In Acts 15:3, as Paul goes to Jerusalem to consider the question of Gentile Law keeping and circumcision, he shares along the journey, in Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. After arriving at Jerusalem, he continues to declare all things that God had done with them. Acts 15:4 During the meeting, Barnabas and Paul again were declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. Acts 15:12 During Paul’s last visit to Jerusalem, when he greets James and the elders there, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. Acts 21:19
We want to note that we find no scriptural warrant that Peter has been using keys to open doors to Jews in Acts 2, to Samaritans in Acts 8 or to Gentiles in Acts 10. cf. Matt. 16:19 We want to acknowledge that Peter goes to Cornelius, the Gentile in Acts 10. But we want to be sure that the reader notes that Peter goes to Cornelius, not on the basis of the so-called great commission, but rather by God’s choice, made known to Peter much later than Acts 1:8. This is the first, last and only recorded instance of any of the twelve apostles, any where, at any time ministering to Gentiles in Acts.
Paul’s second trip begins as a confirmation ministry. Paul desired to find out how the new converts were doing in the places where Barnabas and Paul had traveled. There was a change on how this was to be done, as Paul and Barnabas could not agree about taking John Mark along on this second mission. They separate, and Paul takes with him Silas. That part of the mission was completed by Acts 16:5.
A new phase began, with a vision calling them to go into Macedonia and ‘help us’. Luke gives us some facts, but few details, as they pass through cities like Samothracia and Neapolis. They arrive at Philippi and abiding certain days. 16:11-12
There was no synagogue in the city, but on the Sabbath, they went down by a riverside where prayer was accustomed to be made. Paul spoke there and Lydia, a Jewish lady, became a convert. Later Paul healed a certain maiden, who was possessed with a spirit of divination. She may have become a disciple. Then, Paul was thrown in jail because he healed this girl, putting her masters out of making gain through her divinations.
Paul was miraculously delivered from prison and in the process, made converts of the jailer and those in his house. 16:32 When they left Philippi, they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and Luke again records no details. But, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
We want to notice what Luke records about Paul. His manner or custom was to enter in unto them. That is, Paul enters into the synagogues of the Jews, from city to city. This paper wants to establish that this was a ‘custom’ of Paul, but it was not a command, such as going to the Jews first. He did this for three Sabbaths. He reasoned or lectured unto them from the scriptures. His purpose was to show that Christ, as known from the Old Testament Scriptures, must needs to suffer, and rise from the dead; and that this ‘Jesus’, whom Paul preached unto them is this very Christ. 17:2-3
The question to be asked again is: Did Paul go into this synagogue and preach to Jews only? Is this to be an example of going to the Jew first? The answer to both questions should be no. The reason is found in 17:4. He did not preach only to Jews. There were converts listed. Of the Jews, ‘some’ of them believed. But, there were more than just Jews in that synagogue, therefore, this should silence any claim here, that Paul went to ‘Jews first’. There were other converts- of the devout Greeks, a great multitude and of the chief women, not a few.
At Berea, we find the same story. They enter a synagogue of the Jews. They preached the word. These Bereans searched the scriptures, to see if what Silas and Paul spoke was true.The results were that many of them believed. But were there only Jews there in the synagogue ? No ! Also, (believing) were of the honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 17:12
At Athens, there is Paul in the synagogue again, disputing/addressing with the Jews and with the devout persons. 17:17 No details of the converts. But we are aware that there were more in the synagogue than just Jews. He does not dispute with Jews only.
At Corinth, Paul reasoned/lectured/addressed there in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 18:4 When Silas and Timotheous came from Macedonia, Paul testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. There were Jews, who then resisted and blasphemed Paul’s teaching ministry. It is here that Paul gives another summary statement concerning his ministry there. Because of their rejection and opposition, Paul states that he will : “…from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles”. Acts 18:6 Does Paul now go to the Gentiles after first preaching to the Jews? NO ! He has already been persuading ‘ the Jews and the Greeks’ 18:4 This is not a case of “turning from Jews and then turning to Gentiles.
This, then, is not a case of “To the Jew first and then to the Gentile”. This is a case of turning from a situation of preaching to Jews and Greeks to a situation of continuing to preach to Gentiles, because the Jews have taken a position of rejection and unbelief and not wanting to listen any more.
At Ephesus, Paul enters the synagogue and reasons with the Jews. Luke does not give us any details about the total make-up of this synagogue, nor any details about converts. Paul must leave to go to Jerusalem. He promises to return. These Jews desired Paul to tarry longer with them. ( Paul had not preached long enough it would seem to divide the members into believers and unbelievers.)
