Acts 28:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In presenting the teaching, he found it necessary to touch upon his own circumstances. He supposed that they were at least somewhat known to them, and therefore needed to remove suspicion. But he learned that the Roman Jews had not heard about him. When Paul declared that he was bound for the hope of Israel, they asked him to unfold his thoughts on this matter. "We have heard," they said, "that there is much dispute about this teaching." Paul appointed a day and set forth to them the teaching concerning the Kingdom of God. He proved from Moses and the Prophets that Jesus is the true Messiah. But his preaching found faith in few, and he had to repeat Isaiah's rebuke to his contemporaries (Acts 28:26-28).

Fulfilling the Jews' desire, Paul appointed a day for them. On that day very many of them gathered at his lodging, that is, at the private house where the Apostle lived under guard. The Apostle conversed with them the whole day, setting forth the true understanding of the Kingdom of God. From the Law of Moses and the Prophets he testified that this Kingdom had already come, and that the King of this Kingdom had already appeared in the person of Jesus. Some were persuaded by his word, while others did not believe. From this arose disputes between the two groups. As a result, not only the latter, but also the former, left the Apostle in uncertainty.

That his conversation did not pass without effect is clear from its very length. Yet only a few were persuaded, while all the others remained in their unbelief.

The result of the conversation was that some were persuaded by his words, probably the smaller number, as is clear from the Apostle's further speech to the Jews (v. 25 and following). Others did not believe, and these were probably the greater number. The power of Paul's word acted upon some who had been prejudiced against him and his teaching. But others were blind and deaf to the truth proclaimed to them. In disputes among themselves both groups departed from the preacher. Thus the general result of the conversation was discouraging for the zealous Apostle of Christ. From his grieved soul it drew forth the stern word of the Prophet, which he applied to the Roman Jews.

The Apostle Paul's second conversation with the Roman Jews was longer and more detailed. From morning until evening he unfolded before a multitude of Jews the teaching of Christianity as the true Kingdom of God. Concerning Jesus Christ, he cited many prophecies from the Law of Moses and from the books of the other Prophets. He proved that He is the Messiah awaited by truly believing Jews. More than once the Apostle Paul had unfolded Christian teaching in this way. Therefore one may think that his divinely inspired speech flowed like a swift and living stream. It satisfied and refreshed many true believers, so that they were persuaded of the correctness of all the Apostle's arguments.