# 60: 5-30-08 1

Acts 28:11-31

We have come to the end of the book of Acts – which we have seen to be the actions of the Spirit of Jesus
through the members of His Body – the acts of the Holy Spirit. In the final act of His book, the Holy Spirit
has shown the progression of the gospel to the heart of the Roman Empire, as well as been unfolding a
picture that takes us beyond the scope of this book.

In chapter 27, we have seen a picture of the Church Age – the history of the church following the days of
the apostles until the church is taken up to be with her Lord. The focus there is primarily on the impact of
the Word of God on the professing church – Christendom – among so-called civilized nations.

Chapter 28 continues the picture, showing the Word of God penetrating to the uttermost parts of the earth –
to what might be termed uncivilized peoples – who give the gospel a warm reception. In the final part of
chapter 28, we will see the effect of the Word of God as it continues to be proclaimed until the Last Days.

First, let’s take a look at the conclusion of Paul’s voyage to Rome. Remember that Paul had been
shipwrecked on the island of Malta with 275 other men, including the centurion, Julius, who was in charge
of Paul, his soldiers and other prisoners, as well as the sailors from the ship.

This group spent the winter on the island, during which time Paul had been healing all of the natives who
were in need of it. Paul was undoubtedly preaching the gospel to them, as well, so that the natives could be
made whole – spirit, soul and body.

The natives honored Paul and his brethren, Luke and Aristarchus, and provided for their needs as they
continued their journey by sea. The winter now passed, the seas had again become safe for travel, and
Julius arranged for their passage to Italy.

v. 11 The mild weather of spring had finally come, and the seas once again were no longer a danger.
Although mare clausum, closed sea, was officially considered to be the period between November 10 and
March 10, in actuality, the seas could open for navigation as early as February 8, depending on weather.

As the shipwrecked men had spent just three months on Malta, and were probably at sea for a month or a
bit more before their shipwreck, it would seem that they were traveling again around this earlier date, in
February. The year was most likely 60 AD.

On the other side of the island from the shipwreck, there was a harbor where ships regularly docked, in
Valetta. Another Alexandrian grain ship of the emperor’s fleet had spent the winter in this harbor. It is
most likely that this ship was empty, and was intending to proceed on to Alexandria once the seas opened,
to take on its cargo of grain there. But using his imperial authority, Julius was able to secure this ship for
passage of his party back to Italy.

It is interesting to note that Luke tells us the name of this ship – for he has never mentioned the name of
any other. The figurehead of the ship denoted the vessel’s name. This figurehead was the Twin Brothers.
The name of the ship was the Dioscuroi – the heavenly twins.

Who were these twins? They were Castor and Pollux, Zeus’ twin sons by the woman Leda, according to
Greek mythology; and they were believed to protect sailors. In fact, they were considered the patron
deities of sailors.
# 60: 5-30-08 2

Castor and Pollux were called the heavenly twins because, according to the myth, they were translated to
heaven after their death and made constellations. There they received honors, and were called the sons of
Zeus. There actually are two stars in a certain constellation, which are named Castor and Pollux. If the
superstitious sailors from the first voyage were traveling back to Rome on this vessel, they would have
considered this to be a most fortunate sign, a protection for their sea journey.

v. 12-14 The ship made port at Syracuse, on the east coast of Sicily – the large island that is part of Italy,
off the tip of “the boot” (see map). The ship stayed there three days, perhaps because the south wind which
had brought them from Malta had fallen.

When the ship resumed its journey, it “circled round”, meaning it sailed on a somewhat irregular course,
due to unfavorable winds. Then they pulled into port in Rhegium, and awaited a reliable south wind to
carry them through the Straits of Messina, lest they should founder on the rock and whirlpool there.

This wind came up within a day, and they successfully passed through the strait, making port the next day
in Puteoli. They had accomplished 180 nautical miles in less than two days’ time at sea.

Puteoli was Italy’s principle port of southern Italy, located in the bay of Naples. This was also the main
port of the Alexandrian grain fleet, and so was as far as this ship would take the party of Julius.

The Jewish community of Puteoli was the oldest in Italy, after that in Rome. As we see that Paul and his
companions found brethren in Puteoli, it is likely that this city had been evangelized in years past by the
community of believers in Rome.