During Paul’s third mission trip, he returns to the Jewish synagogue at Ephesus. Acts 19:8 He ministers there in the synagogue for three months. Again, there was opposition and evil speaking before the multitude ( an undefined group which may have been Jews AND others.) Paul separates the disciples and continues there for two years. There was a wide-spread outreach so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:10
The evidence lacks details, here at Ephesus, in order to show once again that Paul did not go to the Jew first and then, and only then minister to Gentiles. However, the accumulated evidence from Paul’s past procedures in the former cities and synagogues, as Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth, leans heavily in favor of the over all claims of this paper, that Paul, can not be seen as going “To the Jew First” and then, and only then, “Going To the Gentile”. Later, in Acts 20:17-38, Paul sees the elders from Ephesus at Miletus, and speaks about his ministry among them : “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” 20:21
The last reference (Acts 28:28) ( cf. Acts 13:46; 18:6 ) in its true reading does not support the claims that Paul always went to the Jew first, any where and every where Paul preached in Acts or that Romans 1:16 was his marching orders.
Paul does not even see the Jews, the brethren of the flesh, first here in Acts 28. Instead, contrary to many claims, Paul is greeted by the ‘brethren of the faith’ even before he gets to Rome. Acts 28:15 The ‘brethren’ heard about Paul (and his coming to Rome) and came out to meet him. So, these ‘brethren of the faith’ meet Paul before the ‘brethren of the flesh’ do.
Then, after arriving at Rome, and after three more days, Paul calls the chief of the Jews together. Acts 28:17 But he does not call them together ‘first’ to preach to them. He calls them in order to find out some facts about his case with Caesar. In Acts 28:20, he states that for this cause therefore have I called you, and to speak with you. The cause, is the coming confrontation of Paul before Caesar and any accusers which might be there to make charges against Paul.
Acts 28:17-20 gives the background for the cause for the calling of these Jews. He has committed nothing against the people or customs of the fathers. Yet, he was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. The Roman examination of Paul, gave no cause to keep Paul, as a prisoner. Then the Jews spoke against a release of Paul. Therefore, Paul was constrained to appeal to Caesar.
Paul, then, says, “For this cause, therefore, have I called for you, to see you and to speak to you because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”
Their response in Acts 28:21, shows that Paul’s reasons for calling them, was to find out what kind of a defense he will need and what is the opposition planning to do before Caesar.
“We neither received letters out of Jerusalem concerning thee. Neither any of the brethren that came (from Jerusalem ) showed or spoke any harm of thee”.
Now, according to the testimony of these Roman Jews, Paul knew that there was no incriminating letters received by these Roman Jews coming from Jerusalem that would condemn Paul, nor were there brethren from Jerusalem that came to these Jews who shewed or spake any harm of Paul.
Then, the Jews, not Paul, asks to have a hearing as to what Paul thinks and believes. Acts 28:22 They do confess that concerning this sect, that Paul is a member, they knew that it was everywhere spoken against.
So, these Jews, not Paul, appointed him a day, and then many of these Jews came to Paul’s lodging. Once there, Paul 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. The results were NOT monumental as some want to believe and want others to believe also.
Some would claim that these results were a climactic crisis for the nation of Israel, with God closing the door, as it were, on the nation, casting the nation away, in the sense, of not now, having Israel as the channel of blessing, the ‘seed’ to bless all the families of the earth.
But, the results were the same as many other places, where Paul preached : “ And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not “. 28:24
This is hardly evidence enough from such a far-away-group-of-Jews-in-Rome, to make such radical repercussions to the standing of the whole nation of Israel, most of whom were not in Rome, but in the land of Palestine. Basically, the Jews of the Diaspora, were not considered as necessary to reach, even in the ministry of John the Baptist, nor in the ministries Christ and his Apostles in the Gospel records or early Acts. The “sendings” of John 1:31; Matthew 10:5-6; Luke 9:2 and Luke 10:1, NEVER took the Apostles out of the land, to the Jews who were living out there.
By the same token, Romans 11:15 has already stated Israel’s casting away, regardless of someone’s reading of Romans 11:1,2 to the contrary and the superficial reading of Acts 28.
Acts 28:28, here, does not reflect any indication that Gentiles are NOW to be the recipients of Paul’s preaching ministry, now that His obligation, first, to Israel has been completed. If this verse was given an arrow, to point in the direction to which Paul wants these Jews to be cognizant, it would refer BACK to Acts 13 through Acts 28, NOT toward Acts 29 and beyond. The salvation of God has already been preached to the Gentiles.
