17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. 20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” 21 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.” 23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. 25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; 27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’ 28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves. 30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Commentary
Vs. 17-20 17 And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 18 who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. 20 For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”
It took three days for the Apostle Paul to get settled in Rome and so once he was, he first called the leaders of the Jews there to explain to them why he was there to appear before Caesar. Now in this the Apostle Paul makes it clear to them all that he has done nothing against either their people, or their customs, or what their fathers taught and held too, and yet because of the hostility towards him at Jerusalem he was bound and delivered a prisoner to the Romans there (vs. 17). Who when they examined him found nothing that he had said or done that was deserving of either death or chains, and so they wanted to release him (vs. 18). However, when the Jews there spoke vehemently against their doing so, Paul fearing that they might kill him if they returned him to Jerusalem to be tried there by them, appealed to Caesar, and even then, Paul felt no ill will towards his people and nation, as he says, “not that I had anything to accuse my nation of (vs. 19), for he loved his people, and all that he said and did was only to try to get them to repent and believe, that’s it (in this consider Romans 9:1-5). Therefore, Paul now tells them that this is why he has gathered them together to explain to them the facts, not inuendo, evil assumptions and the slanderous things that are being said about him, but the facts that this is why he is now there for the hope of Israel, which is God’s Promise to them, and to all who repent and believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, in that hope of attaining to the resurrection of dead, and having new and everlasting life, Paul himself was bound, bound by those there who had rejected the Lord’s Person and salvation for themselves.
Vs. 21-22 21 Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”
When Paul had finished, the Jews leaders of Rome openly confessed that they knew nothing of what had transpired there at Jerusalem regarding him, indeed even brethren who had come from Jerusalem had nothing evil to say of Paul (vs 21). That said, and knowing that Paul himself was a Pharisee, they wanted to know his thoughts regarding the Christian faith, which many Jews had turned too, but many others opposed this, and were now openly calling it a sect and speaking against it everywhere.
Vs. 23 “So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.”
Having then received the facts of the matter, the Jews leaders there at Rome then appointed a day when they would come and hear what the Apostle Paul had to say regarding this Christian faith. And so, it was when they came again to Paul’s lodging he solemnly testified of the Kingdom of God, persuading them about all things concerning Jesus’ Person from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. Thus, he gave them everything he had, and everything that they would need to repent and believe themselves.
Vs. 24 “And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.”
Now though the Scripture says that some of them were persuaded; that is they acknowledged that what the Apostle Paul was telling them was the truth and was in accord with the Scriptures; (which itself is not necessarily saving faith, but is often only a mental assertion in acknowledging the truth, for saving faith must pierce not only the mind, but ones heart as well, for it is there where conviction of ones sin comes, and thus one sees one’s own need for Christ). And yet there were those there who in spite of all that they heard that day from the Apostle Paul still disbelieved, that is they rejected all the Scriptural revelation given them about the Lord Jesus Christ through the Scriptures, which seems utterly remarkable to me that someone could be like that; for unless one believes the Word of God about the Lord Jesus Christ one cannot have salvation. (However, regarding this consider Mark 6:4-6 where the Scripture says, “And Jesus marveled at their unbelief”)
Vs. 25-26 25 So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; 27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’
Thus, instead of believing the Scriptures, the Jews only began to dispute amongst themselves (vs. 25). And seeing that he had gotten nowhere with them, even after a whole day of solemnly testifying to Jesus Christ the King (their King) and Kingdom of God from the Scriptures to them, the Apostle Paul before they depart, being filled with the Holy Spirit, will now share one last passage of Scripture with them that foretold their unbelief. Therefore, Paul now boldly quates to them Isaiah 6:9-10 in which God said: ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; 27 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’
Therefore, if they will not be moved by the Holy Scriptures about Jesus Christ to repent and believe, maybe they will be moved by the Holy Scriptures about themselves to do so before it’s too late! And yet the passage seems clear that it was already too late for some of them. For they themselves had let their own hearts grow hard, and their own ears dull so that the Holy Word of God that once perked opened their ears, and invigored and awakened their souls to God’s love and salvation for them, had now by their own neglect and unbelief had caused them to grow hard and cold towards God and His Word (in this consider Hebrews 2:1-4).
Vs. 28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”
And even though that was the case with those there, the Apostle Paul was in no way discouraged by his own countrymen’s unbelief, because remembering the Lord’s own Promise to him, to send him to the Gentiles, and that the Scripture itself also testifies of this as being a part of God’s plan (that is Israel’s unbelief for a season), so as to bring Christ and salvation to the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul now says to them all before they depart, “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” For God’s salvation and purposes in the earth through Jesus Christ are never thwarted by any nations or persons unbelief, indeed where one rejects, two more will accept Him and believe it!
Vs. 29 “And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.”
And with that the Jews depart, but not in peace as one would who believed, but only disputing amongst themselves.
Vs. 30-31 30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
The Book of Acts ends then on a real positive note, recalling how the Apostle Paul for two whole years after that lived in his own rented house at Rome, preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching all things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ will all confidence, with no one forbidding him. Amen!
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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