Acts 28,28 — Why? Acts 28 tells a story of Paul’s encounter with certain Jewish leaders (1) in Rome. After a day of explaining Jesus through the use of the Jewish Scriptures, Paul watches these and still other Jews disperse, discontent among themselves as to the truth of Paul’s exegesis of the Jewish scriptures in relation to the Kingdom of God and the ‘things’ of Jesus. As Paul sees them go, he, apparently in anger (2), cites Isaiah to the effect that those who do not accept his preaching have hardened their hearts, closed their eyes and ears; they did this so that (with the result that) they should not understand (3) and turn back (to God), who is assuredly ready to heal. Upon the close of this quotation, used by Paul (and Luke) to show why certain Roman Jews did not accept Jesus as the Jewish Scriptures intended they should (4), Luke gives further words to Paul (5). Thus, v. 28, and not the citation from Isaiah, closes Paul’s reflection on the response of certain Jews to his preaching. This fact, in turn, suggests that we look closely at this v. 28 so as to better (1) Throughout this essay we will insist on the clarity of Luke that he so orders his story that we are to think that the object of Paul’s remarks in Acts 28,26-27 are ‘certain Jewish leaders’; note the indefiniteness of the number: h\lqon pro;" aujto;n…pleivone" (v. 23). (In this regard, 28,28 is similar to 13,46, where again there is no affirmation that ‘all Israel’ is the object of Paul’s criticism and/or decision). There is no visible attempt to freshly apply the Isaiah citation to the ‘people of Israel’. Thus, though Isaiah speaks of “say to this people”, the Pauline application intended is, from context, not all Israel, but ‘certain Jewish leaders’. (2) That Paul speaks with emotion is not a reason to think that Luke reports Paul’s words with the same emotion. Luke, despite his adjustments with the historical nature of events, cannot be said to ‘be angry’ because Paul is shown to ‘be angry’ (if anger truly describes Paul at this moment). (3) In accord with Acts 5,31, this ‘refusal to understand’ involves the rejection of metavnoia and subsequent forgiveness of sins that God intended for Israel. (4) This citation from Isaiah offers no argument or evidence that Israel is now condemned or abandoned by God; consequently, this citation can hardly be called the ‘final Lucan word’ about Israel. It emphasizes that the attitude which describes the unbelieving Jewish leaders in Rome is well illustrated by Isaiah’s words to ‘their Fathers’; there is no mention here of the people Israel. (5) “28 ist Fazit in Lukanischer Diktion”, H. CONZELMANN, Die Apostel- geschichte (HzNT 7; Tübingen 1963) 160.