seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Acts 28:1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
11 After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13 From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15 The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16 When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
17 Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19 The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
21 They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
26 “‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]
28 “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” [29] [b]
30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
a. Acts 28:27 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
b. Acts 28:29 Some manuscripts include here After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.
The commentary here is from bible-studys.org.
Paul always worked wherever he was and whatever he was doing. This is no exception. Paul gathered dry wood for the fire. This viper (snake), which fastened on Paul's hand was a physical snake. The old devil (serpent), had been trying to destroy Paul this entire trip, but God has other plans.
Barbarians were not believers in God. They were superstitious people. They decided because the snake bit Paul, he was a murderer. This is the attitude of some church people today. Because Satan attacks a person (from the outside), they say quickly that he or she is not of God.
They suddenly realize that Paul is not evil after all. These barbarians, as we said before, are superstitious and now they have decided Paul is a god. They know that they would be dead if the snake had bitten them, so they know Paul is different and they pronounce him a god. They will do anything for Paul at this point.
According to verse 8 God miraculously “healed” (Greek iasato), Publius’s father through the laying on of Paul’s hands. states that many came and were healed, but a different word is used (Greek etherapeuonto), and any mention of laying on of hands is missing. Consequently, the healings of verse 9 could have been by medical means, through the hands of Luke the Physician.
Rome is located on the Tiber River 15 miles from the Mediterranean. During New Testament times, it enjoyed the height of its splendor. The population far exceeded one million and represented nations from Arabia to Britain.
Close to half of these people were slaves; and the others, free citizens who thought it degrading to do manual labor. Decadence was setting in; Rome desperately needed the gospel. Scripture does not state how Rome first received the gospel. That an apostle (like Peter or Paul), began the work is most unlikely.
This centurion, Julius, has put in a good word for Paul, and Paul is not put into the common prison. He is allowed a room by himself, at possibly a soldier’s home or in a soldier’s quarters here at the prison. It does appear, in a later Scripture, that Paul rented a house and the soldier stayed there with him.
I am sure Julius has brought a letter from Festus and Agrippa, if it was not ruined in the shipwreck. If it was, Julius can certainly tell of Paul on this most eventful journey. Paul had actually gotten special privileges for Julius back with the barbarians.
Paul's persistence in trying to win the Jews to Christ is what got him in trouble. The Gentiles received the Lord Jesus Christ freely, but the Jews did not. When Paul tried to teach in the synagogues and in the temple in Jerusalem, they stoned him and wanted to kill him.
The difference in the Jews and Gentiles is that the Jews are self-satisfied, and the Gentiles know they need a Savior. One more time, Paul has tried to bring the salvation message to the Jews, and they have rejected it.
The blueletterbible.org site describes Paul's "jailing" in Rome.....When we came to Rome: When Paul came to Rome, the city had existed for almost 800 years. The famous Coliseum had not yet been built but the prominent buildings were the temple of Jupiter, the palaces of Caesar, and a temple to Mars, the god of war. At the time, Rome had a population of about two million - one million slave, one million free. Society was divided into roughly three classes: A small upper class, a large class of the poor, and slaves.
Well.... so far.... the "Apostle" Paul is still the "Disciple" Paul. Sure.... he's quite an evangelist.... getting all the way to Rome.... and making it impossible for the Romans to stop him from addressing Ceasar.... but he's no an Apostle. I just want to keep that straight.Paul and the others were shipwrecked on an uncharted [or unfamiliar] Island. It turns out they shipwrecked on the Island of Malta.... but it was "uncivilized" because they believed in lots of fake gods.... and didn't have a clue about Jesus. They thought Paul was a god because he survived a vicious snake bite without even swelling up.
Now I have to give the Disciple Paul a little credit here..... I'm not so sure the average guy could stick to the mission after being called a god on a beautiful Island when he knew a Roman prison cell was awaiting him. Still Paul went on with the journey.
When Paul finally arrived in Rome..... he found over a million people.... temples to fake gods..... a huge disparity in the classes..... lots of opulence and lots of poverty. Luke was with him..... that's Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the author of this book..... and apparently there were already Christians in the crowds.
Paul used his home as a base.... he rented his own home even though he was shackled to a Roman guard 24/7, he had his own place.... and they allowed him to have visitors. Paul met with a lot of Jews..... some accepted what he had to say and accepted Jesus as their Savior.... others.... well not everyone was going to hear the message and accept it.
I don't know why some call this the "Acts of the Apostles" when it's really just how Paul became an evangelist working his way to Rome.
If Paul had been lured to be the local god on the Island of Malta..... the book of Acts would have turned out completely different..... But... he didn't... Paul was snake bit.... and survived.....
