Acts 26:6-7
And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul isn't just on trial for his belief in a promise, but specifically for the hope that arises from it, a hope that he connects directly to the faith of Israel's ancestors. This subtle emphasis highlights that his accusers are not simply rejecting his theology, but also what they should have recognized as the continuation of their own heritage.
Paul is addressing King Agrippa, attempting to explain why he's being accused by the Jews. He reminds Agrippa of his former life as a zealous Pharisee, emphasizing that his current trouble stems not from abandoning Jewish belief, but from his hope in a promise God made to their ancestors, a promise he believes has been fulfilled in Jesus.
Paul stands accused, but he frames his defense not around a new idea, but an ancient one. What made this 'hope' so central to his faith, and why did it put him on trial?
Paul isn't defending a novel theology; he's claiming faithfulness to the original covenant.
The Unchanging Promise
Paul declares he's on trial "for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers." This wasn't just wishful thinking. This was a deeply rooted expectation, passed down through generations, centered on God's faithfulness to His people. It encompassed the coming of the Messiah and the ultimate fulfillment of God's kingdom.
A Shared Heritage
By referencing "our fathers," Paul connects himself directly to the Jewish people and their sacred history. He's saying, 'I believe in the same God who spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. My hope is built on the very foundation of our shared heritage.' This wasn't a break from Judaism, but a radical fulfillment of it.
The core of Paul's accusers' anger wasn't just about Jesus, but a specific doctrine that threatened their worldview. What was this doctrine, and why was it so divisive?
Paul's hope wasn't a vague yearning; it had a sharp, specific edge – the resurrection of the dead.
The Controversial Climax
For many Jews, especially the Sadducees, the idea of a bodily resurrection was unbelievable, even offensive. They clung to the 'promise,' but their interpretation excluded a future resurrection. Paul, however, saw the resurrection of Jesus as the ultimate proof and inauguration of this promised future.
The Defining Belief
Paul's entire gospel message hinged on this: Jesus’ resurrection validated His claims and secured the future resurrection for all who believe. When he stood on trial, it was this belief – that God raise the dead, and that Jesus is the first-fruits of that resurrection – that his accusers found so intolerable.
Understand the original words
elpis · Greek Noun
A confident expectation and trust in God’s future promises, particularly the resurrection and the fulfillment of the Messianic kingdom.
epaggelia · Greek Noun
A solemn declaration or commitment given by God to His people, often referring to the promise of the Messiah and the restoration of Israel.
phulē · Greek Noun
Referring to the twelve tribes of Israel as a collective covenant people who look forward to the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
latreuō · Greek Verb
The active practice of religious devotion, often involving sacrificial service and intense dedication to God.
Paul frames his defense not as a rejection of his heritage, but as faithfulness to the very promises and hopes passed down from Abraham and the patriarchs. His accusers, particularly the Sadducees, reject the resurrection, while Paul argues that belief in Jesus is the ultimate expression of that ancient hope.
c. 2000 BC - 1500 BC
Patriarchal Covenants Established
God makes foundational promises to Abraham and his descendants, establishing a covenant and promising land, descendants, and blessing. These promises form the bedrock of Jewish hope for generations.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus and Law Given
The Israelites are freed from slavery in Egypt, and God gives them the Law through Moses at Mount Sinai, further shaping their identity and national hope.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
Jerusalem falls, and many Jews are deported to Babylon. This period intensifies their longing for God's promised restoration and a future Messiah.
c. 539 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. While a significant event, it doesn't fully satisfy the deep-seated hope for complete redemption.
This passage records the first promise of a redeemer given by God to humanity, laying the foundation for the 'hope of the promise' that Paul speaks of.
Job 19:25-26This ancient testimony expresses a profound hope in a future vindication and the resurrection of the body, aligning with Paul's defense centered on the hope of resurrection promised to the fathers.
Romans 4:13This passage connects the promise God made to Abraham—that he would be heir of the world—to faith in God who gives life to the dead, underscoring the promise to the fathers as the basis of Paul's hope.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4Paul explicitly states the core message of the gospel—Christ died for our sins, was buried, was raised on the third day—which is the fulfillment of the promise that Paul is defending.
Hebrews 11:1This chapter defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen, directly reflecting how Paul grounds his defense in the unseen reality of God's promise to the fathers.
ellicottActs 26:6: "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:"
(6) For the hope of the promise made of God. The words include the whole expectation of a divine kingdom of which the Christ was to be the head, as well as the specific belief in a resurrection of the dead. Unto our fathers.—Some of the better MSS. have simply, “to the fathers.” The Received text is, perhaps, more in harmony with St. Paul’s usual manner of identifying himself with those to whom…
gillActs 26:6: "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:"
And now I stand, and am judged,.... Before the Roman governor, and in the presence of Agrippa: for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; either for the hope of righteousness, life, and salvation, by the Messiah; who was promised to the Jewish fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others; see Genesis 22:18 or for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal life; of whi…
Paul isn't just on trial for his belief in a promise, but specifically for the hope that arises from it, a hope that he connects directly to the faith of Israel's ancestors. This subtle emphasis highlights that his accusers are not simply rejecting his theology, but also what they should have recognized as the continuation of their own heritage.
Paul is addressing King Agrippa, attempting to explain why he's being accused by the Jews. He reminds Agrippa of his former life as a zealous Pharisee, emphasizing that his current trouble stems not from abandoning Jewish belief, but from his hope in a promise God made to their ancestors, a promise he believes has been fulfilled in Jesus.
Paul is addressing King Agrippa, attempting to explain why he's being accused by the Jews. He reminds Agrippa of his former life as a zealous Pharisee, emphasizing that his current trouble stems not from abandoning Jewish belief, but from his hope in a promise God made to their ancestors, a promise he believes has been fulfilled in Jesus.
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c. 4 BC - AD 30/33
Ministry of Jesus
Jesus lives, teaches, performs miracles, is crucified, and (according to Christian belief) is resurrected. This is the pivotal event that Paul proclaims as the fulfillment of God's promises.
c. AD 30 - AD 60
Early Christian Evangelism
The apostles, including Paul, preach the resurrection of Jesus and the fulfillment of God's promises throughout the Roman Empire, facing increasing opposition.
c. AD 60— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment and Trial
Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and subsequently stands trial before Roman governors like Felix and Festus, and finally before King Agrippa. He is accused by Jewish leaders for proclaiming that Jesus is the promised Messiah and has risen from the dead.
"And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!" — Paul isn't just on trial for his belief in a promise, but specifically for the hope that arises from it, a hope that he connects directly to the faith of Israel's ancestors. This subtle emphasis…
