What does Acts 28:22 mean?
Paul has wanted to visit the church in Rome for years (Romans 1:9–12; 15:23) but his heart is for the Jews (Romans 9:1–5). He finally has the chance. He reached Rome three days prior, under the guard of Julius, a centurion. He is now under house arrest, chained to another Roman guard. Fortunately, the Jewish leaders agree to meet him in his apartment. He explains how he was falsely accused but held by the Roman governors because the Sanhedrin would have caused problems had he been released. In fact, he could have pressed charges against the Sanhedrin for false testimony. The Jewish leaders in Rome don't know what he's talking about—they haven't received any word about him from Jerusalem (Acts 28:17–21).They have heard about this new sect, however. "Everywhere" is vague. The gospel had certainly spread abroad and was very often not accepted by local Jewish leaders. Paul was an infamous and hated figure among Jews in several places. Most significantly, he was despised in the province of Asia in southwest modern-day Turkey. Jews in this region were among the first to condemn Christianity before it had even spread beyond Jerusalem (Acts 6:8–14). Jews from Asia also accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple (Acts 21:27–29). Another significant location is Thessalonica. When Paul and Silas started preaching there, the Jews became jealous of their following and nearly started a riot. When the missionaries moved on to Berea, the Thessalonian Jews followed them and harassed the city so much the new believers sent Paul to Athens (Acts 17:1–15).
The Jews in Rome would have gone to Jerusalem on occasion for religious feasts and may have met Jews from Thessalonica or Asia there. It's also possible they, like Priscilla and Aquila, went to Corinth when the emperor temporarily expelled Jews from Rome in AD 49 (Acts 18:2). If so, they would know that although the ruler of the Corinthian synagogue agreed that Jesus is the Messiah, many others did not (Acts 18:1–17).
The Jews in Rome will not react so violently to Paul—perhaps because of that Roman guard—but not all of them will accept what he has to say. Paul, saddened and frustrated, will reaffirm his mission to the Gentiles during his two-year stay. He will then be released, but Luke's account ends there (Acts 28:23–31).
