Paul's final statement was that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
After the Jewish leaders in Rome disagreed over Paul's message, Paul declared that God's salvation had been sent to the Gentiles. Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul did not say every Gentile would be saved, but that the Gentile world would hear the message.
Acts 28:28 — This is Paul's final recorded statement to the Jewish leaders at Rome.
Acts 28:24 — Shows that the Jewish leaders were divided in their response to Paul's message.
Romans 11:11 — Demonstrates the context of Paul's statement: through Israel's fall salvation came to the Gentiles.
In Acts 28, Paul met with the Jewish leaders in Rome and expounded the kingdom of God to them. The record shows that some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. When they did not agree, Paul spoke his final word to them: "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."
Les Feldick sets the scene by explaining that Paul, though now a prisoner in Rome, still had a burden for Israel and said he was bound with a chain for the hope of Israel. He was given a day to meet with the Jewish leaders, and he rehearsed how all the Old Testament covenant promises had been presented to Israel and how the nation had rejected them when they crucified their Messiah. Les then points directly to Acts 28:28 — "Be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles." He emphasizes that Paul says the Gentiles "are going to hear it." Les is careful to note that Paul does not say every Gentile will be saved; the message would go to them and they would hear it. He also connects this to Romans 11:11, where through Israel's fall salvation came to the Gentiles.
The Jewish leaders at Rome could not agree with one another after hearing Paul. As Les describes it, they left "in discord and disagreement" and could not believe the message. Scripture confirms that some believed and some believed not (Acts 28:24), and after Paul's final words the Jews departed, reasoning among themselves (Acts 28:29).
No. Les specifically highlights that Paul said the Gentiles "are going to hear it" — not that they would all be saved. The emphasis is that the gospel would now go to the Gentile world and would be heard by them.
Les explains that all the Old Testament covenant promises had been given to Israel, but they rejected them when they crucified their Messiah. Through their fall, salvation came to the Gentiles (Romans 11:11), which is the point Paul was making in his final statement to the Jewish leaders.
Paul's Meeting with Roman Jewish Leaders
Les sets the scene: Paul, though imprisoned, still had a burden for Israel and was bound for the hope of Israel; he was given a day to meet and expound the kingdom of God to the Jewish leaders in Rome.
The Final Statement to Jewish Leaders
Les quotes Paul's words in Acts 28 that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and they will hear it, and stresses that Paul did not say every Gentile would be saved, only that they would hear.
Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's
That if these Jewish believers at Jerusalem would have succeeded in putting Paul down and stopping his ministry among the Gentiles, which is what they really wanted to do, what would have happened to our chances for salvation? We wouldn't have any. And that's exactly what he's saying. He withstood all this pressure that the Gentiles might continue to receive this Gospel of grace.
Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained
And he rehearses everything that had taken place up through Jewish history, and how that Christ died, and so on and so forth. But anyway, he gets to the place where he quotes Jesus as saying, "...depart from Jerusalem, they will not hear you concerning me." And then he goes on another statement or two, and then he repeats what Jesus said again. He said, "...
Why Did Israel Reject God? Romans 10:18-21 Explained
And then Paul says in verse 21, But Jesus responded unto me, Depart, get out of Jerusalem, for I will send thee far hence to the Gentiles. Now look at the next verse. They listened to him with rapt silence and attention, until he said the word, Gentile. And then what happened? Oh, at that word, Gentile, they lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth.
Does God Harden Hearts? Romans 9:18-24 and the Potter's Clay
�And I saw him saying unto me, Make haste, get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they, the Jews, will not receive thy testimony concerning me.� Verse 19, �And I said, Lord, they know that I am present, and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death.
The Rapture Is a Mystery — What Paul Revealed That No One Else Did
And so Gentiles have been under that blessing of having the gospel, the opportunity for salvation, but their day is fast coming to a close, because they too have been walking it underfoot, and God's grace, and God's patience is one day soon we think going to run out, and He will go back and pick up where He left off with Israel.
Israel's Fall Brings Salvation to Gentiles
Les connects Paul's statement to Romans 11:11, showing that through Israel's fall salvation came to the Gentiles.
Acts 28:28: Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Paul's final statement to the Jewish leaders at Rome.
Acts 28:24: And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
The divided reaction of the Jewish leaders to Paul's message.
Romans 11:11: I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Les links this verse to Paul's declaration that salvation is sent to the Gentiles.
Paul declared, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it" (Acts 28:28). It came after some of the Jewish leaders believed and some did not.
No. Les Feldick points out that Paul said the Gentiles "will hear it." He did not promise universal salvation; he was announcing that the gospel would now be proclaimed to the Gentile world.
Les says they left in discord and disagreement because they could not believe the message. Scripture records that some believed and some believed not.
Watch the Teaching: Paul's Gospel of Grace: From Acts to Romans Explained