Acts 28

-8 1 3 2 -9 1 0 0 0 0 13 96 -9 2 0 0 2 0 1 RVStyle2 7 StyleNameNormal textFontNameArialUnicode Size Standard StyleNameDefaultFontNameTahomaUnicode Size Standard StyleNameJumpFontNameTahomaStylefsUnderlineColorclBlue HoverColorclMaroonHoverEffects rvheUnderlineUnicode Jump Size Standard StyleNameHeading - Module name SizeDoubleFontNameTahomaColorclMaroonUnicode SizeStandard StyleName"Heading small - Module descriptionFontNameTahomaColorclMaroonUnicode Size Standard StyleNameHeading - LinkFontNameTahomaColorclNavy HoverColorclPurpleUnicode Jump Size Standard StyleNameDefaultFontNameTahomaStylefsUnderlineColorclBlueUnicode Jump Size Standard StyleNameDefaultFontNameTahomaColorclBlue HoverColorclMaroonNextStyleNoUnicode Jump Size -9 2 0 0 2 0 2 RVStyle2 jBiDiModervbdLeftToRightTabs StyleNameCentered Alignment rvaCenterTabsStandardTabs-9 2 0 0 2 0 4 RVStyle2 -9 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 20 2 8 0 0 28. Voyage to and Stay in Rome, part 2) 28:1 31) ) ) Outline (continued)) 28:1 31 B. Malta to Rome ) 28:1 10 1. At Malta ) 28:1 6 a. Kindness Expressed ) 28:7 10 b. Kindness Returned ) 28:11 16 2. To Rome ) 28:17 31 3. Roman Imprisonment ) 28:17 20 a. Paul s Statement ) 28:21 22 b. Reply from the Jews ) 28:23 28 c. Paul s Explanation ) 28:30 31 d. Conclusion ) ) ) ) B. Malta to Rome) 28:1 31) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=66.3.0|AUTODETECT|” 28 1 When we were safe, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness by welcoming all of us. They lit a fire because it was cold and had begun to ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=66.3.0|AUTODETECT|” rain. 3) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, Obviously, this man is a murderer. Although he has been saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live. 5 However, Paul shook the snake from his hand into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 But they expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead. After waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that Paul was a god.) 1 36 2 8 0 0 7 Nearby that place were fields belonging to Publius, the chief of the island. He welcomed us and kindly hosted us for three days. 8 The father of Publius was ill with fever and dysentery and he was lying down. Paul went to see him and, after praying and laying his hands on the man, healed him. 9 When this had occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases Came to Paul and were cured. 10 And they honored us with many items of respect; when we were ready to set sail, they supplied us with everything we needed.) 11 After three months, we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and was marked by the insignia of the Twin Brothers. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day a south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers who invited us to stay with them for seven days. And so we started for Rome. 15 The brothers in Rome had heard news about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. Paul saw them, thanked God, and was encouraged. 16 When we arrived at Rome, Paul was allowed to live alone with a soldier guarding him.) 17 After three days, Paul summoned the leaders of the Jews.

When they had assembled, he said to them: Men and brothers, I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner out of Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me because they found no reason to put me to death. 19 When the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my people. 20 For this reason I invited you, to see you and speak with you, for I am bearing this chain because of the hope of Israel. 21 The Jews said to Paul: We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you. None of the brothers who have come here have reported or said anything bad about you. 22 We desire to hear from you the views that you hold. We know that everywhere people are objecting to this sect. ) 23 They set a day for Paul and came to him at his lodging in large numbers. He explained and testified to them about the kingdom of God. And from morning to evening, he tried to persuade them from the Law of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, while others would not believe. 25 The Jews did not agree with one another and began to leave after Paul had spoken one last word: The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying,) Go to this people and say:) You will keep on hearing but never understand;) You will keep on seeing but never perceive. ) 27 For the heart of this people has become dull,) they hardly hear with their ears,) and they have closed their eyes.) Otherwise they might see with their eyes) and hear with their ears) and understand with their heart) and turn again, and I would heal them. ) 28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen! ) 30 Paul stayed for two full years in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to him. 31 Boldly and unhindered he was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.) ) In about one-third of this chapter, Luke describes two incidents in which Paul takes a leading role. He relates Paul s encounter with a snake (vv. 3 6) and Paul s healing ministry to those who were sick (vv. 7 9). the rest of Paul s three-month stay on the island of Malta Luke provides no further information.) 1.

At Malta) 28:1 10) The inhabitants of Malta were descended from Phoenicians who had settled there in preceding centuries. Like the Phoenician settlers on the neighboring islands Gozo and Comino, they had prospered from trade. According to the historiographer Diodorus, the Phoenicians sailed their mercantile ships as far as the western ocean (the Atlantic) and used Malta s excellent harbors as a place of refuge.��1�� The island is between Sicily and the African coast, some 60 miles from the former and 180 from the latter. It measures 18 miles in length from northwest to southeast and has a breadth of 8 miles.��2��) In fact, the word Melita (Malta) in Semitic languages, spoken in a Phoenician dialect by the islanders, may have been a translation for the expression a place of refuge. From the sixth to the third centuries, the people of Carthage ruled this island. In 218 b.c. the Romans took control of it and made it part of the province of Sicily.

They left the local administration intact, but during the reign of Augustus a procurator ruled Malta. In the settled parts of the island, the population spoke Latin in addition to their Phoenician dialect. (People who spoke an unfamiliar language were generally called barbarians. This term, however, was not used pejoratively.)) a. Kindness Expressed) 28:1 6) 1. When we were safe, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2. The islanders showed us unusual kindness by welcoming all of us.

They lit a fire because it was cold and had begun to rain.) The fact that Luke and the rest of the men landed unscathed at Malta must have made a deep impression on the author. He expressly writes about the physical safety of the people and uses the first person pronoun we, perhaps to suggest only his Christian companions, Paul and Aristarchus.��3�� Luke implies that when Paul and his friends came ashore, they asked the native people the name of the island. The answer they received was Melita (refuge), which sounded pleasing in the ears of the seafarers from the wrecked Alexandrian freighter.��4�� It is probable that the Semitic languages Hebrew and Aramaic and the Phoenician dialect were similar enough that Paul was able to converse with the islanders.) In ancient times, survivors of a shipwreck who managed to land on unknown shores expected to face either death or slavery. This was not so on Malta, because since 218 b.c. the island had belonged to Rome. When the islanders saw a centurion and soldiers coming to the island, they had the wisdom to show hospitality and kindness to representatives of Rome. Luke reports that the islanders showed us unusual kindness by welcoming all of us.

This statement becomes meaningful if we remember that the native population had to meet the physical needs of 276 guests (27:37) for three months (v. 11). Incidentally, the translated word islanders is a dynamic equivalent for the Greek term barbaroi. The Greek differs from the English derivative barbarians, which has a decidedly negative connotation. The Greeks referred to all foreigners as barbaroi. Luke s use of this term for the inhabitants of Malta must be understood in that light and is free from any derogatory slant.) As the wind blew from the northeast and the rain came down, the people clothed in drenched garments stood shivering on the beach that particular morning in late October. Seeing the wretched condition of these people, the islanders took pity on them and lit a huge bonfire so that everyone could dry his clothes and warm himself.) 3.

When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand.) A wood fire has to be supplied continually with more fuel. Paul sets an example, gives leadership, and shows his willingness to help the islanders by finding and collecting tree branches which he throws onto the fire. The people immediately notice that Paul is bitten by a snake hidden among the sticks. The snake, warmed by the heat of the fire, defends itself by biting the hand that is casting it into the flames.) Although at present Malta has no venomous snakes, in Paul s day poisonous serpents undoubtedly lived in wooded parts of the island. The question remains whether the snake that fastened itself on Paul s hand was venomous. Some scholars think that the reptile was a common grass snake that, although it may strike a man, does not harm him.

