What mission does God assign to Paul in Acts 26:17, and why? Setting the Scene Paul is standing before King Agrippa recounting his Damascus-road encounter. Jesus personally commissions him, explaining both his protection and his purpose. Paul’s Divine Assignment Acts 26:17: “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them.” From this single sentence we can unpack Paul’s mandate: • God Himself is the Sender—Paul’s authority is divine, not self-appointed. • The audience is two-fold: – “your own people” (Jews) – “the Gentiles” (all other nations) • The verb “sending” (Greek: apostellō) frames Paul as an apostle—one commissioned with a message. • The promise “I will rescue you” assures preservation amid opposition, underscoring that the mission will be costly yet unstoppable. Why the Mission Matters Verse 18 immediately gives the purpose clause, “to open their eyes…” God dispatches Paul so that people will: 1. “turn from darkness to light” – move from ignorance to truth (cf. Isaiah 9:2). 2. switch allegiance “from the power of Satan to God” – a real transfer of dominion (Colossians 1:13). 3. “receive forgiveness of sins” – the heart of the gospel promise (Ephesians 1:7). 4. gain “an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me” – full covenant inclusion (Romans 8:17). Scripture Connections • Acts 9:15 – Jesus calls Paul “My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.” • Galatians 1:15-16 – God “set me apart from my mother’s womb… to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.” • Romans 15:16 – Paul sees himself as “a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles… so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable.” • Isaiah 49:6 – The Servant is made “a light for the nations” – a prophecy Paul participates in fulfilling (Acts 13:47). Key Takeaways • Paul’s mission is God-initiated, Spirit-empowered, and cross-cultural. • Protection and persecution run together; divine rescue keeps the mission on course. • The ultimate aim is salvation—opening eyes, granting forgiveness, securing eternal inheritance. • God’s heart for all peoples is consistent from the Old Testament through the apostolic age and remains our calling today. |
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