Chapter Twenty-Four: Paul Arrives in Rome (Acts 27–28)
Confrontation: Festus, Agrippa, and Paul (Acts 25:23–26:32)
It seems incredible that all of this pomp and ceremony was because of one little Jewish man who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ! But the Lord had promised Paul he would bear witness before “Gentiles and kings” (), and that promise was being fulfilled again. Once Paul was finished with his witness, all his hearers would know how to be saved and would be without excuse.
They met in an “audience room” in the palace, and the key military men and officers of the Roman government were there. Paul’s case had probably been discussed by various official people many times over the past two years, so very few of those present were ignorant of the affair.
Festus was certainly exaggerating when he said that “all the multitude of the Jews” had pressed charges against Paul, but that kind of statement would make the Jews present feel much better. gives us the second of Luke’s “official statements” declaring Paul’s innocence (see ); and there will be others before his book is completed.
In his flowery speech before Agrippa, Festus indicated that he wanted the king to examine Paul (), but there is no record that he did. In fact, before the session ended, Paul became the judge, and Festus, King Agrippa, and Bernice became the defendants! Paul was indeed defending himself (, NKJV), but at the same time, he was presenting the truth of the Gospel and witnessing to the difference Jesus Christ can make in a person’s life. This is the longest of Paul’s speeches found in Acts.
King Agrippa was in charge and told Paul that he was free to speak. In his brief introduction, Paul sincerely gave thanks that Agrippa was hearing his case, because he knew the king was an expert in Jewish religious matters. Paul did not mention it then, but he also knew that the king believed the Old Testament prophets (). Paul also hinted that his speech might be a long one and that he would appreciate the king’s patience in hearing him out.
Five key statements summarize Paul’s defense.
“I lived a Pharisee” (vv. ). Paul’s early life in Jerusalem was known to the Jews, so there was no need to go into great detail. He was a devout Pharisee () and the son of a Pharisee (), and his peers had likely realized he would accomplish great things as a rabbi (, NIV). It was because of his convictions about the Resurrection and “the hope of Israel” that he was now a prisoner (see ; ). Once again, Paul appealed to Jewish orthodoxy and loyalty to the Hebrew tradition.
It is worth noting that Paul mentioned “our twelve tribes” (). While it is true that the ten northern tribes (Israel) were conquered by Assyria in 722 B.C. and assimilated to some extent, it is not true that these ten tribes were “lost” or annihilated. Jesus spoke about all twelve tribes (), and so did James () and the Apostle John (; ). God knows where His chosen people are, and He will fulfill the promises He has made to them.
The pronoun you in is plural, so Paul must have looked around at the entire audience as he spoke. The Greeks and Romans, of course, would not believe in the doctrine of the Resurrection (), nor would the Sadducees who were present (). To Paul, this was a crucial doctrine, for if there is no Resurrection, then Jesus Christ was not raised and Paul had no Gospel to preach. (For Paul’s argument about the Resurrection and the Gospel, see 1 Cor. 15).
Paul was not only a Pharisee, but he had also been a zealous persecutor of the church. He had punished the believers and tried to force them to deny Jesus Christ, and some of them he had helped send to their death. The phrase “gave my voice” () literally means “registered my vote.” This suggests that Paul had been an official member of the Sanhedrin, but surely if that were true, seemingly he would have mentioned it in one of his speeches. The phrase probably means nothing more than he “voted against them” as a special representative of the high priest (, ).
In the early days of the church, the Jewish believers continued to meet in the synagogues, and that was where Paul found them and punished them (; ). What Paul in his early years looked on as “religious zeal” (), in his later years he considered to be “madness” (). Like a wild animal, he had “made havoc of the church” (), “breathing out threatenings and slaughter” ().
“I saw a light” (vv. ). Not content to limit his work to Jerusalem, Paul had asked for authority to visit the synagogues in distant cities. His zeal had driven out many of the believers and they had taken their message to Jews in other communities ().
Paul considered himself an enlightened man; for, after all, he was a Jew (), a scholar (), and a Pharisee. In reality, Paul had lived in gross spiritual darkness. He knew the Law in his preconversion days, but he had not realized that the purpose of the Law was to bring him to Christ (). He had been a self-righteous Pharisee who needed to discover that his good works and respectable character could never save him and take him to heaven ().
