23 When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.
24 Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.
25 And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,
26 saying, ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;
27 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”’
28 “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”
29 When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.
Dr. Luke recorded that some were persuaded and believed but others would not believe. There is no difference between what had happened here and what Luke recorded earlier about Paul’s preaching in Pisidian Antioch. (Acts 13:14-52)
Paul preached the Word of God by giving a magnificent summary of God’s promise to Israel and how it had been fulfilled in Jesus. The people had begged Paul to come back the following Sabbath but when the Jews saw the crowds coming to listen to Paul that next week they were jealous and tried to discredit the things Paul was saying by contradicting him and blaspheming (Acts 13:45). But Paul & Barnabas stood boldly and proclaimed that the Lord commanded them that He had placed them as a light to the Gentiles, and that they would bring salvation to the ends of the earth. The gentiles heard this, rejoiced, and as many had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48).
As many that had been appointed to eternal life, believed. And the opposite of the same coin can easily and accurately be inferred - those that had not been appointed to eternal life, those that had NOT been chosen, did NOT believe. Why did they not believe? Because God had not done a work in them to make them believe (John 6:29), He had not given them belief (Philippians 1:29). No amount of persuasion from even the most silver-tongued orator would convince those who did not believe. They were not given belief.
Going on to verse 26: for the most part Paul was quoting Isaiah 6:9-10 which I covered in Bible Truth #386 but there was one portion where he deviated from Isaiah and made the same change that Jesus made in Matthew 13:14-15.
However, as I wrote in Bible Truth #386, Isaiah said the God closed their eyes. If anyone believes there is a contradiction and believes that they did indeed close their own eyes, I submit to you that they did so only because closing their eyes to the Truth of God’s Word is the only choice the natural man will ever make. Man in his natural state is Totally Depraved. He will not seek God (Romans 3:10-12), nor will he understand anything from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). He must be enabled by the Father (John 6:65).
John wrote that we become children of God NOT by human decision, or the will of the flesh (John 1:13). Jesus said that whoever does not believe in Him stands condemned already (John 3:18) and the lost will never come to Him (John 3:20). He also said that God’s wrath remains on those who reject Him (John 3:36).
Verse 29 - when the Jews left they were arguing amongst themselves. Here we see that nothing has changed in nearly 2,000 years. The Word of God says one thing but men can not let go of tradition and their idea of Who God is and how He works, to embrace completely and wholeheartedly on faith what God’s Word says.
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