Introductory remarks:
This is the final chapter of this marvelous Book of Acts. It has been quite a wonderful experience studying this Book. It always gives me a good sense of accomplishment having completed an exposition on another New Testament Book. We begin our study in this last chapter with Paul and 275 others on the Island Melita. "The island where Paul is shipwrecked is called Melita. The natives are very hospitable. Paul is not hurt when he is bitten by a snake. Paul heals Publius' father. Then all the sick of the island are healed. They are picked up by a passing ship and sail to Rome, preaching at stops along the way. Paul tells the Jews of all that happened and they say they know nothing from Judea against him. Paul says the unbelieving Jews fulfill Isaiah's words about hearing but not understanding, and so salvation is sent to the Gentiles. Paul preaches for two years" (A Survey of Acts-by Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: Paul on the island of Malta vv. 1-10; Paul arrives at Rome vv. 11-16; Paul preaches in Rome vv. 17-31.
Paul on the Island of Malta
Verse 1, "And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita."
LGT "And having been saved then we knew that the island is called Melita."
Melita is the present island called Malta. "It was celebrated formerly for producing large quantities of honey, and is supposed to have been called Melita from the Greek word meli signifying honey. It is about twenty miles in length from east to west, and twelve miles in breadth from north to south, and about sixty miles in circumference. It is about sixty miles from the coast of Sicily. The island is an immense rock of white soft limestone, with a covering of earth about one foot in depth, which has been brought from the island of Sicily" (Barnes).
McGee notes:
"This island which we know today as Malta. The bay where this took place is known today as Saint Paul's Bay. This is a very interesting place to those of us who lived during World War II when this island made the headlines at the very beginning of the conflict. It was the most bombed spot of the war because it was in a strategic position. At that time General Darby was the General and the governor of the island. He was a Christian and a worthy successor to the apostle Paul. He said that he had no notion of surrendering. I think it is interesting to be reading about Paul landing at this bay and to realize that General Darby had command on that same island.
"Certainly in the incident of this shipwreck and the landing of Paul on the island of Melita we see the providence of God in the life of the apostle Paul. All of this is recorded for our learning."
Verse 2, "And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold."
LGT "And the barbarians showed no common kindness to us, for having kindled a fire they received all of us, because of the rain that was present and because of the cold."
And the barbarians showed no common philanthropy: the Greeks called everyone barbarians who did not speak the Greek language; the term did not have the connotation that it does today of "rude, uncivilized" people. The term is equivalent to foreigners. "The inhabitants of Malta were of Carthaginian descent. Even in the present day the natives of Malta have a peculiar language, termed Maltese, which has been proved to be essentially an Arabic dialect, with an admixture of Italian" (Vincent). Luke uses the diminutive again no common kindness meaning they were very hospitable; the Greek word for "kindness" here is, philanthropian constructed of two words; philo= love and anthropos= man, so we get from the word a lover of mankind. For having kindled a fire they received all of us: there were 276 people in all, and these natives of Malta received them all by building a fire so they could dry off and not get sick. God had prepared the perfect spot on which to have His apostle to survive this shipwreck.
Verse 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."
LGT "And Paul, having gathered a quantity of sticks, and having laid [them] on the fire, a viper having come out of the heat wound about his hand."
The warmth of the fire caused the viper to stir, and when Paul gathered the sticks, along with the viper, it wrapped itself around his hand and arm and bit him. This miracle prepared the people to hear Paul and his message.
McGee notes:
"You remember that at the end of the Gospel of Mark there is this promise, And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18). I believe that these signs were confined to that time before the New Testament was completed when the believers needed the sign gifts to substantiate the message of the gospel."
Verse 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."
LGT "And when the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said to one another, by all means this man is a murderer, whom having been saved from the sea justice permitted not to live."
They said to one another, by all means this man is a murderer: When the barbarians saw the viper hanging from Paul's hand they assumed, because he was a prisoner being escorted to Rome, that because of the venomous nature of the snake, it must have been for a very serious crime such as murder that he was being convicted. Whom having been saved from the sea justice permitted not to live: the Roman justice had spread throughout the western world; these barbarians figured that even though Paul was saved from the sea, justice had the last word. The venomous nature of the snake was such that they figured Paul already a dead man.
Verse 5, "And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm."
