1. First Meeting with the Jews (28:17–22). Paul was not free to go to the synagogues, so he invited the Jewish leaders to come to his house. He told them of his arrest in Jerusalem and of the events leading up to his appeal to Caesar. He assured them that he had no intention of making any counter charges against his fellow Jews. His only desire was to share the message of Christ. Palestinian Judaism did not have direct jurisdiction over the synagogues of the Jewish Dispersion. That seems to be reflected in their response to Paul that they had received no word about him from Judea. They were, however, aware of the Christians.
2. Separation from the Jews (28:23–28). The Jewish leaders arranged a day to hear Paul at length. They brought many other Jews with them. Paul witnessed to them all day long. There was a divided response. Some believed, others rejected Paul’s message. Paul then replied that he was turning to the Gentiles, quoting Isaiah 6:9–10 as a prophecy of the Jews’ refusal to believe. His words seemed final, but they had seemed so on many occasions before. In town after town, Jewish rejection caused Paul to leave the synagogues and witness to the Gentiles. But, he would return to the synagogue in the next town. Paul never gave up on his people.
3. Bold Witness to All (28:30–31). Acts ends with Paul under house arrest for a period of two years, witnessing to all who came to see him. He had the freedom to carry on his witness to God’s kingdom and to the Lord Jesus. Why does Acts end so abruptly? What happened to Paul? Did Luke intend to write a third volume which would begin with Paul’s trial? We do not know. Luke almost surely did know the outcome of Paul’s appeal. Later tradition has it that Paul was released, that he carried on a ministry in the west, and that later, during Nero’s persecution of the Christians, he was martyred in Rome by beheading. Perhaps Luke deliberately stopped short in Paul’s story in order to leave it open, as if to say “the Christian witness is a continuing story.” The witness must still go on, “boldly and without hindrance”.
2. Separation from the Jews (28:23–28). The Jewish leaders arranged a day to hear Paul at length. They brought many other Jews with them. Paul witnessed to them all day long. There was a divided response. Some believed, others rejected Paul’s message. Paul then replied that he was turning to the Gentiles, quoting Isaiah 6:9–10 as a prophecy of the Jews’ refusal to believe. His words seemed final, but they had seemed so on many occasions before. In town after town, Jewish rejection caused Paul to leave the synagogues and witness to the Gentiles. But, he would return to the synagogue in the next town. Paul never gave up on his people.
3. Bold Witness to All (28:30–31). Acts ends with Paul under house arrest for a period of two years, witnessing to all who came to see him. He had the freedom to carry on his witness to God’s kingdom and to the Lord Jesus. Why does Acts end so abruptly? What happened to Paul? Did Luke intend to write a third volume which would begin with Paul’s trial? We do not know. Luke almost surely did know the outcome of Paul’s appeal. Later tradition has it that Paul was released, that he carried on a ministry in the west, and that later, during Nero’s persecution of the Christians, he was martyred in Rome by beheading. Perhaps Luke deliberately stopped short in Paul’s story in order to leave it open, as if to say “the Christian witness is a continuing story.” The witness must still go on, “boldly and without hindrance”.
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