Acts 28:23

We have here a short account of a long conference which Paul had with the Jews at Rome about the Christian religion. Though they were so far prejudiced against it, because it was every where spoken against, as to call it a sect, yet they were willing to give it a hearing, which was more than the Jews at Jerusalem would do. It is probable that these Jews at Rome, being men of larger acquaintance with the world and more general conversation, were more free in their enquiries than the bigoted Jews at Jerusalem were, and would not answer this matter before they heard it.

I. We are here told how Paul managed this conference in defence of the Christian religion. The Jews appointed the time, a day was set for this dispute, that all parties concerned might have sufficient notice, Act 28:23. Those Jews seemed well disposed to receive conviction, and yet it did not prove that they all were so. Now when the day came,

1. There were many got together to Paul. Though he was a prisoner and could not come out to them, yet they were willing to come to him to his lodging. And the confinement he was now under, if duly considered, instead of prejudicing them against his doctrine, ought to confirm it to them; for it was a sign not only that he believed it, but that he thought it worth suffering for. One would visit such a man as Paul in his prison rather than not have instruction from him. And he made room for them in his lodging, not fearing to give offence to the government, so that he might do good to them.

2. He was very large and full in his discourse with them, seeking their conviction more than his own vindication. (1.) He expounded, or explained, the kingdom of God to them, - showed them the nature of that kingdom and the glorious purposes and designs of it, that it is heavenly and spiritual, seated in the minds of men, and shines not in external pomp, but in purity of heart and life. That which kept the Jews in their unbelief was a misunderstanding of the kingdom of God, as if it came with observation; let but that be expounded to them, and set in a true light, and they will be brought into obedience to it. (2.) He not only expounded the kingdom of God, but he testified it, - plainly declared it to them, and confirmed it by incontestable proofs, that the kingdom of God by the Messiah's administration was come, and was now set up in the world. He attested the extraordinary powers in the kingdom of grace by which bore his testimony to it from his own experience of its power and influence upon him, and the manner of his being brought into subjection to it. (3.) He not only expounded and testified the kingdom of God, but he persuaded them, urged it upon their consciences and pressed them with all earnestness to embrace the kingdom of God, and submit to it, and not to persist in an opposition to it. He followed his doctrine (the explication and confirmation of it) with a warm and lively application to his hearers, which is the most proper and profitable method of preaching. (4.) He persuaded them concerning Jesus. The design and tendency of his whole discourse were to bring them to Christ, to convince them of his being the Messiah, and to engage them to believe in him as he is offered in the gospel. He urged upon them, ta peri tou Iēsou - the things concerning Jesus, the prophecies of him, which he read to them out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, as pointing at the Messiah, and showed how they had all had their accomplishment in this Jesus. They being Jews, he dealt with them out of the scriptures of the Old Testament, and demonstrated that these were so far from making against Christianity that they were the great proofs of it; so that, if we compare the history of the New Testament with the prophecy of the Old, we must conclude that this Jesus is he that should come, and we are to look for no other.

3. He was very long; for he continued his discourse, and it should seem to have been a continued discourse, from morning till evening; perhaps it was a discourse eight or ten hours long. The subject was curious - he was full of it - it was of vast importance - he was in good earnest, and his heart was upon it - he knew not when he should have such another opportunity, and therefore, without begging pardon for tiring their patience, he kept them all day; but it is probable that he spent some of the time in prayer with them and for them.

II. What was the effect of this discourse. One would have thought that so good a cause as that of Christianity, and managed by such a skilful hand as Paul's, could not but carry the day, and that all the hearers would have yielded to it presently; but it did not prove so: the child Jesus is set for the fall of some and the rising again of others, a foundation stone to some and a stone of stumbling to others. 1. They did not agree among themselves, Act 28:25. Some of them thought Paul was in the right, others would not admit it. This is that division which Christ came to send, that fire which he came to kindle, Luk 12:49, Luk 12:51. Paul preached with a great deal of plainness and clearness, and yet his hearers could not agree about the sense and evidence of what he preached. 2. Some believed the things that were spoken, and some believed not, Act 28:24. There was the disagreement. Such as this has always been the success of the gospel; to some it has been a savour of life unto life, to others a savour of death unto death. Some are wrought upon by the word, and others hardened; some receive the light, and others shut their eyes against it. So it was among Christ's hearers, and the spectators of his miracles, some believed and some blasphemed. If all had believed, there had been no disagreement; so that all the blame of the division lay upon those who would not believe.

III. The awakening word which Paul said to them at parting. He perceived by what they muttered that there were many among them, and perhaps the greater part, that were obstinate, and would not yield to the conviction of what he said; and they were getting up to be gone, they had had enough of it: "Hold," says Paul, "take one word with you before you go, and consider of it when you come home: what do you think will be the effect of your obstinate infidelity? What will you do in the end hereof? What will it come to?"

1. "You will by the righteous judgment of God be sealed up under unbelief. You harden your own hearts, and God will harden them as he did Pharaoh's'; and this is what was prophesied of concerning you. Turn to that scripture (Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10), and read it seriously, and tremble lest the case there described should prove to be your case." As there are in the Old Testament gospel promises, which will be accomplished in all that believe, so there are gospel threatenings of spiritual judgments, which will be fulfilled in those that believe not; and this is one. it is part of the commission given to Isaiah the prophet; he is sent to make those worse that would not be made better. Well spoke the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers. What was spoken by JEHOVAH is here said to be spoken by the Holy Ghost, which proves that the Holy Ghost is God; and what was spoken to Isaiah is here said to be spoken by him to their fathers, for he was ordered to tell the people what God said to him; and, though what is there said had in it much of terror to the people and of grief to the prophet, yet it is here said to be well spoken. Hezekiah said concerning a message of wrath, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken, Isa 39:8. And he that believes not shall be damned is gospel, as well as, He that believes shall be saved, Mar 16:16. Or this may be explained by that of our Saviour (Mat 15:7), "Well did Esaias prophesy of you. The Holy Ghost said to your fathers, that which would be fulfilled in you, Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand." (1.) "That which was their great sin against God is yours; and that is this, you will not see. You shut your eyes against the most convincing evidence possible, and will not admit the conclusion, though you cannot deny the premises: Your eyes you have closed," Act 28:27. This intimates an obstinate infidelity, and a willing slavery to prejudice. "As your fathers would not see God's hand lifted up against them in his judgments (Isa 26:11), so you will not see God's hand stretched out to you in gospel grace." It was true of these unbelieving Jews that they were prejudiced against the gospel; they did not see, because they were resolved they would not, and none so blind as those that will not see. They would not prosecute their convictions, and for this reason would not admit them. They have purposely closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes the great things which belong to their everlasting peace, should see the glory of God, the amiableness of Christ, the deformity of sin, the beauty of holiness, the vanity of this world, and the reality of another. They will not be changed and governed by these truths, and therefore will not receive the evidence of them, lest they should hear with their ears that which they are loth to hear, the wrath of God revealed from heaven against them, and the will of God revealed from heaven to them. They stop their ears, like the deaf adder, that will not hearken to the voice of the charmer, charm he ever so wisely. Thus their fathers did; they would not hear, Zac 7:11, Zac 7:12. And that which they are afraid of in shutting up their eyes and ears, and barricading (as it were) both their learning senses against him that made both the hearing ear and the seeing eye, is, lest they should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. They kept their mind in the dark, or at least in a constant confusion and tumult, lest, if they should admit a considerate sober thought, they should understand with their heart how much it is both their duty and their interest to be religious, and so by degrees the truth should be too hard for them, and they should be converted from the evil ways which they take pleasure in, to those exercises to which they have now an aversion. Observe, God's method is to bring people first to see and he and so to understand with their hearts, and then to convert them, and bow their wills, and so heal them, which is the regular way of dealing with a rational soul; and therefore Satan prevents the conversion of souls to God by blinding the mind and darkening the understanding, Co2 4:4. And the case is very sad when the sinner joins with him herein, and puts out his own eyes. Ut liberius peccent, libenter ignorant - they plunge into ignorance, that they may sin the more freely. They are in love with their disease, and are afraid lest God should heal them; like Babylon of old, We would have healed her, and she would not be healed, Jer 51:9. This was the sin. (2.) "That which was the great judgment of God upon them for this sin is his judgment upon you, and that is, you shall be blind. God will give you up to a judicial infatuation: Hearing you shall hear - you shall have the word of God preached to you over and over - but you shall not understand it; because you will not give your minds to understand it, God will not give you strength and grace to understand it. Seeing you shall see - you shall have abundance of miracles and signs done before your eyes - but you shall not perceive the convincing evidence of them. Take heed lest what Moses said to your fathers should be true of you (Deu 29:4), The Lord has not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day; and what Isaiah said to the men of his generation (Isa 29:10-12), The Lord has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes." What with their resisting the grace of God and rebelling against the light, and God's withdrawing and withholding his grace and light from them, - what with their not receiving the love of the truth, and God's giving them up for that to strong delusions, to believe a lie, - what with their wilful and what with their judicial hardness, the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing. They are stupid and senseless, and not wrought upon by all that can be said to them. No physic that can be given them operates upon them, nor will reach them, and therefore their disease must be adjudged incurable, and their case desperate. How should those be happy that will not be healed of a disease that makes them miserable? And how should those be healed that will not be converted to the use of the methods of cure? And how should those be converted that will not be convinced either of their disease or of their remedy? And how should those be convinced that shut their eyes and stop their ears? Let all that hear the gospel, and do not heed it, tremble at this doom; for, when once they are thus given up to hardness of heart, they are already in the suburbs of hell; for who shall heal them, if God do not?

