Let us now return to Acts 28: and give the record of this interesting and critical

day our closest attention.

The Chief of the Jews appointed a day and the Apostle occupied the time "from

morning till evening" "expounding and testifying the kingdom of God, persuading them

concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses and out of the Prophets", and we can well

believe that that all-day exposition would have made the heart of any believer to "burn

within" him, even as in the case of the disciples when they listened to the Lord on the

way of Emmaus. It may not be given to us to expound the Scriptures as did the Apostle,

but we can and do point out that which the Lord has shown us, and pray that it may find a

lodging in the heart of many a true "Berean".

Paul "expounded" and "testified". What do these two words mean and what do they

teach us?

The word translated "expound" is ektithemi, literally, "to put out".  The first

occurrence of the word is in Acts 7: 21, where it speaks of Moses when he was "cast

out". In English, "to expound" is rarely used in this primitive sense, although Butler in

1678 wrote, "First, he expounded both his pockets", and an Exposition is the name that

has been given to an Exhibition, as in 1868. While what we usually intend by "expound"

or "exposition", is the art of setting forth an argument, a commentary or a detailed

explanation, we should remember that in both the Greek and English words, the primitive

meaning is never quite lost sight of.

There are only two other occurrences of ektithemi in the N.T. and they all come in the

Here the expansion of the act is illuminative. The rehearsal was "from the beginning",

while the exposition was "by order", a word used geographically in Acts 18: 23, and

so giving a good idea of what exposition involves.

Again, the word akribos, "perfectly", reveals another aspect of the faculty of

exposition, in which not only is item added to item, in order, as did Peter, but there is

advance from the lower to the higher, as was the case with Apollos under this fruitful

type of teaching. This was one part of the Apostle's method of teaching. There was

another, which supplemented it and made the exposition live.  He "testified"

(diamarturomai). This is the ordinary word "to bear witness", marturomai, with dia

added, as though to indicate "a thorough witness", dia meaning "through", and in

composition not always so translated, but giving added emphasis.

The Lord had appeared to Paul in a vision and had said: