THE INHABITANTS OF MALTA. The inhabitants of Malta were of Phoenician extraction; they are called barbarians in Acts 28:2, as they spoke another language than Greek; inscriptions in two languages are found in the island. The date of the landing was before the middle of November (Acts 27:9; Acts 27:2... [ Continue Reading ]
VISIT TO PUBLIUS. The chief man of the island is in the Gr. the first man, an official title, found on inscriptions in Malta (p. 614). The cure of his father by Paul is effected by prayer and imposition of hands (_cf. Acts 9:12; Acts 9:17_). Paul believed in his own power to do such things (2 Corint... [ Continue Reading ]
JOURNEY FROM MALTA TO ROME.Three months brings us to the middle of February, which is before the opening of navigation. They had doubtless seen the _Dioscuri,_ Heavenly Twins, a ship like that in which they were wrecked, and making the same voyage from Alexandria to Italy. A day's sail would bring t... [ Continue Reading ]
INTERVIEW WITH THE JEWS AT ROME. Acts 28:30 is continuous with Acts 28:16. In Acts 28:17 the programme ascribed to Paul in Ac., that he addresses the Jews first, the Gentiles when the Jews have proved unbelieving, is exhibited in a conspicuous instance. The relations of Paul with the Christians at R... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS ARE HARDENED. It was a numerous meeting; we can scarcely understand the words to mean that more came the second time than the first. The kingdom of God is a wide phrase for the Christian doctrine which began with the announcement of the nearness of God's rule (_cf. Acts 1:3_). The doctrine... [ Continue Reading ]
ACTS 28:30 F. CONCLUSION. These verses take up Acts 28:16 and show us Paul carrying on his mission in Rome undisturbed, preaching as in Acts 28:23. Here the book ends: if the writer has information about the trial and the death of Paul, he does not enter upon it. If Ac. appeared in the reign of Domi... [ Continue Reading ]