing both to small and to great, saying none other things, then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come,
Cross-references (37)
Passages linked to Acts 26:22 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- John 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me.
- Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets;
- Luke 24:27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
- Luke 24:44 He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”
- Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”
- Romans 3:21 But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
- 1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.”
- Psalms 66:12 You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.
- Psalms 118:10-13 All the nations surrounded me, but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off. They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In Yahweh’s name I cut them off. You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.
- Acts 20:20-27 how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God. “Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men, for I didn’t shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
- 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us out of so great a death, and does deliver; on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us;
- Revelation 15:3 They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.
- Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way.
- Psalms 18:47 even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
- Psalms 124:1-3 If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say, if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us; then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us;
- Psalms 124:8 Our help is in Yahweh’s name, who made heaven and earth.
- Matthew 17:4-5 Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
- Luke 16:29-31 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’ ”
- Luke 24:46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
- John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
- John 1:45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
- John 3:14-15 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
- John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.
- Acts 3:21-24 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets. For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.
- Acts 14:19-20 But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe.
- Acts 16:25-26 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.
- Acts 18:9-10 The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
- Acts 21:31-33 As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul. Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.
- Acts 23:10-11 When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”
- Acts 23:16-22 But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.” So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.” The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.” So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
- Acts 26:6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
- Acts 26:17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you,
- Acts 28:23 When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.
- 2 Timothy 3:11 persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.
- 2 Timothy 4:17-18 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
- Revelation 20:12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Christ is the end of the Law and the…
Christ is the end of the Law and the Prophets.
To everyone.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue…
22 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:
Ver. 22. Saying none other thing] Truth is one and the same in all ages; it is also ancient, and ever at agreement with itself. As on the other side, error is new, manifold, dissonant, and contradictory to itself, and much more to the truth. Paul delivered no new truths, but stood in the good old way of Moses and the prophets, and followed them, κατα ποδα. Those that stumble from the ancient ways, to walk in "new paths, in a way not cast up," they are people that "forget God," Jer 18:15, to sacrifice to new gods, that came newly up, Deu 32:17; they are none of God’s ancient people, Isa 44:7, but an upstart generation that knew not Joseph.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain I continue unto this day: that Paul, continued till…
I continue unto this day: that Paul, continued till then alive, notwithstanding all the fraud and force of his enemies, is acknowledged by him to be from God; from whence he infers towards his justification, that what he had done was but in a becoming gratitude towards that God who had maintained him in life unto that very day.
Witnessing both to small and great; witnessing to all sorts, princes or people; implying, that the truths of the gospel, and the things of God, concerned Agrippa as well as the meanest of his auditors; and indeed with God there is no respect of persons, and that we are all one in Christ Jesus, Gal 3:28.
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The prophets and Moses; Moses was himself also a prophet, but he is here made especial mention of, because of his excellency above the other prophets, (unto whom God spoke face to face), as also because he was the lawgiver to the Jews, and to whom, upon all occasions, they pretended to yield obedience.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain That Christ should suffer,.... Great afflictions in soul and…
That Christ should suffer,.... Great afflictions in soul and body, and death itself; this is recorded by Moses, Gen 3:15 and is the sense of many of the types, as of the passover, brazen serpent, &c. and of all the sacrifices which from God were appointed by him, and is the constant account of all the prophets from the beginning to the end; see Psa 22:1 Dan 9:26. The sufferer is Christ, or the Messiah, not the Father, nor the Spirit, but the Word, or Son of God, and not in his divine nature, which was incapable of suffering, but in his human nature; though sufferings may be ascribed to his whole person, both natures being united in him: and hence they became efficacious to answer the purposes for which they were endured; and which he endured, not for himself, nor for angels, but for chosen men, sinners, and ungodly persons; in order to make peace and reconciliation for them, procure the pardon of their sins, obtain eternal redemption for them, deliver them from all evil, and from all enemies, and bring them nigh to God: and what he suffered were no other than what had been foretold in the writings of the Old Testament, which all along represent the Messiah as a suffering one; and in particular that he should suffer in his character, be reproached, and accounted a worm, and no man, Isa 53:3 and in his soul and body, and be put to death and buried, as the above prophecies referred to show; the several circumstances leading on to, or attending his sufferings and death, are distinctly expressed; as the betraying him by one of his disciples, selling him for thirty pieces of silver, his being forsaken by all his disciples, his crucifixion between two thieves, the parting of his garments, giving him gall and vinegar to drink, and the piercing his side with a spear, Psa 41:9. And to this agreed the doctrine of the apostle, who taught that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ that was to come, and that he had suffered all that Moses and the prophets did say should come upon him: but these were not the present sentiments of the Jews, who expected the Messiah to be a temporal Prince and Saviour, and to live in great outward prosperity, and for ever.
