Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 26]
"must suffer" here, but "can suffer." The Cross of Christ was a
stumbling-block to the rabbis. {How that he first by the
resurrection of the dead} (\ei pr•tos ex anastase•s nekr•n\).
Same construction with \ei\ (whether). This point Paul had often
discussed with the Jews: "whether he (the Messiah) by a
resurrection of dead people." Others had been raised from the
dead, but Christ is the first (\pr•tos\) who arose from the dead
and no longer dies (Ro 6:19) and proclaims light (\ph•s mellei
kataggellein\). Paul is still speaking from the Jewish
standpoint: "is about to (going to) proclaim light." See verse
18 for "light" and Lu 2:32. {Both to the people and to the
Gentiles} (\t•i te la•i kai tois ethnesin\). See verse 17. It
was at the word Gentiles (\ethn•\) that the mob lost control of
themselves in the speech from the stairs (22:21f.). So it is
here, only not because of that word, but because of the word
"resurrection" (\anastasis\).
26:24 {As he thus made his defence} (\tauta autou
apologoumenou\). Genitive absolute again with present middle
participle. Paul was still speaking when Festus interrupted him
in great excitement. {With a loud voice} (\megal•i t•i ph•n•i\).
Associative instrumental case showing manner (Robertson,
_Grammar_, p. 530) and the predicate use of the adjective, "with
the voice loud" (elevated). {Thou art mad} (\main•i\). Old verb
for raving. See also Joh 10:20; Ac 12:15; 1Co 14:23. The
enthusiasm of Paul was too much for Festus and then he had spoken
of visions and resurrection from the dead (verse 8). "Thou art
going mad" (linear present), Festus means. {Thy much learning
doth turn thee to madness} (\ta polla se grammata eis manian
peritrepei\). "Is turning thee round." Old verb \peritrep•\, but
only here in N.T. Festus thought that Paul's "much learning"
(="many letters," cf. Joh 7:15 of Jesus) of the Hebrew
Scriptures to which he had referred was turning his head to
madness (wheels in his head) and he was going mad right before
them all. The old word \mania\ (our mania, frenzy, cf. maniac)
occurs here only in N.T. Note unusual position of \se\ between
\polla\ and \grammata\ (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 418, 420)
26:25 {But speak forth} (\alla apophtheggomai\). Verb for
dignified and elevated discourse, a word from the literary
_Koin•_, not the vernacular. In N.T. only here and 2:4,14 which
see. It occurs three times in Vettius Valens in a "mantic" sense.
Paul was not ruffled by the rude and excited interruption of
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