Act 28:31 | KingComments | STEP | The duration of this imprisonment of Paul, which he is allowed to spend “in his own rented quarters”, is fixed by Luke at “two full years”. It seems that he was released after that time because his prosecutors did not appear. In order for a trial to happen, both the accused and the plaintiffs had to appear in court ( ). It is therefore not justified that Paul was not released after having been detained for two years ( ). If the plaintiffs do not appear, Roman law prescribes that the accused must be released. The Jews will have found the journey to Rome too great an undertaking. They may have been satisfied that Paul was captured and put on transport to Rome. The fact that Paul was released after two years, without appearing before the emperor, need not contradict the statement that he had to go to Rome precisely for this purpose. As far as the text makes clear, it is not necessary that his appearance before the emperor takes place during this imprisonment. A second imprisonment will follow and then he will appear before the emperor. Paul had an unknown number of unknown people visiting him during this first imprisonment. These may have been brethren, Jews and also pagans ( ). Among them is also a runaway slave named Onesimus, of whom we know that he was converted by the service of Paul ( ). He gave to this Onesimus the letter to Philemon which he wrote during his imprisonment on the occasion of the conversion of Onesimus. During these two years he also wrote the letter to the Ephesians, the letter to the Philippians and the letter to the Colossians. To all who come to him, he preaches the kingdom of God, in which the Lord Jesus Christ is involved. The book starts with the preaching of the kingdom of God ( ), and here, where it is mentioned for the seventh and last time, the book ends with it. Paul preaches the Lord of that kingdom in the city of the emperor, the great lord of the earth. He does so “unhindered”, the last word of the book of Acts. The book ends with an open ending because the acts of the Spirit, Who is not bound, have not ended. The history of the church goes on in the life of each member. Thus the Word has reached the far corners of the Roman empire. Christendom has turned from a Jewish sect into a world religion. From Jerusalem the gospel has gone out to the end of the earth and will also go out to the end of the present dispensation. We may make our contribution to passing on that message, that there is another King than the rulers of the world: the glorified Lord in heaven. Until He returns, we wish for daybreak.

‏ Acts 28:31

Paul Continues to Preach, Unhindered

The duration of this imprisonment of Paul, which he is allowed to spend “in his own rented quarters”, is fixed by Luke at “two full years”. It seems that he was released after that time because his prosecutors did not appear. In order for a trial to happen, both the accused and the plaintiffs had to appear in court (Acts 23:35 ; Acts 25:16). It is therefore not justified that Paul was not released after having been detained for two years (Acts 24:27). If the plaintiffs do not appear, Roman law prescribes that the accused must be released. The Jews will have found the journey to Rome too great an undertaking. They may have been satisfied that Paul was captured and put on transport to Rome.

The fact that Paul was released after two years, without appearing before the emperor, need not contradict the statement that he had to go to Rome precisely for this purpose. As far as the text makes clear, it is not necessary that his appearance before the emperor takes place during this imprisonment. A second imprisonment will follow and then he will appear before the emperor.

Paul had an unknown number of unknown people visiting him during this first imprisonment. These may have been brethren, Jews and also pagans (1Cor 10:32). Among them is also a runaway slave named Onesimus, of whom we know that he was converted by the service of Paul (Phlm 1:10). He gave to this Onesimus the letter to Philemon which he wrote during his imprisonment on the occasion of the conversion of Onesimus. During these two years he also wrote the letter to the Ephesians, the letter to the Philippians and the letter to the Colossians.

To all who come to him, he preaches the kingdom of God, in which the Lord Jesus Christ is involved. The book starts with the preaching of the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), and here, where it is mentioned for the seventh and last time, the book ends with it. Paul preaches the Lord of that kingdom in the city of the emperor, the great lord of the earth. He does so “unhindered”, the last word of the book of Acts.

The book ends with an open ending because the acts of the Spirit, Who is not bound, have not ended. The history of the church goes on in the life of each member. Thus the Word has reached the far corners of the Roman empire. Christendom has turned from a Jewish sect into a world religion. From Jerusalem the gospel has gone out to the end of the earth and will also go out to the end of the present dispensation. We may make our contribution to passing on that message, that there is another King than the rulers of the world: the glorified Lord in heaven. Until He returns, we wish for daybreak.