The reaction of the natives is different, for they expect Paul to die.) 4. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, Obviously, this man is a murderer. Although he has been saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live. ) a. The islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, [and] said to each other. In this verse, Luke records the comments of the islanders. We expect that, if Paul indeed was able to communicate with them, the native population paid close attention to him.

Because Paul was guarded by soldiers, they knew that he was a prisoner on his way to Rome. There is no evidence that Paul was chained during his voyage and stay at Malta. For this reason, the islanders would have to receive their knowledge of Paul s status from other indications.��5��) b. Obviously, this man is a murderer. The Maltese make a hasty evaluation of Paul s predicament. In their eyes, this engaging Jew must be a criminal guilty of manslaughter.

They speak reproachfully about Paul when they call him this man. ) c. Although he has been saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live. ��6�� The natives conclude that their goddess Justice is meting out divine punishment on an evildoer. This criminal may have escaped death at sea but is unable to avoid the poison of a reptile. (Perhaps the islanders are acquainted with a story concerning a shipwrecked sailor who, after landing safely on a Libyan beach, was fatally bitten by a snake.)��7�� In their opinion, Paul will soon die now that he has received his sentence from the goddess Justice.) 5. However, Paul shook the snake from his hand into the fire and suffered no harm. 6. But they expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead. After waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that Paul was a god.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.10.19|AUTODETECT|” Paul is a man who fully trusts his God to protect him from all danger. He knows the word of Jesus: he has authority to trample on snakes and nothing will harm him 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.10.19|AUTODETECT|” Luke 10:19) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.16.18|AUTODETECT|” ; see ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.16.18|AUTODETECT|” Mark 16:18) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). He believes that he will stand trial before Caesar in Rome. A snakebite will not deter him.) 1 18 2 8 0 0 To the sailors and passengers of the shipwrecked Alexandrian freighter, Paul had proved to be a man of God when he predicted that everyone would safely land on an island but the ship would be destroyed. Now, in the presence of the native population of Malta, Paul shows that he is a man of God by shaking the viper from his hand into the fire and suffering no harm. Both at sea and on the land Paul performs extraordinary feats to indicate that he is a servant of God.��8�� The snakebite is not a freak accident but a divinely directed incident in which God displays his power and might.) When a venomous snake strikes, its poison enters the bloodstream, breaks down the capillaries, and causes massive internal hemorrhage. The affected area begins to swell and, if the poison is sufficiently powerful, the victim will die almost instantaneously. Therefore, the people standing around the fire closely observe Paul and quietly wait to see what the effect of the snakebite will be. But nothing happens to Paul, who continues to warm himself at the fire and dry his clothes.

After waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual in Paul s physical condition, the people around the fire begin to change their minds. The islanders no longer see Paul as a criminal or even an ordinary person, but as a god. In this respect they differ little from the Gentiles in Lystra who, after Paul had healed a crippled man, considered Paul and Barnabas to be Greek gods (14:12). The difference between the episode in Lystra and that on Malta is the absence of adoration and worship. Should the Maltese have demonstrated any misplaced reverence to Paul, he certainly would have rebuked them and told them to worship God alone.) ) Doctrinal Considerations in 28:1 6) The sailors and soldiers aboard ship fail to express themselves in religious terms as did the seafarers in Jonah s day. By contrast, the inhabitants of Malta reveal their religious devotion when they refer to their goddess Justice, mention divine retribution, and consider Paul to be a god.

Everett F. Harrison queries why it did not seem odd to the islanders to see a god in human custody.��9��) The writers of the New Testament generally link faith to the performance and effect of miracles. That is, a miracle occurs when a person in faith performs it and when the witnesses respond to it in faith. On the island of Malta Paul demonstrates his faith in God s protective power, but Luke fails to report whether those who witnessed the event came to faith in Christ. We conjecture that Paul used every opportunity given to him to teach the people the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, we have no evidence that he founded a church at Malta.) ) Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 28:1 6) Verses 1 2) ����������� the miraculous delivery from the tempestuous sea must have made an impact on Luke.

He repeatedly uses the compound verb ������� (I rescue) to note that Paul and his fellow prisoners were spared (27:43), all arrived safely (27:44), Luke and his friends were safe (28:1), and Paul was saved from the sea (28:4).) ������ some manuscripts have the reading ��������, which may be the result of duplicating two letters in context.��10��) �P �t� �������� this is a common vernacular phrase (19:11) that means not the common, hence, the unusual. The participle is in the aorist (from �������, I happen to be).) ������� the perfect active participle of ������� (I am on hand) indicates that it threatened to and eventually began to rain.) Verses 4 5) �x ������ the diminutive form of ��� (beast) is used to refer to snakes of ancient and modern times in Greece.��11��) �r� �V� however, nay rather. This combination here expresses an adversative meaning.��12��) Verse 6) ���������� the imperfect tense of ��������� (I expect, wait for) implies repeated action and lapse of time. This is reinforced by the phrase �v ���� (after a long time) and the present participle of the verb.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=4.5.21|AUTODETECT|” ���������� a medical term in the passive infinitive that means either burn up with fever or swell up. In the New testament it occurs only here, but see ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=4.5.21|AUTODETECT|” Numbers 5:21) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=4.5.27|AUTODETECT|” , ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=4.5.27|AUTODETECT|” 27) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 (LXX).) 1 12 2 8 0 0 ) ) b. Kindness Returned) 28:7 10) Luke records two incidents that illustrate kindness at Malta. One is the welcome the islanders gave to the drenched crew and passengers. The Maltese extended kindness to Paul, his friends, and others. The second incident concerns the healing ministry Paul extended to the sick on the island. In a sense, Paul returned the kindness by restoring the sick to health.) 7.

Nearby that place were fields belonging to Publius, the chief of the island. He welcomed us and kindly hosted us for three days. 8. The father of Publius was ill with fever and dysentery and he was lying down. Paul went to see him and, after praying and laying his hands on the man, healed him.) Note these points:) a. The man. We do not know how much time elapsed between the welcome on the beach (vv. 1 6) and the invitation to the chief s home (v. 7).

Luke gives the impression that immediately after his arrival, Paul was introduced to the leading person on the island. Apparently, Paul and his friends were taken directly to the chief s house.) The name Publius is a first name and not a family name, for a Roman citizen normally had three names. It is possible (but cannot be proven) that Publius and Luke developed a relationship so close that they called each other by their first names.��13�� Most likely, people in the culture of that day were known by their first names. This is the case in many parts of the world today.) Publius is called the first (man) of the island. The term first means that he is the highest authority on the island. The expression need not be interpreted to be a title of a Roman government official but instead can refer to a benefactor of various philanthropic causes.��14�� Publius seemed to have filled the role of a benefactor by welcoming Paul and his companions to his home and by hosting them for three days.) Publius was a man of means who owned fields that surrounded the beach where the men had landed.

He must have possessed dwellings and other buildings where the stranded crew and passengers could find shelter. Even though he belonged to the well-to-do class of society, Publius was not expected to provide accommodation and meals for 276 guests. Luke indicates that Publius s hospitality to Paul and his friends lasted three days. After that time, the rest of the islanders had made arrangements for sheltering them.) b. The father. The kindness of the islanders in general and of Publius in particular finds an echo in Paul and his companions.