2. "Your unbelief will justify God in sending the gospel to the Gentile world, which is the thing you look upon with such a jealous eye (Act 28:28): therefore seeing you put the grace of God away from you, and will not submit to the power of divine truth and love, seeing you will not be converted and healed in the methods which divine wisdom has appointed, therefore be it known unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, that salvation which was of the Jews only (Joh 4:22), the offer of it is made to them, the means of it afforded to them, and they stand fairer for it than you do; it is sent to them, and they will hear it, and receive it, and be happy in it." Now Paul designs hereby, (1.) To abate their displeasure at the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, by showing them the absurdity of it. They were angry that the salvation of God was sent to the Gentiles, and thought it was too great a favour done to them; but, if they thought that salvation of so small a value as not to be worthy of their acceptance, surely they could not grudge it to the Gentiles as too good for them, nor envy them for it. The salvation of God was sent into the world, the Jews had the first offer of it, it was fairly proposed to them, it was earnestly pressed upon them, but they refused it; they would not accept the invitation which was given to them first to the wedding-feast and therefore must thank themselves if other guests be invited. If they will not strike the bargain, nor come up to the terms, they ought not to be angry at those that will. They cannot complain that the Gentiles took it over their heads, or out of their hands, for they had quite taken their hands off it, nay, they had lifted up the heel against it; and therefore it is their fault, for it is through their fall that salvation is come to the Gentiles, Rom 11:11. (2.) To improve their displeasure at the favour done to the Gentiles to their advantage, and to bring good out of that evil; for when he had spoken of this very thing in his epistle to the Romans, the benefit which the Gentiles had by the unbelief and rejection of the Jews, he says, he took notice of it on purpose that he might provoke his dear countrymen the Jews to a holy emulation, and might save some of them, Rom 11:14. The Jews have rejected the gospel of Christ, and pushed it off to the Gentiles, but it is not yet too late to repent of their refusal, and to accept of the salvation which they did make light of; they may say No, and take it, as the elder brother in the parable, who, when he was bidden to go work in the vineyard, first said, I will not, and yet afterwards repented and went, Mat 21:29. Is the gospel sent to the Gentiles? Let us go after it rather than come short of it. And will they hear it, who are thought to be out of hearing, and have been so long like the idols they worshipped, that have ears and hear not? And shall not we hear it, whose privilege it is to have God so nigh to us in all that we call upon him for? Thus he would have them to argue, and to be shamed into the belief of the gospel by the welcome it met with among the Gentiles. And, if it had not that effect upon them, it would aggravate their condemnation, as it did that of the scribes and Pharisees, who, when they saw the publicans and harlots submit to John's baptism, did not afterwards thereupon repent of their folly, that they might believe him, Mat 21:32.

IV. The breaking up of the assembly, as it should seem, in some disorder. 1. They turned their backs upon Paul. Those of them that believed not were extremely nettled at that last word which he said, that they should be judicially blinded, and that the light of the gospel should shine among those that sat in darkness. When Paul had said these words, he had said enough for them, and they departed, perhaps not so much enraged as some others of their nation had been upon the like occasion, but stupid and unconcerned, no more affected, either with those terrible words in the close of his discourse or all the comfortable words he had spoken before, than the seats they sat on. They departed, many of them with a resolution never to hear Paul preach again, nor trouble themselves with further enquiries about this matter. 2. They set their faces one against another; for they had great disputes among themselves. There was not only a quarrel between those who believed and those who believed not, but even among those who believed not there were debates. Those that agreed to depart from Paul, yet agreed not in the reasons why they departed, but had great reasoning among themselves. Many have great reasoning who yet do not reason right, can find fault with one another's opinions, and yet not yield to truth. Nor will men's reasoning among themselves convince them, without the grace of God to open their understandings.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Act_28:23-28

And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging.

Pauls second conference with the Jews

Note--

I. The interesting character of his preaching. It was--

1. Evangelical. His theme was the kingdom of God--the reign of the Messiah as predicted by the prophets. Christ here, as everywhere, was his grand subject.

2. Earnest. He expounded, testified, persuaded from morning to evening.

II. The effect of his preaching (Act_28:24). They were different, which is such a common occurrence as to excite no wonder. Even the discourses of Christ were far from commanding uniform impressions. This diversity may be accounted for without calling in the unscriptural doctrine of the partiality of the Divine influence. Mans power to think upon the subject presented to him or not, to think upon it in this aspect or that, with this intention or that, is sufficient to explain the diversity.

III. The terrible warning of his preaching (Act_28:26-27). This must not be regarded as teaching that God exerts any influence to morally blind and stupefy men. Such a work would be--

1. Unnecessary. Men are already in that condition.

2. Incompatible with the Divine character. His holiness and love render such a work eternally impossible.

3. Opposed to the whole tenor of Scripture. Let no man say when he is tempted, he is tempted of God.

4. Denied by universal consciousness. No sinner ever felt that the Creator exerted any influence in making him sinful. On the contrary, universal conscience charges sin on the sinner. All that the passage teaches is--

(1) That men may fail into an unconvertible moral condition. They may become so blind, insensitive, and obdurate, as to exclude all hope of recovery.

(2) That the ministry of Divine truth may promote this condition. As the heart of Pharaoh grew hard under the ministry of Moses, the hearts of thousands in every age are hardened under the ministry of the gospel, which is either a savour of life unto life or of death unto death.

(3) That a ministry that may fail with some will succeed with others. This comes out of Pauls warning, Be it known unto you, etc. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

Pauls address to the Jews at Rome

1. Paul had not to make a personal defence, as at Jerusalem and Caesarea. He had to speak of the hope of Israel. It was a subject which had occupied his thoughts for many years, and which he had thoroughly mastered. So he entered on a full exposition of the writings to which all his hearers attached sacred authority.

2. But we find to our regret that St. Luke has not reported the address, just as he has left our Lords on the same subject unreported (Luk_24:27; Luk_24:44-46.) This seems to indicate that God did not wish His Church to be furnished once for all with an authorised interpretation of Scripture which should supersede study of the holy oracles by successive generations of Christian scholars. This consideration bears severely on the claim of authority which is made for the voice of tradition and of the Church as entitled to fix the sense of Holy Writ. If it was right to deprive the early Church of any exposition of the Old Testament which was delivered by the Lord Jesus, or by St. Paul, how can it be maintained that an authorised interpretation is good and necessary now? So saying, we do not disparage all traditional interpretation or deny the respect due to Christian antiquity. But neither ancient fathers nor modern clergy have a right to claim such authority for their expositions.

3. Though we have not St. Pauls speech, we know the great themes on which he spoke while supporting all his statements from Moses and the prophets.

I. He testified the kingdom of God now and during the two whole years of his imprisonment.

1. He was at Rome, the seat of empire. But the spirit of the apostle occupied itself far more with thoughts of a greater kingdom--one which makes very little of the things on which the Roman Empire rested, but very much of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Caesars kingdom was soon to dwindle, but the kingdom of God was to extend to regions Caesar never knew. It was easy for St. Paul to show to his Jewish audience that the prophets had foretold such a kingdom--a reign of God over men, not in little Palestine only, but in every region under heaven.