LGT "He indeed then having shaken off the beast into the fire suffered no injury."
The prediction of our Savior was fulfilled in this case as noted in Mark 16:18 and Luke 10:19. Paul shook the viper off his hand into the fire, and suffered no ill effects.
Verse 6, "Howbeit they looked when he should have been 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."
LGT "But they were expecting him to be about to become inflamed, or to fall down suddenly dead. But for a long time they expecting and seeing nothing wrong happening to him, changing their mind said he was a god."
They took a long while and saw nothing wrong happening to Paul. They changed their minds: The word changed their minds is the same word for repentance. They changed their minds but then came to an equal erroneous assumption that he was a god, because he did not die nor suffer in ill effects.
Verse 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."
LGT "Now in the [parts] about that place were lands belonging to the chief of the island, by name Publius, who having received us three days in a friendly way lodged [us]."
Publius is a Roman name, and it is believed that he was the governor of this island sent there by the government of Rome. He probably was the possessor of a large estate.
Verse 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."
LGT "And it happened the father of Publius lay oppressed with fevers and dysentery, to whom Paul having entered and having prayed, having laid [his] hands on him healed him."
Paul here exercises his apostolic supernatural Holy Spirit given gifts; he heals Publius' father of a high fever and dysentery; Robertson says that Hippocrates [the father of medicine] often mentions these two diseases occurring together. It seems by this verse that Publius welcomed Paul, along with Aristarchus and Luke, and possibly Julius, the centurion, after the incident of the viper biting Paul and not causing his death; Publius probably thought Paul to be a man of God. Paul having entered and having prayed: Paul prays and God heals; nowhere in the life of Paul will you be able to find Paul taking credit for what God does; even the salvation he teaches is purely a gift of God's marvelous grace.
Verse 9, "So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed."
LGT "And this having taken place, also the rest of the ones having infirmities in the island, came, and were healed."
Unlike our modern day liars like Benny Hinn and Oral Roberts, and their like, Paul healed them all. Glenda and I had a friend in a church we attended when we were young who was a paraplegic from an accident he had while a pilot in the Navy. He told us that after it first happened he was desperate and went to one of Oral Roberts healing tent meetings, and when he went to the deacons in charge, they asked him how much he was willing to donate to Oral's ministry; he said that he immediately wheeled his wheelchair around and left, realizing what a mistake he made in not trusting God, and that he was willing to accept his condition as God's will. I believe God does heal today, but not by the hands of men as He did in the apostolic church.
Verse 10, "Who also honored us with many honors; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary."
LGT "Who also honored us with many honors, and on setting sail, they laid on [us] the things for [our] need."
Who also honored us with many honors: the ones who were healed presented gifts to Paul and his company very liberally for their journey to Rome.
Paul Arrives at Rome
Verse 11, "And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux."
LGT "And after three months we sailed in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian, with an ensign [the] Dioscuri."
Paul had been on the island three months preaching the gospel of grace; now he and his company are boarding an Alexandrian ship that had spent the winter in the harbor there. With an ensign the Dioscuri: Dioscuri means twin brothers, sons of Jupiter, Castor and Pollux, semi-deities.
Barnes notes:
"They were reputed to be twin brothers, sons of Jupiter and Leda, the wife of Tyndarus, king of Sparta. After their death they are fabled to have been translated to heaven, and made constellations under the name of Gemini, or the Twins. They then received divine honors, and were called the sons of Jupiter. They were supposed to preside over sailors, and to be their protectors; hence it was not uncommon to place their image on ships" [sounds a lot like Roman Catholicism, that is, they mix superstition and Greek mythology with God's Word].
Verse 12, "And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days."
LGT "And having been brought to at Syracuse, we remained three days."
Syracuse was on the southern tip of Sicily (see the map). Syracuse was the capitol of Sicily. It was the direct course from Malta to Rome. The ship stopped there three days probably selling its wares.
Verse 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."
LGT "Then having gone around we arrived at Rhegium: and after one day, having gone on a south wind, on the second day we came to Puteoli."
And they came to Rhegium: they went through the straights [the straights of Messina] between the toe of the boot of Italy and Sicily. Having gone on a south wind: the tempestuous north-wind had passed and now they had a south wind, which can also be treacherous at this time of the season, but was favorable for their voyage. On the second day we came to Puteoli: "The wells. This place was celebrated for its warm baths, and from these and its springs it is supposed to have derived its name of the Wells. It is now called Puzzuoli, and is in the campania [the level country] of Naples, on the north side of the bay, about 8 miles N.W. from Naples" (Barnes).
