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Act_28:30-31
b. This book was, unquestionably, not left unfinished, as Schleiermacher supposed, in consequence of some hinderance which Luke accidentally encountered; it is equally improbable that the concluding part of the book should have been lost, as Schott conjectured. The remark, on the other hand, which Meyer here makes, corresponds to all the circumstances, and is in accordance with the truth, viz. that the last two verses, as far as the style is concerned, are rounded and sonorous, and constitute a fitting conclusion of the whole narrative. For precisely as at the close of Luke’s Gospel, Luk_24:52-53, the occupations of the apostles during a certain period, are described in a sentence exhibiting a participial construction, so here, too, the account of the labors of Paul during a still longer period, terminates with two clauses, in which a similar participial construction is introduced. [See Introduction, § 2.—On the subsequent history of Paul, his supposed journey to Spain, etc., the time of the composition of the three Pastoral Epistles (Tit.; I. and II. Tim.) etc. etc., see, in addition to J. J. van Oosterzee’s Commentary on these Epistles, in a subsequent volume, also Conyb and H.: Life, etc. of St. Paul, Vol. II. p. 450, Acts 27 (written by Conyb.), and p. 551, Appendix.—See, especially, among the most recent authorities, Wiesinger’s General Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles, and the special Introductions to each one of the three—in his Commentary, constituting Vol. V. 1 Abth. of the continuation of Olshausen’s Commentary on the New Testament.—Tr.]
Act_28:31. Preaching the kingdom of God, etc.—God opens a door for his word in a wonderful and unexpected manner, Act_14:27; Col_4:3. When the church enjoys peace, we should the more diligently proclaim the truth, and prepare for future trials, Act_9:31. After Christ had sent the Holy Spirit, he caused his Gospel to be made known to the whole world, not, however, with the aid of carnal weapons, but by the preaching of the word, and He has, even to the present time, been its almighty Protector. May He continue to cause His word to be every where proclaimed, “no man forbidding,” unto the salvation of many souls, and unto the glory of His great name! (Starke).—Teaching … with all confidence.—Of this confidence of the apostle at Rome, we have additional evidence in the Epistles to the Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and to Philemon, which were written in that city; they are all fragrant with the oil of joy, wherewith Jesus had anointed him. (Besser).—No man forbidding him.—It was, in those times, considered a very great mercy, when the Gospel could be preached without hinderance; it was a source of comfort to teachers, and they diligently employed the time during which they could enjoy it. But we, on the contrary, whose liberty has so long been established, have well nigh forgotten how great this mercy is. As we have therefore opportunity, let us labor, and do good! [Gal_6:10]. (Ap. Past.)—What a noble theme—the progress of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome—the writer of the book of THE Acts has chosen! When will it be carried back to Jerusalem? God employed even his most richly endowed servants in doing His will only in their own sphere. It was given to no one to survey the whole field of labor; that knowledge the Lord reserved unto Himself. O God! Thy kingdom come! (Rieger).—Notwithstanding all these persecutions, the Gospel advanced with such success, that Luke is enabled to conclude his narrative of the Acts of the Apostles in these terms, which resemble an “Amen!” appended to all the promises of God. Thus this reference at the close of the book to the “kingdom of God”, most happily corresponds to the beginning, Act_1:3. (Williger).—In the vast and wealthy capital of that great empire, Paul proclaims the might and glory of the kingdom of God, as a kingdom of the Spirit, whose “fruit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” [Gal_5:22-23]. The tidings concerning Christ, the Prince of peace, around whom all things in the kingdom of God, both small and great, revolve, penetrate even into the palace of the emperor (Php_1:13). Thus Paul employed the time during which he was a prisoner, in establishing that important congregation at Rome, which was destined to be the mother-church and, indeed, the missionary church of all the congregations which, after this period, were gathered among the Gentiles. (Leonh and Sp.).—Luke does not speak of subsequent events, as it was not his intention to write a biography of St. Paul. He had now exhibited the riches of divine grace, and the power of the Lord Jesus, as revealed in the progress of the Church, from the Mount of Olives to the city of the seven hills; greater things he could not relate, and Theophilus had now read enough in order to close with “Hallelujah.” (Besser).—Let us, then, imitate Paul, and take his noble, adamantine, soul as our pattern, so that, following in his wake, we may safely sail over the stormy ocean of life, and enter the waveless haven of peace, and thus obtain that salvation which God has prepared for those who love him, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the, Father and the Holy Ghost, in like majesty and glory, blessed forever. (Chrysostom, quoted by Leonh. and Sp.).
ON THE WHOLE SECTION.—Paul, preaching the kingdom of God in Rome: I. A glorious fulfilment of the promise which the Lord had, at the beginning, given to his servant, Act_9:15; II. A solemn and impressive prediction of the future victories of the kingdom of God on earth.
Paul, at Rome: I. A living monument of divine mercy; II. A shining example of apostolic fidelity; III. A joyful herald of Christ’s reign over the whole world; IV. A messenger, addressing the effete heathenism of the times, and uttering solemn warnings respecting the judgments of God.
