Acts 26:22-23
To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul emphasizes that his continued ministry, standing testimony amidst immense opposition, isn't due to his own strength, but the specific "help that is from God," akin to an ally's support. He’s not presenting new theology, but echoing exactly what Moses and the prophets foretold about the Messiah's suffering and resurrection, which was the very point of contention for his accusers.
As Paul stands before King Agrippa, Festus, and other dignitaries, he recounts his conversion and subsequent ministry, emphasizing that his message is not a novel heresy but the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He highlights the divine help that has sustained him through numerous attempts on his life, allowing him to continue testifying to people of all social standings. Paul asserts that his teachings align perfectly with what Moses and the prophets foretold about the Messiah's suffering, resurrection, and the salvation offered to both Jews and Gentiles.
Paul stands before kings and accusers, yet he's not intimidated. How can he remain so bold in the face of such opposition?
Paul's opening statement in this verse, 'Having therefore obtained help that is from God,' is key. The original word for 'help' here isn't just general assistance; it implies the support of an ally, someone fighting alongside you. Paul isn't just lucky; he's experienced God as his active partner, his divine ally, who has consistently intervened throughout his ministry and trials.
Think about it: Paul has faced riots, shipwrecks, imprisonment, and constant threats from those who wanted him silenced. Yet, he's still standing, still testifying. This isn't brute strength or human cleverness alone; it's the result of God's specific, empowering intervention. This 'help' sustained him through every attempt to bring him down, allowing him to continue his mission.
Paul boldly claims he's saying 'nothing other than what the prophets and Moses said.' What does this reveal about his message and the Old Testament?
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Paul anchors his entire message – his testimony about Jesus – in the Old Testament Scriptures. He’s not presenting a new religion or a radical departure from God's established covenant. Instead, he's demonstrating that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything foretold by Moses and the prophets.
This is a crucial apologetic point. He’s telling his listeners, including King Agrippa, Festus, and the Jewish leaders, that his teaching isn't novel or heretical. It’s the culmination of God’s redemptive plan, a plan that had been laid out for centuries. The focus on 'Moses and the prophets' (or sometimes 'the Law and the prophets') served as a comprehensive reference to the entirety of the Old Testament, showing that the gospel message about Christ’s suffering, resurrection, and the salvation offered to Gentiles was deeply rooted in God's revealed word.
Understand the original words
epikouria · Greek Noun
Divine assistance, support, or grace provided by God to His servants to enable them to fulfill their calling, especially in times of trial, suffering, or mission.
marturomenos · Greek Verb
To bear witness or provide evidence based on personal knowledge or experience; in a biblical context, it refers to declaring the truth of God, particularly regarding Christ’s resurrection and message.
prophētai · Hebrew/Greek Noun
Those whom God chose to communicate His divine messages, warnings, and future revelations to His people. They functioned as the mouthpiece of God to call Israel to repentance and to point toward the coming Messiah.
Christos · Greek Noun
The central figure of God's redemptive plan, the 'Anointed One' (Messiah). He is the long-awaited King, Prophet, and Priest whose life, death, and resurrection fulfill the Old Testament promises.
anastasis · Greek Noun
The state of being restored to life after physical death. Biblically, it signifies the victory of Christ over death, serving as the foundational hope and guarantee of eternal life for believers.
phōs · Greek Noun
A metaphor for truth, salvation, holiness, and the revelation of God’s nature. Jesus is identified as this, coming to dispel the spiritual darkness of sin and ignorance in the world.
ethnē · Greek Noun
In the New Testament, all non-Jewish peoples (nations). The gospel is extended to them to fulfill God's covenant promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his offspring.
Paul's defense before King Agrippa emphasizes that his message isn't a new teaching, but the fulfillment of promises made by Moses and the prophets throughout Jewish Scripture. This highlights the continuity between the Old and New Testaments and frames Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The central event in Christian belief, Jesus' death and resurrection, is the foundation of Paul's message that the Old Testament prophets foretold.
c. 34 AD
Stephen's Martyrdom
The stoning of Stephen, a follower of Jesus, marks a significant escalation of persecution against early Christians and occurs before Paul's conversion.
c. 35 AD
Paul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus
Saul, a persecutor of Christians, encounters the risen Jesus and is transformed into the Apostle Paul, dramatically changing his life's direction.
c. 35-57 AD
Paul's Early Missionary Journeys
Paul travels extensively throughout the Roman Empire, preaching the gospel and establishing churches, often facing opposition and imprisonment.
c. 57-59 AD
Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem
Paul is arrested by Jewish authorities in Jerusalem after a riot, leading to his subsequent imprisonment and trials before Roman governors.
c. 60 AD
Paul's Voyage to Rome and Shipwreck
Paul is sent to Rome as a prisoner. During the voyage, they experience a violent storm and shipwreck, ultimately reaching Malta.
c. 60-62 AD— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Under house arrest in Rome, Paul continues to preach and teach, writing several epistles. This is the likely period when Acts concludes.
This passage describes the 'arm of the Lord' being revealed, which aligns with Paul's emphasis on the divine help enabling his ministry and his testimony.
Luke 24:44Jesus states that the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all bear witness to Him, directly supporting Paul's claim that his message is consistent with the Old Testament.
John 5:46Jesus Himself told the Pharisees that if they believed Moses, they would believe Him, because Moses wrote about Him, reinforcing Paul's argument that his message fulfills Old Testament prophecy.
Romans 1:2Paul's introductory statement in Romans emphasizes that the gospel was promised beforehand through the prophets in the holy Scriptures, echoing the theme in Acts 26:22.
1 Peter 1:10-11This passage highlights how Old Testament prophets searched and inquired about the salvation that would come through Christ, underscoring the continuity between their message and Paul's testimony.
ellicottActs 26:22: "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:"
(22) Having therefore obtained help of God. —The Greek noun for “help” is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. It implies the kind of assistance which one friend or ally gives to another of inferior power. It is found in the Greek of Wisdom Of Solomon 13:18 . Here the word seems used as being…
henryActs 26:12-23: "Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,"
26:12-23 Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Christ both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was made a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong t…
Paul emphasizes that his continued ministry, standing testimony amidst immense opposition, isn't due to his own strength, but the specific "help that is from God," akin to an ally's support. He’s not presenting new theology, but echoing exactly what Moses and the prophets foretold about the Messiah's suffering and resurrection, which was the very point of contention for his accusers.
As Paul stands before King Agrippa, Festus, and other dignitaries, he recounts his conversion and subsequent ministry, emphasizing that his message is not a novel heresy but the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He highlights the divine help that has sustained him through numerous attempts on his life, allowing him to continue testifying to people of all social standings. Paul asserts that his teachings align perfectly with what Moses and the prophets foretold about the Messiah's suffering, resurrection, and the salvation offered to both Jews and Gentiles.
As Paul stands before King Agrippa, Festus, and other dignitaries, he recounts his conversion and subsequent ministry, emphasizing that his message is not a novel heresy but the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He highlights the divine help that has sustained him through numerous attempts on his life, allowing him to continue testifying to people of all social standings. Paul asserts that his teachings align perfectly with what Moses and the prophets foretold about the Messiah's suffering, resurrection, and the salvation offered to both Jews and Gentiles.
"To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first t…" — Paul emphasizes that his continued ministry, standing testimony amidst immense opposition, isn't due to his own strength, but the specific "help that is from God," akin to an ally's support. He’s not…
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