Daily Devotional • October 19
A Reading from Acts 28:17-31
17 Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, the Romans wanted to release me because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to the emperor—even though I had no charge to bring against my people. 20 For this reason therefore I asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”21 They replied, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
23 After they had set a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. 25 So they disagreed with each other, and as they were leaving Paul made one further statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah,
26 ‘Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen but never understand,
and you will indeed look but never perceive.
27 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might look with their eyes
and listen with their ears
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
28 “Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles; they will listen.”
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance..
Meditation
With this passage, St. Luke concludes two magisterial volumes: the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Paul and Luke have finally arrived in Italy after wintering in Malta and are welcomed by believers. Although under guard, Paul has his own lodging in Rome and invites the Jewish leaders to visit him. They have not heard from Paul’s enemies in Jerusalem, but they have heard objections to “this sect.” They come “in great numbers” for an all-day seminar. Paul explains to them how Jesus fulfilled Messianic expectations in the Torah and the Prophets, and testifies to his own encounter with Jesus.
As in other cities where Paul preached, his audience is split: some are convinced, others refuse to believe. Paul rebukes those who refuse with the words of Isaiah: “This people’s heart has grown dull…” His next words sum up the situation of the Jesus movement in 60 AD. Having done his best to persuade his own people that Jesus is their Messiah, he brings up the issue that enraged the mob in Jerusalem: the Messiah is calling Gentiles into his kingdom along with Jews. Hated Romans, like the soldier guarding Paul, are being invited to follow Jesus too. The kicker is Paul’s last word — and Luke’s summation of the Acts of the Apostles: “This salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
For those of us who are not Jews but follow the Jewish Messiah, this is a joyful word. Through twenty centuries those who listened, like Samuel Scherechewsky and Henry Martyn, have spread the gospel around the globe. And yet—in an age of audiovisual distractions, “dull heart syndrome” frequently afflicts God’s people today. Let us faithfully reserve time to be attentive to God’s presence and respond as young Samuel did: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
Dr. Grace Sears is past vice president of the board of the Living Church Foundation and past president of the Order of the Daughters of the King, as well as former editor of its magazine, The Royal Cross.
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Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
The Diocese of Kano – The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
The Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast