When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: “‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
trying to convince - "...the Jews meant proving to them from Scripture and His resurrection that Jesus was the Messiah (See Acts 13:30-39)." (Ryrie)
about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets - "The plain fact is that we find Paul, in his earlier epistles, and even in the Acts record, preaching much that was not contained in the law and the prophets. Indeed, as early as Acts 13:38-39 we find him preaching in a synagogue, proclaiming justification by faith in Christ without the law. But in dealing with the Jews under the law, he must prove to them from their Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. It is only a pity that in so many cases they refused to be persuaded, so that he could not go on to preach to them the glorious truths he had been specially commissioned to proclaim. If it be remembered that the theme of Acts is the fall of Israel and God's vindication of Himself for going to the Gentiles, it will not seem strange that again and again we find the apostle proving to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, but getting no farther, since they will not accept the proof." (Stam)
vss 25-27 - "Paul's citation of this passage (Isa 6:9-10) has been regarded as a parting shot at their obtuseness. He followed it with a declaration that henceforth salvation will be preached to the Gentiles, the Jews having refused it." (Ryrie)
"The Jews (except a remnant) from Jerusalem to Rome had now rejected their Messiah. Stephen's initial pronouncement had now been brought to a conclusion, as Paul said: 'Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God has been sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it' (Ver. 28) ... God's present work is not, of course, the fulfillment of prophecy among the Gentiles. This awaits a future day, when Israel is saved and the Gentiles find salvation through her (Zech 8:13,22,23; etc.)." (Stam)
"Judgment must now be executed upon the nation and the blindness is now to come, which has lasted so long and will continue till the fullness of the Gentiles is come in (Rom 11:26). Stephen, whose death young Saul had witnessed and approved (Acts 8:1), had pronounced judgment upon the nation, in Jerusalem. God's mercy had still waited. Marvelous Grace, which took up the young Pharisee, Saul, and made him the Apostle to the Gentiles! Through him, the chosen instrument, the Lord still sought his beloved Israel, even after Jerusalem had so completely rejected the offered mercy. We have seen how the Apostle's intense love for his brethren had led him back to Jerusalem, though warned repeatedly by the Holy Spirit. And now he is used to give the very last message to the Jews and speak the final word of condemnation. It is interesting to see how the Spirit of God quotes through the Apostle the message of judgment, which was given to Isaiah over 700 years before. How long-suffering God is. What infinite patience and mercy He manifested in dealing with Israel. Isaiah had announced the hardening judgment, and God waited 700 years before it was finally accomplished. Twice before these words from Isaiah 6 are mentioned in the New Testament. In Matthew 13:14-15, they are spoken by our Lord after the people had rejected Him and the Pharisees had charged him with driving out the demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. They rejected Him, whom the Father had sent. Again, we find the Lord making use of these words at another occasion. In John 12:37-41, they are applied after the full rejection of the Son Himself and His testimony. Here in our passage they are used for the last time. The rejection is now complete and the result is the threatened blindness rests upon the nation. But we must not forget that the Spirit of God had announced all this in the Epistle to the Romans. The eleventh chapter unfolds and the Jewish question and assures us that in spite of all this, the blindness of Israel is not permanent. God has not cast away this people, whom He foreknew. He will yet bring the remnant to Himself and forgive them their sins. God's gifts and calling are without repentance ... But the offer of the Salvation of God to the Gentiles will likewise close. Romans 11:18-22 contains the solemn message, one of the great forgotten message of the Bible. Boasting Gentile Christendom will some day be cut off and the broken off branches will be grafted in again into their good olive tree." (Gaebelein)
vs 29 - "Many mss. do not contain this verse." (Ryrie)
two whole years at his own expense - "During this time of confinement Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Knowing that they could not get a verdict of guilty, his accusers probably never showed up and therefore lost the case by default. Paul would then have been released and become free to engage in the ministry reflected in the pastoral epistles before being rearrested and finally martyred." (Ryrie)
"Why does the Book of Acts close so abruptly? It is evident from the close of Acts, if nowhere else, that the book is not primarily a history of 'the birth and growth of the Church,' nor even a complete record of 'the acts of the apostles.' How we should like to know what happened to the Judaean apostles after the raising up of Paul! How we should like to know how Paul fared during these two years in his own hired house and after! What reading an inspired record of his last days and his trial and execution would have made! But God did not cause Luke to write the Book of Acts in order to satisfy our curiosity. The book is rather intended to be the story of Israel's fall and of how salvation was sent to the Gentiles. This having been accomplished, and Israel having rejected Christ at Rome as she had done at Jerusalem and all the way between, the narrative ends." (Stam)
