Acts 28:22

"But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere" Give this Jewish leaders credit, they are willing to listen even though they have heard many second-hand rumors about Christianity. Rather than being influenced by rumor they want to hear for themselves and make up their own mind. "If they had acted as many do now, they would have refused to hear him at all because of the evil report of his sect; but the fact that the latter was everywhere spoken against was the very reason they wished to hear Paul in reference to it" (McGarvey p. 284). Even though there had been. church in Rome for many years from the above statement it appears that these Jewish leaders had either had very little contact with the Christians in Rome (many may have been Gentiles) or had refused to listen thus far to the gospel message.