Acts 26:7b-8 ...For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
This is one of those verses “you” might miss in a modern translation. Paul begins by addressing Agrippa directly (“thee,” singular, vs. 2-3), but expands to the entire audience (“you,” plural, v. 8; cf. 25:23-27) when he brings up belief in the resurrection of the dead.
“The word ‘you’ is here plural, signifying that Paul here changes from addressing Agrippa only, and here includes all the Jews present, including those Sadducees who denied the doctrine of the future general resurrection of the dead. Paul is leading up to the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus (v. 23).” Stephen Mills Reynolds, The Purified New Testament, p. 311
Stephen Mills Reynolds was an ordained Presbyterian minister who served on the New International Version Committee on Bible Translation. He also created his own New Testament, which might be considered sort of a “niche” Bible. It takes and promotes the position on the translation of “oinos” in the as grape juice. Reynolds was observant and noted the change in the number of the pronoun in this text. However, he also “ad-libbed” an interpretation, adding the Sadducees to the group gathered to hear Paul. The text only identifies Roman officials.
Acts 25:23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city ... 26:30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them...
2 comments:
from my comments in FB some time back in regards to this:
good observation and thanks for sharing.
I will make a nit picky comment and say to Reynolds' comment, though it makes good preaching, there are no evidences that there were Jews present, including the Sadducees - all we know is that it was Agrippa, Bernice, Festus, and the chief captains and principal men and whoever was in the examination hall. I think all the Sadducees and Pharisees went back to Jerusalem to regroup.
Thanks, Alex. I remember your observation there now that you mention it. I probably already had this scheduled to post and had “good intentions” to add something on Reynolds’s comment – and then forgot! He is the one whose comment called my attention to this; I had missed it before. So, his quote is his quote. But I should have added something to clarify, which I am going to go back and do some revising now. Others may not read the comments.
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