(1) First, is Paul’s declaration
of innocence. He “had done nothing
against our people or the customs of our fathers” (28:17). He is
identifying with his people by the use of the word our. This is also reinforced by calling them brethren, meaning fellow Jews. He wants his fellow countrymen to know
he did nothing against his people or the customs.
(2) Second, His
innocence was recognized by the Romans. He informs them that the Romans “were willing to release me because there was
no ground for putting me to death” (28:18). This is a common theme in the last
half of Acts (23:29; 25:18-19, 25; 26:31-32).
(3) Third, because of
the Jews objection, “I was force to
appeal to Caesar” (28:19a cf. 26:11). It is clear that he made the appeal for his
own protection. The irony is that he is still held and faces charges in spite
of his innocence.
(4) Fourth, He wants
them to know he does not have any accusation against Israel (28:19b). The word for
accusation is a legal term meaning to have legal cause. This may well be said
because a counter-suit may have been on the Jewish minds. Paul had no intent to
punish the Jews, nor that he held ill-will toward them. He only wanted to be
acquitted.
(5) Fifth, He is a
prisoner “for the sake of the hope of Israel”
(28:20). This is another common theme in to Paul and his ministry in Acts
(23:6; 24:15; 26:6-7). There is confusion about this statement among
dispensationalist. Some hold that the phrase refers to the earthly kingdom and
that Paul was preaching the earthly kingdom up to this point in Acts, not the
church the body of Christ.[5]
This goes against Scripture. [1] Because at the same time he was also in bonds
because of the Mystery (Eph. 6:19-20). This applies to his first Roman
imprisonment; the very same that Luke writes about in Acts 28. He writes about
the mystery before he went to Rome (Romans 16:25). To hold that Paul was only
preaching the earthly kingdom up to this point is nonsense. [2] It is clear
that Paul was imprisoned because he preached to the Gentiles the message of
Grace. All one has to do is read the pre-prison epistles of Paul (cf. Romans
3:24; 6:14; 9:23-24). It is clear that Paul preached to the Gentiles the gospel
of Grace, long before Acts 28. [3] It displays a misunderstanding of the
phrase—the hope of Israel. The
key to understanding the phrase is Acts 26:6-7.[6] It
is clear that the hope is connected to the promise. The promise takes us back
to Abraham and the promise given the fathers. This hope has a two-fold
application; one to a person (Christ), and as an eschatological hope that will
be fulfilled by the coming of the person. For a more precise definition of the
Hope of Israel see Jeremiah 14:8; 17:13, where the Savior of Israel is called “the Hope of Israel.” Paul preached Jesus
Christ both as the hope of Israel
and to the Gentiles the mystery of Christ (Col. 1:27). In this context the hope
of Israel refers to the
person of Jesus Christ, the resurrected Savor of both Israel and the
Church. The Hope of Israel is a person, not an event; although the person
brings in the event (the earthly kingdom). [4] Paul was in chains not for preaching the earthy
kingdom, but the preaching the resurrection of the crucified Christ (Messiah).
Stam is correct saying: “by
examining the Scriptures concerned, any sincere student will learn that Paul
was ‘bound with this chain,’ not for proclaiming that which Israel hope for,
the kingdom, but for proclaiming that which was the basis of her hopes, the
resurrection.”[7]
See Acts 23:6; 24:14, 15; 25:18-19; 26:6-8. Paul firmly believed that Jesus
Christ (Messiah) was their hope, and would return to establish Himself as the
King of His kingdom (cf. Romans 11:25-27). They needed to realize their
hope—the resurrected Savor.
[1] Larkin, ACTS, 386.
[2] Bock, BECNT: ACTS, 751.
[3] Larkin, ACTS, 38.
[4] Witherington, ACTS, 797.
[5] Commonly known as the Acts 28 position in
dispensationalism.
[6] See our comments on Acts 26:6-7.
[7] Stam, ACTS, 215.
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