CHAPTER XXVIII. _St. Paul, and the rest of the crew, getting safely ashore, find_ _that the island on which they were shipwrecked is called_ Melita, 1. _They are received with great hospitality by the inhabitants_, 2. _A viper comes out of the bundle of sticks, laid on the fire, and_ _seizes o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:2. _THE BARBAROUS PEOPLE_] We have already seen that this island was peopled by the Phoenicians, or Carthaginians, as Bochart has proved, _Phaleg_. chap. xxvi.; and their ancient language was no doubt in use among them at that time, though mingled with some Greek and Latin terms; and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:3. _THERE CAME A VIPER OUT OF THE HEAT_] We may naturally suppose that there had been fuel laid _before_ on the fire, and that the viper was in this fuel, and that it had been revived by the _heat_; and, when St. Paul laid his bundle on the fire, the viper was then in a state to lay ho... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:4. _THE VENOMOUS BEAST_] το θηριον, The venomous animal; for θηρια is a general name among the Greek writers for _serpents,_ _vipers, scorpions, wasps_, and such like creatures. Though the viper fastened on Paul's hand, it does not appear that it really _bit_ him; but the Maltese suppo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:5. _SHOOK OFF THE BEAST INTO THE FIRE, AND FELT NO HARM._] This is a presumptive evidence that the viper did not _bite_ St. Paul: it fastened on his hand, but had no power to injure him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:6. _WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE SWOLLEN_] πιμπρασθαι, When he should have been _inflamed_: by means of an acrid poison introduced into the blood, it is soon coagulated; and, in consequence, the extremities of the vessels become obstructed, strong inflammation takes place, and all the parts bec... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:7. _THE CHIEF MAN OF THE ISLAND_] The term πρωτος, CHIEF, used hereby St. Luke, was the ancient title of the _governor_ of this island, as is evident from an inscription found in Malta, which runs thus:- Λ. Κ. υἱος, κυρ. ἱππευς. ῥωμ. πρωτος Μελιταιων· _Lucius Caius, son of Quirinu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:8. _THE FATHER OF PUBLIUS LAY SICK_] πυρετοις και δυσεντερια; Of a fever and dysentery; perhaps a _cholera morbus_. _PAUL - PRAYED_] That God would exert his power; _and laid his hands_ _on him_, as the means which God ordinarily used to convey the energy of the Holy Spirit, and _heal... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:9. _OTHERS - WHICH HAD DISEASES_] Luke was a _physician_; yet we do not find him engaging in these cures. As a medical man, he might have been of use to the father of Publius; but he is not even _consulted_ on the occasion. _Paul enters in to him, prays for_ _him, lays his hands on him... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:10. _HONOURED US WITH MANY HONOURS_] The word τιμη, as Bishop Pearce has remarked, is often used to signify a pecuniary _recompense_, or _present_. The Greek word seems to be thus used in 1 Timothy 5:17. _Let the elders which rule well be accounted worthy of double_ _HONOUR_, τιμης, w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:11. _AFTER THREE MONTHS_] Supposing that they had reached Malta about the end of _October_, as we have already seen, then it appears that they left it about the end of _January_, or the beginning of _February_; and, though in the depth of winter, not the worst time for sailing, even in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:12. _LANDING AT SYRACUSE_] In order to go to _Rome_ from _Malta_, their readiest course was to keep pretty close to the eastern coast of Sicily, in order to pass through the straits of _Rhegium_ and get into the _Tyrrhenian_ Sea. _Syracuse_ is one of the most famous cities of antiqui... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:13. _WE FETCHED A COMPASS_] οθεν περιελθοντες, _Whence we_ _coasted about_. This will appear evident, when the coast of Sicily is viewed on any correct map, of a tolerably large scale. _RHEGIUM_] A city and promontory in Calabria, in Italy, opposite to Sicily. It is now called _Reggio... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:14. _WHERE WE FOUND BRETHREN_] That is, _Christians_; for there had been many in Italy converted to the faith of Christ, some considerable time before this, as appears from St. Paul's epistle to the Romans, written some years before this voyage. _WE WENT TOWARD ROME._] One of the mos... