Acts 28:17-21

Interview with the Jews at Rome.

Acts 28:30 is continuous with Acts 28:16. In Acts 28:17 the programme ascribed to Paul in Ac., that he addresses the Jews first, the Gentiles when the Jews have proved unbelieving, is exhibited in a conspicuous instance. The relations of Paul with the Christians at Rome (Acts 28:15) are not mentioned again. On his arrival he at once (Acts 28:17) summons the principal Jews and defends himself to them as he had done in Acts 24:12 against the charge of attacking the Law. The end of Acts 28:17 is a perversion of the facts as placed before us in ch. 21; the Jews are represented as arresting Paul at Jerusalem and handing him over to the Romans at some other place. Claudius Lysias is quite forgotten. The verdict of the Roman officials on his case is correctly reflected in Acts 28:18, and his appeal to Cæ sar is stated as in Acts 25:11. Speaking to Jews he forgets the plot made against him (Acts 25:2 f.). Acts 28:20 repeats the claim (Acts 23:6; Acts 24:15; Acts 26:7) that it is for believing in the Resurrection that he is a prisoner. Cf. p. 777.

The reply of the Jews in Acts 28:21 is curious in view of the charges made by Jews since the beginning of his European mission (Acts 17:6 f., Acts 21:20 f., Acts 21:28; Acts 24:5) against which he constantly defends himself. Their politeness must have put a strain on their conscience if they spoke as here reported; or is it the writer of Ac. who thus prepares the scene which is to exhibit them as deliberately rejecting the Gospel? Though they have heard no evil of Paul, they have heard of his sect, but for Paul's sake they are willing to listen to its doctrine.