At the end of Acts, Paul has been proclaiming the Gospel to the Jews in Rome, a large community. While some believed, others would not. Paul spent a whole day, morning to evening, explaining and trying to persuade the people of the claims of Christ. When this was fruitless, he quoted Isaiah's statement that the people had closed their hearts and eyes.
We see the quotation in other places in the New Testament, most notably spoken by Jesus. In the context of the parable of the sower, where Jesus uses this quotation, we realize that the seed of the Word of God does its work wherever it falls. There's nothing powerless about the Word of God. Yet some of the soils are unfruitful. It would seem that Paul is thinking of this very thing as he addresses the Jews in Rome. They have heard the Word, repeatedly. They were brought up in Scripture and have now been hearing Paul explaining that Jesus is the Messiah. There is power in this Gospel. Many years ago, Paul had already written to some Christians in Rome, saying, among other things, that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1.16). What have the people done? They have, time and time again, forced their eyes and ears closed. They have stubbornly refused the proclamation of the Gospel. They have become unfruitful ground, though the Word of God is perfectly well.
Lord, may we be confident in the power of your Word. May we hear and receive it with joy, trusting in you day after day. May we not try to shut our eyes and ears against what you say. And may we be used by you to spread the knowledge of you, the living Word of God, throughout our world.
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