<p>26:23<i> That the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles</i>- Elsewhere, Paul took a prophecy concerning how Christ personally would be the light of the whole world (Is. 49:6), and applies it to himself in explanation of why he was devoted to being a light to the whole world <i>himself </i>(Acts 13:47- although here in 26:23 he applies it to Jesus personally). Paul even says that this prophecy of Christ as the light of the world was a <i>commandment</i> to him; all that is true of the Lord Jesus likewise becomes binding upon us, because we are <i>in</i> Him. Note that Paul says that God has commanded <i>us</i> to witness; it wasn&rsquo;t that Paul was a special case, and God especially applied Isaiah&rsquo;s words concerning Christ as light of the Gentiles to Paul. They apply to <i>us</i>, to all who are in Christ. And when on trial, Paul explained <i>his </i>preaching to the Jews &ldquo;and then to the Gentiles&rdquo; as being related to the fact that he had to &ldquo;shew&rdquo; the Gospel to them because Christ rose from the dead to &ldquo;shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles&rdquo; (Acts 26:20,23). In other words, he saw his personal preaching as shewing forth the light of Jesus personally.</p><p>The RV offers another slant on this. The Lord Jesus was the light of the world on account of His resurrection: &ldquo;He first by the resurrection from the dead should proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles&rdquo; (Acts 26:23 RV). If we are baptized into His death and resurrection, we too are the light of this world in that the light of His life breaks forth in us. And this is exactly why belief in His resurrection is an imperative to preach it. And it&rsquo;s why the great commission flows straight out of the resurrection narrative.</p><p>We have suggested elsewhere that Paul was first called to the Gospel by the preaching of John the Baptist. He initially refused to heed the call to &ldquo;do works meet for repentance&rdquo;. But, fully aware of this, he preached this very same message to others (Mt. 3:8 cp. Acts 26:20).</p>