We assume that Luke in his profession as physician found plenty to do on the island. And Paul employs his gift of healing when he hears that Publius s father is sick with fever and dysentery. In Greek, Luke uses the plural form of fever to point out that the patient suffered repeated feverish attacks. (The ailment, now known as Malta fever, is caused by the milk of Maltese goats. Medical authorities have been able to prescribe proper treatment and preventive measures.)) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.4.38|AUTODETECT|” Paul heals the father of Publius by praying for him and laying his hands on him. In other words, not Paul but Jesus, whose name Paul invoked, heals the ailing father 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.4.38|AUTODETECT|” Luke 4:38) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). Paul follows the practice of praying for restoration (see 9:40). Once again, a miracle takes place on the strength of Paul s faith in Christ. Luke does not elaborate about the man s response to this miracle. He only relates that Publius s father receives healing.) 1 1 2 8 0 0 9. When this had occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases came to Paul and were cured.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.1.30-41.1.31|AUTODETECT|” The news concerning the healing of Publius s father went from mouth to mouth with the result that many sick people came to the house where Paul was staying. We are unable to estimate how many patients came to Paul, but we see a direct parallel to the account of Jesus healing Peter s mother-in-law in Capernaum 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.1.30-41.1.31|AUTODETECT|” Mark 1:30 31) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.1.32-41.1.34|AUTODETECT|” ). After Jesus had healed her, in the evening of that day all the sick and demon-possessed people of Capernaum came to him for help and healing 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.1.32-41.1.34|AUTODETECT|” Mark 1:32 34) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.55.11|AUTODETECT|” ). As Jesus had a healing and teaching ministry, so Paul in his ministry healed the sick and preached the Word of God. We know that these miracles were effective means in leading people to a knowledge of God. And we know that the act of preaching the gospel is not futile but achieves God s purposes 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.55.11|AUTODETECT|” Isa. 55:11) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 1 2 8 0 0 10. And they honored us with many items of respect; when we were ready to set sail, they supplied us with everything we needed.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=54.5.17|AUTODETECT|” The people who had been healed wished to express their appreciation to Paul and his companions. Thus the islanders paid them respect 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=54.5.17|AUTODETECT|” I Tim. 5:17) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ), not by paying fees for Paul s healing ministry, but rather by bringing gifts.) 1 15 2 8 0 0 When Paul and his friends arrived in Malta, they had nothing more than their sea-drenched clothes on their backs. We expect that the Maltese brought them numerous gifts of clothing and provisions, so that they could continue their travels in comfort. In brief, when the time came for Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus to depart, the Maltese had supplied them with everything they needed for the remainder of the journey. Thus, the islanders expressed their appreciation for all that Paul and his friends had done and said while they were guests on Malta.) ) Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 28:7 10) Verse 7) ���� the noun ������� (parts) should be supplied. The sentence itself is wordy: now in the parts around that place, which really means, now in the neighbourhood of that place. ��15��) !����� this is the accusative of time or duration: for three days. ) Verse 8) ����������� the present passive participle literally means being held by or being tormented by. The grammatical construction makes the malady the subject and the sufferer the object.

Our idiom is the reverse; it makes the patient the subject and the affliction the object. That is, we have a fever, a cold, or a headache.) Verse 10) ������ ������� they honored us with honors. The verb and noun are from the same root. The combination, although not common, appears elsewhere.��16��) A few manuscripts add the phrase as long as we were guests after the first clause in the verse. The phrase, however, is an addition that is redundant.) ) ) 2. To Rome) 28:11 16) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.11|AUTODETECT|” Near the end of Paul s stay in Ephesus, he expressed his desire to visit Rome 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.11|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 1:11) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.15|AUTODETECT|” , ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.15|AUTODETECT|” 15) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). He did not realize that he would have to endure imprisonment and shipwreck before he arrived there. But when he had spent three months on the island of Malta, he knew that the day had come for him to complete the last part of his journey to Rome.) 1 11 2 8 0 0 11. After three months, we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island and was marked by the insignia of the Twin Brothers.) The shipwrecked crew and passengers spent the months of November, December, and January on Malta. When the south wind began to blow in the first week of February,��17�� ships that had taken refuge in the harbors of Malta dared to make the sixty-mile voyage from Malta to the port of Syracuse in Sicily. That voyage would be relatively safe and of short duration, because the passage could be made in a single day. With a favorable south wind, a vessel could maintain a speed of about four to six nautical miles per hour.) Julius had made inquiries in a harbor that had given shelter from the winter storms to an Alexandrian ship. With the advent of good weather in the first week of February, the captain of the ship wished to deliver his grain cargo as soon as possible.

He would take his passengers to Puteoli and the grain to Portus, which was a new harbor of Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber River.��18�� He was willing to take Julius, the soldiers, and the prisoners aboard and sail as soon as an advantageous wind blew from the south.) In passing, Luke mentions that the ship bore the insignia of the Twin Brothers. The Greek word dioskouroi (sons of Zeus) refers to Castor and Pollux, who were the twin sons of Leda and the Greek god Zeus. Sailors regarded these two brothers as patron deities who would protect them from the dangers of the sea. Why Luke mentions these names cannot be determined. Although Paul and his friends objected to idol worship, we must assume that other ships on which Paul had been a passenger had similar insignia.) 12. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13.

From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day a south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli.) The fact that the ship stayed in the port of Syracuse for three days probably points to adverse weather conditions. In the month of February, the weather remains unstable, so ships would make coastal runs from one safe harbor to the next, preferably in one-day spans. Accordingly, the distance from Syracuse to Rhegium had to be covered in one day with the help of a south wind. Some of the time in the harbor of Syracuse would have been spent loading and unloading cargo.) The town of Rhegium (modern Reggio) is located at the Straits of Messina and faces the island of Sicily. To make the passage through these straits (known for the whirlpool of Charybdis and the rock of Scylla) to the harbor of Puteoli, sailors would need a favorable wind to carry them there in twenty-four hours.

Puteoli (Pozzuoli), a harbor in the Bay of Naples, is about 120 miles southeast of Rome.) 14. There we found some brothers who invited us to stay with them for seven days. And so we started for Rome.) In Paul s day, Puteoli was a busy harbor that thrived on the commerce Rome conducted with the rest of the inhabited world, especially the ports in the eastern Mediterranean. Before Ostia s new harbor, Portus, was constructed during the reign of Emperor Claudius, Puteoli was the only harbor for Rome. Travelers coming from the east would go through this port to proceed to the Eternal City. After Julius, his soldiers, and his prisoners disembarked, the centurion planned to travel to Rome on foot.

This distance could be covered in about five days.) The journey to Rome, however, was delayed for an entire week. If Luke had expanded his account, we would know why Julius stayed in the port city of Puteoli for seven days. Luke does reveal that Paul was welcomed by brothers, that is, Christians. We know that in the commercial city of Puteoli the Jews had formed their own community.��19�� We conjecture that the visitors from Rome (2:10) were Jews who heard the gospel from Peter and returned to Rome via Puteoli. In this port city, the Christian community may have formed simultaneously with that in Rome. When in a.d. 49 Claudius expelled Jews (including Christians) from the imperial city, many of them stayed in Puteoli or passed through it on their way to other cities.) Upon disembarking, Paul and his companions contacted the Christians who resided in Puteoli.

The Christians invited Paul, with permission from Julius (compare 27:3) and presumably under guard, to stay with them for seven days. What joy for these believers to have Paul in their midst for preaching and teaching, especially on the Lord s Day (see 20:6 7)! The believers also sent word to the Christians in Rome that Paul would undertake the last lap of his journey within a week (see v. 15).) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.20.3|AUTODETECT|” And so we started for Rome. Translators usually render this short sentence and so we came to Rome. The verb came in the clause we came to Rome signifies we started for Rome. ��20�� 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.20.3|AUTODETECT|” John 20:3) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 , where we read that Peter and John set out for the tomb. The text has the verb to come, but the meaning in context is that the two disciples started for the tomb [NIV].)) 1 4 2 8 0 0 The emphasis in the sentence is on the first two words and so. Paul and his companions were refreshed by the local Christians and knew that fellow believers in Rome had been told of their imminent arrival. In turn, the Christians there would welcome Paul and provide for him.) 15. The brothers in Rome had heard news about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. Paul saw them, thanked God, and was encouraged.) The messenger from Puteoli had alerted the Christians in Rome that Paul was on the way to the imperial city. Thus, two groups of believers set out to meet him halfway.��21�� One party traveled as far as the Forum of Appius, which is about forty miles southeast of Rome; the other came to a place called Three Taverns, some thirty miles southeast of the city.) The Forum of Appius was a marketplace where people rested from their travels along the Appian Way.

