28  The Story  That Never Ends  (Acts 28:17–31)

And it happened that after three days he called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they had come together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar; not that I had any accusation against my nation. For this reason therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” And they said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” And when they had set a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. And some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I should heal them.’” Let it be known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. (28:17–31)

The final chapter of Acts is both an end and a beginning. In it Luke brings his narrative of the beginnings and early history of the church to a close. That narrative covers the expansion of the church geographically, from its birth in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, to Judea, Samaria, and much of the Roman world (cf. 1:8). Acts also records the expansion of the church ethnically. What began as an exclusively Jewish institution grew to embrace the Samaritans and the Gentiles.

Through the tireless efforts of the apostle Paul, churches were founded, strengthened, given leaders, and protected from false teachers. But his bold, uncompromising preaching earned him many enemies. Finally, they managed to have him arrested and imprisoned by the Romans. After three hearings before Roman judges had failed to resolve his case, Paul had been forced to appeal to the emperor. Following a harrowing sea voyage and shipwreck, the apostle finally reached the imperial capital. It is at that point that Luke’s account ends.

But the story does not end there. Released from the Roman imprisonment recorded in Acts 28, Paul resumed his missionary efforts—probably even reaching Spain (Rom. 15:24). Arrested a second time a few years later, he was finally executed. (For a defense of the view that Paul was twice imprisoned at Rome, see John MacArthur, 1 Timothy, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1995], x–xi.) But the story of the church did not end with Paul’s death or that of the last surviving apostle, John, near the end of the first century. The apostles handed the baton to a second generation of leaders, who in turn handed it to others. As a result, the church’s history is still being written today.

Although Acts ends abruptly, it is not incomplete. It reveals the church’s source of power—the Holy Spirit; the pattern of blessing for the church—walking in the Spirit; the church’s message—the saving gospel of Jesus Christ; the perils to the church—sin from within, false teachers from without; and the church’s priorities—teach the Word to those who know Christ, and preach the gospel to those who do not.

Acts ends with Paul in Rome. Proud capital of the greatest empire the world had ever known, Rome was a center of decadent paganism. Paul thus found himself a prisoner in the middle of a vast mission field. It is fitting that Acts, which has focused so much on evangelism, closes with the account of Paul’s first (but not last, cf. Phil. 1:13; 4:22) evangelistic effort in Rome. That effort unfolds in five stages: Paul’s introduction, the Jewish leaders’ interest, the gospel’s presentation, Israel’s rejection, and the story’s incompleteness.

PAUL’S INTRODUCTION

And it happened that after three days he called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they had come together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar; not that I had any accusation against my nation. For this reason therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” (28:17–20)

Never one to waste time, three days after arriving in Rome Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews. The leading men of Rome’s Jewish community included the prominent men from the synagogues. It had always been Paul’s pattern, when he evangelized a city, to go first to the Jewish community (cf. Rom. 1:16). And though Paul had been accused of being anti-Semitic, that was opposite the truth (cf. Rom. 9:1–3; 10:1). Despite the abuse and persecution he had experienced from the Jewish people throughout his ministry, he bore his countrymen no animosity. Therefore, he went directly to them after arriving in Rome. It is likely that Paul assumed they had heard about him from the Jews at Jerusalem.

The apostle faced a delicate task. He needed to explain why he was a prisoner, and to defend his innocence, without alienating the members of Rome’s Jewish community. His brief defense before them is the sixth and final one recorded in Acts (cf. 21:27ff.; 22:30ff.; 24:1ff.; 25:1–12; 25:13ff.). After the leaders had come to his lodging, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.” The Sanhedrin had falsely accused him of sedition against Rome, of being the leader of a heretical sect, and of violating the Temple (cf. 24:5–6). Rome’s Jewish leaders would not have been too concerned with the first charge, and Paul did not even mention it. The second two charges he categorically denied, declaring “I have done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers.” It was only the Sanhedrin’s hostility to the gospel that caused the apostle to be delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

To support his claim of innocence, Paul pointed out that “when the Romans had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death.” Three Roman officials, the tribune Claudius Lysias (23:28–29), and the governors Felix (24:22–27) and Festus (25:18–19), as well as Herod Agrippa (26:31–32), had affirmed Paul’s innocence. The Sanhedrin could not prove its case despite three separate hearings.

