Acts 26:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He benefited not only me, he says, but sent me to teach others also. He also points to the prophecy that he heard. See how gently he speaks. God, he says, said to me: "For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a minister and witness of what you have seen and what I will reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you. You are to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, and receive forgiveness of sins through faith in Me." He speaks as though saying: by this I was convinced, by this appearance. He converted me and convinced me so that I could not resist. "For I have appeared to you for this purpose," that is, not to punish you, but to make you an apostle.

The speech of the Apostle Paul at this trial, in the presence of King Agrippa, is likewise a defense, just as his speech before the Jews on the steps of the Jerusalem fortress was. But now the Apostle spoke with greater freedom than he had then, before a crowd of fanatics. Since he was not interrupted and could speak fully, he defended himself in such a way that he also bore solemn witness to Christ. He testified that Christ had died and risen, according to the prophecy of Moses and the other ancient prophets. He also called his hearers to repentance and conversion to God.

Therefore he asked them to hear him patiently, and once more recounted the well-known story of his conversion. He had turned from being a strict and fanatical Pharisee to faith. He declared that his people's messianic hope had already truly been fulfilled in Jesus the Nazarene. At first he had fiercely persecuted His followers. But Christ personally revealed His glory to him and brought him to know that He had risen from the dead. Why might this faith have seemed implausible even to his hearers? At first it had seemed so to him as well. Yet how could he withstand the personal testimony of Christ Himself? How could he disobey the heavenly voice? That voice sent him to open the eyes of both Jews and Gentiles, so that they might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Thus, through faith in Jesus, they might receive forgiveness of sins and a portion among the saints. He was not disobedient to this command; for detailed interpretation, see Acts 22:3-21.

“Delivering you,” and so forth. According to the Greek construction, this should be understood not as “delivering,” but as “preserving,” that is, preserving your life from the dangers you will inevitably face in your ministry. “To whom I send you,” that is, first to the Jewish people, and then to the Gentiles. In keeping with this, throughout all his missionary activity Paul addressed his preaching first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles; compare Acts 13:46 and parallels.

The Apostle speaks of his great calling as an inspired chosen one of God. The solemnity and loftiness of the tone are especially strengthened because he speaks in the person of the Lord Himself. Something is heard here like what was said, and how it was said, about the calling of the prophet and Forerunner of the Lord, John, by his father Zacharias. This likeness especially concerns the Lord's illumination of people; see verse 18 and Lk 1:79. It also concerns forgiveness of sins; see verse 18 and Lk 1:77. The salvation spoken of there is mentioned here under the image of the lot, or inheritance, of the saints. This means eternal blessedness in the Kingdom of Heaven. There is mention there of darkness and of light from the dayspring on high.