The road was named after the censor Appius Claudius, who began its construction in 312 b.c. The Roman poet Horace described the Forum of Appius as crammed with boatmen and stingy tavern-keepers. ��22�� These boatmen were not sailors but men employed on boats that transported passengers along a canal through the Pontine marshes. The Forum of Appius was not known for law and order. The second place was called Three Taverns; the term tavern denotes not only an inn but also a shop or a store. From his writings we know that Cicero at times lodged at this resting place.��23��) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.9-45.1.10|AUTODETECT|” When Paul met the brothers from Rome, he began to thank God and took courage as he continued his journey to Rome. He realized that God was true to his word by sending him to the capital of the Roman empire. At the end of his journey, he was surrounded and supported by Christian brothers who welcomed him to the imperial city. Paul had continued to pray for the Christians in Rome ever since he wrote to them about three years earlier 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.9-45.1.10|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 1:9 10) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.15.31-45.15.32|AUTODETECT|” ). And he had asked the believers there to pray for his safety in Jerusalem and his travel to Rome 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.15.31-45.15.32|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 15:31 32) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). We have no idea how many believers met Paul on the Appian Way, but we imagine that the joyful meeting at both the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns must have made an impression on Julius.) 1 2 2 8 0 0 16. When we arrived at Rome, Paul was allowed to live alone with a soldier guarding him.) For almost two days, the Christians accompanied Paul to Rome. When they arrived there, their way parted because Paul had to be taken into custody. Julius must have interceded for Paul with the authorities when he delivered the prisoners.��24��) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.2.25|AUTODETECT|” The evidence from Festus s report, which Julius presented to the Roman authorities, stresses three points: that Paul was innocent of any wrong-doing, that he had appealed to Caesar, and that the reason for his imprisonment concerned a religious dispute with the Jews. In addition, Julius himself perhaps commented on Paul s conduct during the voyage from Caesarea to Rome. In his concise manner, Luke writes that Paul was allowed to live alone with a soldier guarding him. In a later verse, he adds that Paul lived in a house he rented for the duration of his imprisonment, namely, two years (v. 30). Nonetheless, Paul was chained (v. 20) and a soldier guarded him (compare 24:23). Paul s citizenship may have influenced the authorities to allow him to live in a rented house. We imagine that the Christians in Rome and other places paid the rent and supplied Paul s food, clothing, and other necessities 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.2.25|AUTODETECT|” Phil. 2:25) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.4.10|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.4.10|AUTODETECT|” 4:10) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 17 2 8 0 0 ) Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 28:11 14) Verse 11) �������� ����������� this phrase does not mean marked by the Dioscuri. Rather, because the construction is a dative absolute, it should be translated a ship, insignia the Dioscuri, in conformity with the registration data of a ship.��25��) Verses 13 14) ����������� some manuscripts have the reading ������������, which in translation means circled around (NKJV, and see NAB, NEB, RSV). Without the letter �, the participle is the aorist from ��������� and, as a nautical term, signifies having lifted the anchors on both sides of the ship. In brief, the meaning is the ship set sail. It is possible that this particular reading is responsible for the variants.��26��) ������������ as a compound verb, this is the aorist passive in the intensive sense: we were invited. Translators prefer this version to the one that reads, we were comforted by staying. ) ) ) 3.

Roman Imprisonment) 28:17 31) The Jews of Asia Minor had been responsible for Paul s arrest in Jerusalem (21:27 29), where the Jewish leaders vehemently opposed Paul. They even traveled to Caesarea to accuse Paul at his trial before Felix (24:1) and two years later before Festus (25:7). When Paul arrived in Rome, he had no knowledge of accusations that the local Jews might bring before Caesar. He boldly called together Jewish leaders in an effort to learn from them whether they were acquainted with his case. He also subtly prepares them to hear the gospel.) a. Paul s Statement) 28:17 20) 17.

After three days, Paul summoned the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them: Men and brothers, I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner out of Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18. They examined me and wanted to release me because they found no reason to put me to death. ) Within a period of three days, Paul already had contacted the leaders of the Jews in Rome and asked them to come to his house. Who were these Jewish leaders? On the basis of information provided by Roman and Jewish historiographers (Suetonius, Tacitus, and Josephus), we can estimate that as many as forty thousand Jews lived in the imperial city in the middle of the first century.��27�� From inscriptions we know that there were at least ten synagogues in Rome with influential leaders.��28�� These leaders, then, met with Paul to hear him state the reason for his imprisonment.) Paul addresses these leaders as men and brothers, which was a common greeting in Jewish circles.��29�� He intimates that he, a fellow Jew, is their brother. He vows that he has done nothing against the Jewish people or their customs (25:8).

Paul declares that although he is innocent of any wrongdoing, the Jews in Jerusalem nevertheless handed him over to the Romans as a prisoner. He refrains from giving precise details, from mentioning names, and from accusing the Jews in Jerusalem of treating him unjustly. He wisely avoids any negative remarks so that he is able to gain the goodwill of these leaders and make them receptive to the gospel on another occasion (vv. 23 28).) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.16|AUTODETECT|” Paul even has a kind word for the Romans, saying that they examined him in a trial and were unable to find him guilty of any crime that deserved the death sentence. He omits the fact that both Felix and Festus wanted to please the Jews: Felix kept Paul in prison for two years, and Festus wanted him to be tried in Jerusalem. Instead Paul says that they were ready to release him (see 26:32). In an effort to advance the cause of the gospel, he wishes to avoid any hint of confrontation between either the Jews and the Christians or the Jews and the Romans. And, in keeping with his usual practice, Paul presented the gospel first to the Jew and then to the Greek 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.1.16|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 1:16) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). He had always observed that rule during his ministry in Cyprus (13:5, 7), Pisidian Antioch (13:14, 46), Corinth (18:6), and Ephesus (20:21); now he applies it in Rome.) 1 16 2 8 0 0 Consistent with his purpose in writing Acts, Luke shows the spread of the gospel, even in the capital. When Paul will be in Rome, he plans to defend the cause of Christ so that the gospel can freely spread throughout the empire.) 19. When the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my people. ) Paul states only the fact and not the cause of the opposition to his release. He lets the emphasis fall on the words I was forced; by using the passive voice he avoids telling his audience who compelled him to appeal to Caesar, even though the context points to the Jews in Jerusalem.) When Paul mentions that he appealed to Caesar, he indirectly reveals that he is a Roman citizen. He also implies that he desires a trial in the presence of Caesar. Yet Paul is careful not to dwell on the privileges which accompany his Roman citizenship.��30�� He realizes the political overtones and the possibility that he might be accused of forsaking his Jewish heritage.) Paul emphatically asserts that his appeal to Caesar was not because he sought to bring any accusation against the Jews as a nation.

With this statement, he assures the Jewish leaders in Rome that he will not cause them trouble. He will be true to his people and present no accusation against them in court.) The Western text has expanded the verse in an effort to complete it and provide balance: When the Jews objected and were shouting Away with our enemy! , I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my people, but that I might deliver my soul from death. Translators are of the opinion that the origin of the shorter text is easier to explain than that of the longer. They point to the fact that scribes were more inclined to add than to delete words.) 20. For this reason I invited you, to see you and speak with you, for I am bearing this chain because of the hope of Israel. ) Paul concludes his general statement. He demonstrates his love for the Jewish people by inviting their leaders to visit him in his rented house.

He desires to explain to his countrymen in Rome the causes for his appeal to Caesar, his imprisonments in Caesarea and in Rome, and his refusal to incriminate the Jews. He expects the Jewish leaders to have questions about his imprisonment, which is evidenced by the chain he is wearing and the presence of a Roman soldier in the house. He also wants them to know that he is interested in a spiritual dialogue, summarizing both purposes by saying, I am bearing this chain because of the hope of Israel. ) This statement in itself is rather brief, and we infer from his words that Paul at this time postponed a detailed discussion of the matter. The Jewish leaders understood the expression Israel s hope as a reference to the Messiah. In a subsequent meeting Paul would introduce the messianic teaching concerning Jesus the Messiah. Paul told the Jewish leaders that the cause for being chained was rooted in their common hope.) In this last remark, Paul calls attention to his house arrest with the use of the word chain (singular).

