Act 28:22 | KingComments | STEP | The mild regime of his imprisonment is also reflected in the possibility that he is free to receive anyone or even invite anyone he likes. Already after three days he invites the leading men of the Jews to come to him. When he has no opportunity to go to the synagogue, it is in this way possible for him to act in Rome according to the principle ‘first the Jew and then the Greek’. When the leading men of the Jews have come to him, the first thing he does is to defend his person. He first explains why he came to Rome, because that he is here as a prisoner requires clarification and explanation. He briefly summarizes for them what happened. It is remarkable that he doesn’t tell them anything about the cause and the attempts of murder. There is not a word of accusation against his Jewish brothers on his lips, no matter how much evil they have done to him. This is truly selfless love. As for his treatment by the Romans, he also highlights them in a favorable way. Of them he only mentions that they had wanted to let him go because they had found nothing in him that death deserved ( ). Paul puts the Romans in a favorable light. These Jews live among them and know them. Without any value judgment Paul tells how the Jews contradicted his release by the Romans and how he was forced to appeal to the emperor. He is not here to accuse his brethren, but to let justice take its course. He wanted them to know that and that’s why he has let them come. He also let them know that he is not an apostate Jew, but that he shares in the hope of all Jews. “The hope of Israel” refers to the fulfillment of the promises to the fathers, a hope that is inseparable from the Messiah. In this way, at the end of the book, it is not only stated that Christendom is the new testimony, but also that God does not lose sight of His people. Paul does not denounce his people as the cause of his chain, but points to the hope of Israel, the Messiah, as the cause of his chain. When Paul is finished, the Roman Jews say they know nothing about him. No letters have been written about him from Judea to them, nor have any of their brethren come to them to say anything evil about him. Therefore they cannot pass judgment. They offer him the chance to explain his thoughts to them. At the same time, they indicate that what they have heard of Christendom gives them the impression that it is a contrary movement that does not do Judaism any good. The Pharisees did not give the Lord Jesus such an opportunity to justify Himself, although Nicodemus had urged them to do so ( ). These Jews do want to listen, but also show that they are critical of it. The attitude of these Jews is worthy of imitation. It is important that we only pass judgment on someone’s views that do not correspond with our own, after the person in question has been given the opportunity to justify himself.

‏ Acts 28:22

First Discussion With the Jews

The mild regime of his imprisonment is also reflected in the possibility that he is free to receive anyone or even invite anyone he likes. Already after three days he invites the leading men of the Jews to come to him. When he has no opportunity to go to the synagogue, it is in this way possible for him to act in Rome according to the principle ‘first the Jew and then the Greek’. When the leading men of the Jews have come to him, the first thing he does is to defend his person. He first explains why he came to Rome, because that he is here as a prisoner requires clarification and explanation.

He briefly summarizes for them what happened. It is remarkable that he doesn’t tell them anything about the cause and the attempts of murder. There is not a word of accusation against his Jewish brothers on his lips, no matter how much evil they have done to him. This is truly selfless love.

As for his treatment by the Romans, he also highlights them in a favorable way. Of them he only mentions that they had wanted to let him go because they had found nothing in him that death deserved (Acts 23:29 ; Acts 25:25 ; Acts 26:32). Paul puts the Romans in a favorable light. These Jews live among them and know them.

Without any value judgment Paul tells how the Jews contradicted his release by the Romans and how he was forced to appeal to the emperor. He is not here to accuse his brethren, but to let justice take its course. He wanted them to know that and that’s why he has let them come.

He also let them know that he is not an apostate Jew, but that he shares in the hope of all Jews. “The hope of Israel” refers to the fulfillment of the promises to the fathers, a hope that is inseparable from the Messiah. In this way, at the end of the book, it is not only stated that Christendom is the new testimony, but also that God does not lose sight of His people. Paul does not denounce his people as the cause of his chain, but points to the hope of Israel, the Messiah, as the cause of his chain.

When Paul is finished, the Roman Jews say they know nothing about him. No letters have been written about him from Judea to them, nor have any of their brethren come to them to say anything evil about him. Therefore they cannot pass judgment. They offer him the chance to explain his thoughts to them. At the same time, they indicate that what they have heard of Christendom gives them the impression that it is a contrary movement that does not do Judaism any good. The Pharisees did not give the Lord Jesus such an opportunity to justify Himself, although Nicodemus had urged them to do so (Jn 7:51).

These Jews do want to listen, but also show that they are critical of it. The attitude of these Jews is worthy of imitation. It is important that we only pass judgment on someone’s views that do not correspond with our own, after the person in question has been given the opportunity to justify himself.