2. This kingdom the apostle testified and preached. He announced that already it was among men.

II. He persuaded his hearers concerning Jesus, and we can easily conjecture the course which the apostle followed. He showed from the Scriptures, as at other times, that the Messiah was destined to be rejected and slain, and thereafter to be raised from the dead. Then he told how all this was fulfilled in Jesus, who was consequently exalted as Lord and Christ. So the earnest apostle taught the livelong day in that primitive St. Pauls cathedral--his own hired house; and the days labour was not in vain. Some of the Jews were persuaded, and cast in their lot with the Christians. But some were not convinced; and in the evening the assembly broke up with discordant views and feelings, not, however, before the apostle pronounced a heavy reproof on the blindness of the Jews, recognising that Israel was surpassing all its former inveteracy by closing its eyes and hardening its heart against the gospel of Christ. The woe he pronounced on his nation has now lasted more than eighteen hundred years. So far as Judaism is religious now, it is a dry, sapless thing, pervaded by a tone of monotony and melancholy, with no power or desire to propagate itself. But, to a large extent, it is an irreligious and unspiritual thing in the modern world--its heart made gross by worldliness, and its influence closely allied with the growth of rationalism. A sad sight this after St: Pauls all-day teaching--hearers going hardened away! A rather mournful close to our study of the apostolic speeches! But it really is a sight which too probably the angels see at the close of every public discourse on the truth of the gospel. (D. Fraser, D. D.)

He expounded and testified the kingdom of God.--

The apostolic ministry

I. Its subjects.

1. The kingdom of God--the fulfilment of the Old Testament theocratic hopes. This kingdom--

(1) Is spiritual, and must be distinguished from its external manifestations. It would still exist were its buildings, rites, etc., to perish.

(2) Rests on the Messiah, who is its sole sovereign, and is invested with all legislative and administrative power.

(3) Has conditions which it enforces on all its subjects. The external condition under the Old Testament was circumcision, under the New baptism; but under both the spiritual condition is faith.

2. Jesus. Note that while Paul expounded and testified concerning the kingdom, he persuaded concerning the King. Christ was not merely proposed doctrinally, but urged on their heartfelt acceptance as Saviour and Lord. This persuasion is necessary in view of the--

(1) Sceptical.

(2) The indifferent.

(3) The worldly.

(4) The young.

(5) The despondent.

3. Both as resting on the law and the prophets. He reasoned this out that their faith might rest, not on the wisdom of man, but on the Word of God. The Scriptures are the only rule of faith and conduct.

II. Its effects.

1. Believing, some entered into the enjoyment of the privileges of the gospel; and others, not believing, continued in the guilt of their sin.

2. Believing, some admitted the truth and grace of God, and passed into a regenerate state; others, not believing, continued under the dominion of carnal passions.

3. Believing, some possessed the power of obedience; others, not believing, continued in a state of moral incapacity.

4. Believing, some attached themselves to the kingdom of Christ and shared its glories; some, not believing, continued attached to those things that were waning away and perished with them. (J. Dixon, D. D.)

From morning to evening.--

Christian earnestness

If a subject has a mans heart, he never tires of talking about it. If his soul is bent on convincing others of its truth, he will take time for his work. Merchants will talk all day long about buying and selling; so will politicians about politics. Many a lawyer gives more than one day to his argument in a single lawsuit. Yet how rarely do men give an entire day to the serious consideration of religious truth. It would seem, however, as if one day were not too long a time for the settling of a question which involves the interests of eternity. Paul evidently was of that opinion. So were some of the Jews who came to his lodgings at Rome. Were they mistaken? (H. C. Trumbull, D. D.)

And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.--

The gospel at Rome

I. The gospel itself prepares us for its own disappointment. It is at least remarkable that a religion which speaks so authoritatively, and claims a Divine origin, should yet declare itself to be come into the world, not for triumph, but for division. We say of such a religion that at least it has taken the sting out of the argument from failure, and uttered a true prediction as to the degree and measure of its own success. Here, as elsewhere, we recognise that transparent truthfulness which is one of the distinctive badges of the pure original gospel.

II. On the other hand, it cannot be said that Christianity regards with indifference this chequered result. Some represent the gospel simply as an offer, and speak and act as though it were a good thing to be a Christian if you can, but not a fatal loss to be incapable of that attainment. The gospel is the luxury of the few, not the necessity of all. But the gospel does not thus offer itself as for the equal alternative of acceptance or rejection; does not stand amongst men under the form of an inviting suppliant, having nothing but smiles and caresses wherewith to win the devotion of an admiring but thoughtless multitude. It predicts wrath as well as promises mercy: it misleads if there be not as really an everlasting punishment as a life eternal. The gospel is not indifferent, though it be distinctly prescient, as to this believing and believing not.

III. When we strive to discover why one believes and another believes not; why that proof which is equal for all should convince one and fail with another; why it is that Gods rain and Gods sunshine fertilise this spot and leave that barren; we are in the midst at once of those secret things which belong to the Lord our God. But in the midst of many speculations there is one thing practical. I would ask each whether there is not a close connection between his faith and his life. There are indeed cases in which men of blameless lives, of honest endeavours after truth, nay, even of earnest prayers for the Divine teaching, cannot lay hold--or, worse still, have lost their hold--upon the distinctive revelations of the gospel. But these are cases which do not often occur in common life. They belong to the seclusion of learned study: perhaps that seclusion itself may more than half explain them. Perhaps, if these doubts had been early dragged into action; if they had been brought face to face with the stern realities of a poor mans cottage, still more of sorrow and death; even they might have been dissipated, and the theoretical doubter might have become a practical Christian. This rare case is not yours. You, if you answer the question truthfully, will say this: There is a connection in me between unbelief and sin. When I am neglecting duty, when I am yielding to some besetting temptation, then it is that I put from me the faith of Christ. In short, when I am not good, then it is that I believe not. If there be this practical connection between faith and virtue, then we may at least understand how, for ourselves, not to believe is to be in peril, and to die unbelieving is to perish and to be condemned.

IV. In the face of these differences we come more and more to rest, simply and trustingly, upon the declaration of scripture that faith itself is Gods gift, the work of His Spirit, and commonly the direct answer to persevering prayer. We believe it to be at present impossible to state or to define to ourselves the logical coherence of the two fundamental doctrines of grace and responsibility. But, whatever may be the logical difficulty, there is little or no difficulty of practice or of the heart. If God gives, man must ask: if God promises to give to him that asks, he who asks not cannot complain if he has not. And thus, for all practical purposes, it is enough to rest the case here. I do not believe in unanswered prayers. I can understand a mans being kept waiting for a bright light and for an assured hope. But I do not believe in a man dying an unbeliever who has constantly and patiently prayed for faith.

V. Even among professed Christians there are still believing men and unbelieving. When the Scripture says, Some believed, etc., it does not speak of that sort of believing which consists only in an assent of the understanding. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness. It is not everyone who does that. Therefore it is still with us, as it was in the first days of the gospel, an anxious inquiry, Do we yet believe? If we do, we cannot sleep in indifference, we cannot rest in the world, we cannot live in sin. To believe is to see ourselves lost by nature, and redeemed by the blood of Christ. To believe is to live no longer to ourselves, but to Him who died for us and rose again. (Dean Vaughan.)

The ministers stock taking

The only proper way to calculate the results of our ministry is to have an account book ruled with two columns. On one side we must put down the some that believe not, and on the other the some that believe. We must not estimate the good that is done by the number of those--

1. Who listen. Instead of its being of any advantage for the persons who have heard the gospel, but have not believed, it will rather increase their doom.

2. Who have been pleased with our ministry. When a man has to die, this shall give him no comfort. A sermon often does a man most good when it makes him most angry.

3. Who have been impressed with serious convictions.

I. Under the best ministry the results will be diverse. Paul was a model preacher--

1. As to matter.

(1) There are some persons who greatly admire a doctrinal preacher. Mere appeals to the passions they do not care about; they want to have their minds enlightened. Well, a doctrinal preacher is an exceedingly useful man, and the apostles discourses were full of the most important truth; but even under Paul there were some that believed not!

(2) Some prefer an experimental preacher. But Paul was a perfect model in this respect. Be it so, and I can fully approve their choice. Yet even under him there were some that believed not.

(3) Then there is the practical preacher, and some men greatly admire him. So do I if he urges holiness upon the people of God from evangelical motives. But who ever did this so well as Paul? Yet under him some believed not.

2. As to manner.

(1) He was a bold preacher. He never feared the face of man.

(2) He was an eloquent preacher. Perhaps the concluding part of the eighth chapter of the Romans is the most remarkable piece of human language ever known.