And that he should be the first that should rise from the dead: by his own power, and to an immortal life, as Jesus did; and so is the firstborn from the dead, and the first fruits of them that slept: a type of this, in the deliverance of Isaac, is recorded by Moses in Gen 22:12 compared with Heb 11:19 and the thing itself is foretold by many of the prophets, Psa 16:10.
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and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles: in his own person to the people of the Jews, and by his apostles to the Gentiles. In the writings of Moses he is spoken of as the great prophet God would raise up in Israel, to whom they should hearken; and as the Shiloh to whom the gathering of the people should be, Deu 17:15 and that he should be a light to both Jews and Gentiles, through the ministration of the Gospel, is said by the prophets, Isa 9:2 and these were the things which the apostle asserted in his ministry, in perfect agreement with those writings.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Having obtained help from God - When all other…
Having obtained help from God - When all other help failed, God sent the Roman from the castle, and so fulfilled the promise he had made, ver. 17.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 22. Having - obtained help of God] According…
Verse 22. Having - obtained help of God] According to the gracious promise made to him: see Ac 26:17.
Witnessing both to small and great] Preaching before kings, rulers, priests, and peasants; fearing no evil, though ever surrounded with evils; nor slackening in my duty, notwithstanding the opposition I have met with both from Jews and Gentiles. And these continual interpositions of God show me that I have not mistaken my call, and encourage me to go forward in my work.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Having therefore obtained help of God - Paul had…
Having therefore obtained help of God - Paul had seen and felt his danger. He had known the determined malice of the Jews, and their efforts to take his life. He had been rescued by Lysias, and had made every effort himself to avoid the danger and to save his life; and at the end of all; he traced his safety entirely to the help of God. It was not by any power of his own that he had been preserved; it was because God had interposed and rescued him. Those who have been delivered from danger, if they have just views, will delight to trace it all to God. They will recognize his hand, and will feel that whatever wisdom they may have had, or whatever may have been the kindness of their friends to them, yet that all this also is to be traced to the superintending providence of God.
Witnessing - Bearing testimony to what he had seen, according to the command of Christ, Act 26:16.
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To small - To those in humble life; to the poor, the ignorant, and the obscure. Like his Master, he did not despise them, but regarded it as his duty and privilege to preach the gospel to them.
And great - The rich and noble; to kings, princes, and governors. He had thus stood on Mars’ Hill at Athens; he had declared the same gospel before Felix, Festus, and now before Agrippa. He offered salvation to all. He passed by none because they were poor; and he was not deterred by the fear of the rich and the great from making known their sins and calling them to repeatance. What an admirable illustration of the proper duties of a minister of the gospel!
Saying none other things ... - Delivering no new doctrine, but maintaining only that the prophecies had been fulfilled. As he had done this only, there was no reason for the opposition and persecution of the Jews.
Should come - Should come to pass, or should take place. Paul here evidently means to say that the doctrine of the atonement, and of the resurrection of Christ, is taught in the Old Testament.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain having obtained help--"succor."
having obtained help--"succor."
from God--"that [which cometh] from God."