The light that Paul saw was supernatural, for it was the glory of God revealed from heaven (compare , ). It actually had blinded Paul for three days (), but his spiritual eyes had been opened to behold the living Christ (). But seeing a light was not enough; he also had to hear the Word of God.
“I heard a voice” (vv. ). Paul’s companions had seen the light, but not the Lord; and they had heard a sound, but they could not understand the words. They all fell to the earth, but only Paul remained there (). Jesus Christ spoke to Paul in the familiar Aramaic tongue of the Jews, called him by name, and told him it was futile for him to continue fighting the Lord. In that moment, Paul had made two surprising discoveries: Jesus of Nazareth was alive, and He was so united to His people that their suffering was His suffering! Paul was persecuting not only the church, but also his own Messiah!
How encouraging it is to know that God in His grace speaks to those who are His enemies. God had been dealing with Paul, but Paul had been resisting Him, kicking against the “goads.” What were these “goads”? Certainly the testimony and death of Stephen (), plus the faithful witness of the other saints who had suffered because of Paul. Perhaps Paul had also struggled with the emptiness and weakness of Judaism and his own inability to meet the demands of the Law. Even though he could now say he was “blameless” in conduct and conscience (; ), yet within his own heart, he certainly knew how far short he came of meeting God’s holy standards ().
The word minister in means “an under-rower” and refers to a lowly servant on a galley ship. Paul had been accustomed to being an honored leader, but after his conversion he became a subordinate worker; and Jesus Christ became his Master. The Lord had promised to be with Paul and protect him; and He also promised to reveal Himself to him. Paul saw the Lord on the Damascus road, and again three years later while in the temple (). Later, the Lord appeared to him in Corinth () and in Jerusalem (), and He would appear to him again.
No doubt it was a surprise to Paul after his conversion to hear that the Lord was sending him to the Gentiles. He had a great love for his own people and would gladly have lived and died to win them to Christ (), but that was not God’s plan. Paul would always be “the apostle to the Gentiles.”
describes both the spiritual condition of the lost and the gracious provision of Christ for those who will believe. You will find parallels in ; ; and . The lost sinner is like a blind prisoner in a dark dungeon, and only Christ can open his eyes and give him light and freedom (). But even after he is set free, what about his court record and his guilt? The Lord forgives his sins and wipes the record clean! He then takes him into His own family as His own child and shares His inheritance with him!
What must the sinner do? He must trust Jesus Christ (“faith that is in Me”—). Paul had to lose his religion to gain salvation! He discovered in a moment of time that all of his righteousnesses were but filthy rags in God’s sight, and that he needed the righteousness of Christ ().
“I was not disobedient” (vv. ). When Paul had asked, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” () he meant it sincerely; and when the Lord told him, he obeyed orders immediately. He began right at Damascus and it almost cost him his life (). Likewise, when he had witnessed to the Jews in Jerusalem, they attempted to kill him (). In spite of repeated discouragements and dangers, Paul had remained obedient to the call and the vision that Jesus Christ gave him. Nothing moved him! ()
In , Paul clearly explained to Agrippa and Festus what had really happened in the temple and why it had happened. It was “on account of these things” that Paul had been attacked and almost killed: his declaration that Jesus of Nazareth was alive and was Israel’s Messiah, his ministry to the Gentiles, and his offer of God’s covenant blessings to both Jews and Gentiles on the same terms of repentance and faith (see ). The proud nationalistic Israelites would have nothing to do with a Jew who treated Gentiles like Jews!
“I continue unto this day” (vv. ). It is one thing to have a great beginning, with visions and voices, but quite another thing to keep on going, especially when the going is tough. The fact that Paul continued was proof of his conversion and evidence of the faithfulness of God. He was saved by God’s grace and enabled to serve by God’s grace ().
The one word that best summarizes Paul’s life and ministry is “witnessing” (see ). He simply shared with others what he had learned and experienced as a follower of Jesus Christ. His message was not something he manufactured, for it was based solidly on the Old Testament Scriptures. We must remind ourselves that Paul and the other apostles did not have the New Testament, but used the Old Testament to lead sinners to Christ and to nurture the new believers.
is a summary of the Gospel (), and each part can be backed up from the Old Testament. See, for example, Isaiah 52:13–53:12 and . Paul could even defend his call to the Gentiles from (see also ). Jesus was not the first person to be raised from the dead, but He was the first one to be raised and never die again. He is “the firstfruits of them that slept” ().
