But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus,.... That is, Paul said, as the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read: he replied to Festus, to whom he gives his title of honour, not out of fear, nor flattery, but according to custom; and though he used him in such a reproachful manner, as if he was not himself, which he denies; nor did what he had said show anything of that kind, but the reverse, to which he appeals;but speak forth the words of truth and soberness; which are true in themselves, being perfectly agreeable to the Scriptures of truth; and are what Christ, who is truth itself, had spoken, and of which he is the subject; and which the spirit of truth leads into, and owns and blesses: the Gospel in general, and all the doctrines of it, are words of truth; they are true, in opposition to that which is false, there is nothing of falsehood in them, no lie is of the truth; and to that which is fictitious, as the counterfeit Gospel of false teachers, which looks like the Gospel, and has the appearance of truth, but in reality is not; and to that which is but shadow, the Gospel, and the truths of it, are solid and substantial ones; hence the law and truth are opposed to each other, Joh 1:17 and there are particular doctrines of the Gospel, and such as the apostle had been speaking of, or referred unto, which are called truth, words of truth, and faithful sayings; as that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that he is God manifest in the flesh, or is God and man in one person; that he came into the world to save the chief of sinners; that he suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; that justification is by his righteousness; and that as he is the first that rose from the dead, others will rise also; or that there will be a resurrection of the dead by him; see 1Jo 2:21 1Ti 1:15.
Bible Commentary
Acts 26:25
Acts 26:25
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Acts 26 — OverviewActs 26 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe left Paul at the bar, and Festus, and Agrippa, and Bernice, and all
the great men of the city of Cæsarea, upon the bench, or about it,
waiting to hear what he had to say for himself. Now in this chapter we…Acts 26 — OverviewActs 26 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeActs 26:1, Paul, in the presence of Agrippa, declares his life from his childhood; Acts 26:12, and how miraculously he was converted, and called to his apostleship; Acts 26:24, Festus charges him with being mad,…Acts 26:1-26Acts 26:1-26 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe apology.
We are struck with a contrast between the conduct of our Lord when he stood before the bar of Caiaphas and of Pontius Pilate, and that of St. Paul when he was brought before Festus and Agrippa. It is…Acts 26:1-32Acts 26:1-32 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONActs 26:1-32Acts 26:1-32 · The Pulpit CommentaryPaul before Festus and Agrippa.
His address may be divided as follows:—
I. THE REMARKABLE STORY OF HIS LIFE. (Acts 26:1-18.)
1. His life in Judaism. He had been brought up, as all knew, in the strictest sect of his…Acts 26:1-32Acts 26:1-32 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe apostolic defense in the presence of Festus and Agrippa.
I. THE BEARING OF THE MAN. Dignity, gentleness, courtesy—a true Christian gentleman.
II. THE APPEAL TO FACTS. The incontrovertible evidence. "Once I was a…
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