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I continue--"stand," "hold my ground."
unto this day, witnessing, &c.--that is, This life of mine, so marvellously preserved, in spite of all the plots against it, is upheld for the Gospel's sake; therefore I "witnessed," &c.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 22. Help—A military term signifying the aid a warrior…
22. Help—A military term signifying the aid a warrior receives from auxiliary or allied forces. The warrior was the apostle; the enemy the Jews; the auxiliary was God.
Witnessing—According to his apostolic office. (See note on Act_26:16.)
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Small and great—Whether of rank, stature, or age.
Prophets and Moses—Hence Christianity is true Old Testament religion, and Paul has not by forsaking his national religion incurred the penalty of death.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 22. Having therefore obtained help of God [R. V.…
22. Having therefore obtained help of God [R. V. the help that is from God.] The “therefore” implies that against such attempts the help which alone could deliver him was divine. The word for “help” means the succour of an ally, and recalls God’s promise “Surely I will be with thee.”
I continue [R.V. stand] unto this day] The Apostle has in mind the many attempts to cast him down which had been made by Jews, and Gentiles too, during his missionary journeys. He has been rescued in many ways, and is still there standing safe and sound through the help which God hath sent him. He does not forget human agency, but this, whatever it was, was all sent of God.
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witnessing [R. V. testifying] both to small and great] He was now before two who would be named great, and he knew that God had declared that he should testify “before kings” (Act_9:15).
the prophets and Moses] i.e. the whole Old Testament Scriptures. The form of the phrase is usually “Moses and the prophets” according to the order of the O.T. books. Sometimes we have “the Law and the prophets,” and once (Luk_24:44) “the law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (22) Having therefore obtained help of God.—The Greek noun…
(22) Having therefore obtained help of God.—The Greek noun for “help” is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. It implies the kind of assistance which one friend or ally gives to another of inferior power. It is found in the Greek of Wis_13:18. Here the word seems used as being more intelligible to those who are outside the kingdom of God than the more spiritual, more theological, “grace” of which the Apostle habitually spoke.
Witnessing both to small and great.—The English version gives the right rendering of the best supported reading. Some MSS., however, have “witnessed to by small and great;” but this, besides the want of authority, and its involving an unusual construction, is at variance with the context. It was true that St. Paul’s life was spent in bearing witness that Jesus was Christ. It was not true that he had a good report of all men. The words “small and great” were significant as spoken when he was standing before two men like Festus and Agrippa. The phrase may be noted as occurring in Act_8:10, and again in Rev_11:18; Rev_13:16; Rev_19:5; Rev_19:18; Rev_20:12.
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The prophets and Moses.—The more natural order of “Moses and the prophets” (Luk_16:29; Luk_16:31), and the order of the words in the Greek, which the prophets said should come, and Moses, suggests the thought that the sentence would have stopped naturally at “come,” and that the name of Moses was added by an instantaneous after-thought to meet the case of those among the hearers who, like the Sadducees, placed the Pentateuch on a higher level of authority than the Prophets.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The help that is from God for help of…
The help that is from God for help of God, A.V.; stand for continue, A.V.; testifying for witnessing, A.V.; nothing but what for none other things than those which, A.V.. Help, etc.; ejpikouria, here only and in RAPC Wis 13:18, still of Divine help; in medical writers frequently, of aid from medicine and physicians; common also in classical writers, of auxiliary forces. It is properly spoken of help and allies from without (Bengel). I stand; i.e. I continue unmoved, steadfast, and, by God"s help, not crushed by my enemies. Testifying. The natural rendering of the R.T. marturomenov. The T.R. marturoumenov, followed by uJpo, would mean "borne witness to," "approved," as in menov Act_6:3 Act_10:22, etc., and so Meyer understands it here. But marturu makes much better sense, and is much better supported by manuscript authority. It is in close agreement with Act_9:15 and Act_22:15, that St Paul should thus testify" to small and great.
The believing retrospect.
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therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day." Times when retrospect and the grateful acknowledgment which flows from it are especially profitable. At the critical junctures of life. When a testimony for God is demanded of us for the sake of others. "Unto this day.
I THE HIGHER VIEW OF LIFE.