When the brethren learned that some fellow believers had arrived in Puteoli, they offered the men an
invitation to stay with them – and the men did so for seven days. It is possible that the brethren of Puteoli
even knew who these believers were – they may have heard news of the shipwreck, and discovered that
Paul and his associates were aboard.

Do you think it likely that the brethren in Puteoli extended their hospitality to the other shipwrecked men?
I think that’s very likely, since these men were without means – and since Paul was a prisoner of Julius, it
would have been the best way to secure Paul’s company – although Julius had already demonstrated that he
trusted Paul enough to allow him to go ashore with just a guard.

This hospitality was surely found to be most surprising by those who did not believe, yet certainly would
have been most welcome. But how remarkable, that the group stayed seven days – you would think that the
centurion would have wanted to get on with his official business!

But Julius not only trusted Paul; he had come to respect him, after their perilous voyage at sea together.
And Julius, no doubt, felt indebted to Paul, for delivering all the men from death at sea. So could it be
possible that Julius wanted to return the favor to Paul, and grant him this time of fellowship, sequestered
among his brethren, knowing what awaited Paul in Rome? Perhaps this is even an indication that Julius
had come to the point where he now was a partaker of that fellowship as well!

After seven days, the centurion and his party set out for Rome. A few miles outside of Puteoli, their road
would have merged with the Appian Way, a famous artery that led northward to Rome.

v. 15-16 News that Paul had arrived in Italy preceded him. The brethren in Puteoli would have sent word
on ahead to those in Rome, telling them that Paul was coming.
# 60: 5-30-08 3

A delegation of the brethren in Rome actually came out of the city in order to meet Paul and his
companions. These headed south along the Appian Way, reaching the Forum of Appius, a market center
about 43 miles south of Rome. Some who left a little later got as far as Three Inns, a rest stop 30 miles
south of Rome.

Imagine what a joy it would have been for Paul to see these brethren, who had heard of his coming, and had
come out of Rome so far to meet him! He had long had a desire to come to Rome (Acts 19:21); yet it had
been three years since he had written his letter to the assembly there, telling them that he hoped to visit
them (Rm 15:22-24, 29-32). Now he was about to arrive, but in circumstances that were unforeseen at the
time.

Paul must have wondered what his reception would be like. What an encouragement it would have been
for him, to receive such a warm welcome! For this, Paul had God to thank; and so he did. Whereas Paul’s
reception would have been encouraging to him, it would have been astonishing to Julius and others – Paul
must have seemed like the most important person on earth!

Did Paul know any of these brethren? He may have. Paul concluded his letter to the assembly at Rome
with greetings to those brethren whom he knew there – he named twenty-nine of them! It’s likely that those
whom Paul knew came out to meet him, as well as those who had come to know him, through his letter. As
each successive group greeted Paul and his friends, they joined him as he made his way to Rome.

When the party finally arrived in Rome, the centurion would have conducted his group through the city to
the Castra Praetoria, the fortress on the northeastern outskirts of Rome. There he reported to the captain of
the guard – this would be the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the emperor’s elite personal guard in
Rome.

Julius then delivered his prisoners to the commander, including documents of indictment concerning them –
that is, if any managed to survive the shipwreck. This is what was customarily done with those sent from
the provinces to Rome for trial. The commander would then keep the prisoners, chained and guarded, in
the prison, until such time as their case was to be heard.

But we see that Paul was permitted to dwell by himself, like a private resident, with just a single soldier
guarding him. Later we will learn that he was not dwelling at the prison at all; he had his own lodging (v.
23, 30). Why was Paul allowed the privilege of being so free, relatively speaking? There is only one
reasonable possibility. It must be that Julius had secured this for Paul.

Based on the word of Julius concerning Paul’s character, and Paul’s exemplary conduct, especially in terms
of saving all the passengers on the ship, Julius must have secured special treatment for Paul, giving him
greater personal liberty than could normally be expected of a prisoner of Rome. The Romans did not
consider being loosely chained at the wrist to a guard, as Paul would have been, to be a punishment; it was
just a detention, until the prisoner was tried.