Apparently he had sufficient freedom to be able to move around in the house. Note that when the commander in Jerusalem at first arrested Paul, he had bound him with two chains (21:33) but removed them when he heard of Paul s Roman citizenship (22:29).) ) Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 28:17 20) Verse 17) ��z� D���� the articular participle with the adjective ������� (first) has a technical sense: the local leaders of the Jews (compare 5:17).) �P��� this negative adjective is a substantive that is used as a direct object of the participle ������� (having done nothing [wrong]).��31��) Verses 19 20) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=63.1.5|AUTODETECT|” �P� a� not as if 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=63.1.5|AUTODETECT|” II John 5) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). The negative adverb precedes the participle having, which is unusual, but the distance between the adverb and the participle probably accounts for the use of �P instead of ��.) 1 16 2 8 0 0 ��� ����� in fourteen places in the New Testament, the Jewish people are called ���� (nation) a word normally used for Gentiles (see, e.g., 10:22).) Q��� the personal pronoun serves a direct object for the main verb I invited and for the two infinitives to see and to talk with.) ) ) b. Reply from the Jews) 28:21 22) 21. The Jews said to Paul: We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you. None of the brothers who have come here have reported or said anything bad about you. 22. We desire to hear from you the views that you hold. We know that everywhere people are objecting to this sect. ) The Jewish leaders remember that only a decade earlier (a.d. 49),Emperor Claudius had expelled them from Rome because of riots.

Those riots had been instigated by a person called Chrestos (Christos), according to the Roman historiographer Suetonius.��32�� Presumably the non-Christian Jews clashed with the Christian Jews. Unable to distinguish the differences between the two groups, Claudius expelled both. Now, facing a leader of the Christian faith, the Jewish leaders are cautious yet fair in their response.) We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you. This is an honest admission of justifiable ignorance. The fact that the Jerusalem hierarchy had not sent word to either the Jews or the Roman authorities supported Paul s claim of innocence. After Paul appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome, the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem were of the opinion that he was too far removed from Israel to do any harm.

In addition, while time erased the memory of Paul s arrest in Jerusalem, opposition to Rome itself became the issue of the day.) Moreover, a Roman judge would consider the absence of an accuser or an accusation a punishable offense.��33�� The Jews in Rome wish to be absolved of any such blame and consequently are open in their response to Paul. They honestly admit, None of the brothers who have come here have reported or said anything bad about you. The Jews in Rome are saying that they have not heard anything about Paul. In itself, such a statement appears incongruous, for we know that Paul sent his letter to the Christians in Rome three years earlier. But the contacts between Jews and Christians may not have been intimate enough for the Christians to share this information.) Yet the Jewish leaders are interested in learning the theological views of Paul himself. They are open to hearing Paul teach the gospel and explain it to them in detail.

Their request pleases Paul beyond measure, for it fulfills Jesus word that as Paul had testified for Jesus in Jerusalem, so he would have to testify in Rome (23:11). Here he has the opportunity to proclaim the message of salvation to Jewish leaders who, if they accept the gospel, can influence their people in the local synagogues.) We know that everywhere people are objecting to this sect. Luke presents a condensed version of the request the Jews make. When these leaders use the word sect, they have in mind the Christian church (see 24:5, 14). The word by itself is not derogatory. It means party or school of thought, as is evident from Acts and the writings of Josephus; it is used to describe the Sadducees (5:17) and the Pharisees (15:5).��34�� The Jewish leaders speak in generalities and observe that people, namely the Jews, are opposed to the teaching of the Christian church.

But the leaders are willing to listen to what Paul has to say to them.) c. Paul s Explanation) 28:23 28) 23. They set a day for Paul and came to him at his lodging in large numbers. He explained and testified to them about the kingdom of God. And from morning to evening, he tried to persuade them from the Law of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus. 24. Some were convinced by what he said, while others would not believe.) Luke is interested in reporting that Paul preached to a large number of Jews in the capital city.

He is true to his purpose in writing the Book of Acts (see 1:8). But in the process he neglects to describe details concerning the size of Paul s rented quarters, the freedom Paul evidently enjoyed to meet with large numbers of people, and the reaction of the Christians in Rome. These aspects are immaterial to Luke s purpose. We venture to say that the Jewish leaders encouraged their people to come to Paul s house on a given day, that permission for this meeting had been granted by the Roman authorities, and that many of the Jews were coming and going.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.20|AUTODETECT|” The focus is again on Paul, who takes this opportunity to preach the gospel from morning to evening. We expect this may be from sunrise to sunset. He appears to have boundless energy for speaking for hours without a break (see 20:7, 11). We are reminded of Jesus and his disciples, who at one time were surrounded by a crowd and were not even able to eat 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.20|AUTODETECT|” Mark 3:20) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 1 2 8 0 0 Paul teaches the people about God s kingdom, which is equivalent to teaching them Christ s gospel. For instance, when Paul taught in the synagogue of Ephesus and in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, he taught the people about the kingdom of God and the word of the Lord (19:8, 10).��35�� In Paul s farewell address to the Ephesian elders, the phrases gospel of God s grace and preaching the kingdom signify the same thing (20:24 25). Likewise, in Rome Paul preached the kingdom of God to the people and tried to persuade them concerning Jesus (see 28:23, 31).) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.24.27|AUTODETECT|” Schooled in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, Paul opened the Scriptures for his listeners and tried to explain to them that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah. As Jesus opened the Old Testament (the Law and the Prophets) to the men on the way to Emmaus, so Paul tried to persuade the Jews that Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies in the Scriptures 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.24.27|AUTODETECT|” Luke 24:27) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). The men of Emmaus believed Jesus word when their spiritual eyes were opened, but many Jews in Rome were not to be persuaded.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.4.4|AUTODETECT|” The Jews in Rome were acquainted with and applied the doctrine of works but not the doctrine of grace 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.4.4|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 4:4) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.11.6|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.11.6|AUTODETECT|” 11:6) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.10.1-45.10.6|AUTODETECT|” ). When Paul taught the Jews that entrance in the kingdom of God is not by works but by grace, he met opposition and eventual rejection. It was Paul s desire that his countrymen might be saved and that their zeal for God might be expressed not in terms of righteousness by the law but through faith in Christ 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.10.1-45.10.6|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 10:1 6) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 25 2 8 0 0 Teaching about the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Paul had to show from the Scriptures that God promised the coming of the Messiah. He introduced the Messiah as the One who would) atone for man s sin;) reconcile God to mankind;) purchase eternal righteousness;) fashion men after the image of God;) regenerate his people with his Spirit;) make his faithful servants heirs with Christ.��36��) To his credit, Paul was able to keep the attention of his audience from morning until evening. Some of the Jews accepted Jesus as the Messiah, but others continued in their unbelief. Throughout his ministry, in places as diverse as Pisidian Antioch, Thessalonica, and Corinth, Paul had experienced the same thing: some believe in Jesus while others reject him (see 13:43 46; 17:4 5; 18:6 8, respectively).) 25. The Jews did not agree with one another and began to leave after Paul had spoken one last word: The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers. ) a. The Jews did not agree with one another.

The text implies that the audience is divided on the proper interpretation of the Scriptures. Those who do not believe are at variance with those who do believe. Luke indicates that their disagreement was not of a momentary nature but continued to divide them. Those who disagree with the believers reject not Paul but rather Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Scriptures that testify of him. On the other hand, the Jews who believe become part of the existing churches in Rome and thus strengthen the Christian community.) b. [They] began to leave after Paul had spoken one last word. Gradually the people begin to depart.