(3) When occasion required, his thunders could make Felix tremble; and his persuasive appeals could wring confessions from Agrippa; but as a teacher in the Church of God he was proverbially plain spoken. He spoke like a child, and babes in grace were fed under his ministry as with pure milk.

(4) Then the apostle was very affectionate. He loved the souls of men. He felt sometimes such a passionate longing to save souls, that he was almost ready to lose his own if he might but save others. Oh! says one, I wish I sat under such a minister! Yes, but I am not sure that you would be saved if you had Paul himself for a pastor, for with all his boldness, etc., some believed not.

II. The two sorts of people, and the reason why some believed, and why some believed not.

1. There were some that believed.

(1) Shall I describe them? I will sketch one, and that will suffice for all. He dropped in one Sunday morning and listened; it did not attract his attention much; but all of a sudden the truth dropped right into his heart. He now listened with interest. Another sentence came, and another. He began to tremble. What must I do to be saved? was the language that was in his heart. He went home into his chamber, and breathed out living desires after the living God. In the evening he went to the house of God again. It seemed as if the preacher prepared a sermon on purpose for him, and the great hammer of God broke his flinty heart, and he could not help feeling that there was no hope for him. He was very quiet that week; he could not go out with his friends to places of amusement as he had been accustomed to do. I do not know how long it was that this went on; in some cases it is only a few minutes, in others it is a long, long time. But eventually Christ was seen to be accepted cordially as his Saviour. He believed and went on his way rejoicing, From that day all that knew him could but marvel at the change.

(2) Why did some believe? It was not any difference in the preacher, for the same preacher addressed both. It was not any difference in the sermon, for the same sermon was preached. It was not the power of persuasion, for there were some that were persuaded and some that were not by the very same address. I only know of one answer: Because God willed it.

2. There were some that believed not.

(1) They are of different characters. Some have been brought up at a Sunday School, and have attended a place of worship all their lives; others spend their Sundays in dissipation or frivolity. Some try to quiet their conscience by pretending that they do not believe the Bible to be true; others assent to all the truths of revelation. Some that believe not are very moral; others are debauched and go very far astray. We must put you all down together. There are no third parties. You either do believe or you do not.

(2) Why do you not believe? Some will be ready to say, Hear what contradictory doctrine is preached! I cannot help it. The only reason why you do not believe in Christ is because you will not. It is not that you have not heard the gospel; nor because it is unworthy of your credence; nor because it does not deserve your faith; nor because you have never been aroused. The reason is contained in Christs own words, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life. If your soul shall perish, it shall perish as suicide. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. Conclusion: I must close by dividing this house. Suppose this aisle to represent the great division, and that the some that believe had to stand on this side, and the some that do not believe on that side. There would soon be a change of seats. There would be a great number that would say, Well, I cannot go on this side; I dare not say I do believe in Christ. And yet I cannot go to the other side; let me stand here. No, no; there are only two places, heaven and hell, and there are only two sorts of people, the righteous and the wicked. There is no neutral ground. Think not to halt between two opinions. Now will you do me this favour? I asked it once, and it was blessed to the conversion of several. Take a paper and pencil, and after you have honestly weighed your own condition, if you feel that you are not a believer write down Condemned, and if you are a believer write down the word Forgiven. Do it, even though you have to write down the word condemned. We lately received into Church fellowship a young man, who said, Sir, I wrote down the word condemned, and I looked at it; there it was; I had written it myself--Condemned. As he looked the tears began to flow, and ere long he fled to Christ, put the paper in the fire, and wrote down Forgiven. This young man was about the sixth who had been brought to the Lord in the same way. Remember you are either one or the other; you are either condemned or forgiven. Do not stand between the two. Let it be decided, and even if you are condemned today, there is hope yet. Whosoever believeth on Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The necessity of faith

It makes no difference who is the preacher, or what or how long is his sermon--he cannot make his hearers believe him. The declaration of the truth is his duty; the accepting or rejecting of his message rests with them. We may warn a child of the danger of leaning out of a window, or of going on to thin ice; we may tell a young man of the peril of using intoxicating drinks, or of disregarding the laws of health in his eating, sleeping, or working; we may show plainly to an unwise parent the inevitable consequences of his neglect or mistraining of his children; but unless he whom we address believes us, our words are wasted, and our efforts are of no avail. In the pressing of any truth, we can only make sure of faithful preaching. The belief of the hearers is not for us to force. (H. C. Trumbull, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 28:23. And when they had appointed him a day — Which might best suit the convenience of most of them that were present; they came to him at his lodging — For though they were much prejudiced against the Christian religion, as being everywhere maligned, yet they were willing to be accurately informed concerning it, which the Jews at Jerusalem were not. And though Paul appeared among them, with every disadvantage, having been sent to Rome a prisoner, and being at this very time bound with a chain; yet they were willing to give him a patient hearing, judging it unjust to condemn a man, a party, or cause, unheard. So far, it seems, had they imbibed the fair and equitable principles of the imperial city wherein they resided. To whom he expounded — Various passages of their own Scriptures, as well as the chief principles of the Christian faith; and testified the kingdom of God — That is, bore testimony to the erection and establishment of God’s kingdom, under the Messiah; or set forth the nature of the Messiah’s kingdom, showing that it was a spiritual, not a temporal kingdom; persuading them concerning Jesus — Namely, that Jesus of Nazareth, in whose name he preached, was the very person foretold as the Lord of that kingdom; both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets — That is, he showed that the birth, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, had all happened exactly according to the predictions concerning the Messiah contained in the law and the prophets, and from that agreement he argued and proved that Jesus was their long-expected Messiah. On this head, he had as much need to persuade as to convince, their will making as strong a resistance as their understanding. And in such an important light did he view this subject, and so much was his heart set upon it, that he continued his discourse from morning till evening — Probably eight or ten hours, urging it upon his hearers with all his might; for he knew not when he should have such another opportunity, and therefore was willing to make the most of this.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL REMARKS

Act_28:23. Into his lodging.—Probably the “hired dwelling,” μίσθωμα, of Act_28:30, though some (Heschyius, Hackett) consider the term ξενία points to a private house—perhaps that of Aquila, or of some other Roman Christian—in which he was entertained as a guest. For expounded and testified read expounding, testifying, and persuading.

Act_28:25. The one word spoken by Paul did not occasion (Meyer), but accompanied (De Wette) the departure of the Jewish leaders.

Act_28:26. The Isaianic utterance, also quoted in the Gospels (Mat_13:14; Joh_12:40), was taken from the LXX.

Act_28:28 gives the last recorded words of Paul in Luke’s narrative. Their resemblance to the words uttered at the beginning of his mission (Act_13:46) deserves notice.

Act_28:29 is omitted by the best texts, and the majority of critics regard it as spurious (Mill, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort).

Act_28:30. Two whole years in his own hired house.—This almost implies that his former lodging was not a rented dwelling, The charge of his present house would no doubt be borne by his Christian friends at Rome, and perhaps also at Philippi (Php_4:14; Php_4:18); but see on Act_21:23 (“Critical Remarks”). Whether he obtained release at the end of these two years is doubtful. “What became of him after those two years,” writes Beyschlag (Riehm’s Handwörterbuch des Biblischen Altertums, art. Paulus), “whether he obtained his freedom and made a journey to the far west, or whether the persecution under Nero, A.D. 64, found him still in prison, can no more be ascertained.” “We must therefore abide by the view,” says Weiss (Manual of Introduction to the New Testament, 1:373), “that Paul’s deliverance from the Roman captivity can neither be proved nor denied on secure historical grounds.” According to Eusebius (H. E., Act_3:22) Paul was released from his first, and experienced a second captivity under Nero; and this opinion has been advocated by Church historians like Mosheim, Neander, and Gieseler, as well as by introduction writers like Ewald, Bleek, Schulze, Lange, Salmon, and Dodds. That he perished in the Neronian persecution is supported by Baur, Hausrath, Holtzmann, and others, who dispute, as well as by Wieseler, Ebrard, Reuss, Schaff, and others, who uphold, the authenticity of the Pastoral Epistles. (See “Hints” on Act_28:30.)

Act_28:31. With all confidence, or boldness.—Referring rather to the unrestricted freedom with which he preached than to the unwavering assurance he had that what he preached was true. No man forbidding him explains what was meant by his boldness.

