Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 26]
18:12; 21:11) superlatives in \-tatos\ in the N.T. (Robertson,
_Grammar_, pp. 279f., 670), though common enough in the LXX and
the papyri. \Hairesin\ (choosing) is properly used here with
Pharisees (Josephus, _Life_, 38). {Religion} (\thr•skeias\). From
\thr•skeu•\ and this from \thr•skos\ (Jas 1:26), old word for
religious worship or discipline, common in the papyri and
inscriptions (Moulton and Milligan's _Vocabulary_) for reverent
worship, not mere external ritual. In N.T. only here, Jas
1:26f.; Col 2:18. {I lived a Pharisee} (\ez•sa Pharisaios\).
Emphatic position. Paul knew the rules of the Pharisees and
played the game to the full (Ga 1:14; Php 3:5f.). The Talmud
makes it plain what the life of a Pharisee was. Paul had become
one of the leaders and stars of hope for his sect.
26:6 {And now} (\kai nun\). Sharp comparison between his youth
and the present. {To be judged for the hope} (\ep'
elpidi--krinomenos\). The hope of the resurrection and of the
promised Messiah (13:32). Page calls verses 6-8 a parenthesis
in the course of Paul's argument by which he shows that his life
in Christ is a real development of the best in Pharisaism. He
does resume his narrative in verse 9, but verses 6-8 are the
core of his defence already presented in Ga 3; Ro 9-11 where he
proves that the children of faith are the real seed of Abraham.
26:7 {Our twelve tribes} (\to d•dekaphulon h•m•n\). A word found
only here in N.T. and in Christian and Jewish writings, though
\d•dekam•non\ (twelve month) is common in the papyri and
\dekaphulos\ (ten tribes) in Herodotus. Paul's use of this word
for the Jewish people, like Jas 1:1 (\tais d•deka phulais\, the
twelve tribes), shows that Paul had no knowledge of any "lost ten
tribes." There is a certain national pride and sense of unity in
spite of the dispersion (Page). {Earnestly} (\en ektenei•i\). A
late word from \ektein•\, to stretch out, only here in N.T., but
in papyri and inscriptions. Page refers to Simeon and Anna (Lu
2:25-28) as instances of Jews looking for the coming of the
Messiah. Note the accusative of \nukta kai h•meran\ as in
20:31. {Hope to attain} (\elpizei katant•sai\). This Messianic
hope had been the red thread running through Jewish history.
Today, alas, it is a sadly worn thread for Jews who refuse to see
the Messiah in Jesus. {I am accused by Jews} (\egkaloumai hupo
Ioudai•n\). The very word used in 23:28 (\enekaloun\) which
see, and by Jews of all people in the world whose mainspring was
this very "hope." It is a tremendously effective turn.
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