Year of the Bible
Acts of the Apostles 26
Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 26:
King Agrippa and his wife Beatrice have come to visit the governor, Festus, and ask to hear from Paul, who has been in the custody of the secular state now for years, at the urging of some Jews who were disturbed by his mission to the Gentiles (vs. 1). Paul replies starting by sharing God’s plan of salvation that unfolded with the calling of Israel, that what is happening now is not something in discontinuity, but is the continuing fulfillment of Israel’s hope (vs. 4-8, 22-23). Paul includes his personal conversion story of when he encountered Jesus as Lord and responded in faith (vs. 12-18). He concludes with a clear statement of his present mission--to share the Good News with the Gentiles too (vs. 20)-- an action that does not go against Judaism, nor any secular laws (something the king and governor agree with, vs. 31). While Festus the governor seems dismissive (vs. 24-25), King Agrippa is more open (vs. 27-28) as he has some familiarity with God’s plan through his Jewish wife. The range of responses of individuals to the Gospel have been diverse throughout history, and we see this in Paul’s experience. From dispute, to indifference, to curiosity, to conversion, Paul prayerfully maintains hope that the Spirit would continue to lead others to the Lord (vs. 29).
The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 26:
Paul Makes His Defense before Agrippa
1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: 2 “I think myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 because you are especially familiar with all customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial for hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 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! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme; and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul Tells of His Conversion
12 “Thus I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining round me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in
which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles—to whom I send you 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Paul Tells of His Preaching
19 “Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 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: 23 that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.”
Paul Appeals to Agrippa to Believe
24 And as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are mad; your great learning is turning you mad.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time you think to make me a Christian!” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”
30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them; 31 and when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
St. Paul boldly once again gives his conversion story, this time to the Gentile authorities. He cares more about other people coming to faith than being personally vindicated. Do I allow other people's opinions of me to keep me from being a disciple of Jesus?
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Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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1 Agripa le dijo a Pablo:
–Se te permite hablar en tu defensa.
Entonces Pablo extendió la mano y comenzó
su alegato:
–Me considero dichoso, rey Agripa,
de poder defenderme hoy ante ti de todas
las acusaciones de los judíos, 3 sobre
todo, porque tú conoces todas sus cuestiones
y costumbres. Te ruego por tanto
que me escuches pacientemente. 4 Todos
los judíos saben de mi vida desde la juventud,
que transcurrió desde el principio
en medio de mi pueblo en Jerusalén.
5 Me conocen hace mucho tiempo y si
quieren pueden atestiguar que he vivido
como fariseo, según la secta más estricta
de nuestra religión. 6 Y ahora estoy
sometido a juicio por la esperanza en la
promesa hecha por Dios a nuestros padres,
7 la cual esperan alcanzar nuestras
doce tribus sirviendo a Dios con perseverancia
día y noche. ¡A causa de esta
esperanza, rey, soy acusado por los judíos!
8 ¿Por qué os parece increíble que
Dios resucite a los muertos?
9 »Yo me creí en el deber de actuar
enérgicamente contra el nombre de Jesús
Nazareno. 10 Lo hice en Jerusalén y
encarcelé a muchos santos con potestad
recibida de los príncipes de los sacerdotes.
Y cuando se les mataba yo aportaba
mi voto. 11 Les castigaba frecuentemente
por todas las sinagogas, para obligarles
a blasfemar y, enfurecido contra ellos,
llegaba hasta perseguirles en ciudades
extranjeras.
12 »Con este fin iba a Damasco, con
la potestad y autorización de los príncipes
de los sacerdotes, 13 y al mediodía
vi en el camino, rey, una luz del cielo,
más brillante que el sol, que me envolvió
a mí y a los que me acompañaban.
14 Caímos todos a tierra y escuché
una voz que me decía en hebreo: «Saulo,
Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues? Dura
cosa es para ti dar coces contra el aguijón
». 15 Yo contesté: «¿Quién eres, Señor?
» Y el Señor me dijo: «Yo soy Jesús,
a quien tú persigues. 16 Pero levántate y
ponte en pie, porque me he dejado ver
por ti para hacerte ministro y testigo de
lo que has visto y de lo que todavía te
mostraré. 17 Yo te libraré de tu pueblo y
de los gentiles a los que te envío, 18 para
que abras sus ojos y así se conviertan de
las tinieblas a la luz y del poder de Satanás
a Dios, y reciban el perdón de los
pecados y la herencia entre los santificados
por la fe en mí».
19 »Así pues, rey Agripa, no fui desobediente
a la visión celestial, 20 sino que
primero a los de Damasco y Jerusalén,
y luego por toda la región de Judea y a
los gentiles, comencé a predicar que se
arrepintieran y se convirtieran a Dios
con obras dignas de penitencia. 21 Por
este motivo intentaron matarme los judíos
cuando me apresaron en el Templo.
22 Con la ayuda de Dios he permanecido
hasta este día predicando a pequeños
y grandes, sin enseñar otras cosas
que las que los Profetas y Moisés dijeron
que iban a suceder: 23 que el Cristo debía
padecer y, después de ser el primero
en resucitar de entre los muertos, iba a
anunciar la luz al pueblo y a los gentiles.
Mientras se defendía de este modo,
dijo Festo en alta voz:
–Estás loco, Pablo. Las muchas letras
te han hecho perder el juicio.
25 Pablo contestó:
–No estoy loco, excelentísimo Festo,
sino que digo cosas verdaderas y sensatas.
26 Bien sabe estas cosas el rey a quien
hablo sinceramente, porque no creo
que ninguna le sea desconocida, pues
no son cosas que hayan ocurrido en un
rincón. 27 ¿Crees, rey Agripa, en los Profetas?
Yo sé que crees.
28 Agripa contestó a Pablo:
–Un poco más y me convences de
que me haga cristiano.
29 Pablo respondió:
–Quisiera Dios que, con poco o con
mucho, no sólo tú sino todos los que me
escuchan hoy se hicieran como yo, pero
sin estas cadenas.
30 Se levantaron el rey, el procurador,
Berenice y todos los que se sentaban
con ellos; 31 y al retirarse comentaban
unos con otros:
–Este hombre no ha hecho nada que
merezca muerte o prisión.
32 Agripa le dijo a Festo:
–Podría ser puesto en libertad si no
hubiera apelado al César.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
San Pablo vuelve a contar con valentía su historia de conversión, esta vez ante las autoridades gentiles. Le importa más que otras personas lleguen a la fe que ser legitimado personalmente. ¿Permito que las opiniones de otras personas sobre mí me impidan ser un discípulo de Jesús?
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para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).