That the writer should have closed his work in this sudden fashion, without intimating whether Paul was successful in his appeal or what became of him, has given rise to various explanations; but manifestly, either

(1) the book was written and published before the trial came on—in which case its issue could not be mentioned—which is hardly likely; or

(2) if after his death or liberation, whichever of these was the issue of Paul’s trial, was already known to Theophilus, and did not require to be mentioned—which again is not perfectly satisfactory; or

(3) Luke may have ended as he did because he entertained the idea of writing a third treatise, which once more is a plausible hypothesis, if Paul was liberated and resumed his missionary labours, but not if he was put to death in A.D. 64.

HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.—Act_28:23-29

A Whole Day’s Preaching; or, a Last Appeal to his Countrymen

I. The circumstances under which this appeal was made.—

1. The place. The same as that in which the previous address was delivered—viz., his lodging. (See preceding “Homily.”)

2. The time. A day which had been appointed by the Jewish leaders themselves more than likely the Jewish Sabbath, when they found themselves free from business engagements.

3. The auditors. These same Jewish lenders, and others of their co-religionists whom they had persuaded to accompany them to the apostle’s lodging.

4. The speaker. The chained prisoner of Jesus Christ, who, though himself looking forward to a trial of doubtful issue, had time and thought to bestow on the spiritual necessities of his countrymen in Rome.

II. The character which belonged to this appeal.—

1. The burden of it. The kingdom of God and Jesus who had been its herald (Eph_2:17; Mat_4:17) and founder (Luk_22:29-30), and was its exalted Head and Lord (Mat_28:18; Joh_13:36; Rom_14:9; Eph_1:20-22; Php_2:9-11).

2. The manner of it. By expounding the Scriptures (compare Act_17:2), reasoning out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets (compare Luk_24:27), and persuading them to recognise in Jesus their long-promised Messiah (compare Act_19:8).

3. The fervour of it. Indicated by the fact that he continued a whole day from morning till evening (compare Act_20:7).

III. The result in which this appeal issued.—

1. The faith of some. To these the apostle’s preaching carried conviction. Paul seldom taught without gaining converts; and wherever Christ crucified and risen as the King and Head of God’s empire of salvation is proclaimed, it may reasonably be anticipated that some hearts will be won to believe.

2. The unbelief of others. This also usually resulted from Paul’s preaching. If it awoke faith in some hearts it likewise aroused unbelief and opposition. So to-day the proclamation of the gospel excites against it the antagonism of the natural heart, which not unfrequently terminates in unbelief and rejection of the truth.

3. The departure of all. As the Sanhedrists in Jerusalem (Act_23:7), so the Jewish listeners in Rome, could not agree among themselves, and, after an interchange of views it may be supposed (Act_28:29), withdrew from the apostle’s presence.

IV. The announcements by which this appeal was followed.—

1. That their rejection of the gospel had been foretold. Quoting from Isa_6:9-10 (LXX.), a passage which had also been cited by Christ in Capernaum (Mat_13:14-15) and in Jerusalem (Joh_12:40), he assured them that their present obduracy had been distinctly anticipated in the Divine commission given to that Old Testament seer to whom Jehovah said, “Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed.” The words practically signified that Isaiah would carry his message to a people who should refuse to hear it; and Paul’s citation of the words to his countrymen in Rome imported that he recognised in them the true successors of the unbelievers to whom Isaiah preached, persons with souls so fast bound in carnal security that they could not be aroused to a concern for spiritual things (Eph_4:19), and understandings so darkened that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God could not shine into them (2Co_4:4); yea, it seemed to the apostle as if his countrymen, through love of the darkness and devotion to their own self-righteous ways, had deliberately closed their understandings and hearts against the truth in case they should repent and be saved (Joh_3:19). If both the Hebrew prophet and the Christian apostle represent the obduracy of the Jewish people as a punishment sent on them by God for their unbelief, that was only a strong way of saying that they had wilfully put away from themselves the offer of eternal life (compare Act_13:46).

2. That the gospel should be henceforth preached to the Gentiles, who should not reject but accept it. That this actually took place the last two verses of the narrative inform us. For two whole years the apostle waited for the hearing of his case, either because his accusers had not arrived, or their witnesses had not been collected, or it did not suit the emperor’s convenience. Whether at the end of that period he was released from captivity or put to death is debated among expositors (see “Critical Remarks”). But during its continuance he lived in a hired dwelling of his own, the rent of which he was without question enabled to pay through the kindness of his numerous Christian friends (see, however, on Act_21:23). In this, though still chained to a soldier of the Prætorian guard, he enjoyed a large amount of liberty, and in particular “received all that came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.” Here also from time to time he welcomed friends from distant Churches, such as Tychicus, Epaphras, Epaphroditus, and Onesimus, who visited him with tidings how the brethren in those Churches fared, and carried back in the shape of oral communications, sometimes also in the form of letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon), wise and loving words of counsel and encouragement such as their circumstances seemed to demand. Likewise, all who sought his presence in the city to inquire into the kingdom or concerning Jesus met with a cordial reception, and went away with all their questions answered, even if not always with all their doubts removed.

Learn.—

1. The supreme burden of the gospel ministry—the kingdom of God.

2. The transcendent value of the Scriptures—they testify of Jesus, the founder and sovereign of the kingdom.

3. The dividing power of the gospel,—it separates men into two hostile camps, those of believers and unbelievers.

4. The prescient knowledge of Jehovah—who foresees the treatment men will accord to His message of reconciliation.

5. The culpability of all who reject the truth—men are held responsible by God for the hardness of their hearts.

6. The mercy of God—in sending the gospel to the Gentiles.

7. The highest glory of the Gentile world—that it accepts God’s message of salvation.

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Act_28:16-29. Last Words of Paul.

I. A last testimony to his innocence (Act_28:17-20).

II. A last confession of Jesus Christ, as the Messiah (Act_28:23).

III. A last effusion of love toward His people (Act_28:17; Act_28:19-20).

IV. A last stroke of the hammer on hardened hearts (Act_28:25; Act_28:28).—Gerok in Lange.

Act_28:23. An All-day Meeting.

I. The place.—A private lodging. A vindication of kitchen meetings and drawing-room assemblies for the preaching of the gospel.

II. The speaker.—A chained prisoner. As strange a preacher probably as ever addressed his fellow-men. Certainly as sublime a spectacle as eye ever gazed upon—a man so absorbed in the desire to honour Christ and save his fellow-men, that he forgets all about his own suffering and shame.

II. The themes.—The kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. The grandest topics that can engage the intellects and hearts of men. Worthier than any other themes to claim a day’s conversation.

IV. The hearers.—The Jews of Rome. Not the Christian Jews, but the Jews who belonged to the synagogues. So that this all-day meeting was not a fellowship meeting of disciples, but a meeting for the preaching of the gospel.

V. The results.—Such as often happen. Some believed and some believed not.

Act_28:26-27. The History of Unbelief.

I. Its nature.—A deliberate and wilful rejection of the truth of the gospel.

II. Its origin.—It results from an incapacity to understand the truth.

III. Its effect.—To render the heart obdurate, the understanding darker, the soul’s sensibility to Divine things smaller, and the possibility of ultimate recovery feebler.

IV. Its end.—The soul’s loss. Since without knowledge the soul cannot believe, without believing it cannot turn, without turning it cannot be healed or saved.

Act_28:28. This Salvation.

I. Its author.—God.

II. Its mediator.—Christ.

III. Its preacher.—Paul, and after him the pastors and teachers of the Christian Church, not excluding all who believe. “Let him that heareth say, Come!”

IV. Its mission.—To the Gentiles. Not to the exclusion of, but as well as to the Jews.

V. Its fortune.—If rejected by some (the Jews) heard by others (the Gentiles).

Act_28:30. Two Whole Years in his own Hired House. What then?

I. That Paul was liberated after a successful trial is supported by the following considerations:

1. The unanimous testimony of the Primitive Church.

(1) The Epistle of Clement, Bishop of Rome—believed to have been Paul’s friend and disciple (Php_4:3)—wrote in A.D. 99 that Paul, after instructing the whole Roman world in righteousness, “had gone to the extremity of the west” before his martyrdom (Clem. Rom., 1:5).

(2) Muratori’s Canon (A.D. 170), in the account given by it of the Acts of the Apostles, says: “Luke relates to Theophilus events of which he was an eyewitness, as also in a separate place”—(Luk_22:31-33) it is supposed—“he evidently declares the martyrdom of Peter, but (omits) the journey of Paul from Rome to Spain.”

