INTRODUCTION
Paul finally meets the Jews and Christians addressed in his letter to Rome, written some three years prior, probably around 57 A.D., and picks up with his theme of the “hope of Israel” from the Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Luke summarizes this hope as the Kingdom of God.
And just as Paul had previously explained in his letter, part of the plan was for this Kingdom to go to the Gentiles, ultimately in order to provoke the Jews to jealousy, so they would ultimately believe in the Messiah and come back into His Kingdom for the salvation of the world.
The Text: “And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans…” (Acts 28:17-31).
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT
Only three days after arriving in Rome, Paul invited the Jewish leaders to meet with him so that he could explain why he had arrived as a prisoner (Acts 28:17-20). They explained that they had not received any letters or testimony from the Jews in Judea and asked Paul to explain his teachings (Acts 28:21-22).
On a set day, when Paul explained the Kingdom of God from the Old Testament and how Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises, some believed and some did not (Acts 28:23-24). Paul reminded them of the warning of Isaiah that when Israel refused God’s Word, His salvation would go to the Gentiles (Acts 28:25-29). And Paul continued preaching the Kingdom of God for two years, with all confidence, completely unhindered (Acts 28:30-31).
THE REST OF THE STORY
According to tradition, and assuming Paul kept his plans, after those two years in Rome, he went to Spain and preached the gospel there around 62 A.D. (Rom. 15:24, 28). The Romen Emperor Nero became increasingly erratic and bitter against the Christians, and when Rome was set on fire in 64 A.D. (probably by Nero), he blamed the Christians and began a brutal persecution of them. Early church fathers record that Paul was imprisoned again during this time, and wrote his second letter to Timothy (believed to be his last): “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8). He is believed to have been martyred by beheading around 67 A.D. Chrysostom said of Paul, “Rome received him bound, and saw him crowned and proclaimed conqueror.”
THE KINGDOM & HOPE OF ISRAEL
Paul’s message to the Jewish leaders was the same we have heard: the hope of Israel and the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22, 19:8, 20:25, 26:6-7).
In the book of Daniel, Belshazzar dreamed of four beasts that represented four kingdoms, and their dominion was taken away, “And I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13-14). And after that “the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever” (Dan. 7:18).
Many people misunderstand this because they miss the article “to,” – the one like the Son of man came “to” the Ancient of Days. This happened at the Ascension of Jesus, when all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Him (cf. Mt. 28:18). When was the Kingdom of God established? Jesus came, He came preaching the gospel “good news” that the Kingdom of God was “near” and “at hand” (Mt. 4:17, 23). The Kingdom has come, and the Kingdom is coming, and it will fill the whole world.
APPLICATIONS
Luke closes the book of Acts saying that Paul remained in Rome for two years, receiving everyone who came to him, “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (Acts 28:31).
The last two words (in Greek) “confidently, unhindered.” These are the marks of the Kingdom: bold and unstoppable.
The word for “bold” means plain and clear speech. This marked the preaching of Peter and John: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled…” (Acts 4:13). This boldness/plainness is what the apostles prayed for (Acts 4:29), and when the Holy Spirit filled them, this was exactly how they spoke (Acts 4:31).
This boldness is tied to the fact that they believed that the promise of the Kingdom had in fact come in the person and work of Jesus: that God had set His King on His throne forever and now all the nations will come and submit to Him (Ps. 2).
The Kingdom of God is the establishment of the Lordship of Christ over every area of life. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). This means the establishment of churches, families, and civil government in obedience to Christ. But from these central governments flow education, business, economics, and all the arts. This will happen because Christ has purchased it all with His blood.
But one of the central means that God intends to use is godly jealousy. Just as the gospel has gone from the Jews to the Gentiles in order to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Rom. 11:11), so too all are called to provoke one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). Do you see the blessing of God on another marriage? Do you see the blessing of God on another family, on another business? Will you despair or will you believe?