trying to convince - "...the Jews meant proving to them from Scripture and His resurrection that Jesus was the Messiah (See Acts 13:30-39)." (Ryrie)
about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets - "The plain fact is that we find Paul, in his earlier epistles, and even in the Acts record, preaching much that was not contained in the law and the prophets. Indeed, as early as Acts 13:38-39 we find him preaching in a synagogue, proclaiming justification by faith in Christ without the law. But in dealing with the Jews under the law, he must prove to them from their Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. It is only a pity that in so many cases they refused to be persuaded, so that he could not go on to preach to them the glorious truths he had been specially commissioned to proclaim. If it be remembered that the theme of Acts is the fall of Israel and God's vindication of Himself for going to the Gentiles, it will not seem strange that again and again we find the apostle proving to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, but getting no farther, since they will not accept the proof." (Stam)
vss 25-27 - "Paul's citation of this passage (Isa 6:9-10) has been regarded as a parting shot at their obtuseness. He followed it with a declaration that henceforth salvation will be preached to the Gentiles, the Jews having refused it." (Ryrie)
"The Jews (except a remnant) from Jerusalem to Rome had now rejected their Messiah. Stephen's initial pronouncement had now been brought to a conclusion, as Paul said: 'Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God has been sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it' (Ver. 28) ... God's present work is not, of course, the fulfillment of prophecy among the Gentiles. This awaits a future day, when Israel is saved and the Gentiles find salvation through her (Zech 8:13,22,23; etc.)." (Stam)
"Judgment must now be executed upon the nation and the blindness is now to come, which has lasted so long and will continue till the fullness of the Gentiles is come in (Rom 11:26). Stephen, whose death young Saul had witnessed and approved (Acts 8:1), had pronounced judgment upon the nation, in Jerusalem. God's mercy had still waited. Marvelous Grace, which took up the young Pharisee, Saul, and made him the Apostle to the Gentiles! Through him, the chosen instrument, the Lord still sought his beloved Israel, even after Jerusalem had so completely rejected the offered mercy. We have seen how the Apostle's intense love for his brethren had led him back to Jerusalem, though warned repeatedly by the Holy Spirit. And now he is used to give the very last message to the Jews and speak the final word of condemnation. It is interesting to see how the Spirit of God quotes through the Apostle the message of judgment, which was given to Isaiah over 700 years before. How long-suffering God is. What infinite patience and mercy He manifested in dealing with Israel. Isaiah had announced the hardening judgment, and God waited 700 years before it was finally accomplished. Twice before these words from Isaiah 6 are mentioned in the New Testament. In Matthew 13:14-15, they are spoken by our Lord after the people had rejected Him and the Pharisees had charged him with driving out the demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. They rejected Him, whom the Father had sent. Again, we find the Lord making use of these words at another occasion. In John 12:37-41, they are applied after the full rejection of the Son Himself and His testimony. Here in our passage they are used for the last time. The rejection is now complete and the result is the threatened blindness rests upon the nation. But we must not forget that the Spirit of God had announced all this in the Epistle to the Romans. The eleventh chapter unfolds and the Jewish question and assures us that in spite of all this, the blindness of Israel is not permanent. God has not cast away this people, whom He foreknew. He will yet bring the remnant to Himself and forgive them their sins. God's gifts and calling are without repentance ... But the offer of the Salvation of God to the Gentiles will likewise close. Romans 11:18-22 contains the solemn message, one of the great forgotten message of the Bible. Boasting Gentile Christendom will some day be cut off and the broken off branches will be grafted in again into their good olive tree." (Gaebelein)
vs 29 - "Many mss. do not contain this verse." (Ryrie)
two whole years at his own expense - "During this time of confinement Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Knowing that they could not get a verdict of guilty, his accusers probably never showed up and therefore lost the case by default. Paul would then have been released and become free to engage in the ministry reflected in the pastoral epistles before being rearrested and finally martyred." (Ryrie)
"Why does the Book of Acts close so abruptly? It is evident from the close of Acts, if nowhere else, that the book is not primarily a history of 'the birth and growth of the Church,' nor even a complete record of 'the acts of the apostles.' How we should like to know what happened to the Judaean apostles after the raising up of Paul! How we should like to know how Paul fared during these two years in his own hired house and after! What reading an inspired record of his last days and his trial and execution would have made! But God did not cause Luke to write the Book of Acts in order to satisfy our curiosity. The book is rather intended to be the story of Israel's fall and of how salvation was sent to the Gentiles. This having been accomplished, and Israel having rejected Christ at Rome as she had done at Jerusalem and all the way between, the narrative ends." (Stam)
No comments:
Post a Comment