February 26th, 2022

This Sunday is the Last Sunday in the Epiphany season, the Sunday which is called ‘The Transfiguration of Our Lord’. The transfiguration is the last, great epiphany, that great manifestation of Jesus, before he makes his way to Jerusalem and the cross, and that ‘movement’ will be the focus during Lent. The Epistle for this Sunday is from Hebrews [3:1-6], and the text starts out by calling Jesus both an apostle and a high priest. In other words, he was sent to do something very important, and his manifestation on the mountain where he was transfigured helps to make that point (and the unique emphasis on ‘glory’ in the Gospel according to Luke within the gospel reading [Luke 9:28-36] also emphasizes the ramifications and great significance of the event, in preparation for the tremendous significance of Christianity in the Book of Acts).


Recently I have been writing about how Christianity was spoken against in the book of Acts. And in response to those words AGAINST Christianity, Acts 26 contains another defense IN SUPPORT OF Christianity. This happens to be the last of the lengthy speeches. After this, there will only be a few words here and there. This speech, therefore, is very important.


The following is St. Paul’s case before King Agrippa, his wife, Bernice, and a few others—commanders and the chief men of the city (see Acts 25:23). There are MANY ways in which this case COULD have been summarized, and this follows a typical line of defense, laying out what happened, especially the important evidence, and usually stating one’s innocence—although that word or words connected to it never occur within this speech. St. Paul, in this speech, has his focus on something else.


To help see a structure behind the speech, and not giving it the task of simply conveying information, this speech will be given in a somewhat-literal translation. What makes this speech difficult to follow is that it is an EXTREMELY long speech. You may wish to break it up into parts as you read it, or you may pick an easier translation to read first—or instead! The following is Acts 26:2-23. And I hope that it is not too distracting that some words which I will be pointing out later are given in bold print here:


Concerning all things of which I am being accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate [this could be translated as ‘happy’; this is the same word as in the beatitudes, usually translated there as ‘blessed’] being about to make a defense before you today; especially since you of all, being knowledgeable among Jews, of both the customs and questions [or ‘controversies’]; therefore, I beg you, patiently to hear me.


Then, the way of my life from youth, from the beginning, having been in my nation, and in Jerusalem, all the Jews know, previously knowing me from the first, if they are willing to witness, that according to the most exact sect [literally, ‘heresy’] of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.


And now on hope of the promise to our fathers, having happened by God, I stand, being judged, to which our twelve tribes, in earnestness, night and day worshipping, they hope to arrive; concerning which hope I am accused by Jews, king.


Why unbelievable it is judged by you [all] if God raises dead persons?
Then, I indeed, thought to myself, toward the name of Jesus of Nazareth, it was necessary to do many things contrary; which also I did in Jerusalem, and also many of the saints I shut up in prisons, [and] from the chief priests, having received authority, and them being killed, I cast a vote.


And throughout all the synagogues, many times punishing them, I compelled [them] to blaspheme; exceedingly and being furious against them, I pursued until even into the outside cities.


In which, journeying into Damascus with authority and decision-power of the chief priests, at mid-day, along the way, I saw, king, from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining around me, a light, also those journeying with me.


And we, all, having fallen down to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Hard for you to kick against the goads.’


And I said, ‘Who are you, lord?’


And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But, rise up, and stand on your feet; for I appeared to you for this, to appoint you an attendant and a witness of what both you saw me and what I will appear to you, rescuing you from the people and from the nations, into whom I am sending you, to open their eyes, and to turn from darkness into light and the authority of Satan to God, that they receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the ones sanctified by faith into Me.’


From which, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but to those in Damascus first, and also Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judea, and to the nations, I proclaimed to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of the repentance.


Because of these things, Jews, having seized me, being in the temple, tried to lay hands on me [to kill me]. Then help, having obtained from God, until this day, I have stood, witnessing to both small and great, saying nothing apart from saying the things which both the prophets said, being about to happen, and Moses, if the Christ is subject to suffering, if first by a resurrection of dead persons, he is about to announce light to both people and to the nations.


St. Paul describes his conversion experience elsewhere (see Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-16), and there are some interesting details given here. Some people have taken the time to compare the retelling of this experience to those previously in Acts. But the way in which St. Paul related all of the above events, and not just his conversion experience, that seems to be a bit more interesting.


There are some additional things that may point to a helpful theme within that long defense. St. Paul could have said some things in a much simpler manner (and I should add here that having to translate this was not easy). And saying those extra things, St. Paul certainly did add to the speech, but they also gave a reminder of what was important.


There seems to be a progression within the speech from the word ‘day’ to the word ‘light’. And the reverse progression happens on the first day of creation. And if one does not take into account the mentions of ‘day’ when this speech was given, the words ‘day’ and ‘light’ happen at somewhat regular intervals within the speech. [To give some exact numbers, the following is from the Greek of the Fifth Revised Edition of The Greek New Testament, published in 2014.]


Start of speech                        97 words
‘day’ (v. 7)                               1 word
Continuation…                         94 words
‘day’, ‘sun’, and ‘light’ (v. 13) 16 words between (and including) ‘day’ and ‘light’
Continuation…                         94 words
‘light’ (v. 18)                            1 word
Continuation…                         109 words
‘light’ (v. 23)                            1 word
End of speech                          8 words
TOTAL # OF WORDS                421


This somewhat-evenly spaced mention of ‘light’ and its related words could, of course, be a coincidence, but I think that everyone would agree that light is an important thing. (And one would probably also agree that both St. Paul was a great speaker and St. Luke was a great writer.) And the one occurrence of the three-fold emphasis above in verse thirteen is the retelling of the time that Jesus appeared to St. Paul on the road to Damascus, and that was literally a life-changing experience for him. (And there were witnesses to testify as to what happened on that special day.) And the light that was created on the first day of creation was also significant—although there was not much around that was created yet to appreciate such an important thing.


Where would we be without light? Where would we be without God? Where would we be without such a Savior?


Those questions are important, and they make people think. And that is pretty much what King Agrippa had to do. The interesting reaction of Festus to St. Paul’s speech was that his great learning was driving him mad (Acts 26:24). St. Paul is not very distracted by that accusation, but he wants to focus on what the King thinks about the prophets and this Jesus (26:26-27). And it is certainly not a bad thing to think about these things.