Yet Paul wishes to address the unbelieving Jews with a last word from the Scriptures. Hence, not Paul but God himself has the decisive word with the hardened Jews.) c. The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers. Paul attributes the word he is going to speak, not to the prophet Isaiah, but to the Holy Spirit, who is the primary author of the Scriptures. If the Jews reject the Scriptures, they not only are spurning Isaiah but also are defying the Holy Spirit. In his Word, God has given them the messianic prophecies and has sent his servant Paul to explain to them that Jesus has fulfilled these prophecies.) When the Jews have received all the evidence and then refuse to accept the truth of God s Word, they are defying the living God.

For this reason, Paul boldly asserts that the Holy Spirit rightly addressed the forefathers through a word from Isaiah the prophet. The term forefathers allows the Jews to reflect on the historical setting. This word that Isaiah delivered to his contemporaries is now addressed to Paul s contemporaries in Rome.) At the same time, Paul separates himself from the Jews and their ancestors with the use of the possessive pronoun your.��37�� When Paul first called the Jews to his house, he spoke of our fathers (v. 17). Now he purposely refrains from identifying himself with the unbelieving Jews, much as Stephen did before the Sanhedrin. Stephen at first expressed his identity with his audience by using the inclusive pronoun our in the phrase our fathers (7:11, 12, 15, 38, 39, 44, 45). When he realized that his audience rejected his presentation, he separated himself and spoke of your fathers (7:51, 52).) 26.

Go to this people and say:) You will keep on hearing but never understand;) You will keep on seeing but never perceive. ) 27. For the heart of this people has become dull,) they hardly hear with their ears,) and they have closed their eyes.) Otherwise they might see with their eyes) and hear with their ears) and understand with their heart) and turn again, and I would heal them. ) Observe these salient points:) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” a. Setting. The Jews in Rome know that Paul quoted from ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” Isaiah 6:9 10) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 and are familiar with the historical setting of these words. They understand that God told Isaiah to go to the Israelites whose hearts were hardened because of unbelief and disobedience. They know that the divine words spoken by Isaiah only drove the people of Israel further away from salvation.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.11-23.6.12|AUTODETECT|” God told Isaiah to go to Israel and inform the people that they were always hearing but failing to understand and always seeing but never perceiving. This was hardly a compliment. In fact, it was a stern rebuke that ultimately terminated in judgment on Israel and resulted in destruction of cities, devastation of fields, and exile of the people 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.11-23.6.12|AUTODETECT|” Isa. 6:11 12) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.13|AUTODETECT|” ). Isaiah s task would be disheartening, yet the Lord promised that out of a stump God would raise up his holy seed 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.13|AUTODETECT|” Isa. 6:13) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.13.10|AUTODETECT|” b. Application. The evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke report that Jesus taught the parable of the sower. In response to his disciples question about why he taught in parables 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.13.10|AUTODETECT|” Matt. 13:10) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.4.10|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.4.10|AUTODETECT|” Mark 4:10) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.8.9|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=42.8.9|AUTODETECT|” Luke 8:9) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” ), Jesus quoted the words of ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” Isaiah 6:9 10) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.12.24|AUTODETECT|” and applied them to the unbelieving Pharisees and teachers of the law 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.12.24|AUTODETECT|” Matt. 12:24) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.22|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.22|AUTODETECT|” Mark 3:22) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” ). John relates that despite all the miracles Jesus performed, the Jews refused to believe in Jesus. He quotes ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” Isaiah 6:10) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.12.40|AUTODETECT|” to explain why the Jews were unable to believe 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.12.40|AUTODETECT|” John 12:40) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). Jesus observed the hardness of man s heart and thus could apply the words and setting of Isaiah to the Jews of his day. And Paul turns to this passage when he encounters unbelieving Jews who, after they have heard a full exposition of the Scriptures, refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah (compare the content of Rom. 9 11).) 1 1 2 8 0 0 Through Isaiah the prophet, God is saying to Israel that the people have permitted their hearts to become calloused, have let their hearing become impaired, and have allowed their eyesight to become dim. They purposely have cut themselves off from the possibility of repentance. If this were not so, they would turn to God and he would restore them. By quoting the passage from Isaiah, Paul tells his listeners that in terms of spirituality they are similar to Isaiah s contemporaries.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.13.14-40.13.15|AUTODETECT|” c. Text. The wording of this lengthy quotation comes directly from the Septuagint. The words are the same in ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.13.14-40.13.15|AUTODETECT|” Matthew 13:14 15) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 , while Mark, Luke, and John in their respective Gospels have an abbreviated version of the passage from Isaiah. The Gospel according to Matthew, however, is addressed to Jewish readers and therefore has the full text. Likewise, Paul addressed the Jews of Rome and wanted them to hear the entire passage from the prophecy of Isaiah.) 1 2 2 8 0 0 28. Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen! ) Paul adds his own conclusion to his teaching. On the basis of Isaiah s prophecy he actually says, You Jews should know that salvation is first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. But you have rejected God s assurance of salvation and now God offers it to the Gentiles. ) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=48.1.15-48.1.16|AUTODETECT|” We observe two things. First, God called Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=48.1.15-48.1.16|AUTODETECT|” Gal. 1:15 16) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=48.2.8|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=48.2.8|AUTODETECT|” 2:8) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). Next, throughout his ministry Paul adhered to the rule to present the gospel first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. Wherever the Jews rejected the preaching of the gospel, Paul turned to the Gentiles (see, e.g., 13:46; 18:6). The gospel has a universal message for all people. Accordingly, the Book of Acts ends not on a negative note of unbelieving Jews refusing to accept the gospel. To the contrary, the last word of Paul is positive. He states that the Gentiles will listen to the gospel of salvation and by believing in Jesus will be saved.) 1 3 2 8 0 0 ) ) Doctrinal Considerations in 28:23 28) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” If we look at the historical setting of Isaiah proclaiming God s message to the people of Israel 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” Isa. 6:9 10) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ) and consider the backdrop of Jesus healing and teaching ministry, we notice a remarkable parallel. God had blessed Israel in many ways, yet the more he showed his love to the people the more they turned away from him. But God s love that was designed to bless the Israelites changed to divine wrath when they had filled up the measure of their sins. Observes Franz Delitzsch, For just as in all the good that men do, the active principle is the love of God; so in all the harm that they do, the active principle is the wrath of God. ��38�� God s wrath culminated in shutting the war to repentance and delivering the people to their own destruction.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.35.5|AUTODETECT|” When Jesus in his healing ministry gave sight to the blind, he fulfilled Isaiah s prophecy that he was the Messiah 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.35.5|AUTODETECT|” Isa. 35:5) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.9.6-43.9.7|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.9.6-43.9.7|AUTODETECT|” John 9:6 7) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.9.35-43.9.38|AUTODETECT|” , ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=43.9.35-43.9.38|AUTODETECT|” 35 38) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.12.22-40.12.24|AUTODETECT|” ). But the Jews refused to believe. When he cast out demons, the experts in the law and the Pharisees said that he did so in the name of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons. In effect, they accused Jesus of being in league with Satan 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.12.22-40.12.24|AUTODETECT|” Matt. 12:22 24) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.22|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.22|AUTODETECT|” Mark 3:22) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.12.32|AUTODETECT|” ). Then Jesus taught the doctrine of the sin against the Holy Spirit. He intimated that the Jews who attributed his healing miracles to Satan instead of acknowledging the power of the Holy Spirit committed the unpardonable sin 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=40.12.32|AUTODETECT|” Matt. 12:32) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.29|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.3.29|AUTODETECT|” Mark 3:29) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.4.11|AUTODETECT|” ). Jesus said that these people were on the outside 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=41.4.11|AUTODETECT|” Mark 4:11) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” ) and implied that they would be excluded from being instructed in the secrets of God s kingdom.��39�� In this setting, Jesus quoted the words of ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9-23.6.10|AUTODETECT|” Isaiah 6:9 10) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 .) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.11.20|AUTODETECT|” Paul expounded the Scriptures to the Jews in Rome and at the end of the day realized that many Jews refused to adopt the messianic truths fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He knew that these people would continue to harden their hearts and cut themselves off from the living God. In his opinion, these Jews could be compared with natural olive branches that were broken off the olive tree stands for the true Israel because they had died a spiritual death. Paul says that because of unbelief they were broken off 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=45.11.20|AUTODETECT|” Rom. 11:20) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=62.5.16|AUTODETECT|” ). Persistent unbelief leads to hardening of the heart. Hardening of the heart leads to apostasy and the sin that leads to death 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=62.5.16|AUTODETECT|” I John 5:16) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 3 2 8 0 0 ) Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 28:23 29) Verse 23) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=57.1.22|AUTODETECT|” �t� ������ the primary meaning is hospitality or entertainment. The secondary meaning is guest room, which is the preferable translation for the two places in which this word occurs in the New Testament 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=57.1.22|AUTODETECT|” Philem. 22) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 2 2 8 0 0 �������� the imperfect middle of the verb ������� (I explain) is followed by two participles that express manner or mode: ��������������� (by testifying) and ������ (by persuading). The imperfect denotes continued action. Its use predominates in this section (see vv. 24 and 25).) Verses 26 27) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9|AUTODETECT|” The reading of the Septuagint differs slightly from the Hebrew text in the introductory sentence: Go and tell this people 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=23.6.9|AUTODETECT|” Isa. 6:9) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ) and Go to this people and say (v. 26).) 1 11 2 8 0 0 The clauses in verse 27 are in the literary sequence a b c, c b a. The sequence serves to emphasize the message.) The use of the future tense 0������ (I will heal) instead of the aorist active subjunctive 0������ is due to confusion of the Greek vowels � and �. These two letters are quite similar in sound.) Verses 28 29) �����x� ��� let it be known. This solemn phrase is common in formal speeches. See 2:14; 4:10; 13:38.) The Majority Text adopted the expansion of the Western text in verse 29: And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves (NKJV; see KJV). Translators favor the exclusion of this verse.) ) ) d.

