Acts 28 Commentary
“For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!”
Is there more than two years to Paul’s life? We doubt. The author is a historian who could have easily recorded it for us. Regardless, it is significant that the volume ends with Paul proclaiming the Kingdom of God in Rome. That’s what the Holy Spirit sent him here for.
The book, therefore, ends at a point where the apostle can boldly claim: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4 verse 7.
The great apostle isn’t the star of this book; it’s the Holy Spirit. No more pages will be wasted chronicling the execution of the great apostle. It helps us to appreciate the centrality of Jesus in everything. Never mind the tools the LORD uses. Their own time to sit alongside their Master will come.
Before Rome, we have the ministry at Malta to look at. Now we know why the ship wandered this way. There was work for the apostle! You could sit down and unwind the work of the Holy Spirit but only with more confusion! Malta was always part of the plan! We are not permitted to understand the mind of God!
We can guess the leader of Malta heard the gospel and probably believed. Many more residents of Malta must have believed. Regardless, we are happy they heard the good news of Jesus. What more can we ask for?
The mission to make disciples of all nations tops every saint’s agenda. And an item that makes Heaven joyous can never be a “by the way” event. The LORD ordained the ministry at Malta!
Many have commented on the consistency of thought in the holy script. But it is also incredible when you see how value persists from one isolated work to the other. The gospel of Matthew ends with the instruction to make disciples of all nations. The Book of Acts ends with the same value item underlined. It is a report to the LORD by a human with the summary, “JOB DONE”. The instruction to make disciples of all nations has been obeyed; Rome has heard the gospel!
The Holy Spirit who empowered individuals in the Book of Judges has empowered many individuals in the Book of Acts for an assault on the kingdom of darkness. Gideon, Jephthah, Samson… now we have Peter, John, James, Stephen, Barnabas, Paul, Dorcas, and the list stretches to our own time, you and me. We must continue this work!
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