ACTS XXVIII-PAUL DWELLETH AT ROME

1757

them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.

19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.

22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom 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.

24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some

believed not.

25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,1

26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

27 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.

28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.2

30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,

31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

1Isaiah 6, 9 and 10; 44, 18, This verse is omitted in the Revised Version.

The "Epistles" are a collection of letters addressed to the earliest Christians by the first great teachers of the faith, some of the letters being of earlier date than even the Gospels themselves. The collection in somewhat its present form is known to have existed in the first Christian century, and the authorship of the more important Epistles is practically unquestioned. Most of them were the work of St. Paul, who despatched them to the various churches he had founded, or to others which he hoped to visit. "Romans" is not the earliest in date of these Epistles, but as far back as the fourth century it was placed first in the collection, presumably because of its importance. It was written by Paul before he himself visited Rome as described in Acts 27, the Roman church having been already established by another; tradition says by St. Peter. The chief theme of the Epistle is Paul's teaching, that righteousness is won by faith in Christ, not by adherence to the Jewish law.

Chapter 1

1 Paul commendeth his calling to the Romans, 9 and his desire to come to them. 16 What his gospel is, and the righteousness which it sheweth. 18 God is angry with all manner of sin. 21 What were the sins of the Gentiles.

AUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be

an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:1 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

'The last clause of this verse is, in the Revised Version, "unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake."

1758

THY

་་

“See Ye to It”

BY REMBRANDT, THE GREATEST OF DUTCH MASTERS,

DIED 1669.
+

"When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it."-Matthew, 27, 24.

Τ

HE clever Pilate must by this time have seen clearly

that the charges against Jesus were not really political, as the priests affirmed. A stronger man than he would undoubtedly have stood by the prisoner and compelled His enemies to reveal the real cause why they sought His death. But Pilate was not strong; he sought always to temporize. He pleaded for the Saviour: "What evil hath he done?" He asked vaguely, "What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom call the king of the Jews?" In answer there arose for the first time the savage cry, "Crucify him!" The mob had grown impatient of delay, hungry for blood and

torture.

ye

Pilate shrank from before them. He was not the type of man to face a riot in the town for the sake of doing justice to one apparently unfriended man. Yet something of Roman stubbornness was in Pilate too. Sending for a basin of water he laved his hands before all the shouting spectators, as a sign that he washed himself free of the matter. They must take it upon themselves. For almost two thousand years their response has remained as a scourge against their entire race. "Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children."