1. A mission, a testimony.
2. A co-operation with the Divine work, running parallel with the line of infinite wisdom and righteousness.
3. A gracious fruit of heavenly bestowment. "Help from God.
4. A life lived by prayer, linked on to the throne of grace.
II AN ENCOURAGING AND STIMULATING EXAMPLE. The profitable use which should be made of biography. The lessons of Paul"s life. Divine strength made perfect in human weakness, Teaching us:
1. To follow the Spirit.
2. To depend upon the Divine control of circumstances and of the oppositions of men.
3. To maintain confidence and courage by laying hold of a great future.
4. To be bold in speaking for Christ, especially when we can say, as Paul could, that he "said nothing but what the prophets and Moses said." The sure ground is the written Word. To preach ourselves is to obtain no help from God; to magnify his Word is to ensure his blessing and be sustained to the end. R.
Vers. 22, 23. A good confession.
If Festus and Agrippa had known half of what Paul had been passing through since his journey to Damascus was so peremptorily stopped, they would well understand why he interposes the acknowledgment, so full of dependence and of humble gratitude, "Therefore having obtained help of God, I continue unto this day" Paul takes credit to himself for neither his work, nor suffering, nor safety. These are all due to his sovereign Leader" and "Commander" and Protector. But he makes a good confession indeed, one, if true and none deny its truth most worthy of imitation, of all and every one who would in any measure be a follower in his work. He claims justly, and not boastfully, but for manifestly other reason, that he has maintained
I A PERSEVERING WITNESS.
II AN IMPARTIAL WITNESS.
III AN UNCHANGING CONSISTENT SCRIPTURAL WITNESS. Paul wishes to lay stress on this, that he had been to the Law and the testimony and the prophets;" and had been true to them; had not gone beside nor beyond them, and had not fallen short of them, as his people and opponents were, in fact, guilty of doing.
IV A STRONG WITNESS TO FOUR THINGS IN ESPECIAL. These were the four grand truths imbedded in the Law, enshrined in the testimony, and many a time bursting out like hope"s own light from the prophets. These were
(1) the death,
(2) the resurrection, of Christ;
(3) the "great Light" he would be to "his people,
(4) to all the world.
V A WITNESS MARVELLOUSLY OWNED BY THE "HELP OF GOD." In a lower sense, no doubt, but in a very true sense, Paul had done and suffered the things that none other could, "save God were with him. B.
Vers. 22, 23. St. Paul"s message compared with prophecy.
Reference to and support from Holy Scripture was a characteristic feature of the apostle"s public teachings and preachings. To understand the importance of this feature of his work we should take into consideration not only the general views entertained of Scripture as the revealed and authoritative Word of God, but also, and more particularly, the sentiment concerning Scripture cherished by pious Jews. It is almost impossible to exaggerate in speaking of their reverence for it. It was their final court of appeal. It was the voice of their God to them. It was the ground of their hope that Messiah, the Deliverer and Prince, would come. It may also be noticed that they much more readily found Messianic references in prophecy and promise than we can do; and we find it difficult to see the points which even the New Testament writers make, probably because our characteristic logical and critical qualities of mind differ so materially from the figurative and imaginative characteristics of the Eastern mind. How St. Paul used appeals to Scripture, and especially Scripture prophecy, may be illustrated from his speech at Antioch in Pisidia, (Act_13:16-41) and from his Epistles. Further illustration of the method, as peculiar to the apostles and Christian teachers, may be found in St. Peter"s speech at Pentecost, and the Epistle to the Hebrews. In our text Moses is mentioned with the prophets, because there were some who placed the Pentateuch in a higher rank than the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures. St. Paul gives the leading points of his preaching, and affirms, what he would be prepared quite fully to illustrate and to prove, that these points are not really new, but have been all foreshadowed and declared by Jehovah"s prophets. He takes three topics.
