June 19, 2005

 

Chap.26, verses 3-11—we now hear Paul’s lengthy remarks before Agrippa, with Festus, Bernice, commanders and prominent Caesarean citizens listening as well.  In the first section, Paul reviews his pre-Christian life so as to make clear his fidelity to the Jewish faith.

  “My manner of life”- “life”= biosin, not zoe.  Bios carries an ethical sense not found in zoe, see I Tim.2:2.  Obviously, Paul is not referring to the manual labor or food he ate, but his conduct before other Jews of his nation.  “all the Jews know”- his life was not secretive nor hidden.

  (vs.5) - “from the beginning”- the Gk.word is “anothen”- from above, from the source (Jn.3:3 =again).   “if they would testify”- Paul alludes to the fact that the accusers themselves could be his witnesses as to his fidelity to his life as a most strict Pharisee. 

 (vs.6)- “for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers” is actually emphasized by being place at the beginning of the verse.  [The NIV inserts “my hope” w/o manuscript evidence.]

   This “hope” entails a large body of verses of the OT that depict the Person,

circumstances and conditions of expectation given by God to Israel:

Genesis 3:15- promise of victory of woman’s seed over serpent’s see

Genesis 9:26- promise of unique relation between LORD and Shem’s offspring

Genesis 12:1-3-promise of universal blessing on mankind thru Abram’s seed

Genesis 49:9-10- promise of a Ruler from Judah and arrival of peace thru Him

Numbers 24:17-18- promise of a rise of a “Star” or Ruler from Israel that will

  triumph over his enemies

Deut.18:18-promise of a Prophet for Israel like Moses

II Sam.7:3-14-promise of eternal Ruler & Kingdom in the Davidic dynasty

  with Israel experiencing God’s mercy thru this Ruler (Nathan prophecy)

      Jere.23:5-6, Ezk. 37:21-22, 24-25- extension of Nathan prophecy

      Psalms 72:1-19 details this Nathan prophecy

Micah 5:2-5 -promise of birth of Ruler from Bethlehem with eternal Being

  who will shepherd Israel

Isaiah 7:10-16- Promise of One born of a Virgin who will choose good

Isaiah 9:6-7- promise of this Child that is born to have eternal Being

   And to rule from Davidic throne forever

Isaiah 11:1-10- promise of the offspring of Jesse (David) to be empowered

  and to establish righteousness & justice universally

Isaiah 42:1-9- promise of a Servant of Jehovah who will establish

  righteousness and transform the world

   Isaiah 52:13-53:12- this Servant will suffer terribly but provide righteous-

     ness for the sinner

Hosea 3:4-5 promise that Israel will return to LORD and Davidic Person

Hosea 13:14- promise of recovery of Israel from the grave & death

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Amos 9:11-15- promise of the spiritual, political and economic recovery

  Of Israel

Micah 4:1-5- promise of establishment of Leadership of Israel over nations

  And universal peace

Daniel 7:13-14- promises of the coming of One invested with dominion,

   glory and a kingdom without end

Daniel 9:24-27- promise of restoration of Jerusalem under the “Prince”

  who is “cut-off” and universal righteousness

Zech. 9:9-10-promise of the arrival of the King on a donkey whose

  Kingdom is universal

Zech.13:1-3 promise of cleansing for Israel and removal of idolatry

 

  These declarations make a considerable portion of the “hope of the promise made by God to the fathers” (NKJV)—and may be referred to as the

crimson thread running throughout the OT picturing Christ.  Viewed from

Genesis thru Malachi, they move from the general to a more particular Truth

of the Messiah. Of course, many other verses give the details (and repetition)

of Messiah’s rule and favor.  We often use the word “millennial reign of

Messiah (Christ)” for these references by borrowing the concept of 1000

years from Rev. 20:1-6.  Yet, there are references that declare Messiah’s

rule will be without end; this points out how universal blessings will extend from the old heaven/earth into the New Heaven/Earth (Rev.21).