Note that in verse 16 the “we” narrative comes to an end. By this, we understand that Luke did not
continue with Paul in his lodging, although he did stay in Rome during Paul’s imprisonment. We know that
Luke remained in Rome because his name appears in the address of the letters to Philemon (Philemon 1)
and the assembly at Colosse (Col 1:1).
# 60: 5-30-08 4

Paul also mentions Aristarchus in his letter to the Colossians, calling him his “fellow prisoner” (Col 4:10).
It is likely that Aristarchus stayed with Paul at his lodging to provide companionship during his
confinement in Rome. Luke may well have used this time in Rome while awaiting Paul’s trial to write the
book of Acts.

v. 17-20 That’s Paul for you. Rome was not the end for Paul; it was a new beginning, another opportunity
for the Word of God to be shared. And Paul did not see limitation; he saw potential; if he could not bring
the gospel to the people, he would bring the people to the gospel.

Paul was only in Rome three days before he resumed his ministry of preaching the gospel, following his
usual pattern, addressing the Jews first. The leaders of the Jewish community, the most prominent men of
Rome’s synagogues, gathered together in Paul’s lodging to hear what he had to say.

We can be certain that Luke is summarizing what Paul said to the Jewish leaders here, and that he gave
them a fuller account of what had transpired in Jerusalem and Caesarea, including his trials, and of his
subsequent journey to Rome.

Now, why was Paul telling them this? Well, Paul expected that the Jews here would have received word
from Jerusalem about him, as Paul was being sent to Rome – and he wanted to establish the truth about
himself with the Jews in Rome.

Do you think Paul was anxious to clear his good name? No – he was just trying to establish his credibility
with these Jews, so that the gospel would receive a fair hearing by them.

Paul made it clear that he was innocent of any wrongdoing – which was also what two Roman judges had
concluded, as well as Herod Agrippa. But because the Jews would not accept the decision of the Roman
courts – though rulings were never actually issued – Paul was forced to appeal to Caesar.

Paul indicated that in appealing to Caesar, he was not judging his nation in any way, but he had been
misjudged by them, and needed to demonstrate his innocence. And then Paul spoke of the reason that all of
this was happening – it was for the hope of Israel that he was bound with this chain – at which point Paul
must have raised his chained wrist.

The hope of Israel. Paul had offered that hope to every audience he had addressed since the time he was
arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 22:14, 23:6, 24:15, 25:19, 26:6). It was the hope of every Jew – their Messiah,
who was coming to set up His kingdom on earth. And He was the hope of these Roman Jews, too.

Now, Paul knew that these Jews had certainly heard of Jesus already – the Jews in Rome had rioted several
years ago over the community of believers who claimed that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. But because the
Lord had so opened up Paul’s understanding through the Scriptures, Paul knew that the Scriptures held the
key to the Jewish mind; and so he sought the opportunity to show these Jews in Rome how Jesus fulfilled
the Scriptures concerning Messiah.

Then the Jews responded to Paul.

v. 21-23 Remarkably, the Jews in Rome had heard nothing of the charges against Paul. They probably
knew who he was, and that he preached Jesus to be the Messiah among the Gentile nations. After all, they
obviously knew that when Paul spoke of the “hope of Israel”, he was referring to Jesus – because in their
reply, they mention “this sect”, meaning those who believe in Jesus, even though Paul had never mentioned
Jesus by name.
# 60: 5-30-08 5

Even though they knew these things, the recent developments in Jerusalem were apparently unfamiliar to
them. Now, why might that be? Well, a letter or representative from Jerusalem may have been delayed by
the difficulty of travel in winter, just as Paul’s group had been.

It is apparent that the Jewish leaders in Rome had some bias against the community of believers, because of
their statement about “this sect” being spoken against everywhere – that rings of exaggeration. It was about
a decade ago that the Jews were expelled from Rome by Claudius because of the riots over those who
followed Jesus as Messiah (Acts 18:2) – and this would have caused the Jews to retain animosity against
believers.

But these leaders were careful men. And being Hellenists, they were more broad-minded than their
contemporaries in Jerusalem. They were unwilling to rashly dismiss the possibility that “this sect” might
actually have some basis.

