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A.= Editor's Answer.
Q.--- Where do we find Paul going only to Gentiles and God acting in grace only?
A.--- As we come to the end of the Acts period, we find Paul making his defense before Festus ( Acts 26) and he has appealed to Caesar for then he must be sent to Rome.
The witness of Agrippa, Festus and Bernice was “This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Acts 26:31. Agrippa says to Festus “This man might have been set at liberty if he had not appealed unto Caesar.” Acts 26:32.
Why did Paul appeal to Caesar? For we see that the charges against him were not serious. We learn from Acts 27:23-24 “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve.” “Saying fear not Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath given thee all of them that sail with thee.”
It was in the plan and purpose of God for Paul to go to Rome. When Paul came to Rome, he was given privileges that the other prisoners did not have, for he was allowed to live by himself with a Roman soldier. After three days Paul made contact with the chief of the Jews.
We begin to see why Paul has come to Rome because the power authorities of Israel are here at Rome. Rome controls Israel. Power authority for our nation is at Washington D.C., so the powers of Israel are at Rome.
The blindness of Israel, the nation, became more complete as Paul reached Rome. From Jerusalem, Antioch to Corinth, Israel as a nation would not accept their Messiah. Some individuals believed but others would not. This was not good enough for the purpose of God for it had to be worked out through the nation, so here Paul is at Rome with the power authority of Israel. We begin to see why an innocent man has been sent to Rome and now from the scripture we see God’s purpose played out with Paul.
Paul makes his defense before the chief of Jews at Rome ( Acts 28:17-20 ) and ended his defense by saying “because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”
The chief of the Jews appointed a day when Paul could speak to them and said ( Acts 28:23 ) “ he expounded and testified the kingdom of God persuading them concerning Jesus both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets from morning till evening.” Some believed and some did not believe.
We see the same attitude displayed here that the Nation has shown all the way through the Acts period. In the gospels, Israel rejected the Son but in the Acts period, Israel rejected the witness of the holy spirit.
Paul seeing that these Jewish leaders at Rome would not accept the witness of the holy spirit reached back to Isaiah 69 and pronounced this judgement upon them.
Acts 28:25-27, “Well spoke the holy ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers. Saying go unto this people and say Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them.”
This judgement was first pronounced upon Israel at Isaiah 6 where they were facing seventy years captivity. This judgement was pronounced two other times at Matthew 13:14-15 and John 12:40 by our Lord. Every knowing Israelite knew of the judgement from Isaiah 6 and were aware that some judgement might follow.
What happened next took these Jews completely by surprise when Paul by the holy spirit declared at
Acts 28:28 “Be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it.”
These Jews were very aware of the Isaiah 6 judgement but this declaration by Paul took them completely by surprise. No such words as this had ever been made before in the word of God. This had not happened before in the word of God. This is the first time that salvation had been sent to Gentiles and what makes it much more important is that this salvation is completely independent of Israel.
Some will read Acts 28:28 where salvation being sent to the Gentiles means nothing more than salvation being offered to Gentiles. The word of God will not allow this for at Genesis 49:8, the word says “I have waited for thy salvation.” Isaiah 12:2, Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, He also is become my salvation.”
Many more scripture could be brought up but this is enough to demonstrate that salvation is a title of a person and that person is the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament.
To put to rest this idea that this means nothing more than salvation being offered to Gentiles, turn to Luke 2:29-32, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Luke 2, There was a just and devout man by the name of Simeon and it was revealed to him that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. When Simeon held the Lord’s Christ in his arms he said ,(Luke 2:29) “Lord now lettest thou servant depart in peace according to thy word” “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”
WE can declare by the word of God that the salvation of God is a person and not a thing and that person is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The same salvation ( soterion ) that Simeon held in his arms was taken from Israel and sent unto the Gentiles at Acts 28:28.
Since Paul said and Luke penned this fateful word, the salvation of God is among the Gentiles working out his plan and purpose for this dispensation.
“The Jews departed and had great reasoning among themselves” for they knew of the Isaiah judgement and of the warning. But he never did threaten to cut them loose and take their salvation and send it to the hated Gentiles.