Why didn't God save Paul in Acts of the Apostles?
Photo by Dan Senior on UnsplashIn this week’s Bible Study:Part seven of our study of the Book of Acts!
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Pentecost is Sunday! We made it! This last week focuses on Paul’s arrival to Rome, where he stayed the rest of his life in prison, We are using the NIV translation, except where noted. This week, we are studying chapters 27-28.
It feels like we just started, but we have arrived at the last two books in Acts. I wanted to spend time on these books because we see miracles happen, we see the grace of God and we see Paul arrive in Rome.
Paul’s journey from Jerusalem in chapter 26 bookends with his arrival to Rome. Back in Jerusalem, he was taken into custody by officials because Jews there did not like what he was preaching. When he finally arrives, still in custody, he calls for the Jewish leaders in Rome and explains to them that he is not trying to harm the Jewish people.
He preaches boldly, and makes many converts — but not all, as he notes from the prophet Isaiah:
“ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ “ Acts 28: 26-27
Some Jews did not like hearing this, and left with hardened hearts and closed ears and eyes.
Let’s not skip over the shipwreck on the island of Malta, between Sicily and North Africa. There is so much to reflect on here. First of all, through Paul’s instruction, God saves EVERYONE on the boat. He encourages them to eat for strength, tells them to stay with the boat no matter what, and God softens the heart of a centurion who protected the prisoners from being killed by the other guards. In this, all 276 people survived.
Then, when they get to Malta, God heals Paul from a snake bite and allows him to heal the Maltese chief official’s father, and many others.
If God can do all this, why not allow Paul to escape, or why not kill all the guards and let Paul live the rest of his life in peace? It’s a version of the “why do bad things happen to good people?” question.
God’s plan for Paul’s life is not so easy to understand. But we know he was with Paul the rest of his life, inspiring him to write encouraging (and sometimes, correcting) letters to the early churches of the day. These letters became a large part of the New Testament.
Paul’s life didn’t end peacefully but it didn’t begin that way, either! Jesus saved him from judgment (as he was responsible for killing Christians) when he appeared to him on the road to Damascus.
The Bible does not tell of Paul’s end, but historically it is believed that he was killed by Nero in Rome during the fall of many Christians.
Paul, like many of the apostles, had a full life in Jesus that eventually saved millions of believers.
In last week’s poll, you said you are most interested in Paul’s letter to the Romans. You won’t have much time to wait because it’s the next book after Acts! Many people refer to this book as the Roman Road, or a way for new Christians to begin reading the Bible and learn about Jesus.
Sunday is the celebration of Pentecost, which actually happened in Book 2 of Acts but comes at the end of our study. I hope you have enjoyed spending these seven weeks together. I encourage you to go back to Book 2 and reread about that early Pentecost and how it changed the apostles.
Your sister in Christ,
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