|By Published by Guillaume Rouille (1518?-1589)|
("Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum") [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons
Herod Agrippa II was the last of the Herod
|By Published by Guillaume Rouille (1518?-1589)|
("Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum") [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons
Herod Agrippa II was the last of the Herod dynasty that ruled in parts of Palestine from 37 B.C. to A.D. 100.
Here are some of his illustrious ancestors:
Great-grandfather: Herod the Great, king of Judea, 37-4 B.C. The magi approached him when looking for Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). Then, he slaughtered the innocent babies of Bethlehem and its vicinity (Matthew 2:13-18)
Great uncle: Herod Antipas reigned 4 B.C.-A.D. 39. He had a part in the executions of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1-12) and crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:6-12)
Father: Herod Agrippa I reigned A.D. 41-44. He had James, son of Zebedee executed (Acts 12:2) and Peter put in prison (Acts 12:1-23). He also allowed the people to praise him as a god, but this led to being struck down by an angel (Acts 12:23). This account lines up with the historian, Josephus (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippa_I)
Herod Agrippa II was no better than his ancestors. He was a practicing Jew. He was a descendant of the Edomites, and they had converted to Judaism ("Herod I". Encyclopaedia Judaica, ISBN 965-07-0665-8), but he also lived with his sister, Bernice! Incest violated Jewish Law (Leviticus 18:1-18; 20:11-21).
Acts 26 is Paul's final and finest defense after previous ones before the riotous crowd (22:1-21), chief priests and Sanhedrin (23:1-8), Felix (24:10-21), and Festus (25:6-11). Jesus has said that the apostles would be His witnesses in all Judea, and this meant public testimony. Paul had a rapt audience as there were military officers and prominent leaders of Jerusalem when Paul made his case before Agrippa. This fulfilled the Lord's promise that Paul would bear witness before "Gentiles and kings" (Acts 9:15). At the conclusion of Paul's defense, everyone who heard would know how to be saved!
Here is the outline of Paul's defense:
1) Complimenting of Agrippa II (26:2-3) - Agrippa II did know the Jewish customs and was a practicing Jew. According to Josephus, he was president of the temple and its treasures, and the appointment of the high priest. (Antiquities, 20.1.3). He did not walk as an obedience Jew as his incestuous relationship with his sister proves!
2) Paul's history of devoted Judaism (26:4-8) - He was a devout Pharisee (Philippians 3:5) and son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). He mentioned God raising the dead (26:8). The Greeks, Romans, and Sadducees would not have believed in the Resurrection (Acts 17:31-32; 23:8), but this is crucial to his witness because if Jesus had not been resurrected, there would be no Gospel for Paul to preach (see 1 Corinthians 15).
3) His opposition to Christianity (26:9-11) - Paul had great promise as a rabbi and was a great persecutor of the church (Galatians 1:13-14). Only divine intervention could stop him!
4) His conversion and commission (26:12-18) - All Paul's righteousness and zeal were nothing (Philippians 3:1-11) when he met Christ on the road to Damascus. He recounts to his captive audience the encounter you have already read about in Acts 9. Paul had been resisting Christ and persecuting the church by "kicking against the goads." This was a Jewish idiom that referred to the animal's futile resistance to being prodded by a sharp stick (oxgoad). Jesus was telling Paul that he was only hurting himself by persecuting the church.
Paul was commissioned to go to the Jews and then the Gentiles and open their blind eyes, lead them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and into forgiveness of sin and sanctification through faith in Jesus Christ. This commission closely mirrors the work of the Messiah from Isaiah 35:5; 42:7, 16; 61:1. He wanted the Gentiles in his audience to know that they had an equal share in God's inheritance (Romans 8:17; Colossians 1:12). They were part of the covenant promise made to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; Ephesians 2:19; 1 Peter 1:3,4). This was part of the reason why the Jews were so upset with him. Gentiles equal? No way!
5) His ministry (26:19-23) - Paul responded to the heavenly vision with obedience, in spite of the persecution he faced along the way. All the apostles preached repentance and turning to God (2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 8:22; 11:18; 13:24; 17:30; 19:4; 20:21). He asserted that his message was just a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy (26:22; 24:14; 28:23) of the death and resurrection of Jesus. In that day, there was no New Testament, so they used the Old Testament to lead others to Christ and nurture them in the faith (Something, I contend, we should all do!). He summarizes the gospel in 23