The only reason the Romans did not free Paul was that the Jews objected, making it politically imprudent for either Felix or Festus to release him. It was because of those objections that Paul was forced to appeal to Caesar; it was not, he hastened to add, “that I had any accusation against my nation.” The political intriguing of the Sanhedrin left him no recourse but to appeal to the emperor, thus transferring his case out of Palestine. Paul did not want anything he had done to be interpreted as an attack on the Jewish people. His actions were strictly defensive, not offensive; he was the accused, not the accuser.

So the Jewish leaders of Rome could hear everything from him firsthand, Paul requested to see them and to speak with them. Then he brought up the real issue behind his arrest and imprisonment. He declared, “I am wearing this chain (cf. Eph. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:16) for the sake of the hope of Israel.” The glorious hope of Israel was the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection and kingdom associated with His coming. It was Paul’s preaching of Jesus as the resurrected King that antagonized the Jewish authorities.

That he was on trial for his belief in Israel’s hope was a recurring theme in Paul’s defenses. At his hearing before the Sanhedrin, Paul “perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, ‘Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead’” (23:6)! On trial before Felix, Paul declared to the governor:

Paul insisted to Agrippa that “I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers” (26:6).

That hope was firmly grounded in the Old Testament. It is expressed in the ancient book of Job: “Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes shall see and not another” (Job 19:26–27). Isaiah prophesied, “Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits” (Isa. 26:19). In Daniel 12:2, Daniel was told, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”

THE JEWISH LEADERS’ INTEREST

And they said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” (28:21–22)

The Jewish leaders denied any knowledge of Paul’s case. They had heard nothing officially, having received no letters from Judea concerning Paul, or unofficially, since none of the brethren had come to Rome and reported or spoken anything bad about him.

Some have found it incredible that no word about Paul had reached Rome’s Jewish community. But Paul left Palestine on one of the last ships of the previous sailing season, and he arrived in Italy on one of the first ships of the present one. It would have been difficult for someone from Palestine to have arrived in Rome before he did. It may also be true, as some have suggested, that there was little interaction between the Jews of Rome and those of Judea.

Despite any information the Roman Jews may have had, they most likely were deliberately turning a blind eye legally to Paul’s case. After having been temporarily expelled from Rome about ten years earlier for clashing with the Christians, they were not anxious for any more controversy. Besides, the Sanhedrin had not asked them to get involved. And they undoubtedly realized the weakness of the case against the apostle. Paul had already been exonerated by two Roman provincial governors; now his case was to be heard by the emperor. Not wishing to look foolish in front of Nero (or face the penalties Roman law meted out for frivolous prosecution—cf. A. N. Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963], 52)—they decided their wisest course of action was to disassociate themselves from Paul’s case.

Diplomatically they assured Paul of their desire to hear from him what his views were. Cautiously, noncommittally, they acknowledged the obvious: “concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” They were not completely ignorant of Christianity, which had been established in Rome for many years.

THE GOSPEL’S PRESENTATION

And when they had set a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. And some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. (28:23–24)

Consistent with their expressed willingness to hear more about Christianity from Paul, the Jewish leaders had set a day to return and hear him. On the appointed day, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers. Paul spent the entire day, from morning until evening, proclaiming the way of salvation to them. Luke records that he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

The kingdom of God encompasses God’s rule in the sphere of salvation, not just the future millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Testifying about the kingdom meant preaching the gospel, the good news that God sovereignly calls sinners hopelessly caught in the realm of Satan, death, and destruction to enter the realm of salvation, life, and glory. Paul proclaimed the truths concerning Christ, the way of salvation, and righteous living (Rom. 14:17). He pointed the way for them to enter the sphere of salvation and enjoy fellowship with God.

The vehicle Paul used in trying to persuade them concerning Jesus was the Law of Moses and the Prophets (the common designation of the Old Testament—cf. Matt. 7:12; Luke 16:16; Acts 13:15; Rom. 3:21). This was Paul’s pattern throughout Acts for evangelizing Jews (for a sample of one of his sermons, see Acts 13:16ff.).

As always, the gospel proved divisive. By the end of the day, some were being persuaded by the things spoken by Paul, but others would not believe. Belief in Jesus as the Messiah, whose atoning sacrifice is the only acceptable payment for sins, coupled with repentance, is man’s responsibility. To refuse to do so is to disobey God (cf. John 16:9; Acts 17:31; 2 Cor. 6:1–2; Heb. 3:7–12). As before in Acts, Paul’s hearers were divided into those who believed and those who did not:

While there was always a believing remnant, most of the Jewish people rejected their Messiah.