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:15. _WHEN THE BRETHREN HEARD OF US_] By _whom_ the Gospel was planted at Rome is not known: it does not appear that any _apostle_ was employed in this work. It was probably carried thither by some of those who were converted to God at the day of pentecost; for there were then at Jerusa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:16. _THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD_] στρατοπεδαρχη. This word properly means the _commander of a camp_; but it signifies the _prefect_, or _commander of the pretorian cohorts_, or _emperor's_ _guards_. _Tacitus_ (Annal. lib. iv. cap. 2) informs us that, in the reign of Tiberius, _Sejanus_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:17. _PAUL CALLED THE CHIEF OF THE JEWS TOGETHER_] We have already seen, in Acts 18:2, that _Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome_; see the note there: but it seems they were permitted to return very soon; and, from this verse, it appears that there were then _chiefs_, pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:20. _FOR THE HOPE OF ISRAEL I AM BOUND_, c.] As if he had said: This, and this alone, is the cause of my being delivered into the hands of the Romans I have proclaimed _Jesus_ as the _Messiah_; have maintained that though he was crucified by the Jews, yet he rose again from the dead;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:21. _WE NEITHER RECEIVED LETTERS_, c.] This is very strange, and shows us that the Jews knew their cause to be _hopeless_, and therefore did not send it forward to Rome. They wished for an opportunity to kill Paul: and, when they were frustrated by his appeal to the emperor, they permi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:22. _FOR AS CONCERNING THIS SECT_] Acts 24:14, Acts 24:14. A saying of _Justin Martyr_ casts some light on this saying of the Jews: he asserts that the Jews not only _cursed them_ in their synagogues, but they _sent out chosen men_ from Jerusalem, to _acquaint the_ _world_, and particu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:23. _TO WHOM HE EXPOUNDED - THE KINGDOM OF GOD_] To whom he showed that the reign of the Messiah was to be a spiritual reign; and that _Jesus_, whom the Jewish rulers had lately crucified, was the _true Messiah_, who should rule in this spiritual kingdom. These two points were probably... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:24. _SOME BELIEVED_, c.] His message was there treated as his Gospel is to the present day: some believe, and are converted others continue in obstinate unbelief, and perish. Could the Jews then have credited the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom, they would have found little d... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:25. _AGREED NOT AMONG THEMSELVES_] It seems that a controversy arose between the _Jews_ themselves, in consequence of some _believing_, and others _disbelieving_; and the two parties contested together; and, in respect to the _unbelieving_ party, the apostle quoted the following passag... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:26. _HEARING YE SHALL HEAR_, c.] See the notes on Matthew 13:14, and John 12:39, John 12:40.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:28. _THE SALVATION OF GOD IS SENT UNTO THE GENTILES_] St. Paul had spoken to this effect twice before, Acts 13:46, and Acts 18:6, where see the notes; but here he uses a firmer tone, being out of the Jewish territories, and under the protection of the emperor. By _the salvation of God_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:29. _AND HAD GREAT REASONING AMONG THEMSELVES._] The believers contending with the unbelievers; and thus we may suppose that the cause of truth gained ground. For contentions about the truth and authenticity of the religion of Christ infallibly end in the triumph and extension of that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:30. _PAUL DWELT TWO WHOLE YEARS IN HIS OWN HIRED HOUSE_] As a state prisoner, he might have had an apartment in the common prison; but peculiar favour was showed him, and he was permitted to dwell alone, with the soldier that guarded him, Acts 28:16. Finding now an opportunity of prea... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 28:31. _PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD_] Showing the spiritual nature of the true Church, under the reign of the _Messiah_. For an explanation of this phrase, Matthew 3:2, Matthew 3:2. _THOSE THINGS WHICH CONCERN THE LORD_] The Redeemer of the world was to be represented as the LORD; as J... [ Continue Reading ]