Ep. 289. Acts 27-28 | Malta and Rome

EPISODE 289

MALTA AND ROME: ACTS 27-28

As cool as the story of Paul being bitten by a snake and shaking it off into the fire is, that isn't where I want to spend my time today. I will turn your attention to the last few verses of chapter 28. "From morning till evening, he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets." By now, we all should be familiar with the fact that the whole of Scripture points to and foreshadows the coming of Jesus, in some cases subtly and in others quite directly. The Jews should have been able to search the Scriptures and find Jesus in those pages, but as the prophet Isaiah said, "You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive." This text from Isaiah is referred to four or five times in the New Testament, and every time, it refers to the Jews of the first century who rejected their savior and God, Jesus Christ.

A hardening had to happen to the Jews so that the Gentiles could and would come to faith. In fact, if the Jews had believed the testimony of Jesus, they never would have crucified him. And if he had not been crucified, then there would be no salvation for anyone. Jesus and John also quote Isaiah 6 and connect it to the disbelieving Jews.

But one day, the Jews will believe. One day, their hearts will awaken to the truth, for the "gifts and calling of God [on the Jews] are irrevocable." I do love that Paul was never one to shy away from saying hard things.

ADDITIONAL READING: Isaiah 6:9-10, Matthew 5:17-20; Luke 24:44-45, Romans 11:25, 1 Corinthians 2:8; Romans 11:29