In his message in the temple, when Paul got to the word Gentiles, the crowd exploded (). That is the word Paul spoke when Festus responded and loudly accused Paul of being mad. How strange that Festus did not think Paul was mad when he was persecuting the church! () Nobody called D.L. Moody crazy when he was energetically selling shoes and making money, but when he started winning souls, people gave him the nickname “Crazy Moody.” This was not the first time Paul had been called “crazy” (), and he was only following in the footsteps of his Master (; ).
Paul had been addressing King Agrippa, but the emotional interruption of the governor forced him to reply. He reminded Festus that the facts about the ministry of Jesus Christ, including His death and resurrection, were public knowledge and “not done in a corner.” The Jewish Sanhedrin was involved and so was the Roman governor, Pilate. Jesus of Nazareth had been a famous public figure for at least three years, and huge crowds had followed Him. How then could the governor plead ignorance?
Festus had not interrupted because he really thought Paul was mad. Had that been the case, he would have treated Paul gently and ordered some of his guards to escort him to a place of rest and safety. Furthermore, what official would send a raving madman to be tried before the emperor? No, the governor was only giving evidence of conviction in his heart. Paul’s words had found their mark, and Festus was trying to escape.
But Paul did not forget King Agrippa, a Jew who was an expert in these matters. When Paul asked if Agrippa believed the prophets, he was forcing him to take a stand. Certainly the king would not repudiate what every Jew believed! But Agrippa knew that if he affirmed his faith in the prophets, he must then face the question, “Is Jesus of Nazareth the one about whom the prophets wrote?”
Festus avoided decision by accusing Paul of being mad. King Agrippa eluded Paul’s question (and the dilemma it presented) by adopting a superior attitude and belitthng Paul’s witness. His reply in can be stated, “Do you think that in such a short time, with such few words, you can persuade me to become a Christian?” Perhaps he spoke with a smirk on his face and a sneer in his voice. But he certainly spoke his own death warrant (, ).
Paul was polite in his reply. “I would to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains” (, NASB). Festus and Agrippa knew that their prisoner had a compassionate concern for them, and they could not easily escape his challenge. The best thing to do was to end the hearing, so the king stood up; and this told everybody that the audience was over.
Both Agrippa and Festus declared that Paul was innocent of any crime deserving of death. Luke continues to accumulate these official statements so that his readers will understand that Paul was an innocent man (see ; ; ; ). In fact, Paul might have been set free, had he not appealed to Caesar. Was he foolish in making his appeal? No, he was not, for it was the appeal to Caesar that finally ended the repeated accusations of the Jewish leaders. They knew they could not successfully fight against Rome.
What Agrippa and Festus did not understand was that Paul had been the judge and they had been the prisoners on trial. They had been shown the light and the way to freedom, but they had deliberately closed their eyes and returned to their sins. Perhaps they felt relieved that Paul would go to Rome and trouble them no more. The trial was over, but their sentence was still to come; and come it would.
What a wonderful thing is the opportunity to trust Jesus Christ and be saved! What a terrible thing is wasting that opportunity and perhaps never having another.
Acts 27–28
I must also see Rome!” Those were Paul’s words during his ministry in Ephesus (), and little did he realize all that would happen to him before he would arrive in the Imperial city: illegal arrest, Roman and Jewish trials, confinement, and even shipwreck. He had long wanted to preach the Gospel in Rome () and then go on into Spain (), but he had not planned to travel as a prisoner. Through it all, Paul trusted God’s promise that he would witness in Rome (); and the Lord saw him through.
Why would Luke devote such a long section of his book to a description of a voyage and shipwreck? Surely he could have summarized the account for us! But Luke was a skilled writer, inspired by the Spirit of God, and he knew what he was doing. For one thing, this exciting report balances the speeches that we have been reading and brings more drama into the account. Also, Luke was an accurate historian who presented the important facts about his hero and his voyage to Rome.