Besides, here was the chief proponent of this sect – what better opportunity to hear a complete description
of the One in whom this sect believed? Without any word from Jerusalem to sway them, the leadership in
Rome felt they had no reason not to at least listen to Paul.

So the Jewish leaders were open to hearing Paul on the subject of Jesus, and a day was set for this purpose.
In verse 23, we read that many came to Paul at his lodging. This means that the leaders opened up the
hearing to members of their assemblies, and they came in large numbers.

Notice also in verse 23 what it was that Paul spoke to them about: he explained and solemnly testified of
the kingdom of God. The use of the term “kingdom of God” here implies that Paul was explaining the reign
of Messiah on the earth, when Jesus will return to set up His kingdom – this is the particular hope to which
Israel looked forward, since she will be the head nation.

Of course, Paul would initially have had to testify to them concerning the first coming of Jesus to the earth,
and how His life, death and resurrection fulfilled the pictures of Messiah in the Law of Moses, and the
prophecies concerning Messiah. To give you an idea of how comprehensive Paul was in his explanations
and testimony, this discussion went on from morning till evening!

Next, we read of the response of the Jews.

v. 24-28 The response was typical of what Paul had seen among the Jews, in every city where he preached
the gospel; some saw that Jesus was a fulfillment of their Scriptures, and was indeed their Messiah; and
others hardened their hearts in unbelief.

The response that Paul made communicates that the majority did not believe, for he quoted a passage from
Isaiah, which speaks of the unbelief of the nation. At that time long ago, Isaiah had been called by the LORD
to his ministry, to prophecy to the nation. The LORD was warning Isaiah not to expect a favorable response
from the people to whom he was sent.

The idea being communicated is that there are none so deaf as those who will not hear; and none so blind as
those who will not see. The LORD cannot heal them, for they will not turn to Him to be healed. You may
remember that Jesus also pronounced these same words against the nation (Mt 13:13-15) – for unbelief was
the sad characteristic of the nation of Israel throughout its generations – until the final generation, in the
last days.
# 60: 5-30-08 6

And this is what we have seen all through the book of Acts: the nation rejected Jesus as her Messiah, while
individually, there were members of the nation who chose to believe. But they had to come out of their
unbelieving nation in order to come to Jesus.

Paul pronounced the judgment of God on the unbelievers among the Jews with a solemn finality: the
salvation of God was passing them by; it would now be sent to the Gentiles, and they would hear with their
ears, and see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and be healed of their sin-sickness. The
unbelieving nation was left behind; God’s salvation went out to the Gentiles.

v. 29 Many manuscripts omit this verse, but it certainly would describe what happened after Paul spoke
his final words to them.

v. 30-31 Luke concludes the book of Acts describing the liberty that Paul had to preach and teach in
Rome; no one forbade him. Notice that the term “kingdom of God” is used again here. Luke writes that
Paul preached the kingdom of God; what does he normally say that Paul preached? Paul preached the
gospel. Again, Luke’s language looks toward the last days, and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth;
it’s the gospel of the kingdom.

Paul not only preached; he taught those who placed their faith in Jesus, as well – so that they could come to
better know their Lord. Now, who would his audience have been? Jews, or Gentiles? Both; but
principally, Gentiles – as we saw by his parting words to the Jews.

So in Rome, the Word of God was going out to the Gentiles - the nations. And it did so freely; there was no
restriction on visitations to Paul, and apparently no restrictions on what he taught. This went on for two
full years, while Paul continued to reside in his own private house, renting it at his own expense. We can
be sure that the Roman brethren provided the means for Paul to rent the house.

What else went on during these two years? We don’t know exactly; Luke doesn’t say. We do know from
internal evidence that Paul wrote some letters, both to individuals and to assemblies, during his
imprisonment in Rome.

Four of these letters have been preserved, and are a part of the NT: Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, and
Philippians. We don’t know exactly when these letters were written, and in what order; and it’s not
essential to know. But the content of these letters is most essential to the believer, and most precious.

Paul wrote a personal letter during his Roman imprisonment to a believer in Colosse named Philemon. The
letter concerned Philemon’s slave, who had run away and come to Paul in Rome, but whom had
subsequently become a believer; Paul was encouraging Philemon to receive this slave back as a brother in
Christ.

