Having called the local Jewish leaders to him (vv.17-22) Paul now begins an exhaustive study through Scripture testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. This took from morning till evening and brought some to a saving faith in Jesus (v.24). Some leave and some stay, but most seem divided over Paul’s use of Isaiah 6.9-10:
“Make the hearts of these people calloused;
make their ears deaf and their eyes blind.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”(Isaiah 6.10, NET, emphasis added)
Paul’s whole point is for them to see, to hear, to understand, and to repent and be healed. Some do, and sadly some don’t. He isn’t trying to turn Jew against Jew, friend against friend, but rather show them that the logical and theological conclusion of their worldview is the person and the work of Jesus.
We then read that Paul lived in Rome for two whole years at his own expense and that he gladly welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Acts then ends pretty abruptly. There is no information here about what happened to Paul, no report of those who repented and were saved. We simply read that Paul lived, worked, witnessed, and taught in Rome for two years. Despite his circumstances he put his God-given gifts to work for the glory of God and for the good of those around him by teaching whoever crossed his path.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about the end of Acts but for today, take Paul’s attitude into your own life, how he
“…welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ…”
(Acts 28.30-31, NET)
James Travis 