Acts 26:23
in Acts 26that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
how that the Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.
KJV
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
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This verse in Acts 26
Commentary
10 notes on this verse"Having risen first from the dead." Jesus was the first to rise and no longer dies, whereas those raised by Him or by His disciples died again in expectation of the future general resurrection.
This site's exposition
had God’s help to this day
on Acts 26:22-23
Paul says he testifies to small and great alike, saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen. The suffering Messiah, the resurrection and the light for the Gentiles all stand in Moses and the prophets.
This site's exposition
the first to rise from the dead
Theophylact explains the word first: others had been raised before, yet they died again, while Christ rose never to die. Chrysostom notes Paul's restraint, since before this court he says the Christ would suffer without charging his hearers with the killing. Clarke adds that many Jews resisted a suffering Messiah.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"Whether the Christ was to suffer:" then the Resurrection and the promise, "Whether He, as the first to rise from the dead, should show light unto the people and to the Gentiles." Festus saw the boldness, and what says he? For Paul was all along addressing himself to the king-he was in a manner annoyed.
Now this had a stronger claim upon belief, as having actually come to pass: but since he alone saw Christ, he again fetches proof of it from the prophets. And see how he does not discourse alike in the court of justice, and in the assembly of his own people; there indeed he says, "ye slew Him:" but here no such thing, that he might not kindle their anger more: but he shows the same thing, by saying, "Whether the Christ was to suffer." He so frees them from accusations: for the prophets, he says, say this. Therefore receive ye also the rest.
"saying nothing except what the prophets said." For fear that he himself be thought the teacher of this, he cites the prophets and Moses, saying, "that Christ, if he was to suffer, and if he was to be first from the resurrection of the dead," …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That Christ should suffer,.... Great afflictions in soul and body, and death itself; this is recorded by Moses, Gen 3:15 and is the sense of many of the types, as of the passover, brazen serpent, &c. and of all the sacrifices which from God were appointed by him, and is the constant account of all the prophets from the beginning to the end; see Psa 22:1 Dan 9:
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
That Christ - That the Messiah expected by the Jews should be a suffering Messiah. Should suffer - Should lead a painful life, and be put to death. See the notes on Act 17:3; compare Dan 9:27; Isa 53:1-12. And that he should be the first ... - This declaration contains two points: (1) That it was taught in the prophets that the Messiah Would rise from the dead. On this, see the proof alleged in Act 2:24-32; Act 13:32-37. (2) That he would be the first that should rise.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
That Christ should suffer, &c.--The construction of this sentence implies that in regard to the question "whether the Messiah is a suffering one, and whether, rising first from the dead, he should show light to the (Jewish) people and to the Gentiles," he had only said what the prophets and Moses said should come.
That Christ should suffer - That the Christ, or Messiah, should suffer. This, though fully revealed in the prophets, the prejudices of the Jews would not permit them to receive: they expected their Messiah to be a glorious secular prince; and, to reconcile the fifty-third of Isaiah with their system, they formed the childish notion of two Messiahs - Messiah ben David, who should reign, conquer, and triumph; and Messiah ben Ephraim, who should suffer and be put to death. A distinction which has not the smallest foundation in the whole Bible. As the apostle says he preached none other things than those which Moses and the prophets said should come, therefore he understood that both Moses and the prophets spoke of the resurrection of the dead, as well as of the passion and resurrection of Christ. If this be so, the favourite system of a learned bishop cannot be true; viz. that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul was unknown to the ancient Jews. That he should be the first that should rise from the dead - That is, that he should be the first who should rise from the dead so as to die no more; and to give, in his own person, the proof of the resurrection of the human body, no more to return under the empire of death. In no other sense can Jesus Christ be said to be the first that rose again from the dead; for Elisha raised the son of the Shunammite. A dead man, put into the sepulchre of the Prophet Elisha, was restored to life as soon as he touched the prophet’s bones. Christ himself had raised the widow’s son at Nain; and he had also raised Lazarus, and several others. All these died again; but the human nature of our Lord was raised from the dead, and can die no more. […]
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | that | G1487 → | 508 times |
| παθητὸς | pathetos | would suffer | G3805 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χριστός, | christos | Christ, | G5547 → | 523 times |
| εἰ | ei | as | G1487 → | 508 times |
| πρῶτος | protos | first | G4413 → | 152 times |
| ἐξ | ex | through | G1537 → | 911 times |
| ἀναστάσεως | anastaseos | resurrection | G386 → | 42 times |
| νεκρῶν | nekron | from [the] dead | G3498 → | 128 times |
| φῶς | phos | light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| μέλλει | mellei | He is about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| καταγγέλλειν | katangellein | to preach | G2605 → | 17 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τε | te | to both | G5037 → | 213 times |
| λαῷ | lao | our people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνεσιν.¶ | ethnesin | Gentiles. | G1484 → | 161 times |
εἰthat
eiG1487 →508 times
παθητὸςwould suffer
pathetosG3805 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
χριστός,Christ,
christosG5547 →523 times
εἰas
eiG1487 →508 times
πρῶτοςfirst
protosG4413 →152 times
ἐξthrough
exG1537 →911 times
ἀναστάσεωςresurrection
anastaseosG386 →42 times
νεκρῶνfrom [the] dead
nekronG3498 →128 times
φῶςlight
phosG5457 →72 times
μέλλειHe is about
melleiG3195 →109 times
καταγγέλλεινto preach
katangelleinG2605 →17 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
τεto both
teG5037 →213 times
λαῷour people
laoG2992 →141 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςto the
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνεσιν.¶Gentiles.
ethnesinG1484 →161 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by…
it leads to
- Psalms 89:27
I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
- Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Revelation 17:14
They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen…
- Colossians 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
- Psalms 89:27
Through
Colossians 1:18And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
it leads to
- Ephesians 1:22–23
And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,
- Revelation 1:5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by…
- Ephesians 4:15–16
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
- Ephesians 1:22–23
Where this verse is studied
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About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 52; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.