(3) Eusebius (A.D. 320) writes: “After defending himself successfully, it is currently reported that the apostle again went forth to proclaim the gospel, and afterwards came to Rome a second time, and was martyred under Nero” (Hist. Eccl., ii. 22).

(4) Chrysostom (A.D. 398) mentions it as an undoubted historical fact, that “St. Paul after his residence in Rome departed to Spain.

(5) Jerome (A.D. 390) relates that “Paul was dismissed by Nero, that he might preach Christ’s gospel in the west.”

2. The indirect witness of Scripture.

(1) The fact that Acts closes without mention of the apostle’s death suggests that he was liberated at the end of the two years (Act_28:30).

(2) The apostle appears himself to have expected a favourable issue to his first trial (Php_2:24).

(3) If the Epistle to the Hebrews was written by Paul, as many still contend, it proves conclusively that he was liberated from his Roman imprisonment; for its writer is in Italy and at liberty (Heb_13:23-24).

(4) The Pastoral Epistles, whose genuineness has often been disputed but never satisfactorily disproved, support the theory of the apostle’s liberation, as the historical facts they mention cannot be placed in any portion of the apostle’s life before or during his first imprisonment in Rome.

II. That Paul was put to death by Nero, either as the result of his trial or soon after in the persecution that arose in A.D. 64 against the Christians, though advocated by many has little to rest upon except—

1. The absence of any account of the apostle’s subsequent labours. “It is a fact that we have no historical trace of Pauline Church foundations in Spain, which makes the Spanish journey (above referred to) highly improbable” (Weiss, Manual of Introduction, i. 372).

2. The circumstance that in Act_20:25 Luke appears to betray complete ignorance of the apostle’s return to his former mission field, which shows, it is argued, that Luke knew nothing of Paul’s deliverance from the Roman captivity (Ibid., i. 370).

3. The necessity of finding an argument in favour of the spuriousness of the Pastoral Epistles, since if Paul was not released from captivity the case against them is closed.

4. The improbability of a second imprisonment being repeated so soon afterwards under circumstances so nearly similar to those attending the first (Baur, Paul, his Life and Works, i. 246). The similarity of the circumstances, however, is not so obvious as is here suggested (see Weiss, Manual, i. 373).

Act_28:31. Paul Preaching in Rome.

I. The sublimity of the spectacle.—“History has few stranger contrasts than when it shows us Paul preaching Christ under the walls of Nero’s palace. Thenceforward there were but two religions in the Roman world—the worship of the Emperor and the worship of the Saviour. The old superstitions had been long worn out.… The residuum they left was the philosophy of Epicurus and the religion of Nerolatry. But a new doctrine was already taught in the Forum and believed even on the Palatine. Over against the altars of Nero and Poppea the voice of a prisoner was daily heard, and daily woke in grovelling souls the consciousness of their Divine destiny” (Conybeare and Howson, 2:458).

II. The success of the work.—Of this testimony is furnished by the Epistle to the Philippians, in which Paul told them that “his bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole Prætorian guard and to all the rest” (Php_1:13), and that even out of Cæsar’s household saints had been gathered into the Church of Christ (Php_4:22), while those who had been preaching before he came, or commenced preaching in the city while he taught in his own hired room, had by his example been stimulated to greater diligence (Php_1:14).

III. The immortality of the preacher.—Whether Paul was liberated or put to death at the end of two years, it is certain that his labours in the world’s metropolis came to an end, and himself disappeared from the stage of human history. But the work he then began has never ceased to influence the thoughts and destinies of men both within the Church and without, not in Rome merely, but throughout the world; while of himself the words of the Hebrew prophet will evermore be true: “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan_12:3).

NOTE

The Theology of Paul as set forth in the Acts of the Apostles.

IT is frequently asserted that so glaring a contradiction exists between Paul’s theology in the Acts of the Apostles and his theology in the four larger Epistles bearing his name, that if the latter represents Paul’s doctrinal system the former can only be regarded as the free composition of the author of the Acts. A careful examination of the various discourses attributed to Paul in the Acts, however, will show that this allegation is not well founded. These discourses are:

1. That delivered in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia (Act_13:16-41).

2. The address to the Lycaonians (Act_14:15-17).

3. The exposition given to the Athenians on Mars Hill (Act_17:22-31).

4. The farewell charge to the Ephesian elders at Miletus (Act_20:17-35).

5. The defence made to his countrymen from the castle stairs of Antonia in Jerusalem (Act_22:1-21).

6. The answer before Felix to the charges of Tertullus (Act_24:10-21).

7. The oration before Agrippa (Act_26:2-23). And the last words spoken to his countrymen in Rome (Act_28:23-28). A study of these with the isolated utterances which have been preserved in illustration of his teaching, as, for instance, at Philippi (Act_16:31), Thessalonica (Act_17:3), and Corinth (Act_18:5), shows that the germs at least of the teaching developed in the Epistles may be detected in the Acts.

I. The doctrine of God—Theology proper—which appears in the Acts, represents the Supreme Being:

(1) as a living, personal intelligence, unlike the dumb idols of wood and stone which were worshipped by heathen nations (Act_14:15; Act_17:29);

(2) as a spiritual essence, who could neither be confined to temples made with hands (Act_17:24) nor worshipped by mere external performances (Act_17:25);

(3) as the Creator of the universe (Act_14:15), and in particular as the Author of human life (Act_17:25; Act_17:28);

(4) as the Lord of providence (Act_14:16-17; Act_17:26) and of grace (Act_17:30; Act_26:18); and

(5) as the final Judge of mankind (Act_27:31).

II. The doctrine of Christ—Christology—is equally explicit.

1. The human nature of Jesus is repeatedly and clearly emphasised (Act_13:23; Act_13:38; Act_17:31).

2. So also is His essential Godhead—directly by calling Him God (Act_20:28), and indirectly by styling Him Lord (Act_16:31).

3. His Divine Sonship, if not unambiguously stated, is at least suggested (Act_13:33).

4. His Messiahship is proclaimed in language that admits of no hesitation (Act_13:27; Act_17:3; Act_26:23).

5. His death as an atonement for sin is assuredly implied in such statements as these, that “through this man”—who had been slain for no sin of His own and raised again from the dead—“is preached the forgiveness of sins” (Act_13:38), and that “the Church of God” (Christ) had been “purchased with His own blood” (Act_20:28).

6. His resurrection from the dead is set forth in the clearest light (Act_13:30; Act_13:34; Act_17:31; Act_26:23).

7. His future advent as the Judge of men is not forgotten (Act_17:31).

III. The doctrine of man—Anthropology—is also admirably outlined.

1. The heavenly origin of man’s spiritual nature is impressively taught (Act_17:28-29); as also is

2. The reality of his fallen condition, which, in order to salvation, demands the forgiveness of sins (Act_13:38).

3. The responsibility of man for his dealing with the Gospel offer (Act_13:46; Act_28:19-28); and

4. His ultimate accountability to God (Act_17:31; Act_24:25), are likewise plainly set forth.

IV. The doctrine of salvation—Soteriology—finds a place, and that in several particulars.

1. The blessings of which salvation consists are indicated as at least three in number:

(1) forgiveness of sins (Act_13:38);

(2) sanctification (Act_20:32; Act_26:18); and

(3) an inheritance in the great hereafter (Act_20:32; Act_26:18),

2. The method by which salvation is imparted is explained to be

(1) by a Divine act of justification, which acquits the sinner, and renders him righteous in the eyes of the law (Act_13:39);

(2) by an equally Divine work of up building through the word of God or truth of the Gospel (Act_20:32); and

(3) by a Divine bestowment of heavenly glory when the work of sanctification has been completed (Act_20:32).

3. The ground on which salvation is bestowed on any is the atoning death of Jesus Christ (Act_13:39), and not the performance of any ceremonial or moral works whatsoever.

4. The condition of salvation is in every instance faith in Jesus Christ (Act_16:31).

5. The principal source of salvation is grace (Act_18:27; Act_20:32).

6. Its world-wide intention is expressly pointed out (Act_13:46-47; Act_22:15; Act_22:21, Act_26:17; Act_26:20; Act_26:23; Act_28:28).

7. So also is its rejection by some who hear (Act_28:27).

V. The doctrine of the last things—Eschatology—is not forgotten.

1. The resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust, is repeatedly insisted on (Act_17:32; Act_23:6; Act_24:15; Act_26:8).

2. The judgment of the last day is lifted into view more than once (Act_17:31, Act_24:25).

3. The blessed portion of believers is declared to be eternal life (Act_13:46), or an inheritance among the sanctified (Act_20:32; Act_26:18).

