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| 1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. |
Island was called Melita – Now called the Island of Malta. R4506:5
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| 2 And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. |
Barbarous people – So called because they did not speak Greek, but Phoenician. R4506:6
No little kindness – Yet there is no record that the Apostle or Luke or Aristarchus made any effort to conduct evangelistic meetings among them. The Apostle seemingly knew that they were too degraded to be called with the high calling. R3205:2, 2691:3, 1347:6
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| 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. |
Gathered a bundle of sticks – He stood not on any dignity or assumed superiority to be served, but promptly assisted in serving the interests of the entire company. R4506:6
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| 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. |
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| 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. |
Felt no harm – The Lord constantly witnessed with him, by miracles and signs which mightily convinced the people. R1558:5
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| 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. |
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| 7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. |
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| 8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. |
Healed him – The Apostle Paul healed the multitudes, but did not cure himself. R1689:4
Although so far as we have any information the Apostle did not attempt to preach the Gospel message. Evidently he did not consider them to be "good ground." R4507:1
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| 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: |
Which had diseases – He sent napkins and handkerchiefs to the diseased, but when the consecrated were sick he sent none to them. R1689:4
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| 10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary. |
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| 11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. |
After three months – Early in the spring of AD 60. R4507:1
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| 12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. |
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| 13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: |
Puteoli – The Bay of Naples, the seaport of Rome, which is 150 miles inland. R4507:1
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| 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. |
With them seven days – The Centurion awaiting orders from Rome respecting the disposal of his prisoners. R4507:1
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| 15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. |
They came to meet us – The welcome faces of brethren. R1570:1
Paul had a considerable number of kinsmen and acquaintances in Rome, the number was at least over thirty two (Rom. 16:1-5). These visited him speed R3208:3
Appii forum – 43 miles distant from Rome. R4507:2
The three taverns – 30 miles from the great city. R4507:2
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| 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. |
Rome – The very center of influence at that time. R3208:5
Captain of the guard – Julius, who is supposed to have been the prefect of the Praetorium, a man of good repute. R3208:5
But Paul – As result of Festus' letter to Caesar and the favorable impression the Apostle made upon the centurion in connection with the shipwreck. R3208:1
With a soldier – A guard, changed every few hours, to whom the Apostle was constantly chained. Probably a considerable number of the garrison had personal contact with the Apostle. R3208:1
That kept him – Many were brought into contact with Christian teachings and example. It is claimed that through these soldiers that the Gospel message was carried to France, Germany and Great Britain. R4507:3, 3208:2
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| 17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. |
After three days – The first step, after his arrival and settlement in Rome, was to call together the chief of the Jews in Rome. R1570:1
The Apostle was energetic in seeking to be about the Master's business. R3208:3
The Jews together – At this time there were seven synagogues at Rome. R4507:3
He said unto them – The Apostle did not attempt to preach the Gospel at this first interview, but simply introduced himself and his message and made an appointment for a future meeting. R3209:1, 1570:2
He explained briefly the cause of the opposition of the Jews, the necessity of his appeal to Caesar and the assurance that he had naught to accuse his own nation. R3208:6
Committed nothing – Was not disloyal to his nation or its customs. R4507:4
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| 18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. |
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| 19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. |
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| 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. |
The hope of Israel – Israel had a hope, and because of his loyalty to Israel and Israel's hope, he suffered imprisonment. R3208:6
It was in the promise of a Messiah and the establishment of his Kingdom. R1570:1
The blessedness promised to that nation, and through it to all the nations of the earth. R1435:4*
Its realization made sure in the resurrection of Christ. R751:2
See also comments on Acts 26:6,7.
Bound with this chain – Under the care of a soldier to whom he was lightly chained. R4507:3, 3208:1
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| 21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee. |
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| 22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. |
We desire to hear – They had received no letter or communications injurious to the Apostle, and expressed a desire to hear for themselves what St. Paul had to say, because they knew this sect was spoken against as evil. R4507:4, 3209:1
This sect – The Greek word is airesis, heresy; but modern English definition has been changed. R1130:6, 3792:3,4
The Church of Christ is neither a sect nor an aggregation of sects; it is one and indivisible. It is Christ and all who are united to him. R1576:3, 413:5
This church was a sect itself--a split off from the Jewish church. R538:2
Christians are a separated class--separate from the world--separate from sinners--separate from all others; in that they accept of Jesus, and salvation through his blood. R538:2
There should be no schism or division of this sect; all who are of it should be one. (1 Cor. 12:25) R538:2
Everywhere – Good men and bad men may have both friends and enemies, but it is reserved for the pure Gospel and those who uphold it to be everywhere spoken against. R3209:1, 811:3*
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| 23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. |
He expounded – He was ready with all his strong arguments. R1570:2
Showing from the Law and the prophecies that Jesus is the Messiah and that he is now gathering a spiritual seed to be his Kingdom. R4507:5
Showing the types of the Law, the necessity for an antitypical sin-offering and the necessity for an antitypical Prophet, Priest and King, and the predictions of the prophets. R3209:2
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| 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. |
Some believed not – It is always thus. The truth is a searcher and discerner of hearts and a separator. R4507:6, 3209:2,3
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| 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers, |
Paul had spoken – When some refused the message, he quoted from Isaiah, how God foretold that the majority of the Jews would reject the message. (Isa. 6:9,10) R4507:5
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| 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: |
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| 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
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Dull of hearing – Were unworthy of the knowledge and the call. R1347:6
A rebuke which the Lord so frequently applied to the Jews. (Matt. 13:15) R1570:4
Should heal – Greek, iaomai; as in "Pray one for another that ye may be healed." (James 5:16) Has also the significance R4099:3*
Can be applied in a moral or spiritual sense. R4099:5*
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| 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. |
Salvation of God – Another way of expressing the blessedness promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. R1435:4*
Unto the Gentiles – Who should enjoy the privilege of which they had judged themselves unworthy. R1570:4
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| 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. |
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| 30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, |
Two whole years – Awaiting the due process of the law--the arrival of witness from Jerusalem, the formulating of charges, etc. R1570:4
His liberty. R1827:4; F672
His own hired house – Apartments. R3208:2
It was here that Paul wrote the epistles to the Philippians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and to Philemon. R3208:5, 1570:5
It is possible that his necessities were met by his friends or that by this time he had inherited considerable patrimony from his father's estate. R3208:2, 2969:1
Implying Paul inherited a patrimony which enabled him to live with numerous conveniences enjoyed at that time only by the wealthy. R4355:2
We should do the Father's will as the necessities of the work may require it, if expedient to have a dwelling place entirely consecrated to his work. R540:6*
Just as we have today, generally small, their usual meeting places were private dwellings or rented upper rooms. R984:2
In no respect did those early associations of gatherings resemble those of Babylon, "mother" or daughters, today. R984:2
All that came in – Those who are kept prisoners at home by family duties, illness, etc., should both pray and expect that the Lord would bring to them such as might be benefitted by their ministries of the truth. R3209:4
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| 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. |
No man forbidding – But his enemies used this against him, "Hoping to add afflictions" (Phil. 1:16) to his bonds. F672
Following this, tradition says, the Apostle was liberated, and again visited the churches of Asia Minor and Spain, and later came again a prisoner to Rome and was decapitated. R3209:6, 1827:4, 1570:5
Probably during this latter imprisonment Paul wrote his epistles to Timothy and Titus. R3209:6
Paul is summarized as deeply religious, whole-souled, ardent, energetic, persevering, broad-minded, affectionate, loving; a great traveler, author, orator, organizer, missionary, philosopher; a genius, the Moses of the New Testament. R4355:3
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