At the time of Paul writing this, Timothy, Aristarchus and Luke are all mentioned as being present with
Paul in Rome, as well as several other believers, including John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas, who was
by this time restored to the ministry, and was named by Paul as his fellow laborer in Rome (Philemon 1,
24).

Sometime after this letter to Philemon, Paul wrote another to the whole assembly at Colosse – an assembly
that Paul had never met (Col 2:1). This is a letter of doctrine, which was to be circulated among the
churches in the province of Asia (Col 4:16).
# 60: 5-30-08 7

A primary emphasis of the letter to the Colossians is heaven’s perspective of Jesus as God the Son, the
Head of the Body of Christ, the church. The letter also contains warnings against false teachings, and
exhortations to live the life that Christ died to give them.

Timothy, Aristarchus, John Mark and Luke were all present with Paul when this letter was written (Col 1:1,
4:10, 14). Tychicus, one of the delegates who had accompanied Paul to Jerusalem with the offering from
the Gentile assemblies, was also present with Paul in Rome, and served to deliver this letter with news of
Paul to the assembly (Col 4:7-8).

Paul also wrote a letter to the assembly in Ephesus, whom he knew well, having spent three years among
them; nonetheless, the letter is not one with a personal tone, but was one of doctrine, like that to the
Colossian assembly, with the intent that it would be circulated to other assemblies in Asia.

Where the weight of the letter to the Colossians is on Jesus as the Head of the church, the emphasis of the
letter to the Ephesians is on the Body that is in Christ – church, from heaven’s perspective. Paul then wrote
of how that Body was to conduct itself, in living in this world. Tychicus also served as messenger for Paul
with this letter to the assembly (Eph 6:21).

Finally, Paul’s letter to the assembly in Philippi reflects his close, personal relationship with that assembly;
and their mutual love, one for the other. We see in this letter that Timothy was also at this time with Paul
(Phil 1:1). The assembly in Philippi continued to minister to Paul’s material needs, sending support for him
while he was in Rome (Phil 2:30, 4:18).

In this letter, we also see Paul’s perspective on his imprisonment; that what has happened to him actually
turned out for the furtherance of the gospel (Phil 1:12), for the gospel made new inroads in Rome at this
time – into the Praetorium, among the emperor’s personal guards (Phil 1:13); and even among Caesar’s
household (Phil 4:22)!

So clearly, Paul was ministering during this time, both to the assemblies in Europe and Asia, as well as in
Rome – no one was forbidding him. But what else went on? We don’t know – Luke doesn’t say. But there
are a few things that we can surmise, from what we do know of the circumstances.

We know that it was unlikely that the Jewish rulers ever came from Jerusalem to prosecute Paul in Rome.
How do we know this? Remember that their case against Paul had been unsuccessful before Lysias, Felix,
and Festus. If the Jews had been unsuccessful in Judea, where they had power and influence, how could
they be successful in Rome – where they also had to deal with the fact that they were despised?

What’s more, there were repercussions upon those who wasted the time of the courts in Rome, with
unsubstantiated cases. The Jewish rulers had no proof and no witnesses – it would be highly unlikely that
they would risk pressing their charges against Paul in Rome.

Besides, the rulers in Jerusalem probably thought they had achieved the next best thing to having Paul put
to death – his activities were being neutralized in a Roman prison – at least, so they thought. By not
pressing the case, Paul was basically in a legal limbo.

It was formerly believed that after two years, a legal case was routinely dismissed if the accusers failed to
appear for the trial; but this has been found to be erroneous. In that Luke tells us that Paul dwelt in Rome
two years, we have the sense that something did happen at the end of this period of time.
# 60: 5-30-08 8

Do you remember that Paul had received a vision from God while on board the ship in the storm? An angel
had appeared to him, and told him that he must be brought before Caesar (Acts 27:24). We can assume
from this that Paul’s case came up at the end of this two year period.

Why did it take so long? Because the current emperor, the infamous Nero, had been absent from the capital
for 18 months, following the murder of his own mother, which he had arranged, and which he feared would
result in his public condemnation.