But perhaps the major purpose Luke had in mind was the presenting of Paul as the courageous leader who could take command of a difficult situation in a time of great crisis. Future generations would love and appreciate Paul all the more for what he did en route to Rome.
Since ancient times, writers have pictured life as a journey or a voyage. Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan is based on this theme, and so is Homer’s Odyssey. We sometimes use the “voyage” metaphor in everyday conversation: “Smooth sailing!” or “Don’t make shipwreck!” or “Sink or swim!” When a Christian dies, we might say, “She has reached the other shore.” Dr. Luke was certainly not writing an allegory, but he did use this exciting event to show how one man’s faith can make a big difference for him and others “in the storms of life.” What an encouragement to our own faith!
In Paul’s journey to Rome, we see the great apostle in four important roles.
Luke had not included himself since , but now he joined Paul and Aristarchus (; , ) for the voyage to Rome. It is possible that Luke was allowed to go as Paul’s physician and Aristarchus as Paul’s personal attendant. How Paul must have thanked God for his faithful friends who gave up their liberty, and even risked their lives, that he might have the help he needed. There is no evidence that either of these men had been arrested, yet Paul referred to Aristarchus as a “fellow prisoner” (). This could refer to a voluntary imprisonment on his part in order to assist Paul.
Paul was not the only prisoner that Julius and his men were taking to Rome, for there were “certain other prisoners” with them. The Greek word means “others of a different kind” and may suggest that, unlike Paul, these men were going to Rome to die and not to stand trial. What mercy that they met Paul who could tell them how to go to heaven when they died!
The centurion found a coastal ship leaving Caesarea, so they embarked and covered the eighty miles from Caesarea to Sidon in one day. In Sidon, Paul was permitted to visit his friends and put together the things needed for the long trip. Luke records the kindness of a Roman officer to the Apostle Paul (), as well as the encouragement of the anonymous believers in Sidon. Their names are in God’s book and they shall be rewarded one day ().
From Sidon to Myra, the voyage became difficult because of the westerly winds. At Myra, Julius, a Roman officer, found a ship going to Italy; so he abandoned the slower coastal ship and put Paul and the others on board this large grain ship from Egypt that carried 276 passengers (). Rome depended on Egypt for much of its grain supply, and the Roman government gave special consideration to those who ran these ships.
The strong winds again hindered their progress so that “many days” were required to cover the 130 miles from Myra to Cnidus. The pilot then steered south-southwest to Crete, passing Salmone and finally struggling into Fair Havens. It had been a most difficult voyage, a portent of things to come.
The centurion now had to decide whether to winter at Fair Havens or set sail and try to reach the port of Phoenix (Phoenicia, ) on the southern coast of Crete, about forty miles away. His approach to making this decision is a classic illustration of how not to determine the will of God.
Paul admonished them to stay in Fair Havens. They had already encountered adverse winds, and it was now the start of the stormy season. “The fast” refers to the Day of Atonement, which fell in September/October; and every sailor knew that sailing was difficult from mid-September to mid-November, and impossible from mid-November to February.
sounds so much like a prophecy that we are prone to believe God gave Paul a premonition of danger. Paul had already experienced three shipwrecks (), so he was certainly speaking from experience. (The Greek word translated “perceive” in means “to perceive from past experience.”) However, the men in charge gave little value to Paul’s warning, an attitude they lived to regret.
What were the factors that governed Julius’ decision? To begin with, Fair Havens was not a comfortable place to settle down because it was too open to the winter storms. Phoenix had a more sheltered harbor. Julius also listened to the “expert advice” of the pilot and captain (“master and owner”) of the ship. They advised that the ship head for Phoenix as fast as possible. Surely they could cover forty miles safely, and already they had lost too much time (). When Julius added up the votes, it was three to one that the ship set sail. After all, the majority cannot be wrong, especially when it includes the experts!
But the clinching argument came with an encouraging change in the weather, for the south wind began to blow gently, and that was just what they needed. As the ship left the harbor, perhaps Julius, the pilot, and the captain smiled tolerantly at Paul and his two friends as if to say, “See, you were wrong!”
