Acts 26:19-23

Paul’s obedience to God and “crime” before the Jews, 19-23

Verses 19-20: Paul declares to Agrippa his “obedience unto the heavenly vision.” He heeded the divine words of Christ and immediately began to preach where he was – in Damascus – and then where he went – “at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles.” The clear message in these places was repentance toward God (cf. 20:). “do works meet for repentance” not works in order to obtain repentance (or in order to obtain salvation) but works consonant with the salvation they profess.

Verse 21: Because Paul turned from his course and obeyed the heavenly vision, and because he preached repentance toward God to all in all places, the Jews hated him, caught him in the temple in Jerusalem, and did their best to kill him. 

Verse 22-23: Only by the grace (help) of God had Paul continued his ministry up to this time. His witnessing was to all men, both small and great. His message was concerning the things that Moses and the prophets, in the Old Testament, said should come to pass. Paul saw his message that Christ should suffer, die, and rise from the dead as a continuation of the message of the Old Testament rather than a break from it. Jesus came to show light unto the people (the Jews) and to the Gentiles. Cf. Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; Luke 2:32. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Jesus was “the first that should rise from the dead” never to return to death. He won the victory, rose by his own power rather than that of another; he rose in a spiritual body rather than a mortal body; he rose to live forevermore rather than die again. Cf. I Corinthians 15:20.