What is the meaning of Acts 26:8? Why would any of you - Paul is speaking in a packed courtroom—Agrippa, Bernice, Roman officials, Jewish leaders, and onlookers (Acts 26:1–3). By saying “any of you,” he welcomes every listener into the conversation. - His question assumes common ground: all present know Israel’s Scriptures and God’s historic acts (Acts 26:6–7). - Old Testament saints already trusted God for resurrection: “I know that my Redeemer lives… after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God” (Job 19:25–27). Paul simply asks why these very listeners, heirs of the same promises, would recoil from the idea. - The implicit challenge is personal. Like Joshua’s “choose this day” (Joshua 24:15), Paul presses each hearer: will you accept or reject the obvious conclusion of God’s power? consider it incredible - “Incredible” means “unbelievable,” not “wonderful.” Paul exposes an unspoken doubt: that resurrection is too far-fetched even for God. - He counters doubt with reason: • God already formed life from dust (Genesis 2:7). • He parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–31) and stilled Jordan’s flood (Joshua 3:13–17). • He raised the widow’s son through Elijah (1 Kings 17:17–24) and another through Elisha (2 Kings 4:32–37). • Jesus validated every messianic claim with miracles, climaxing in His own empty tomb (Acts 2:24, 32). - “We are witnesses of all He did” (Acts 10:39–41). Eyewitness testimony turns “incredible” into credible, even compelling (1 Corinthians 15:5–8). - Festus will soon blurt, “You are insane, Paul!” (Acts 26:24), proving how stubborn unbelief can label truth as madness. Paul’s calm logic leaves hearers without excuse. that God raises the dead? - The question centers on God, not on human ability. If God is truly God—omnipotent, faithful, sovereign—raising the dead is consistent with His nature (Romans 4:17). - Resurrection is the hinge of the gospel: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (1 Corinthians 15:17). - Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25–26). His raising of Lazarus previewed His own triumph and ours. - Daniel foresaw “many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake” (Daniel 12:2). Isaiah sang, “Your dead will live; their bodies will rise” (Isaiah 26:19). Paul simply affirms what God already promised. - The resurrection affirms justice: the righteous rewarded, the wicked judged (Acts 24:15; John 5:28–29). Without it, evil would often win unchecked. - It guarantees hope beyond persecution. Paul stands in chains yet overflows with confidence (2 Timothy 1:12), because death is not the terminus. summary Acts 26:8 is Paul’s gentle but pointed reminder that the resurrection is neither illogical nor optional. If God truly is who Scripture reveals Him to be, raising the dead is the natural outworking of His power and promises. Rejecting resurrection means rejecting the very character of God; embracing it unlocks the full assurance of salvation, justice, and eternal life secured by the risen Christ. |
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