Paul’s ministry of two years at Rome, the crown of his apostolic labors: I. In the centre of the heathen world he erects the cross of Christ, before which all heathen temples are to sink into the dust; II. Although subjected to bodily restraint, he provides with true pastoral fidelity and love even for his distant congregations (the Epistles written during this imprisonment); III. While waiting for the call of his Lord, he prepares to seal the work of his life with his blood.
From Jerusalem to Rome! Such was the course of the Gospel, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. Its path was marked, I. By the sufferings and ignominy of its heralds; II. By their heroic faith and ardent love; III. By the victories gained through mighty deeds, and divine miracles; IV. By the diffusion of the blessings of grace and salvation, designed for the present and future generations.
Paul, the preacher bound with a chain, or, The word of God is not bound [2Ti_2:9]: I. Bound to no one spot on earth; when it was cast out of Jerusalem, the ancient city of God, Paul erected his pulpit in the capital of the Gentile world; II. Restrained by no earthly power; the power of Rome was as little able as the hatred of the Jews, to close the mouth of the apostle; III. Confined to no particular individual; even after Paul had finished his course, and sealed his testimony with his blood, the preaching of the cross continued its victorious course over the world.
Paul, still a prisoner at Rome—to-day, as well as 1800 years ago: although his imprisonment may now, as well as formerly, under the Roman emperor, be mild and not ignominious, still, he continues to be a prisoner under the spiritual ruler in Rome; for, I. Paul, the herald of evangelical liberty, is bound with the chain of human traditions; II. Paul, the preacher of that righteousness which is by faith, is bound by the law of righteousness by outward works; III. Paul, the man of apostolic poverty and humility, is bound by the pomp and display of papal claims to the government of the world.
“No man forbidding him [without hinderance]” —the significant concluding words of the book of the Acts of the Apostles: I. They are words proclaiming the victory gained over ancient Rome—a victory alike over hostile Jews and hostile Gentiles; II. They are words of warning, addressed to modern Rome, warning it against any impious and vain attempt to quench the word of God; III. They are words of admonition, addressed to the Evangelical Church, exhorting it to apply with a grateful spirit the free and unhindered word of God; IV. They are words of promise, intended for the church of the future, directing attention to the time of consummation, when the Gospel will have subdued the world.
The Book of the Acts of the Apostles, not a mere fragment! It is true that we reach the end sooner than we would have desired, for there are many interesting subjects of which it does not speak in detail; at the same time it furnishes us with all that we really need. I. It exhibits the founding of a Church against which the gates of hell cannot prevail; II. It describes the wonderful works of an exalted Saviour, who is with his people alway, even unto the end of the world; III. It is a rich mine, furnishing wholesome doctrine, efficient consolations, and encouraging examples for the church in all ages.
The transition from the history of the Apostles, to the history of the Church: I. It is, undoubtedly, a retrogression from the pentecostal season of the first miracles’ of the Spirit—from the period when faith began to flourish—from the early period of the first love [Rev_2:4]; II. It is, nevertheless, according to the divinely appointed order, an advance from a patriarchal, narrow, sphere, to the length and breadth of the world—from the joy and animation of a festival, to the labor and toil of common life—and, through the struggle of thousands of years, to a final victory, when, in the church triumphant, the primitive pentecostal congregation will re-appear, glorified, enlarged, and perfected.
The silent disappearance of the apostle Paul at the conclusion of THE Acts of the Apostles: it directs our attention, I. To the exalted Lord of the Church, who abides, even when His servants disappear; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” [Heb_13:8]; II. To that happy rest, into which the faithful servants of God may enter, when they have completed the work assigned to them; III. To that labor of faith and of love [1Th_1:3], which those witnesses who were first chosen, have left behind for us; IV. To that great day of eternity, which will bring to light all that still remains dark in the divine guidance of the children of God, and in the history of His kingdom.
[Paul now ceases to preach the Gospel; nevertheless, that Gospel abides; “the word of the Lord endureth for ever.” (1Pe_1:25; Isa_40:8). The permanence of the Gospel: I. Illustrations of this permanence; (a) the ravages of time; (b) the assaults of its enemies; (c) the corruption of its friends—are alike unable to affect it. II. The causes of this permanence of the Gospel; (a) its truth; (b) its correspondence to the wants of men; (c) the divine protection. III. The effect which it should produce on the minds of men; (a) to awaken a salutary alarm in those who reject it; (b) to convince the minds of those who doubt; (c) to strengthen the faith of the humble believer.Tr.]
Footnotes:
Act_28:30 [The words ὁ ÉÉáῦëïò , of text. rec., with G.H., Syr., etc. are omitted in A.B.E. Vulg., and are dropped by Lach., Tisch., and Alf., as a “supplementary insertion.”—Cod.Sin., which omits ὁ ÉÉáῦë ., originally read åíåìéíáí ; the letter å , smaller in size, appears above— á —in íáí . Tisch. says; “ å prima manu suprascriptum videtur.”—C corrected the word to åìéíåí .—Tr.]