1. Messiah was to suffer.
2. Messiah was to rise from the dead.
3. Messiah was to be the Light of life to both Jew and Gentile.
I MESSIAH WAS TO SUFFER, or should be capable of suffering. The great body of the Jews had fixed their thoughts only on the prophetic visions of the glories of the Messiah"s kingdom. Even the disciples of Jesus were slow to receive any other thought than that of conquest and triumph. It was not until they were led, after the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, into our Lord"s own school of prophetic interpretation, and l aught to recognize the under-current of types and prophecies that pointed to a righteous Sufferer as well as to a righteous King, that they were able to receive the truth." Show
(1) the prophetic figure of a suffering Messiah from Psalm 22. and Isaiah lilt., with references to passages in Jeremiah and Lamentations; and
(2) point out how precisely the historical facts of our Lord"s sufferings fit into the preparatory prophecy.
II MESSIAH WAS TO RISE FROM THE DEAD. Illustrate the prophecies on this point from Psa_16:10 Psa_30:3 Psa_41:10 Psa_118:7; Hos_6:2, etc. Show how the fact of his resurrection answers to the prophecy. Aid may be found in St. Peter"s speeches recorded in Ac 2 and Ac 3.
III MESSIAH WAS TO BE THE LIGHT OF LIFE TO BOTH JEW AND GENTILE. This had been one of St. Paul"s strongest points, and he had abundant Old Testament references to show that Messiah"s mission was not limited to Jews. Refer in illustration to Ps 45; Isa_11:10 Isa_42:1, etc. Show that the apostle could direct attention to the fact that God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles by the vision given to St. Peter at Joppa, and the admission of Cornelius to the Church. He could also plead that in the Gentile cities God had attended the preaching of his gospel with the power of the Holy Ghost, and Churches among the Gentiles had been founded on the faith of Christ. So prophecy had been fulfilled; it was satisfied in Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered for our sins, rose again for our justification, and is preached in all the world as the all-sufficient Savior. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain 22. “Therefore having received help from God, I stand…
22. “Therefore having received help from God, I stand unto this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing else than those things which the prophets and Moses said would come to pass,
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain 22, 23. That the Jews had not succeeded, with…
22, 23. That the Jews had not succeeded, with all their mobs, and conspiracies, and corruption of rulers, in destroying his life, was a matter of astonishment, and Agrippa might well admit that it was owing to the protecting providence of God. (22) " Having, however, obtained help from God, I have stood until this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing else than those things which Moses and the prophets did say should be, (23) that the Christ should suffer, and that he first, by his resurrection from the dead, should show light to the people and to the Gentiles. " Here he assumes that, instead of dishonoring Moses, he and his brethren alone were teaching the things which both Moses and the prophets had foretold; that it was required, by their writings, that the Messiah should suffer and rise from the dead.
By the statement that Christ first showed light to the people and the Gentiles by his resurrection, he must mean that he was the first to bring the subject into clear light, by an actual resurrection to glory; for there had already been some light upon it, as is proved by Paul's previous statement in reference to the hope to which the twelve tribes had been, in all their worship, seeking to attain.
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Paul finishes giving his defense to King Agrippa.
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about nothing more than what
This can be stated in positive form. AT: "about the exact thing that"
what the prophets
Paul is referring to the collective writings of the Old Testament prophets.
that Christ must suffer
You can make explicit that Christ must also die. AT: "that Christ must suffer and die" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
to rise
to come back to life
from the dead
The phrase "the dead" refers to the spirits of people who have died. To rise from among them speaks of becoming alive again.
he would proclaim light
"he would proclaim the message about the light." To tell people about how God saves people is spoken of as if a person were speaking about the light. AT: "he would proclaim the message about how God saves people" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
God
testimony
prophet
Moses
Christ
suffer
resurrection
die
raise
preach
light
Jew
Gentile
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 26:22-23 Paul stressed God’s protection as he carried out…
26:22-23 Paul stressed God’s protection as he carried out his witness (cp. 3:18; 10:43; Luke 24:25-27, 44-47). Paul then called on his hearers to believe his message, that Jesus is the Messiah who fulfills the promises of the Old Testament (see Luke 24:27, 44).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.