ISRAEL’S REJECTION

And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I should heal them.”’ Let it be known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.” (28:25–29)

Those Jews in Rome who refused to believe Paul were continuing their nation’s sad history of rejecting God’s messengers. Several times in Jeremiah, God lamented that fact. In Jeremiah 7:25–26, for example, God said to wayward, rebellious Israel:

Rejecting God’s messengers led to disaster for Israel (2 Kings 17:13). Like the wicked vine growers in Jesus’ parable (Matt. 21:33–41), their ultimate rejection of God came when they killed His Son.

Unable to agree with one another, the Jewish leaders began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word of warning from the Holy Spirit, who rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet (a concise definition of the divine inspiration of Scripture; cf. 2 Pet. 1:21) to their fathers. The apostle’s solemn warning that broke up the meeting was a quote from Isaiah 6:9–10:

That passage was also quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ as a rebuke of Israel’s hardhearted rejection of the gospel (cf. Matt. 13:14–15; John 12:39–40). Israel’s willful act of rejection was sovereignly confirmed by God; because of continual unbelief, she became unable to believe (cf. John 12:37, 39–40).

As he had on other occasions (Acts 13:46–47; 18:6; 19:8–10; cf. 11:18; 14:27; 15:14–18), Paul let it be known to his Jewish hearers that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen. He expanded that truth in his letter to the Roman Christians:

Is Israel’s rejection final? Paul answered that question in Romans 11:1–2: “I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.” In verse 23 he added, “They also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.” The day is coming when “all Israel will be saved” (v. 26). Israel’s rejection will not cancel God’s promises to bless her believing remnant. The day of Israel’s faith in Jesus Christ is yet to come (Zech. 12:10).

THE STORY’S INCOMPLETENESS

And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. (28:30–31)

For two full years, Paul remained a prisoner in his own rented quarters in Rome. He had the freedom to welcome all who came to him, although presumably he was not free to leave his quarters. The conditions of his imprisonment did not keep him from preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered by the Romans.

What happened during those two years? Paul carried out an extensive evangelistic campaign (cf. Phil. 1:13; 4:22), aided by some of his dear fellow workers (cf. Col. 4:10–12, 14; Philem. 24). He also wrote four New Testament epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

What happened when the two years were over? Paul was released (cf. 1 Timothy, MacArthur New Testament Commentary, x–xi). Since two provincial governors had found him innocent of wrongdoing, it is reasonable to assume the emperor would have too. But a more likely scenario is that the Jewish leaders from Palestine never showed up in Rome to prosecute the case, and Paul won by default. As noted above, Roman law took a dim view of poorly substantiated cases. And the Jews had achieved their goal by getting Paul out of Palestine and into Roman custody. Commentators differ over whether there was a two-year statute of limitations in Paul’s day. But even if there were not, Paul’s case would likely have been dismissed when it came to trial if no one was there to press charges.

What was the reason for the two-year delay? First, delays were not uncommon due to the backlog of cases. Second, the records pertaining to Paul’s case were probably lost in the shipwreck. It would have taken some time to have had them resent from Caesarea. Third, the authorities awaited the arrival of the Jewish leaders, who probably failed to show up. Since Roman law gave Paul the right to face his accusers (25:16), no trial was likely in their absence.

Because Acts is preeminently a book about evangelism, it is appropriate to conclude by drawing several principles of evangelism from Paul’s example.

First, Paul preached the gospel whenever and wherever he had opportunity. Under house arrest (vv. 16, 20, 23, 30), he nevertheless continued “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness” (v. 31).

Second, Paul’s message was clothed in humility and graciousness. In vv. 17–20, he was tactful, respectful, and conciliatory to the Jewish leaders at Rome.

Third, Paul preached biblically (v. 23) and doctrinally (v. 31).

Fourth, Paul never wasted opportunity. He began his evangelistic outreach only three days after arriving in Rome (v. 17).

Fifth, Paul preached tirelessly (v. 23) and incessantly (vv. 30–31).

Sixth, Paul preached to everyone—both Jews (vv. 23–27) and Gentiles (v. 28).

Finally, and most important, Paul preached Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior, and Messiah (v. 23).

The church in Acts faithfully carried out Christ’s charge “Be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The church has passed the baton through many hands down through the centuries to us. Will future generations find that we ran our segment of the race faithfully?