Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
How that the Christ must suffer (ei paqhtov o Xristov). Literally, "if the Messiah is subject to suffering." Ei can here mean "whether" as in Hebrews 7:15. This use of a verbal in -tov for capability or possibility occurs in the N.T. alone in paqhtov (Robertson, Grammar, p. 157). This word occurs in Plutarch in this sense. It is like the Latin patibilis and is from pasch". Here alone in N.T. Paul is speaking from the Jewish point of view. Most rabbis had not rightly understood Isa. 53. When the Baptist called Jesus "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29) it was a startling idea. It is not then "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 prwtov ec anastasewv nekrwn). 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 (prwtov) who arose from the dead and no longer dies (Romans 6:19) and proclaims light (fwv mellei kataggellein). Paul is still speaking from the Jewish standpoint: "is about to (going to) proclaim light." See verse Acts 26:18 for "light" and Luke 2:32.
Both to the people and to the Gentiles (tw te law kai toiv eqnesin). See verse Acts 26:17. It was at the word Gentiles (eqnh) that the mob lost control of themselves in the speech from the stairs (Acts 22:21 f.). So it is here, only not because of that word, but because of the word "resurrection" (anastasiv).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Acts 26:23:
Acts 1:3
Acts 3:18
Acts 17:3
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