It is impossible to note these several points of doctrine extracted from the Acts without perceiving how completely they harmonise with the fuller statements contained in the Epistles.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

28:23 Paul explained how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament hopes for the Kingdom of God, the master theme of Jesus’ own preaching (Mark 1:14-15; see Matt 4:12-17; Luke 4:14-21, 43). Referring to the Scriptures, Paul presented the case for Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Act 28:23. Πείθων, persuading) most sweetly.—ἀπὸ πρωῒ ἕως ἑσπέρας, from morning even till evening) Who would not wish to have been present?

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_28:23. Εἰς τὴν ξενίαν] to the lodging, i.e. the dwelling which, after his arrival at Rome (Act_28:16), he was allowed to occupy with a friendly host (Phm_1:22). At a later period he obtained a hired house of his own (Act_28:30). Whether the ξενία was the house of Aquila (Olshausen), cannot be determined.

πλείονες] a greater number than were with him on the former occasion.

πείθων κ.τ.λ.] and persuading them of what concerns Jesus. πείθων is neither to be taken as docens with Kuinoel (comp. on Act_19:8), nor de conatu with Grotius. Paul really did on his part, subjectively, the πείθειν, persuadere; that this did not produce its objective effect in all his hearers, does not alter the significance of the word. Comp. on Act_7:26; Rom_2:4.

ἀπὸ … τοῦ νόμου κ.τ.λ.] starting from it, linking his πείθειν to its utterances. Comp. on Act_17:2.

The opinion of Böttger, Beitr. II. p. 32 ff., that Paul was liberated between vers. 22 and 23 is refuted by Act_28:30, compared with Act_28:16, as well as by Php_1:13 ff., since the Philippian Epistle was not written in Caesarea, as Böttger judges. See also Wieseler, p. 411 ff.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 28:23 . ταξάμενοι : cf. Mat 28:16 , and Polyb., xviii., 36, 1, for a similar phrase; a mutual arrangement between the two parties; only here in the middle voice in Acts. τὴν ξενίαν : may = τὸ μίσθωμα , Act 28:30 (Weiss, Holtzmann), or it may refer to entertainment in the house of a friend, cf. Act 21:16 , and Philem., Act 28:22 . Lewin urges that although we can well understand that Paul’s friends would wish to entertain him, we have no evidence that the strictness of the military guard was thus far relaxed, and he also presses the fact that Suidas and Hesychius explain ξενία = κατάλυμα , καταγώγιον , as if it meant a place of sojourn for hire; see especially for the whole question Lewin, St. Paul , ii. 238; but see on the other hand Lightfoot, Philippians , p. 9, who lays stress on N.T. passages quoted above, and Grimm-Thayer, sub v. πλείονες : more than at the first time; Blass takes it as = plurimi , cf. Act 2:40 , Act 13:31 . ἐξετίθετο , cf. Act 11:4 , Act 18:26 , and in Act 7:21 in a different sense, nowhere else in N.T. J. Weiss and Vogel both lay stress upon the recurrence of the word in the medical writer Dioscorides; for other references, Grimm-Thayer, sub v. It is possible that the middle here, as in Act 11:4 , gives it a reflexive force, the Apostle vindicates his own conduct (Rendall). Μωσέως : from the law of Moses, whose enemy he was represented to be, no less than from the Prophets. πείθων suavissime , Bengel; on the conative present participle see Burton, p. 59, but here the word is used not simply de conatu ; it refers here to the persuasive power of St. Paul’s words, although it does not say that his words resulted in conviction. ἀπὸ πρωῒ ἕως ἑσπέρας , cf. for similar expressions Exo 18:13-14 A, Job 4:20 [435] S, and other passages where πρωΐθεν is similarly used (H. and R.).

[435] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By good reasons, and proved that the kingdom of God foretold them by the Prophets, was come.

The law and the Gospel agree well together.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

there came many--"considerable numbers"

into his lodging--The word denotes one's place of stay as a guest (Plm 1:22), not "his own hired house," mentioned in Act 28:30. Some Christian friends--possibly Aquila and Priscilla, who had returned to Rome (Rom 16:3), would be glad to receive him, though he would soon find himself more at liberty in a house of his own.

to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God--opening up the great spiritual principles of that kingdom in opposition to the contracted and secular views of it entertained by the Jews.

persuading them concerning Jesus--as the ordained and predicted Head of that kingdom.

out of the law . . . and the prophets--drawing his materials and arguments from a source mutually acknowledged.

from morning till evening--"Who would not wish to have been present?" exclaims BENGEL; but virtually we are present while listening to those Epistles which he dictated from his prison at Rome, and to his other epistolary expositions of Christian truth against the Jews.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 23. To whom he expounded - the kingdom of God] To whom he showed that the reign of the Messiah was to be a spiritual reign; and that Jesus, whom the Jewish rulers had lately crucified, was the true Messiah, who should rule in this spiritual kingdom. These two points were probably those on which he expatiated from morning to evening, proving both out of the law and out of the prophets. How easily Jesus, as the Messiah, and his spiritual kingdom, might be proved from the law of Moses, any person may be satisfied, by consulting the notes written on those books. As to the prophets, their predictions are so clear, and their prophecies so obviously fulfilled in the person, preaching, miracles, passion, and death of Jesus Christ, that it is utterly impossible, with any show of reason, to apply them to any other.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(23) There came many to him into his lodging.—The Greek for “many” is a comparative form, implying a larger attendance than might have been looked for. The “lodging” was probably the “hired house,” or apartment, of Act_28:30. (Comp. Phm_1:22.) The discourse, or, more properly, the discussion, which followed could obviously only be given in outline. The address at Antioch in Pisidia (Act_13:16-42), and the arguments of the Epistles to the Galatians and the Romans enable us to form a general estimate of its probable contents.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. many] The original is the comparative degree, and implies that the first visitors had been only a small deputation, but that on the set day they and their fellows appeared “in greater numbers.”

into his lodging] From this it would seem that for the first portion of the time that Paul was in Rome, he was allowed to accept the hospitality of the Christian body, and though chained to his guard, yet to be resident in a house which his friends had provided for him, and where he was, as far as he could be under the circumstances, treated as their guest.

to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God] [R. V. “expounded the matter, testifying the, &c.”] i.e. bearing witness that the Messianic hope, which the Jews all spake of as the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, had now been revealed.

from morning till evening] It is clear from what follows that as in Jerusalem so here, there were some to whom the Apostle’s words were not all unwelcome. This accounts for their staying to hear him the whole day through.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when they had appointed him a day,.... When they should meet together, and when both sides might be better prepared to enter into a conversation on the subject of Christianity; and when there might be an opportunity for a more numerous assembly to hear:

there came many to him into his lodging; the same very likely with his own hired house, Act 28:30; hither a large number came at the time appointed, more than those whom Paul first sent for:

to whom he expounded; the Scriptures, the writings of Moses, and the prophets; and particularly such parts of them as concerned the Messiah; so our Lord expounded to his disciples in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself, Luk 24:27.

And testified the kingdom of God; or the kingdom of the Messiah, which oftentimes signifies the Gospel, and the Gospel dispensation: he produced full and sufficient proofs and testimonies from prophecies, miracles, and facts, that the kingdom of the Messiah was come; which consisted not in outward pompous things, in temporal riches and honours, as they expected; but in the ministration of the Gospel, and in the administration of its ordinances; and in righteousness and holiness, which give the one a right unto, and the other a meetness for, the kingdom of heaven: and of this he testified, that it is the kingdom of God, of his preparing and of his giving, and is what he calls his people unto, and makes them meet for; and in which they shall reign with him, and enjoy him for ever: and the apostle could testify and make it evident, that there was such a kingdom, and such a future glorious state; from the promise of God, to which the twelve tribes of Israel hoped to come; from the prophecies of the Old Testament, which speak of everlasting life, and of the resurrection of the dead unto it; from the expectations of the saints of the former dispensation, who all died in the faith of it; and from the coming of the Messiah, his sufferings and death, and ascension to heaven, whereby he had brought life and immortality to the clearest light:

persuading them concerning Jesus; endeavouring to persuade them, that Jesus was the true Messiah; that he was truly God, and the Son of God, as well as man; that he was born of a virgin, and wrought miracles, and yielded perfect obedience to the law; that he laid down his life as a sacrifice for sin, and to make reconciliation and atonement for it; that he brought in an everlasting righteousness; that he rose again from the dead for justification; that he was ascended up to heaven, and was set down at the right hand of God, where he ever lives to make intercession, and will come again a second time to judge both quick and dead: these are some of "the things concerning Jesus", as the words may be rendered, which the apostle endeavoured to persuade the Jews into a belief of; as also the blessings of grace which come by him, such as peace and pardon through his blood, reconciliation and atonement by his sacrifice, justification by his righteousness, and complete salvation in him: concerning these he persuaded the Jews, setting things in a clear light, using strong arguments to convince them, and giving full proof, as the nature of them would admit of; and which is no other than moral persuasion, and is of itself ineffectual; efficacious persuasion is only of God; it is he that opens the heart to attend to these things, and gives faith to receive and embrace them: however, it is the duty of Gospel ministers to make use of arguments, and by them to endeavour to persuade men of their need of Christ, and of salvation by him, as the apostle did; see Co2 5:11.