However, it was not long before Paul was proved right, for the “soft wind” became a stormy wind. The word translated “tempestuous” gives us the English word “typhoon.” Sailors called this special wind Euroclydon, a hybrid Greek and Latin word that means “a northeasterner.” The crew had to let the ship drift because it was impossible to steer it, and the wind drove it twenty-three miles to the south, to the island of Cauda. Here the sailors pulled in the small boat that was towed behind larger ships, lest they lose it or it be driven against the ship and cause damage.
As the storm grew worse, the crew did all it could to keep the ship afloat. They wrapped ropes (or chains) around the hull so the boat would not come apart, and they took down some of the sails. The second day, they started throwing some of the wheat overboard, and the third day they jettisoned the furnishings. (Note Luke’s use of “we” in .) Because of the storm, they could not see the sun or the stars, so it was impossible to determine their position. The situation seemed hopeless, and it all happened because one man would not listen to God’s messenger.
Sometimes we get ourselves into storms for the same reasons: impatience (), accepting expert advice that is contrary to God’s will, following the majority, and trusting “ideal” conditions (). “He that believeth shall not make haste” (). It pays to listen to God’s Word.
“Paul began as a prisoner,” said Joseph Parker; “he ended as the captain.” Paul “took over” the situation when it was obvious that nobody else knew what to do. A crisis does not make a person; a crisis shows what a person is made of, and it tends to bring true leadership to the fore. Paul gently rebuked the centurion, pilot, and captain for ignoring his warning. Soon they would discover that God had spared all of them only because of Paul.
Consider Paul’s four ministries of encouragement to the passengers and crew.
He shared God’s Word with them (vv. ). A messenger from the Lord had visited Paul and told him that the ship and cargo would be lost, but that all the passengers would be spared and cast on an island. Once again, the Lord gave him a special word of encouragement at the right time (; ). Today, we are not likely to have visions, but we do have the promises in His Word to encourage us (; ; ). It was for Paul’s sake that God did this, and it was Paul’s faith that God honored. What a testimony he was to the people on that storm-tossed ship!
He warned them (vv. ). During the two weeks they had been at sea, the ship had been driven over 500 miles off course and was now adrift in the Adrian Sea. (It is now called the Ionian Sea and must not be confused with the Adriatic Sea.) As the crew took soundings, they discovered that the water was getting shallower (from 120 feet to 90 feet), indicating that land was near. From the roar of the waves, it appeared that the ship was headed for the rocks.
In order to keep the prow headed toward shore, some of the crew dropped four anchors from the stern. But others of the crew tried to escape from the ship in the dinghy that had been brought on board (). This was not only an act of selfishness and revolt on their part, but it was also an act of unbelief. Paul had told everybody God’s promise that He would keep all those safe who sailed with him on the voyage (). For the men to abandon ship was to take their lives in their own hands and threaten the lives of others. Whether the soldiers acted wisely in cutting the boat free, it is difficult to determine; but in an emergency, you take emergency measures.
He set a good example before them (vv. ). What a difference it makes when a person has faith in God! Instead of vainly wishing for a change () or selfishly trying to escape (), Paul got ready for the demands that would come at daybreak. It is not difficult to understand why everyone had fasted those two weeks, but now it was time to eat. Caring for one’s health is an important part of the Christian life, and even an apostle must not abuse his body.
Paul took the bread and openly prayed and gave thanks to God. (This is a good example for us to follow when we are eating in public places.) His example encouraged the others to join him, and before long, everybody felt better. There are times when one dedicated believer can change the whole atmosphere of a situation simply by trusting God and making that faith visible.
He rescued them (vv. ). When it was day, the pilot saw where they were and made every effort to get the ship to shore. But it was all futile; the ship was grounded and the waves began to beat the stern to pieces. The only thing the passengers could do was jump into the water and make for land.
The soldiers, of course, were concerned about their prisoners; for if a prisoner escaped, the soldier was held accountable and could be killed. Once again, it was Paul whose presence saved their lives. Just as the Lord promised, all of them made it safely to shore, and not one was lost. I have a feeling that Paul had been sharing the Gospel with his fellow passengers and that some of them had trusted in the Lord as a result of this experience. Luke does not give us the details, but would you expect Paul to do otherwise?
