Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Saul, The Persecutor!
The Questions
1) Why did Paul consider himself “fortunate” to give his defense against the Jews’ accusations to King Agrippa? (verse 2)
2) In Paul’s defense presentation, why was it important for him to give testimony of his previous background as a Pharisee? (verses 4-11)
3) For what specific “crime” did the Jews desire Paul to be jailed or put to death?
Acts 26:1-23
Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 “I consider myself fortunate, that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially since you are very knowledgeable about all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand on trial because of the hope in what God promised to our ancestors, 7 the promise our twelve tribes hope to reach as they earnestly serve him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. 8 Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9 In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. 11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12 “I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 King Agrippa, while on the road at midday, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“And the Lord replied: ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have had help from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said would take place— 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Original Intent
1) Why did Paul consider himself “fortunate” to give his defense against the Jews’ accusations to King Agrippa? (verse 2)
Paul shows respect for King Agrippa and his position (1 Timothy 2:1-2). He also considers it to be in his favor that Agrippa was quite familiar with Jewish laws, customs, and “was not ignorant of the beginnings of Christianity”. (E.F Bruce & S Kistemaker) Paul knew how to present his case, and the gospel, by combining courtesy and respect with truth.
Of most importance, and in keeping with his life’s mission, Paul recognized this opportunity to share the gospel to those not yet having received Christ as Savior. The Holy Spirit was with Paul, filling him with wisdom and confidence. (Luke 12:11-12)
Taking his own preaching to heart, Paul was “ready, in season and out of season, to preach the Word of God.” (2 Timothy 4:2) Again, the Spirit of God reminds through Paul in Colossians 3:17 reminds us, “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
2) In Paul’s defense presentation, why was it important for him to give testimony of his previous background as a Pharisee? (verses 4-11)
It was important Paul established his religious roots and rich background as a well-respected Jewish Pharisee to the king because Agrippa himself was “very knowledgeable about all Jewish customs and controversies.” (verse 3) Paul leveraged their common ground to not simply further his case, but to share the gospel.
Paul wanted King Agrippa to see his conversion and ministry set against the backdrop of his early history as an orthodox Jew, adhering to the strictest party, the Pharisees.
Paul’s opponents knew his past as well as his current identity and were able to examine his personal life. “All the Jews know my way of life from childhood on.” (verse 4) Paul was not afraid to confess who he had once been as he worked to blast Christians out of existence. Saul “had an obsession against Christians”. (E. F. Bruce) Paul hid nothing, instead, he allowed his transparency to speak volumes of the genuine, real power of the gospel to radically transform him. (Galatians 1:13) Once his background and authenticity had been made abundantly clear, Paul shares of his dramatic conversion to Christ, bringing him full circle as to why he was now being persecuted and jailed for preaching Christ.
3) For what specific “crime” did the Jews desire Paul to be jailed or put to death?
As Paul stood before King Agrippa, he made a point to call out why he was being accused and put on trial. His crime? Hope. Hope promised for centuries. Hope that appeared when God took on flesh in the form of a baby in a manger. Hope that died on a cross, then rose victorious to conquer Death forever. Paul was put on trial because he believed, lived, and preached the incorruptible hope of the Gospel. (Acts 26:6-8)
Many Jews (not all) rejected Jesus as the Messiah the prophets had prophesized would one day come to rescue them. They missed Jesus because He wasn’t the rescuer they were looking for. They wanted an earthly rule and reign. They wanted a powerful king to crush their human enemies. To them, claiming Jesus to be Messiah was blasphemy.
Paul turned his back on everything he had once believed because Jesus appeared to him, redeeming him, and making him new. His eyes were opened to see that all prophetic content of the Old Testament was fulfilled in the suffering and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. Paul could not deny that power belonging to any but God alone, and he gave his life to preaching the hope of the gospel, despite the cost.
Everyday Application
1) Why did Paul consider himself “fortunate” to give his defense against the Jews’ accusations to King Agrippa? (verse 2)
As Christians, we are commissioned to live missionally. When we center our lives around worshipping the Holy One in all we say and do, seeking to honor and glorify Him with the rhythm of our lives is the natural desire of our hearts. (Colossians 3:17)
As Paul considered it “fortunate” to have the opportunity to share Christ with such an influential person, we too should evaluate our everyday opportunities where the Lord has given us favor in relationships to share the hope of the gospel.
To share the gospel is our commissioning just as it was for Paul; it will be so until the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20)
2) In Paul’s defense presentation, why was it important for him to give testimony of his previous background as a Pharisee? (verses 4-11)
As believers, we are commissioned to boldly share the Good News of Jesus Christ. With authentic transparency, we can point to our past and who we once were, in order to profess how we, upon seeing the light from heaven, the shekinah glory of God Jesus Christ, were transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness into the eternal Kingdom of Life and Light. Using the foundation of our past background, just as Paul did before King Agrippa, we can share the gospel as we witness to all, believers and non-believers alike. Yes, our testimony can encourage believers too! As Christians, we all struggle; having a sister or brother come alongside and give testimony of the power of the Savior will breathe fresh reminders of truth as we journey onward.
Paul appealed to a commonality between himself and King Agrippa as a platform he could use to share his faith story. We can do the same! Engage with others, ask questions, listen to their answers, and look for common ground you can use to share Christ!
3) For what specific “crime” did the Jews desire Paul to be jailed or put to death?
Just as Paul was persecuted and imprisoned because he held unswervingly to Hope fulfilled in Christ, the very One of whom the Old Testament prophets spoke, we too can expect condemnation for the same thing. Genuine conversion to Christ will result in persecution. If we were to dig deeper into the rest of Acts 26:24-32, we would encounter a war between Dark and Light. When Salvation is preached, there will be opposition. The devil is alive and powerful, not willing to give way to the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ, thus there will be difficulty along the path as we carry the light of the gospel around with us in our everyday lives. Remember, as believers, we are God’s chosen people created for His purpose alone. (Ephesians 2:10) No matter how we suffer for Christ, we can seek a higher perspective, one that knows our real life is “hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3). We can know true peace deep in our soul. (Philippians 4:7) Beyond a shadow of a doubt, we are HIS. (John 10:27-28)
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Catch up with Saul, The Persecutor!
Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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