Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

Acts 26

We left Paul at the bar, and Festus, and Agrippa, and Bernice, and all the great men of the city of Caesarea, upon the bench, or about it, waiting to hear what he had to say for himself. Now in this chapter we have, I. The account he gives of himself, in answer to the calumnies of the Jews. And in this, 1. His humble address to king Agrippa, and the compliment he passed upon him, Acts 26:1-26:3. 2. His account of his origin, and education, his profession as a Pharisee, and his adherence still to that which was then the main article of his creed, in distinction from the Sadducees, the “resurrection of the dead,” however in rituals he had since departed from it, Acts 26:3-26:8. 3. Of his zeal against the Christian religion, and the professors of it, in the beginning of his time, Acts 26:9-26:11. 4. Of his miraculous conversion to the faith of Christ, Acts 26:12-26:16. 5. Of the commission he received from heaven to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, Acts 26:17, 26:18. 6. Of his proceedings pursuant to that commission, which had given this mighty offence to the Jews, Acts 26:19-26:21. 7. Of the doctrine which he had made it his business to preach to the Gentiles, which was so far from destroying the law and the prophets that it showed the fulfilling of both, Acts 26:22, 26:23. II. The remarks that were made upon his apology. 1. Festus thought he never heard a man talk so madly, and slighted him as crazed, Acts 26:24. In answer to him, he denies the charge, and appeals to king Agrippa, Acts 26:25-26:27. 2. King Agrippa, being more closely and particularly dealt with, thinks he never heard a man talk more rationally and convincingly, and owns himself almost his convert (Acts 26:28), and Paul heartily wishes him so, Acts 26:29. 3. They all agreed that he was an innocent man, that he ought to be set at liberty, and that it was a pity he was provoked to put a bar in his own door by appealing to Caesar, Acts 26:30-26:32. MHBCC 1045.1