Before leaving this exciting section of Acts, we should note some practical lessons that it teaches us. First of all, storms often come when we disobey the will of God. (Jonah is a good example of this truth.) However, it was not Paul who was at fault, but the centurion in charge of the ship. We sometimes suffer because of the unbelief of others.
Second, storms have a way of revealing character. Some of the sailors selfishly tried to escape, others could only hope for the best; but Paul trusted God and obeyed His will.
Third, even the worst storms cannot hide the face of God or hinder the purposes of God. Paul received the word of assurance that they needed, and God overruled so that His servant arrived safely in Rome.
Finally, storms can give us opportunities to serve others and bear witness to Jesus Christ. Paul was the most valuable man on that ship! He knew how to pray, he had faith in God, and he was in touch with the Almighty.
God had brought them to the Isle of Malta (which means “refuge”), where the native people welcomed all 276 of them and did their best to make them comfortable. To the Greeks, anybody who did not speak Greek was a “barbarian.” These people proved to be kind and sympathetic. The storm abated, but the weather was cold; so the natives built a fire.
After all he had done for the passengers, Paul could well have requested a throne and insisted that everybody serve him! Instead, he did his share of the work and helped gather fuel for the fire. No task is too small for the servant of God who has “the mind of Christ” ().
One rainy day, a man accompanied by two women arrived at Northfield, hoping to enroll his daughter in D.L. Moody’s school for young women. The three needed help in getting their luggage from the railway depot to the hotel, so the visitor “drafted” a rather common-looking man with a horse and wagon, assuming he was a local cabby. The “cabby” said he was waiting for students, but the visitor ordered him to take them to the hotel. The visitor was shocked when the “cabby” did not charge him, and was even more shocked to discover that the “cabby” was D.L. Moody himself! Moody was a leader because he knew how to be a servant.
The episode of the viper reminds us of Paul’s experience in Lystra (). First, the people thought that Justice, one of their goddesses, had caught up with this notorious prisoner who was supposed to drown in the sea but had somehow escaped. (If only they knew!) When Paul failed to swell up and die, they decided that he must be a god himself! Such are the reasonings of people who judge by appearances.
Was the viper a weapon of Satan to get Paul out of the way? The storm did not drown him, but a hidden trap might catch him. As Christians, we must constantly be alert, for either the serpent or the lion will attack us (; ). We should also keep in mind that we are being watched, and we must use every opportunity to magnify Christ.
Paul and the party remained on Malta for three months; and, thanks to Paul, they were treated graciously and sent on their way with generous gifts. Since they had lost everything in the shipwreck, the passengers were grateful to have their needs supplied. Luke says nothing about evangelism on the island, but we must believe that Paul shared the Gospel with anybody who would listen. His miraculous deliverance from the sea and from the viper, and his power to heal, would certainly arouse the interest of the people; and Paul would want to give the glory to the Lord ().
Whether all 276 people boarded the Alexandrian ship, or just Julius and his guard and prisoners, we do not know; nor do we know why Luke took such care to identify the ship. In Greek mythology, “Castor and Pollux” were the names of the twin sons of Zeus and were revered as the protectors of men on the sea. Many Roman ships bore their image as a plea for safety. It was 80 miles to Syracuse, another 70 to Rhegium, and about 180 to Puteoli, the port of Naples. This time the “south wind” was exactly what they needed in order to make the voyage quickly and safely.
In Puteoli, Paul and his friends, along with Julius and the other prisoners and guards, were urged by the believers to stay and rest for a week; and Julius gave his consent. The centurion knew that Paul had saved their lives, and perhaps he was even getting interested in what these Christians had to offer.
Word had gotten to Rome that Paul was coming; how, we do not know. Perhaps Aristarchus did not go with Paul and Luke on the grain ship, but made his way instead overland to Rome where he met Paul’s friends. (At least twenty-six are named in Rom. 16.) Or, perhaps a delegation from Caesarea headed for Rome as soon as Paul appealed to Caesar.
Julius and his party took the famous Appian Way and traveled 125 miles from Puteoli to Rome. The first group of Christians met Paul at the Forum of Appius, about 43 miles from Rome; and the second group met him at the Three Taverns, 10 miles nearer to the city. (Some saints will go farther than others!) Paul was greatly encouraged when he met them, as well he might be. Now he could fellowship with the saints and they could be a blessing to one another.