When Nero returned, he had a long legal docket to work through. Eventually, Paul did stand trial before
Nero, once again bearing the name of Jesus before kings (Acts 9:15). Without prosecution, without
witnesses, and without the persecution that would soon ensue against believers, it is an easy conclusion that
Nero simply dismissed the case; and that Paul was acquitted, and set free.

Although some scholars contest the idea that Paul was released after imprisonment in Rome, which would
have been around 62 AD, the evidence in Scripture supports it.

Paul had written to the assembly in Rome years before that he expected to journey to Spain (Rm 15:24, 28),
an expectation that was likely pressed upon his heart by the Spirit (Rm 15:29-32). It is believed that Paul
visited both Spain in the West, and many of the assemblies he had planted in the East, following his release
from Rome.

Additional support for Paul’s being released is that the letters to Timothy and Titus do not fit into any of
Paul’s previous missionary journeys in a satisfactory manner. The letter to Titus speaks of Paul’s work on
the island of Crete (Titus 1:5), and the first letter to Timothy was written with Paul back in Macedonia, and
Timothy pastoring the assembly in Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3). These things are not recorded in any of Paul’s
previous missionary journeys.

After a few short years of additional ministry, Paul was once again arrested, and sent to face Nero a second
time. By this date, thought to be around 66 AD, circumstances in Rome had changed dramatically. In 64
AD, a fire had blazed through the capital for almost a week, destroying a large part of the city. Citizens
accused Nero of setting Rome ablaze.

To deflect the public outcry, Nero accused those who believe in Jesus of having started the fire, and began a
fierce persecution of them, riding above the wave of public disfavour, and effectively escaping public wrath
for himself. Suddenly, being a believer in Jesus carried the death penalty, and Paul, as an established leader
of those who believe, did not stand a chance in the Nero’s court this time.

Paul’s second preserved letter to Timothy reflects this time. Whereas in the previous letters he wrote during
his first Roman imprisonment, Paul had expected to be released (Phil 2:24), even telling Philemon to
prepare a room for him (Philemon 22), this letter to Timothy shows that Paul knew the time of his departure
from this world had come; he was already being poured out as a drink offering (2 Tim 4:6).

But as this world became dark for Paul, the world to come just became brighter, as he drew closer to seeing
Jesus face to face. There was, laid up for him, the crown of righteousness – a body of glory – which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will give him on that Day (2 Tim 4:8). As Paul had said: to live is Christ – and
to die is gain (Phil 1:21).

So why did Luke end without writing the complete story of Paul? Because the book of Acts is not the story
of Paul; it is the story of the spread of the gospel, the witness to Jesus, from Jerusalem, to Judea and
Samaria, to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8) – in this case, meaning the bounds of the Roman Empire.
# 60: 5-30-08 9

And that is the story that Luke told; the commission of Jesus had been accomplished, by the work of the
Holy Spirit, through the many men and women who shared the truth which had set them free.

As mentioned in the beginning, the conclusion of Acts also is a pictorial prophecy that goes to the end
times. We have seen in the last two chapters a picture of the influence of Word of God through the church
age, and penetrating into the uttermost parts of the earth. These members of the Body of Christ will be
gathered to the bosom of the Lord before the Great Tribulation begins.

Now we’re going to go back briefly over the account we have read today to see the completion of this
picture, with the effect of the Word of God up until the Last Days. This picture does not have such a
precise chronology, as we have seen with the church age; there are some overlapping images, just as the
chronology in the Revelation overlaps for the Last Days.

We continue to follow Paul in this picture as the Word of God. In verse 11, he set sail on an Alexandrian
ship named Dioscuroi – the heavenly twins, Castor and Pollux, sons of the chief of the gods, Zeus, and the
woman Leda. The ship was thought to sail under their protection.

The story of Castor and Pollux is actually a corruption of the true story of the constellation they represent;
for this constellation, Gemini, is one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, part of the gospel in the stars.

God designed the stars to be His silent preachers (Ps 19:1-4); their names tell the story of the Coming One,
the Christ. Gemini carries the meaning of “the United”. The star Castor means “ruler”, or “judge”; and the
star Pollux means “who comes to labor”, or “suffer”.

Taken together, the meanings indicate the ruling judge and the laboring sufferer, who are united into one.
Who is this One? He is the Son of God, born of a woman – the Lord Jesus.