Conclusion) 28:30 31) Throughout the second half of Acts, Luke portrays Paul as the leading figure. The reader would be tempted to think that Luke has written a biography of this apostle. This is not the case, for the book fails to relate the demise of Paul. Luke composes a history, not of Paul, but of the spread of the gospel. He concludes the Book of Acts by showing that Paul presented the teachings of Jesus boldly and without hindrance.) 30. Paul stayed for two full years in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to him. 31.

Boldly and unhindered he was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.1.19|AUTODETECT|” a. Paul stayed for two full years. With the time reference, Luke provides the last biographical note on Paul. He fails to disclose Paul s release, subsequent travels, second imprisonment, and death. We know from his epistles that Paul expected to be released from prison 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.1.19|AUTODETECT|” Phil. 1:19) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.1.25|AUTODETECT|” , ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.1.25|AUTODETECT|” 25) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.2.24|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.2.24|AUTODETECT|” 2:24) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=57.1.22|AUTODETECT|” ) and would need lodging in Colosse 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=57.1.22|AUTODETECT|” Philem. 22) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=54.1.3|AUTODETECT|” ). The pastoral Epistles include references to places that are not mentioned in Acts. Hence we conclude that Paul must have traveled to Ephesus and Macedonia 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=54.1.3|AUTODETECT|” I Tim. 1:3) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=54.3.14|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=54.3.14|AUTODETECT|” 3:14) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=56.3.12|AUTODETECT|” ), Nicopolis 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=56.3.12|AUTODETECT|” Titus 3:12) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=55.4.13|AUTODETECT|” ), and Troas 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=55.4.13|AUTODETECT|” II Tim. 4:13) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=55.4.6|AUTODETECT|” ). And finally, in his last epistle he writes that his execution is at hand 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=55.4.6|AUTODETECT|” II Tim. 4:6) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 5 2 8 0 0 If Luke had known of Paul s return to the congregation at Ephesus, he certainly would have written a different ending to the emotional farewell of the Ephesian elders (20:38). Luke apparently composed Acts during Paul s imprisonment and completed it soon after his release (see the Introduction for the date of Acts).) We are unable to say why Paul was imprisoned for two years in the capital city. Scholars have suggested that, because his accusers failed to come to Rome for Paul s trial within a two-year period, Paul was released.��40�� But we have no evidence that his case was dropped by default. Roman tradition & is that the prosecutor must prosecute. The protection of the accused person lay not in any provision for an automatic release if his accusers were absent, but in the severity of the sanctions against defaulting prosecutors. ��41�� Further, in case of a just cause or the death of a prosecutor, the accused could request dismissal of the charges against him. Even then, Roman lawmakers were reluctant to cancel charges.��42�� In other words, if Paul s accusers never presented themselves in Rome, Paul would remain a prisoner.

At the end of the two years, Nero may have released him.) b. [Paul stayed] in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to him. Another translation reads at his own expense (RSV). The Vulgate has the same rendering: in suo conducto (on his own resources). The crux of the matter lies in the Greek word misthMma, which means either rent (active) or what is rented (passive).��43��) Luke writes that Paul stayed and not that he lived, by which he implies that Paul remained a prisoner in separate living quarters. Paul fulfilled his task of preaching and teaching the gospel to all the people who came to visit him. He simply lacked the time to supply his financial needs, for which, we presume, he depended on his friends.) c.

Boldly, he was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke completes the Book of Acts on a note of triumph. Paul preaches the kingdom of God and teaches about Jesus to anyone coming to his house. In addition to some of the Jews in Rome, numerous Gentiles came to him. Indeed, he was the appointed apostle to the Gentiles.) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=46.12.3|AUTODETECT|” The word boldly signifies that Paul enjoyed complete freedom to preach and teach Christ s gospel. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he could speak with authority to all his visitors and expect to see results in his ministry. The two clauses ( preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ ) are synonymous and support each other. With the combination Lord Jesus Christ, Luke gives voice to the early Christian confession that Jesus is Lord 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=46.12.3|AUTODETECT|” I Cor. 12:3) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ), in opposition to the Roman maxim Caesar is Lord. And with respect to the Jews, he testifies that Jesus is the Christ.) 1 3 2 8 0 0 d. Unhindered. This word, the last in the original text, is telling. Luke suggests that the Roman government placed no restrictions on the spread of the gospel throughout Rome and the empire. With this word, which because of its place in the Greek text is emphatic, Luke describes the openness of the state toward the church. Paul was vindicated and the charges leveled against him by the Jews were false.��44�� From Paul s rented house the gospel went forth to the end of the world. And after his release, he continued his travels for the sake of the gospel.) ) Mission Headquarters��45��) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.1.13|AUTODETECT|” I am sure that while Paul lived in his house with a soldier guarding him that his daily conversation was not about the weather. Instead he introduced the soldier to Jesus Christ, taught him the truths of Christ s gospel, and instilled in him a saving knowledge of Jesus. As in any army, a soldier in the Roman army was frequently transferred. If we assume that the soldier who guarded Paul became a Christian and was posted to another part of the Roman empire, Paul would indeed send forth a missionary 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.1.13|AUTODETECT|” Phil. 1:13) 1 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.4.22|AUTODETECT|” ; ) 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=50.4.22|AUTODETECT|” 4:22) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ).) 1 1 2 8 0 “tw://bible.?id=55.4.9-55.4.12|AUTODETECT|” How many soldiers guarded Paul in that two-year period? And how many missionaries did Paul send into the world? We are not told, but we are confident that Paul s rented house in Rome indeed became mission headquarters. Friends and acquaintances from many parts of the world were allowed to visit Paul. He sent them forth with the gospel of Christ 7 1 -1 9 0 “tw://bible.?id=55.4.9-55.4.12|AUTODETECT|” II Tim. 4:9 12) 1 1 -1 9 0 0 ). He also wrote the so-called prison Epistles: Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians.) 1 64 2 8 0 0 A last observation. The commissioning of missionaries from Rome to the ends of the earth proved to be the fulfillment of Jesus mandate to be witnesses both in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (1:8).) ) Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 28:30 31) The Western text adds these words to verse 30: both Jews and Greeks. And to the end of verse 31, Latin manuscripts add: saying that this is Christ Jesus, the Son of God, through whom the whole world is to be judged. The hand of a well-meaning scribe is obvious in both additions.) Summary of Chapter 28) With the crew and passengers of the wrecked freighter, Paul arrives safely on the island of Malta. Here the native people light a fire so that those drenched by the sea and chilled by wind and rain can warm themselves. Paul gathers a bundle of branches which he throws into the flames; a snake, driven out by the heat, puts its fangs in Paul s hand.

