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| 1 And when we got safe to land we then knew that the island was called Melita. |
Island was called Melita – Now called the Island of Malta. R4506:5
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| 2 But the barbarians shewed us no common kindness; for, having kindled a fire, they took us all in because of the rain that was falling 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 Paul having gathered a certain quantity of sticks together in a bundle and laid it on the fire, a viper coming out from the heat seized 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 beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, This man is certainly a murderer, whom, though saved out of the sea, Nemesis has not allowed to live. |
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| 5 *He* however, having shaken off the beast into the fire, 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 But *they* expected that he would have swollen or fallen down suddenly dead. But when they had expected a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, changing their opinion, they said he was a god. |
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| 7 Now in the country surrounding that place were the lands belonging to the chief man of the island, by name Publius, who received us and gave us hospitality three days in a very friendly way. |
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| 8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay ill of fever and dysentery; to whom Paul entered in, and having prayed and laid his hands on him cured 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 But this having taken place, the rest also who had sicknesses 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 on our leaving they made presents to us of what should minister to our wants. |
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| 11 And after three months we sailed in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian, with the Dioscuri for its ensign. |
After three months – Early in the spring of AD 60. R4507:1
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| 12 And having come to Syracuse we remained three days. |
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| 13 Whence, going in a circuitous course, we arrived at Rhegium; and after one day, the wind having changed to south, on the second day we came to Puteoli, |
Puteoli – The Bay of Naples, the seaport of Rome, which is 150 miles inland. R4507:1
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| 14 where, having found brethren, we were begged to stay with them seven days. And thus we went to 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 thence the brethren, having heard about us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae, 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 up the prisoners to the praetorian prefect, but Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who 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 after three days, that he called together those who were the chief of the Jews; and when they had come together he said to them, Brethren, *I* having done nothing against the people or the customs of our forefathers, have been delivered a 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 having examined me were minded to let me go, because there was nothing worthy of death in me. |
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| 19 But the Jews speaking against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as having anything to accuse my nation of. |
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| 20 For this cause therefore I have called you to me to see and to speak to you; for on account of the hope of Israel I have this chain about me. |
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 to him, For our part, we have neither received letters from Judaea concerning thee, nor has any one of the brethren who has arrived reported or said anything evil concerning thee. |
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| 22 But we beg to hear of thee what thou thinkest, for as concerning this sect it is known to us that it is everywhere 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 having appointed him a day many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded, testifying of the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from early morning to 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 were persuaded of the things which were said, but some disbelieved. |
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 being disagreed among themselves they left; Paul having spoken one word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Esaias the prophet to 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 to this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear and not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive. |
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| 27 For the heart of this people has become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. |
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 to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations; *they* also 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 he having said this, the Jews went away, having great reasoning among themselves. |
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| 30 And he remained two whole years in his own hired lodging, and received all who came to 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 the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom unhinderedly. |
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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