The book of Acts
Paul in Rome
Chapter 28, verses 17 to 31
Following the principle that he adopted when visiting new cities, three days after arriving in Rome Paul sought to preach the gospel to the Jews first, then the Gentiles. Not being able to go to the synagogue because he was still a prisoner, he invited the Jewish leaders to come to the rented house where he now lived. When they arrived, he explained how he had been forced to come to Rome (apparently, he did not know if they received news of the events in Jerusalem, sometime before, which gave rise to this trip).
Taking care to immediately protect himself from any accusation of the kind that the Jews had made in Jerusalem, he stated that he had come as prisoner from Jerusalem, having been "delivered into the hands of the Romans" but had done nothing against the people or against their traditional customs. Thus he avoided saying that, in reality, he was saved from death by the Roman centurion, as the people were about to kill him (chapter 22:27 to 36).
He also stated that the Romans examined him and not finding any crime subject to the death penalty they wanted to release him, but the Jews opposed this and he was constrained to appeal to Caesar in these circumstances. He added that in doing so, he did not intend to bring any charges against the Jewish nation, but it was only in order to defend himself. It was a short and very cautious summary of the many past events and with these words, Paul presented himself as a worthy compatriot of the Jews of Rome.
Paul then explained that he had called them to tell them the motive, which had taken him to Rome, which was for the "hope of Israel" (see chapter 26:6). Paul deftly raised their curiosity so that he could proclaim the Gospel to them. The Jews declared that they had not received letters concerning Paul from Judea and nobody had come over to report or speak any evil of him. They wanted to hear from him what he thought of this sect (Christian faith) because they knew it was opposed everywhere.
Paul had mentioned the "hope of Israel", which led to the subject of Christian faith without Paul mentioning it. The language seems to suggest that the number of Christians in Rome was still small and constituted more of Gentiles. If the edict of Claudius I for the expulsion of Jews from Rome (chapter 18: 2) was due to disruptions over Christ, then the Jews in Rome had indeed a special reason for hostility toward Christians.
Having appointed a day for the explanation they wanted to hear from Paul, a large number of these Jewish leaders came again to his home, and there they stayed all day long hearing the Gospel from his own mouth. What better person could they have as a speaker than he? He was learned in the law and in the prophets, and was personally taught by the risen Jesus, and trained both in teaching and in the experience of Judaism and Christianity - and, still more importantly, full of the Holy Spirit, Who had called and taken him to Rome.
Before his glowing testimony about Jesus and his persuasion through the law of Moses and the prophets, thus explaining the kingdom of God, some believed in his words (the original meaning, more precisely, is "began to be persuaded"), but others disbelieved (to reject is a stronger action than simply to stop accepting a message, meaning that they continued to disbelieve). That is what usually happens when the Gospel is preached to an audience of unbelievers.
Paul finished quoting the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9 - "Go, and tell this people, keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.” This passage was widely quoted by the Lord Jesus (Matthew 13:14,15; Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, in explaining his use of parables and in John 12:40). By declaring that it was the Holy Spirit who had spoken these words written by Isaiah, Paul confirmed the verbal inspiration of Scripture by the Holy Spirit, and that the people were resisting God, and not men like Isaiah and Paul.
In the prophecy, the next verse is in the future, but Paul now cited it as having already happened, because the people had continued rebellious to God's call through the prophets, and now His Son. The words are a solemn mourning of the condemnation of the Jews for the rejection of the Messiah predicted long ago by Isaiah.
Paul did not mention the final verses, which provide for the subsequent removal of Israel from their land and the coming of the "great tribulation." We know from the New Testament teaching that afterwards, Christ will come again to restore all the land of Israel to the remnant, then believing, and begin his millennial kingdom.
Closing the conference, Paul declared, "the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!" It was the last straw for those leaders of the Jews in Rome who knew the prophecy and rejected his words. They were jealous of their Judaism and did not admit that the Gentiles would be blessed by God as they had been.
All went away, and there was great contention among them, those who rejected the Gospel being strongly indignant with those who were beginning to be persuaded.
John Calvin gives us an interesting application: "Finally, it will be in vain for someone to object that the Gospel of Christ causes strife, when it is obvious that it originates only from the stubbornness of men. In addition, in fact, in order to enjoy peace with God, we need to wage a war against those who will treat Him with contempt. "
Paul dwelt two whole years in that house. He could not leave, but received all who visited him. It is not disclosed in this book, but it was probably from that house that Paul wrote his letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon.
He had a large measure of freedom, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things that concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, with no impediment. And so the Book of Acts ends. Some people think that it ends with an odd abruptness. However, the model traced at the beginning had already been completed. The gospel came out from Jerusalem, to Judea, Samaria, and now the Gentile world.
The events in Paul's life after the end of this book can only be deduced from his subsequent letters. It seems that after two years, his case came before Emperor Nero, and he was then acquitted.
He then embarked on what came to be known as his fourth missionary journey. On this trip he visited Ephesus and Colossus (Philemon 1:22), Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3; Philippians 1:25; 2:24, Ephesus (1 Timothy 3:14), Spain (Romans 15:24), Crete (Titus 1:5), Corinth and Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20), spent a winter in Nicopolis (Titus 3:12), and Troas (2 Timothy 4:13).
He was again taken prisoner to Rome, but we do not know why, when or where he was arrested. This arrest was much tougher than the first (2 Timothy 2:9), he was abandoned by most of his friends (2 Timothy 4:9-11), and knew the day of his death was near (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Tradition holds that he was beheaded outside Rome in the year 67 or 68 AD.
The description of his devotion to the ministry entrusted to him by the Lord Jesus is found in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, 6:4-10 and 11:23-28, in his own words.
R David Jones
17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: "Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,
18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death.
19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.
20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
21 Then they said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you.
22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."
23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
26 saying, 'GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY: "HEARING YOU WILL HEAR, AND SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND SEEING YOU WILL SEE, AND NOT PERCEIVE;
27 FOR THE HEARTS OF THIS PEOPLE HAVE GROWN DULL. THEIR EARS ARE HARD OF HEARING, AND THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED, LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, LEST THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, SO THAT I SHOULD HEAL THEM." '
28 "Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!"
29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.
30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,
31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Book of Acts, chapter 28, verses 17 to 31