Gemini portrays the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in His dual capacity as both the Ruling Prince and the
Savior who suffered. As Peter once told the Sanhedrin, “He is the One whom God exalted to His right hand
as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).

The Word of God, represented by Paul, was traveling under His protection – the protection of the exalted
Savior; and soon this Lord would be coming again, as the Prince who would rule and judge all nations.

Next we read of the ship making port at Syracuse, which means “exalted hearing”; then at Rhegium, which
means “a passage”, as broken through; and finally, the ship arrives in Puteoli, which means “little springs”
or “the wells”. There Paul finds brethren, and stays with them 7 days.

In the picture, the church age is now past. Although the Lord has caught up His bride to be with Him, He
will continue to have a witness during the Great Tribulation on earth, which begins with the exodus of the
church. Who is this witness? It is the 144,000 Jews, who will believe and receive the Word of God at the
beginning of the Tribulation (Rev 7:1-8, 14:1-5).

This is what we see in our account. These 144,000 Jews will truly hear the Word of God – an “exalted
hearing”. This will cause them to break through, passing from death in trespasses and sins, breaking out of
their religion of Judaism, to a relationship with Jesus.
# 60: 5-30-08 10
The water that Jesus gives to them will become in them a fountain of water springing up into everlasting
Life (Jn 4:14). The Word of God will thus “find” these brethren, and they will watch over carefully to
preserve the Word of God throughout the seven-year period of the Tribulation. They themselves will also
be protected as they travel through the Tribulation; for they are under the protection of the Lord Jesus.

The brethren that heard about Paul and his companions, and came out of Rome to meet them are those who
will receive the Word of God during the course of the Tribulation, who come out of the world system to be
set apart unto God in His Christ – these are the Tribulation saints (Rev 6:9-11, 7:9-17).

Once Paul comes to Rome, he is free to dwell by himself, and receive all who come to him. Paul would
later write to Timothy that he suffered trouble for the gospel, even to the point of chains; but the Word of
God was not chained (2 Tim 2:9). In Paul coming to Rome, we see the Word of God returning to the world
– in Person. Turn to Revelation chapter 19. John was describing his vision of Jesus returning to the earth.

[Revelation 19:11-13] Jesus is the Word made flesh (Jn 1:14); He is the expression of the will of the
Father; His Word. Upon His return to the earth, He will be the Word by which the world is judged (Jn
12:48).

[Return to Acts 28]

After three days, Paul called the leaders of the Jews together, the representatives of the nation of Israel – in
Rome. This represents the time when the Word of God effects a work to regenerate the nation of Israel.

The prophet Hosea wrote, “Come and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He
has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up,
that we may live in His sight (Hos 6:1-2).

Paul explained and testified of the kingdom of God to the Jews, showing Jesus to be a fulfillment of the OT
Scriptures. Jesus said that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then the end shall come (Mt 24:14).

We see that a lesser portion of the Jews believe into Jesus as their Messiah; the majority of the nation
rejects Him. Two-thirds of the nation will perish in unbelief during the Tribulation; the remaining third, the
remnant, will look upon the One whom they have pierced, and mourn (Zech 12:10); they will received
Jesus as their Messiah upon His return to the earth, and the nation will be born in a day (Is 66:8).

Paul condemned the unbelief of the Jews, and indicated their judgment by the Lord; then he pronounced
that the salvation of God would be sent to the Gentiles – and that they would hear it. When the Jesus
returns to the earth as the Word of God, the Gentile nations will also have their opportunity to submit to
the Lord; to kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and they perish in the way (Ps 2:10-12).

In the end, we see Paul freely preaching and teaching, no one forbidding him. During the Kingdom Age,
the Word of God will be freely shared. Isaiah prophesied that the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
LORD as the waters cover the sea (Is 11:9), and that all nations will flow to Jerusalem to hear the Word of
the Lord (Is 2:1-5).

So you can see that Luke certainly did finish his account, in all respects, and in a most glorious manner, by
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But is the book of Acts really complete? No, not really; not until the
Spirit completes His final work on earth, to reconcile men to God.

This completes our study of the book of Acts.