Thursday: The Victory of the Gospel
On a set day, the Jews came in large numbers to hear Paul’s presentation of the gospel (Acts 28:23).
Read Acts 28:24-31. What was Paul’s point in quoting Isaiah in this context?
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The quotation from Isaiah 6:9-10 describes what happens when people refuse to accept the divine message. Though some Jews believed, others didn’t, and so, because of this great dispute, the apostle had no choice but once again to turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46-47; Acts 18:6).
Paul had to wait two years to be tried by the emperor. Meanwhile, though restricted to his house-prison, he was still able to share the gospel without hindrance with those who came to him. The last scene of Acts is one that emphasizes the victory of the gospel, as no force, whether Jewish or Roman, had been able to stop its progress.
It is not clear why Luke finishes his book at this point, as there is evidence that, due to the weakness of the case against Paul, he was released from this imprisonment, went on another missionary journey, and was again taken to Rome and executed (2 Tim. 4:6-8). Perhaps, from the standpoint of Luke’s literary purpose, by having been preached even in distant Rome, the gospel had already reached the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV).
“Paul’s patience and cheerfulness during his long and unjust imprisonment, his courage and faith, were a continual sermon. His spirit, so unlike the spirit of the world, bore witness that a power higher than that of earth was abiding with him. And by his example, Christians were impelled to greater energy as advocates of the cause from the public labors of which Paul had been withdrawn. In these ways were the apostle’s bonds influential, so that when his power and usefulness seemed cut off, and to all appearance he could do the least, then it was that he gathered sheaves for Christ in fields from which he seemed wholly excluded.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 464.
From the standpoint of the church’s mission, however, it could be said that the book of Acts—or the history of the spreading of the gospel—is not yet finished, and it is here that each one of us enters the picture. Many more exciting and dramatic chapters have been written throughout the centuries, sometimes with the blood of God’s faithful witnesses. Now it is our turn to add one more chapter, the last one (we hope!), and bring the mission Jesus left with the disciples to its full completion—“and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14, NKJV).
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There is no end to story because of book of Acts is our story.
The Word of God will continue to spread to the ends of the earth.
This gospel will be preached to the ends of the earth, then the end will come.
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Let us hold on to our faith.
Thank you
After the Journey to Rome,did Paul make another missionary Journey?
" That there was a trial in Rome (2 Tim 4:16-17)that Paul was released and Went to Crete (Titus1:5) Corinth and Miletus (2 Tim 4:20) Troas(2 Tim 4:13) and many other places.
Where was Paul when he wrote the book of second Timothy? Was this book recording daily events or past events?
Paul is Still in Rome, in Chains,his friends left him,only Luke remained,now he needed Timothy and Mark to join him and bring a coat and some books.(2 Tim 1:6,2:9, 4:13,21, 1:17, 4:6-8) If he was arrested a second time what wrong had he done? Why is Paul silent about his release and second arrest in all his books? Should we trust the tradition of men?
I need to learn patience! Sometimes we want things our own way, but God knows better. And we have to wait! Paul had to wait, but with this He was able to preach the Good News in Rome.
God, forgive me when I do not accept Your ways!
As you I meditate on Matt.24:14, I find that the Holy Spirit is using modern disciples ( Seventh Day Adventist Church Members) to write another chapter which Luke did not write titled " The Acts of the Holy Spirit in S D A Church Members Finishing The Gospel Commission In The End Times" It is my sincere prayer that Jesus Christ refines,uses and unites us towards the gospel Commission.
Can anyone tells us which of Paul's books & letters were written while he was a prisoner? Do we benefit by having Paul's sermons in writing because of his chains?
- Philippians (1:7, 13, 17; 2:24), Colossians (4:10, 18), Ephesians (6:20), Philemon (1:9): first imprisonment (Acts 28).
- II Timothy (4:6-8): second imprisonment.
The idea of Paul's second imprisonment does not appear in the Bible. It is just like the idea that Peter visited Rome and became the first Pope. Paul when writing the book of second Timothy is in prison in Rome. He's writing of past events not daily events. Timothy had ministered alongside Paul for duration of both the second and third missionary journeys in places such as Troas, Philippi and Corinth. He was not unfamiliar to Ephesus when he settled there as a young pastor.
In this letter Paul is telling Timothy look I'm still in chains (2 Tim 1:6, 2:9) in a dungeon (2 Tim 4:13,21) his friends struggled to locate him(2 Tim 1:17)luke was the only one left with him (2 Tim 4:11) that he needed Timothy and Mark to join him as soon as possible and to bring the coat and some books (2Tim 4:13) now that Paul expected that his life was coming to an end (2 Tim 4:6-8)
The idea of second imprisonment is a tradition of men, with Clement AD 95 claiming that Paul was set free and went to the farthest limits of the West. Muratorian Canon AD 180 claimed that Paul went from Rome to Spain. The evidence that Paul was set free and rearrested does not exist in the Bible. What the Bible has revealed is enough for our salvation. Let's stick to it.
