Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 282

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ARRIVAL AT ROME . 275 The Jews who had been banished from Rome some yearsprevious,had been tacitlypermitted toreturn,sothatlargenumbers were now tobe found there. To these, firstof all,Paul determined topresentthefactsconcerninghimselfand hiswork , beforehisenemies should have opportunitytoembitterthem againsthim. Three days afterhis arrivalat Rome , therefore, he calledtogethertheirleadingmen ,and in a simple,directmanner statedthereasonswhy hehad come to Rome as a prisoner. " Men and brethren," hesaid, " thoughI have committednothingagainstthepeople,orcustoms of our fathers, yet was I deliveredprisonerfrom Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans ,who , when they had examined me , would have letme go, becausetherewas no causeof deathin me . But when theJews spake againstit,I was constrainedto appealunto Cæsar ; not thatI had aughtto accusemy nationof. For thiscause thereforehave I calledforyou,toseeyou and to speakwithyou; becausethatforthe hope ofIsrael I am bound with this chain ." He said nothing of the abuse which he had sufferedat the hands of the Jews , or of their repeatedplotsto assassinatehim . His words were marked with caution and kindness . He was not seekingto win personalattentionor sympathy, but to defend the truth and to maintain the honor of thegospel. In reply, his hearersstatedthattheyhad receivedno chargesagainsthim by letterspublic orprivate, and that none of theJews who had come to Rome had accused him of any crime. They alsoexpresseda strongdesireto hearfor themselves the reasons of his faith in Christ.