Bible Study Lesson for Acts 28:17-31: Paul Preaches at Rome

We now move into the third and final section of this chapter; Paul preaches in Rome, under guard.

Read Acts 28:17-20. Paul doesn't waste any time! After being in Rome for only three days he calls for a meeting of the leaders of the Jews in Rome. If you can remember back in chapter 18, the Emperor Claudius had made a decree declaring that all Jews had to leave Rome. By the time of Paul's arrival in Rome this decree had lapsed and the Jews had returned. Paul calls these men his "brothers", reminding them of their common ancestry as Jews. He gives them a summary of how and why he has ended up in Rome. I think this was a very smart move both spiritually and politically: spiritually he will now have the opportunity to share the gospel -- politically because he would have met any trouble that had followed him from Jerusalem head on, presenting an upfront & honesty face to any possible accusers.

Read Acts 28:21. I'm sure Paul found this very encouraging. I also find it very interesting: the Jews in Jerusalem who persecuted Paul were so vehement in their hatred I'm surprised they didn't do something to try to poison the minds of the Roman Jews against Paul. However, perhaps they assumed that once Paul was arrested by the Romans and sent to Rome it no longer matter; I doubted they expected Paul to set up a center for evangelism in Rome, while under house arrest!

Read Acts 28:22. My commentary did a good job discussing this verse: "The Jews in Rome were well aware of the dispute over whether Jesus was the Messiah. They wanted to hear Paul's presentation, and he was eager to present it before the arrival of adverse opinions from the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem."

Read Acts 28:23-24. For an entire day Paul preaches to the Jews that come to visit him at his home; as they are Jews, his preaching is based on the Old Testament, which they are supposed to know and honor. For them he knows that the sticking point is: was Jesus the Messiah or not? As with most of his preaching, some are open to hear the truth and believe, while others refuse to be converted.

Read Acts 28:25-27. I don't think it is hard to understand why the meeting broke up at this point! What Paul is saying here is very hard and would have caused considerable discussion and argument. After all, no one wants to be told that they are "spiritually blind and deaf" or that they have a "calloused heart toward God." It is sad, but those who are rarely, if ever, recognize their own spiritual state; and as they don't realize they need to change and/or ask God for help, they don't. They just get mad and stomp off.

Read Acts 28:28. This last verse, of course, would have been the clincher! After all the Jews are the "chosen" people and that salvation would be made available to the Gentiles would seem like a slap in the face. I'm sure some of the Jewish theologians of the day would somehow twist these verses in such a way so that they wouldn't necessarily have to be taken "literally."

Read Acts 28:30-31. Some people believed that Paul lived under house arrest in Rome for a period of 4 years in total, and was later released. As these verses indicate he clearly took full advantage of his time! His later pastoral letters indicated he returned to Crete, Greece, and Asia Minor. Church tradition says he visited Spain.

During his time in imprisonment he wrote his letters to the Colossians, Philemon, the Ephesians, and later to the Philippians. { Put up letter symbols on flannel map }

And so ends the book of Acts! Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

Blessings!

Sources
Editors. Compton's Interactive Bible (software)
Philip Yancey and Tim Stafford (notes). The Student Bible. NIV Version