What is the meaning of Acts 28:23? They set a day to meet with Paul • After arriving in Rome, Paul first called together the local Jewish leaders (Acts 28:17-20). Their willingness to “set a day” shows genuine interest, not merely curiosity. • God had already assured Paul, “Take courage… you must testify also in Rome” (Acts 23:11), so this appointment fulfills Christ’s promise. • The deliberate scheduling reminds us that gospel conversations often flourish when we take purposeful steps, just as Cornelius and Peter each prepared for their meeting (Acts 10:24-33). Many people came to the place he was staying • Though under house arrest, Paul “was allowed to stay by himself with a soldier to guard him” (Acts 28:16). Instead of fretting over limitations, he turned his rented quarters into a mission hub (cf. Philippians 1:12-13). • “Many people” gathering echoes Jesus’ open-door ministry: “And the whole city was gathered at the door” (Mark 1:33). God’s word finds a way, even behind walls. • Acts closes by noting Paul “welcomed all who came to see him” (Acts 28:30-31), modeling hospitality that advances the kingdom. He expounded to them from morning to evening • Luke underscores Paul’s endurance—an all-day exposition resembles Ezra reading “from daybreak till noon” while the people listened attentively (Nehemiah 8:3). • Biblical teaching is not a hurried sound bite; Paul patiently laid out the storyline of redemption (cf. Acts 20:7, where he spoke until midnight). • The scene invites us to hunger for Scripture: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Testifying about the kingdom of God • Jesus spent forty days after His resurrection “speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3); Paul continues that exact focus. • The kingdom is God’s saving reign breaking into history (Matthew 6:10), fulfilled in Christ yet awaiting final consummation (Revelation 11:15). • Paul’s testimony mirrors Philip’s earlier pattern: “He preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). Salvation and kingship belong together. Persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets • Paul does not rely on clever rhetoric but on Scripture’s own testimony: “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself” (Luke 24:27). • Key Messianic texts he likely used include: – Genesis 3:15—promise of the Serpent-Crusher – Deuteronomy 18:15—“The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me” – Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53—suffering yet victorious Messiah – Jeremiah 31:31-34—new covenant fulfilled in Christ • John 5:39 affirms this approach: “These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me.” Persuasion rests on fulfilled prophecy, inviting hearers to trust Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. summary Acts 28:23 pictures Paul turning a simple meeting into a marathon Scripture study. He schedules intentionally, welcomes broadly, teaches tirelessly, centers on God’s kingdom, and reasons from the whole Old Testament to prove that Jesus is the Messiah. The verse challenges us to open our homes, our schedules, and our Bibles so others can see the seamless unity of God’s Word and the unrivaled lordship of Christ. |
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