Paul’s greatest concern was his witness to the Jews in Rome. They had received no special word about Paul, but they did know that the “Christian sect” was being spoken against in many places (). When you read Paul’s letter to the Romans, you get the impression that the Jews in Rome had misunderstood some of his teachings (; ). The apostle made it clear that his appeal to Caesar must not be interpreted as an indictment against his nation. Actually, he was a prisoner on behalf of his nation and “the hope of Israel.”
On the day appointed, Paul spent “from morning till evening” explaining the Scriptures and revealing Christ in the Law and the Prophets. He had “dialogued” this way with the Jews in one synagogue after another, and now he was sharing the Word with the leaders of many synagogues in Rome.
The result? Some were persuaded and some were not. When the Jewish leaders left Paul’s house, they were still arguing among themselves! But Paul had faithfully given his witness to the Jews in Rome, and now he would turn to the Gentiles.
Paul quoted the words of Isaiah to these men (), words that described their tragic spiritual condition. Jesus had used this passage in connection with His parables of the kingdom (; ; ). The Apostle John in his Gospel applied them to Israel (), and Paul quoted them in his Roman epistle (). It is one thing to listen and quite something else to hear, and there is a great difference between seeing and perceiving. If anybody should have possessed spiritual understanding, it was these Jewish leaders, but their hearts were dull and hard. Too often those who enjoy the most spiritual privileges are not ready when they must make spiritual decisions.
But their unbelief did not put an end to Paul’s ministry of the Gospel! He announced that the Gospel some of the Jews had rejected would be proclaimed to the Gentiles, “and they will hear it!” This is one of the major themes of Acts, how the Gospel moved from the Jews to the Gentiles and from Jerusalem to Rome. Without the Book of Acts, we would turn in the New Testament from the Gospel of John to Romans and ask, “How did the Gospel ever get from the Jews in Jerusalem to the Gentiles in Rome?”
Paul kept “open house” and received anybody who wanted to discuss the things of the kingdom of God. He was chained to a guard who was relieved every six hours, but who was forced to listen as Paul preached and taught and prayed. No wonder some of them were saved! (; )
During these two years in Rome, Paul wrote Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. He expected to be released (; ; ) and most students agree that he was. During this time, he had Timothy with him (; ; ), as well as John Mark, Luke, Aristarchus, Epaphras, Justus, and Demas (; ). He also met Philemon’s runaway slave Onesimus and led him to faith in Christ (). Epaphroditus brought a gift to him from the Philippian church and almost died ministering to Paul (; ). Tychicus was Paul’s “mailman” who delivered Ephesians (), Colossians, and Philemon ().
Dr. Luke ended his book before Paul’s case had been heard, so he could not give us the results of the trial. We have every reason to believe that Paul was indeed released and that he resumed his ministry, probably traveling as far as Spain (, ). During this period (A.D. 63–66/67), he wrote letters to Timothy and Titus. He left Titus in Crete (), Trophimus sick in Miletus (), and Timothy in Ephesus (). He planned to meet some of his helpers at Nicopolis () after he had visited some of the churches he had established. Wherever he went, he sought to bring Jews and Gentiles to faith in Jesus Christ.
He was arrested again, probably about the year 67, and this time his situation was changed drastically. He did not live in a house, but was chained in a prison and treated like a criminal (; ). Winter was coming, and he asked Timothy to bring him his cloak (). But the saddest thing about this second imprisonment was his being forsaken by the believers in Rome (). The great apostle to the Gentiles was abandoned by the very people he came to assist.
Even Demas forsook him, and only Luke was with him (). The family of Onesiphorus ministered to his needs (), but he longed for Timothy and Mark to come to be at his side (; , ). Paul knew that the end was coming (). Tradition tells us that he was beheaded at Rome in A.D. 67/68.
Luke did not write his book simply to record ancient history. He wrote to encourage the church in every age to be faithful to the Lord and carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. “What was begun with so much heroism ought to be continued with ardent zeal,” said Charles Spurgeon, “since we are assured that the same Lord is mighty still to carry on His heavenly designs.”
“Lo, I am with you always!”