Acts 28:17-31

https://www.biblestudytools.com/acts/passage/?q=acts+28:17-31

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard

17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” 21 They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.” 23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” 30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

Study Notes: These will be added as I am able.

28:17 The decree of Claudius expelling Jews from Rome (18:2) must have been temporary, because Jewish leaders were back in Rome.

28:17-20 Paul wanted to preach the gospel in Rome, and he eventually got there --in chains, through shipwreck, and after many trials. Although he may have wished for easier passage, he knew that God had blessed him greatly in allowing him to meet the believers in Rome and preach the message to both Jews and Gentiles in that great city. In all things, God worked for Paul's good (Romans 8:28). You can trust him to do the same for you. God may not make you comfortable or secure, but he will provide the opportunity to do his work.

28:22 Christians were denounced everywhere by the Romans because they were seen as a threat to the Roman establishment. They believed in one God, whereas the Romans had many gods, including Caesar. The Christians were committed to an authority higher than Caesar.

28:23 Paul used the Old Testament to teach the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, the fulfillment of God's promises. The book of Romans, written ten years earlier, reveals the ongoing dialogue that Paul had with the Jews in Rome.

28:30 While Paul was under house arrest, he did more than speak to the Jews. He wrote letters, commonly called his Prison Letters, to the Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. He also wrote personal letters, such as the one to Philemon. Luke was with Paul in Rome (2 Timothy 4:11). Timothy often visited him (Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; Philemon 1), as did Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21), Epaphroditus (Philippians 4:18), and Mark (Colossians 4:10). Paul witnessed to the entire Roman guard (Philippians 1:13) and was involved with the Roman believers.

28:30 Tradition says that Paul was released after two years of house arrest in Rome and then set off on a fourth missionary journey. Some reasons for this tradition are as follows: (1) Luke does not give us an account of his trial before Caesar, and Luke was a detailed chronicler; (2) the prosecution had two years to bring the case to trial, and time may have run out; (3) in his letter to the Philippians, written during his imprisonment in Rome, Paul implied that he would soon be released and would do further traveling; (4) Paul mentions several places where he intended to take the gospel, but he never visited those places in his first three journeys; and (5) early Christian literature talks plainly about other travels by Paul.

It may be that during Paul's time of freedom, he continued to travel extensively, even going to Spain (see Romans 15:24, 28) and back to the churches in Greece. The books of 1 Timothy and Titus were written during this time. Later, Paul was imprisoned again, probably in Rome, where he wrote his last letter (2 Timothy).

28:31 Why does the book of Acts end here and so abruptly? The book is not about the life of Paul, but about the spread of the gospel, and that has been clearly presented. God apparently thought it was not necessary for someone to write an additional book describing the continuing history of the early church. Now that the gospel had been preached and established at the center of trade and government, it would spread across the world.

28:31 The book of Acts deals with the history of the Christian church and its expansion in ever-widening circles touching Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Rome --the most influential cities in the Western world. Acts also shows the mighty miracles and testimonies of the heroes and martyrs of the early church--Peter, Stephen, James, Paul. All the ministry was prompted and held together by the Holy Spirit working in the lives of ordinary people --merchants, travelers, slaves, jailers, church leaders, males, females, Gentiles, Jews, rich, poor. Many unsung heroes of the faith continued the work, through the Holy Spirit, in succeeding generations, changing the world with a changeless message--that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord for all who call on him. Today we can be the unsung heroes in the continuing story of the spread of the gospel. It is the same message that we Christians are to take to our world so that many more may hear and believe.

It was tough trying to select which verse to put in the post title today. Would it be verse 22 to highlight how Christians today are under assault again (still?) by governments and others around the world who seek to remove God (as if that were possible)? I landed on the longer verse 27 because of its importance . This is personal and key. One must pray for God to heal their calloused heart. God hears these prayers and God heals these hearts. This war we are in is a battle for hearts and minds. The attacks on the mind are to capture and harden the hearts of people. This must not happen, but it has (through stealthy deceit). It did to me. But I can attest that God heals the calloused heart just as He heals the mind, the brain, the soul that has been captured by those working for evil. God heals the mind by His Truth. He heals the heart by His Love.

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https://www.biblestudytools.com/john/14.html

https://www.biblestudytools.com/1-corinthians/13.html

Our heavenly Father, thank You for the evidence of Your healing power within us. Not only do You open our eyes to the Truth and give us back our ability to think for ourselves, You soften and heal our calloused hearts to allow us to love and trust again. And it is all done in truth. Thank You for the messengers like Paul and the citizen journalists of today and the missions of Your true church people. They bring us the good news of Your work throughout history. We praise You, Lord, for Your work through them. And, Lord, very special thanks for the work You are doing in our hearts and minds. Continue to heal us. We are willing patients of Yours. In Jesus' holy name, Your Son, my Savior, Amen.

A Song: https://youtu.be/2vK82hSH820

Have a blessed day.