PAUL ADDRESSES THE JEWS OF ROME

Acts 28:17-20 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

Arriving in Rome and, while under guard, Paul was allowed to dwell by himself in a residence separate and apart from the common prison. Three days after his arrival, Paul called the chief of the Jews together, that is, all the priests, scribes, and other influential leaders of the Jewish synagogues located in Rome. Although, the Jews, a few years earlier, had been banished from Rome by Emperor Claudius (Acts 18:2), it seems that, at the present time, this ban had been lifted, Jewish toleration was allowed and promoted, and many Jews had returned, become numerous, and were prospering in this capital city of the Roman Empire.

In order to correct, and put to rest, any messages that may have come to them from the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem, Paul desired to speak to these Jewish leaders of Rome, declare his innocence, and assure them that he had committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers. Against the Jewish people, Paul had done nothing wicked, sinful, or immoral. Neither had he ignored, changed, or violated the Law of Moses that established the customs of our fathers, and described the times and conditions under which they must be observed. Yet, he confessed to these Jews of Rome, that he was falsely accused by the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem, and delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. However, when they (the Roman governors of Judea) had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. Under Roman law, Paul had committed no crime worthy of death.

When it was suggested that Paul be released, there was an immediate protest by Jewish people. Because of this uproar and the threat of violence, Paul was kept under guard. And when the Jews unrelentingly spake against it (against Paul's release),Paul said,Iwas constrained to appeal unto Caesar. Paul was not in Rome to condemn the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem, but to defend himself from their wrongful accusations. Hence, his appeal was done of necessity and not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. And for this reason, and this reason alone, have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. No doubt "the hope of Israel" alludes to the Messiah that was come to the Jewish nation through the Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to the hope of resurrection of the dead offered to mankind by God through His Son, the promised Messiah. Paul, in his defense before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem said that it was because of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question (Acts 23:6b). This same defense he uses in his appeal to the consciences of the Jewish leaders here in Rome.

From the two verses following the lesson text, we are assured that the Jewish leaders here in Rome had not heard from the leaders of the Jews that remained in Jerusalem. We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee. Because of this, we can assume that the Jewish accusers of Jerusalem did not pursue the prosecution of Paul any further. If they thought they could possibly have convicted Paul and had him slain, they would have traveled to Rome to bring their accusations against him before Caesar.

Since the Jews of Rome had not heard of Paul, his conversion to Christianity, and the message of salvation through the Son of God that he was divinely called preached, they desired to learn more about gospel, or the good news, of Jesus Christ. They wanted to hear Paul's thoughts about this sect - that is, Christianity. They desired to know exactly what this new belief was about that was spreading throughout the world and causing both Jews and Gentiles to accept and follow it. They wanted to understand the doctrines under which it was established. At this point the only thing they knew about it was that among the Jewish leaders, it is spoken against.