Both out off the law of Moses: not the law of the ten commandments, given on Mount Sinai to Moses, who delivered it to the children of Israel, and is opposed to the doctrine of grace and truth, which came by Jesus Christ, Joh 1:17; that accuses and convinces of sin, and pronounces guilty, and curses for it; but does not reveal Jesus Christ as a Saviour from it; no proof can be taken from thence of the things concerning Jesus; but the five books of Moses are here meant, in which he wrote of Christ, as our Lord himself says, Joh 5:46 as he did particularly in Gen 3:15; also the types and sacrifices, recorded in his writings, might be made use of in proof of Jesus, and the things of him:

and out of the prophets: such as Psa 22:15 Isa 7:14; with many others: and in this work he continued,

from morning till evening; not that we are to suppose, that he carried on one continued discourse upon these subjects, without any intermission; but that he was all the day employed, either in expounding: the Scriptures, proving that the kingdom of the Messiah was come, and using strong and persuasive arguments, to show that Jesus was he; or in answering the cavils and objections of the Jews, to what he said.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

Ver. 23. There came into his lodging] Tertullian telleth us that it was forbidden the primitive Christians by a public statute, to have temples or places of public meetings. It is yet better with us, blessed be God. We have, as Joseph provided them in Egypt, a granary or storehouse in every city, and village for the most part.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Appointed him a day - A day when they would hear him.

Into his lodging - To the house where he resided, Act 28:30.

He expounded - He explained or declared the principles of the Christian religion.

And testified the kingdom of God - Bore witness to, or declared the principles and doctrines of the reign of the Messiah. See the notes on Mat 3:2.

Persuading them concerning Jesus - Endeavoring to convince them that Jesus was the Messiah.

Both out of the law of Moses - Endeavoring to convince them that he corresponded with the predictions respecting the Messiah in the books of Moses, and with the types which Moses had instituted to prefigure the Messiah.

And out of the prophets - Showing that he corresponded with the predictions of the prophets. See the notes on Act 17:3.

From morning till evening - An instance of Paul’s indefatigable toil in endeavoring to induce his countrymen to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

His lodging; the house which he had hired, as Act 28:16, and Act 28:30.

He expounded and testified the kingdom of God; Paul expounded the Scriptures, and by them proved our Saviour to be the Messiah; and that the kingdom of the Messiah, which God had promised, and Moses and the prophets had foretold, was now come.

Persuading them concerning Jesus; using such proofs and arguments as were cogent enough to prove what he asserted; and which also did thoroughly persuade or prevail with several of them.

From morning till evening; thus Paul laboured more abundantly, 1Co 15:10.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

To whom he expounded, testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus - These were his two grand topics,

1. That the kingdom of the Messiah was of a spiritual, not temporal nature:

2. That Jesus of Nazareth was the very person foretold, as the Lord of that kingdom. On this head he had as much need to persuade as to convince, their will making as strong a resistance as their understanding.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

23. “And appointing a day with him, they came to him in his hired house in great numbers, to whom he expounded, testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening.” We see not only throughout the epistles but constantly in the Acts a peculiar prominence given to the “kingdom of God.” The connection here shows very clearly that Paul on this occasion told them that Jesus of Nazareth, who had been crucified, was none other than the King of Israel, the Successor of David, who Is coming back to restore the kingdom of Israel and reign forever. This kingdom was predicted by the old prophets, proclaimed by John the Baptist and preached by the Savior and His apostles and their successors to all nations, calling out the elect, and getting the bride ready for the return of her divine Spouse from heaven, when He will restore the kingdom of David and reign forever (Act 15:12).

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23, 24. Before the Jews took leave of Paul, they made arrangements for a formal and deliberate hearing of what he thought. (23) " And having appointed him a day, there came to him into his lodging a greater number, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening. (24) Some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. " Sufficient time was occupied to place the whole subject before them, and to support each separate proposition with suitable evidence. The result was such a division of sentiment as almost uniformly attended the preaching of the gospel.

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

23–29. When they had appointed him a day. On the appointed day “many” came. The whole day was spent persuading them concerning Christ. Arguing from Moses and the prophets, that Jesus was he of whom the law and the prophets spoke.

Some believed, … and some believed not. As usual, some accepted and some rejected, and this difference of opinion was openly expressed among themselves. Probably the majority expressed themselves with extreme bitterness. Paul's one word seems to imply this.

Well spake … Esaias the prophet. The passage quoted is found in Isa. 6:9, 10. It is quoted six times: in the Gospels, here in Acts, and in Romans. No other Old Testament passage is so often quoted in the New Testament, and it is always applied to Jewish unbelief. The terrible prediction of the stubborn, willful unbelief of the nation was fulfilled in Isaiah's time, in the time of Christ, in that of his apostles, and eighteen centuries of Jewish history illustrate the same fact to our times. For notes on the passage, see Matt. 13:14–17. These are the one final word of Paul to the Jews before beginning his work among the Gentiles in Rome.

After the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves, we can hope that the result was that they believed and consorted with Paul and the church.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

Here the word "they" refers to the Jewish leaders in Rome. (See: Acts 28:17)

General Information:

The words "him," "his," and "He" and refer to Paul.

had set a day for him

"had chosen a time for him to speak to them"

testified about the kingdom of God

Here "kingdom of God" stands for God's rule as king. AT: "told them about God's rule as king" or "told them how God would show himself as king" (See: Metonymy)

from the prophets

Here "the prophets" refers to what they wrote. AT: "from what the prophets wrote" (See: Metonymy)

Some were convinced about the things which were said

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Paul was able to convince some of them" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

testimony

kingdom of God

Jesus

law

prophet

believe

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

23. εἰς τὴν ξενίαν, into his lodging. From this word ξενία, implying hospitable entertainment, it would seem that for the first portion of the time that Paul was in Rome, he was allowed to accept the hospitality of the Christian body, and though chained to his guard, yet to be resident in a house which his friends had provided for him, and where he was, as far as he could be under the circumstances, treated as their guest.

πλείονες, many. πλείων often loses its strictly comparative sense, though generally that sense may be observed in the context, though it be not capable of representation in a translation. Here, for instance, the first deputation who came to see the Apostle was a limited number, but on the day appointed for a meeting they came πλείονες, in greater numbers.’ Cf. Luk 11:53; Act 2:40; Act 13:31; Act 21:10; Act 24:17; Act 25:14; Act 27:20; 1Co 10:5; 2Co 2:6; 2Co 4:15; &c.

οἷς ἐξετίθετο, to whom he expounded. The R.V. adds in italics ‘the matter’ and something of this kind is required for the sense. What he expounded is declared in the succeeding words ‘bearing witness of the Kingdom of God.’ That is, he testified that the Messianic hope, which all Jews spake of as the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven, had now been revealed in Jesus of Nazareth. This was ‘the matter’ of the Apostle’s exhortation.

ἀπὸ πρωὶ ἕως ἑσπέρας, from morning till evening. It is clear from what follows that as in Jerusalem so here, there were some to whom the Apostle’s words were not all unwelcome. This accounts for their staying to hear him the whole day through. For the Greek, cf. LXX. Rth 2:7, ἀπὸ πρωίθεν καὶ ἕως ἑσπέρας.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. τ. ξενίαν] Probably the μίσθωμα of ver. 30: hardly, as Olsh., the house of Aquila.

πείθων] persuading: not ‘teaching,’ as Kuin., nor ‘trying to persuade.’ Meyer well remarks,—Paul, on his part, subjectively, performed that indicated by πείθειν; that this did not produce its objective effect in all his hearers, does not alter the meaning of the word.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.