Acts 26:23

Monday, 8 April 2024

“that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:23

The words of Paul are very difficult to express literally. They read, “that passable, the Christ. That first from dead – resurrection – He is come to preach light to both our people and the Gentiles” (CG).

Paul had just noted that what he said was nothing other than those things that the prophets and Moses said would come. With that, he next says, “that passable, the Christ.”

The word to describe Christ is an adjective found only here in Scripture, pathétos. It signifies one destined to suffer. In other words, he was passible. Thayer’s says he was endued with the capacity of suffering, capable of feeling.

Paul clearly asserted in the previous verse that each of the points of doctrine that he was to convey to his hearers was to be found in the very Scriptures that Agrippa himself would be aware of.

That the Christ would suffer is found in numerous passages in the psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, etc. These things are often specifically stated. In type and in picture, they can be found throughout the writings of Moses and all the way throughout the rest of the Old Testament.

That the Christ was liable to suffer was something that was ignored by the Jews. They had only focused on His acts of conquest, triumph, and power. They looked at the Messiah as one that would fulfill all of the promises concerning restoration of the land to them, leading the nations, and so forth.

What they missed is that these very things are actually found through His suffering. First and foremost, His power is, in fact, shown forth in His weakness. This portion of His coming was to handle the sin problem in man. Only after that is taken care of can man be restored to God.

Having a nation of people whose sins are not atoned for to lead the nations would make no sense. But the Jews misunderstood this and thought that it was Moses and the sacrificial system that dealt with these things, being sufficient to make them acceptable to God. But those things only anticipated Christ’s more perfect work.

After His suffering, Paul next focuses on the resurrection. In both type and in explicit references, the Messiah is shown to not only suffer, but to rise. As he says, “That first from dead – resurrection.”

Paul’s words are succinct and precise. If the Messiah was to suffer and die an atoning death for the people, and yet He was also to rule forever as the Leader of the people, then either there is an absolute and irreconcilable disconnect between the two thoughts, or the Messiah would first die and then be raised to rule. This is seen in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Greek translation of Isaiah 53:11 – From the labor of His soul He shall see light.

The Masoretic Text, the Vulgate, and the Targums omit this section of the passage, but it is surely original. In type, the resurrection is seen in the lives of Isaac, Joseph, Benjamin, etc.

It should be noted that Christ was not the first to come back to life. Both Elijah and Elisha raised children. The widow’s son was raised by Jesus and then later Lazarus was as well. However, Jesus was the first who was resurrected to eternal life. The others were merely raised to restored life. According to Leviticus 18:5, His sinless perfection demanded that He must rise.

Paul next notes that it was out of Christ’s resurrection that “He is come to preach light to both our people and the Gentiles.”

The words are rather difficult to express in English and translations vary widely. However, the verbs, being present tense, are well expressed with the words “He is come to preach.”

It is the resurrection which brings light to those who sit in the shadow of death. All mankind knows that death awaits. It is a dark and futile life. It is an existence with no hope. However, with the coming of Christ, a new Light has dawned. Eternal life is promised to those who trust in Him, both Jew and Gentile.

As for the words “our people,” it simply says “people,” but the word “our” is implied in the word used, especially because Paul is speaking directly to Agrippa.

Life application: The timeline of Daniel 9 says that a certain number of years would pass and then, with seven years left in the given timeline, the Messiah would be cut off. The meaning is that He would die.

If the Messiah died, and there are seven more years to go before the restoration promised by God for Israel under the Messiah would take place, then it means, by default, that the Messiah must resurrect. There is no way around this. The Messiah cannot reign if He were to remain dead!

Therefore, there must be a reason why He would die. That reason is the key theological point to be found in Scripture. Sin. Sin must be dealt with first and foremost before restoration with God can come about. The law was introduced to demonstrate this. Only in the fulfillment of the law can man stand in a right relationship with God.

Without that, only darkness exists. But in the fulfillment of the law, the light is made manifest. As all people already bear Adam’s sin, then no person could fulfill the law and be right with God because Adam’s sin predates the law. Therefore, Christ came in sinless perfection. He then fulfilled the law. He now offers His sinless perfection to any who will simply believe. This is the Light which has come into the world. Believe that God has done it! Jesus has prevailed!

Lord God, thank You for the giving of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. How grateful we are to You for the promise and surety of total restoration and eternal life because of what You have done through Him. Praises to You, O God! Amen.