While your comment about the Bible being enough for our salvation, that does not apply to historical information. There are other sources of information about historical events that we can use providing we apply the usual tests for credibility. I am not making a judgment on the credibility of the sources you quote about Paul's post-Rome experiences, but we can use sources of information to better our understanding. In fact the period from ~60AD to ~350AD is useful if we want to understand the development of the eqrly church herisies. None of that is recorded in Scriptuure, yet there are lessons in this period for the modern church.
A few comments seem necessary.
1. To say that Paul’s imprisonment in Rome mentioned in Acts 28 was the first (of two) has nothing to do with salvation, nor does it compromise the authority of the Bible. It is just a matter of historical reconstruction.
2. However, we do have biblical evidence to suggest two imprisonments:
(a) From the very beginning, the Roman authorities understood that Paul was not guilty of any crime (Acts 23:29; 25:25; 26:30-32), and this is what Festus might have said in his report to Nero. This explains why Paul was allowed to rent a private dwelling in Rome while awaiting for this trial, instead of being sent to a regular prison, which seems to be the case in 2 Tim 4:13, 21.
(b) While in house-prison, Paul anticipates his release (Phil 1:19, 25-26; 2:24), differently from what we see in 2 Tim 4:6-8. In Philemon, he even makes plans to visit this friend in Colossae (Phlm 1:22).
(c) It is just impossible to locate the travel information found in the Pastorals (Titus 1:5; 1 Tim 1:3; 2 Tim 4:12-13, 20; Titus 3:12) within the framework of Acts. But, it fits Phlm 1:22, since Colossae was not far from Ephesus. So, Paul’s journey after being released would have been to the east, around the Aegean sea: Crete, Miletus, Ephesus, Colossae, Troas, Macedonia, Corinth, Nicopolis.
(d) Paul’s first imprisonment (AD 60-62) was before the great fire of Rome (AD 64), when Nero was not yet ill-disposed towards Christians. After AD 64, things changed drastically, which could explain Paul’s second arrest and execution around AD 67.
3. There is no trace in the Bible of Paul actually going to Spain. The references to a possible journey there found in the writings of some church fathers may be nothing more than inferences taken from Rom 16:22-29. Paul’s first journey after being released was to the east, not to the west. So, the hypothesis of two imprisonments is not really impossible.
L. Aguirre, thank you for that info re Paul writing while in prison
This is great news fellow believers..... your life is going to be featured in the last chapter of the book of Acts...Wow!!...how would it read? Please review urgently and make corrections before it goes to the printers.
“There is nothing the world needs so much as the manifestation through humanity of the Savior’s love. All heaven is waiting for men and women through whom God can reveal the power of Christianity.”_ AA. p. 600
2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV)
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season...
How Paul was a devoted man!! Despite his trials, he allowed God to use him. He stayed firm and trustful to God, whether the time was favorable or unfavorable. It is a powerful lesson for me, it is a reminder when I start giving my excuses.
May God empower me!
"The last scene of Acts is one that emphasizes the victory of the gospel, as no force, whether Jewish or Roman, had been able to stop its progress."
Implied is victory related to its proclamation. How about victory related to personal application? IS 6:9&10 reveals lack of victory.
What about those who receive the gospel?
Do they have complete victory over sin or is that, as many teach, an impossibility in this life?
RE: Jews in Rome reaction to Paul's preaching to them...
Sadly, today we have some SDA leaders and members who exhibit some of the same hardness of heart that the Jewish people were guilty of... SOP warnings that these things will happen in the church before the 2nd coming of Jesus and the end of this present world should be a wake up call to all believers!
It’s all too easy to make general allegations about the state of the church and it’s leaders but what is the solution?
The solution is in the bible. There needs to be a reformation in teaching methods. Remember the reaction of the audience to Jesus' teaching in the end of Matt 7? Also some who were sent to arrest Jesus, said, "Never man spake like this man."
Gentiles were so impressed at what Paul presented in ACTS 13:42 that almost a whole city showed up the next sabbath.
I find some of the comments on today's lesson disconcerting. Scripture is not the only reliable record of history we have. Certainly we should question the accuracy of records which disagree with scripture. But I don't think God wants us to stick our heads in the sand and pretend that nothing happened that wasn't recorded in scripture. There is a large difference between those two. While it has no impact on salvation whether Paul was imprisoned once or twice, it is still interesting history. In a parallel, Peter's demise was predicted by Christ in John 21, but the actual details are not found in scripture--only in other historical documents. The book of Acts represents the end of NT Biblical history in any orderly fashion. Even the details of what John did on the island of Patmos (besides writing the book of Revelation) are not found in scripture.
Those among us who hold such a narrow view that we cannot learn anything from sources other than scripture do us all a disservice, and actually bring disgrace to the cause of God by their bigoted ignorance. Maybe they should have glimpsed into Ellen White's library and seen the hundreds of books she read, some of which strongly influenced things she wrote.
Peter never visited Rome as a church leader but as a prisoner like Paul.so Paul was never a Pope as my brother put it thanks