Paul shakes the reptile off into the fire. The islanders expect him to swell up or fall dead; when nothing happens to Paul, they regard him as a god.) Paul heals the father of Publius from fever and dysentery. As a consequence, many sick people come to Paul and he heals them. After waiting for three months and receiving many supplies from the islanders, Paul and his friends board an Alexandrian vessel and sail to Italy. They land at Puteoli, where Paul stays with Christian friends for one week. Then they travel on foot to the Forum of Appius and to the Three Taverns.

At these two places Christians from Rome come to welcome Paul. When they arrive in Rome, Paul is permitted to live separately with a soldier guarding him.) After three days, Paul invites the Jewish leaders in Rome to his dwelling. He informs them about his arrest in Jerusalem and his imprisonment by the Romans. The leaders tell him that they have not received any letters or messengers concerning charges against Paul. They are willing to learn about the religion of the Christians. With numerous fellow Jews they come to Paul s quarters.

Paul explains to them the teachings of the kingdom of God and of Jesus and tries to convince them from the Scriptures. Some believe, but others reject his instruction. Paul quotes from the prophecy of Isaiah and tells the unbelieving Jews that God s salvation is now sent to the Gentiles, who will listen to the gospel. For two years Paul stays in his rented house and without hindrance teaches the gospel to everyone who visits him.) ) ) ) ) 1 Diodorus Siculus 5.12.) 2 Attempts to link the word Melita with an island called Mljet in the Adriatic Sea prove to be unconvincing. See the discussions by Angus Acworth, Where Was St. Paul Shipwrecked?

A Reexamination of the Evidence, JTS n.s. 24 (1973): 190 93; and Colin J. Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, ed. Conrad H. Gempf (T�bingen: Mohr, 1989), p. 141 n. 115.) 3 In succeeding verses, the pronouns we and us seem to refer to believers (vv. 7, 10). The KJV and NKJV, on the basis of the Majority Text, have the translation they in v. 1.) 4 Consult Theodor Zahn, Die Apostelgeschichte des Lucas, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament series, 2 vols. (Leipzig: Deichert, 1921), vol. 2, pp. 841, 844. See also A.

M. Honeyman, Two Semitic lnscriptions from Malta, PEQ 93 (1961): 151 53.) 5 John Albert Bengel asserts that the islanders saw his chains. Gnomon of the New Testament, ed. Andrew R. Fausset, 5 vols. (Edinburgh: Clark, 1877), vol. 2, p. 728.) 6 Hans Conzelmann doubts the historical accuracy of the account; he writes that the author puts these words into the mouth of the natives. Acts of the Apostles, trans.

James Limburg, A. Thomas Kraabel, and Donald H. Juel (1963; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987), p. 223.) 7 Statyllius Flaccus Palatine Anthology 7.290.) 8 Consult John Calvin, Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, ed. David W. Torrance and Thomas F. Torrance, 2 vols. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966), vol. 2, p. 298.) 9 Everett F.

Harrison, Interpreting Acts: The Expanding Church, 2d ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Academie Books, 1986), p. 424.) 10 Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 3d corrected ed. (London and New York: United Bible Societies, 1975), p. 500.) 11 Bauer, p. 361; Lake and Cadbury, Beginnings, vol. 4, p. 342.) 12 C. F. D. Moule, An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek, 2d ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1960), p. 163.) LXX Septuagint) 13 See Zahn, Apostelgeschichte des Lucas, vol. 2, p. 846 n. 5.) 14 Colin J. Hemer, First Person Narrative in Acts 27 28, TynB 36 (1985): 79 109, esp. p. 100.

See also his Book of Acts, p. 153 n. 152.) 15 Moule, Idiom-Book, p. 62.) 16 Compare Josephus Antiquities 20.3.3 [68].) 17 Consult Pliny the Elder Natural History 2.122. February 7 or 8 was the earliest date for coastal sailing.) 18 Hemer, Book of Acts, p. 154.) 19 Josephus War 2.7.1 [104]; Antiquities 17.12.1 [328]. The Greeks called the harbor city Dicaearchia. See Josephus Life 16; Strabo Geography 5.4; 17.1.) 20 Compare the following translations: Then on to Rome we went (MLB), And so to Rome (NEB), And so we went toward Rome (NKJV).) NIV New International Version) 21 Josephus writes that the entire Jewish community in Rome went out to meet an impostor who claimed to be Alexander, son of Herod the Great. Antiquities 17.12.1 [324 31].) 22 Horace Satires 1.5.4 (LCL).) 23 Cicero Letters to Atticus 1.13.1.; 2.10; 2.12.2; 2.13.1.) 24 The Western text has an expansion that the Majority Text adopts: When we arrived at Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard (NKJV; KJV). See Metzger, Textual Commentary, p. 501; Albert C.

Clark, The Acts of the Apostles: A Critical Edition with Introduction and Notes on Selected Passages (1933; Oxford: Clarendon, 1970), pp. 386 88; William M. Ramsay, St. Paul The traveller and the Roman Citizen (1897; reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Baker, 1962), pp. 347 48, 362.) 25 Friedrich Blass and Albert Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, trans. and rev. Robert Funk (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961), #198.7.) NKJV New King James Version) NAB New American Bible) NEB New English Bible) RSV Revised Standard Version) 26 Refer to Metzger, Textual Commentary, p. 501.) 27 Consult George A. Van Alstine, Dispersion, ISBE, vol. 1, pp. 964 65; Leo Levi, Italy, Encyclopaedia Judaica, vol. 9, p. 1116.) 28 Emil Sch�rer, The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (175 b.c. a.d. 135), rev. and ed. Geza Vermes and Fergus Millar, 3 vols. (Edinburgh: Clark, 1973 87), vol. 3, pp. 96 100.) 29 See the Greek text of 2:29, 37; 7:2, 26; 13:15, 26, 38; 15:7, 13; 22:1; 23:1, 6; 28:17.) 30 A.

N. Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (1963; reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Baker, 1968), p. 66.) 31 Robert Hanna, A Grammatical Aid to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983), p. 251.) 32 Suetonius Claudius 25.4.) 33 Consult Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law, p. 52.) 34 Josephus Antiquities 13.5.9 [171]; Life 10; 12; 191.) 35 These two expressions appear to be synonymous in Acts. See Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1981), p. 429.) 36 Refer to Calvin, Acts of the Apostles, vol. 2, p. 309.) 37 On the basis of the Majority Text, the KJV and NKJV have the pronoun our.) 38 Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, trans. James Martin, 2 vols. (1877; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1954). vol. 1, p. 201.) 39 William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark, New International Commentary on the New Testament series (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), p. 159.) KJV King James Version (= Authorized Version)) 40 Consult, e.g., H. J.

Cadbury, Roman Law and the Trial of Paul, Beginnings, vol. 5, pp. 325 36.) 41 Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law, p. 114.) 42 Sherwin-White (ibid., p. 117) argues that Cadbury (Beginnings, vol. 5, p. 330) fails to prove his point.) 43 Bauer, p. 523.) 44 Refer to Gerhard Delling, Das Letzte Wort der Apostelgeschichte, NovT 15 (1973): 193 204.) 45 Compare the similar section in the commentary on 24:23.)