Verse 14, "Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome."
LGT "Where having found brethren we were entreated with them to remain seven days: and thus we came to Rome."
Paul and his companions found Christian friends in Puteoli, and they urged them to remain with them seven more days; it was 130 miles by land to Rome. It should not be thought improbable that there were Christians there, for the Gospel had already gone out throughout the civilized world.
Verse 15, "And from thence, when the brethren heard 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."
LGT "And thence the brethren having heard the things concerning us came out to meet us as far as the market-place of Appius and Three Taverns, whom Paul seeing, having given thanks to God he took courage."
The brethren having heard the things concerning us: the brethren from the church at Rome came out to meet Paul as far as the market-place of Appius and Three taverns: "A place about one and fifty miles, or seventeen leagues from Rome; so called from Appius Claudius, who made a way from Rome thither, called from his name, The Appian Way; and had his statue there set up; which is the reason why it is called thus: for the Romans did call those places forums, where such statues were placed. (The concourse to see those statues might bring them to become markets). The Three Taverns: as that was a place of resort for the buying and selling of other commodities, so this for the affording of necessary provisions; a little town, hence so called, about three and thirty miles, or eleven leagues from Rome. So that some came a greater, some a lesser way to meet with Paul, and show their respect unto him. These brethren are thought to have been converted by such as at the Day of Pentecost were present when those miracles were wrought, Chp. 2:10, it being expressly said, that there were strangers from Rome" (Matthew Poole). Having given thanks to God he (Paul) took courage: Christian fellowship is of inestimable value; the whole reason we meet together to study God's Word is to strengthen one another up in the Lord; if it is for any other reason than this, it is valueless. We meet to encourage and educate each other in God's precious Word.
Verse 16, "And when Paul 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."
LGT "And when we came to Rome, Paul was allowed to remain by himself, with the soldier who kept him."
This sentence in my LGT is all that the best manuscripts have included. Julius saw to it that Paul was able to stay by himself, as long as there was a soldier chained to him; there was one chained to him by day, and one by night.
Paul Preaches at Rome
Verse 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."
LGT "And it came to pass after three days, Paul called together those that were first among the Jews: And having come together he said to them, Men, brethren, I having done nothing against the people or the ancestral customs, was delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans."
Paul called together those that were first among the Jews: after three days Paul called together the chief priests and the ruling class among the Jews to plead his case; if he could win them, he could also win the people. Men, brethren, I having done nothing against the people: that is, against the Jews. He calls them brethren in the sense of their being his fellow Jews. Or the ancestral customs: the religious rites handed down by the fathers. Was delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans: that is, he was delivered up by the Jews to the authorities in Rome, with trumped up charges.
Verse 18, "Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me."
LGT "Who, having examined me wished to let [me] go, because not one cause of death was there in me."
Who, having examined me: that is, they delivered him up to the Roman justice system; the Jews, wishing to kill him first, but his being rescued by Lysias, they gave him over to the Romans. Wished to let him go: just as Pilate found no fault in Jesus and had wished to set Him free, so Paul was not found guilty of breaking any laws. Because not one cause of death was there in me: Paul should have been set free when first arrested and tried by Felix and Festus.
Verse 19, "But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had aught to accuse my nation of."
LGT "But the Jews speaking against [it], I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as having anything to lay against my nation."
But the Jews speaking against it: that is, the Jews speaking contrary to the Roman laws, and against a Roman citizen being set at liberty. I was compelled [forced] to appeal to Caesar: Paul was forced to appeal to Caesar, being a Roman citizen, in order to get his freedom, unless, as Robertson put it, "Paul was willing to be a victim of Jewish hate when he had done no wrong." Not as having anything to lay against my nation: "I did it for my own preservation and safety, not that I wished to accuse my countrymen. Paul had been unjustly accused and injured; yet, with the true spirit of the Christian religion, he here says that he cherished no unkind feelings toward those who had done him wrong" (Barnes).
Verse 20, "For this cause therefore have I called for you, to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
LGT "For this cause therefore I called for you to see and speak to [you]; for on account of the hope of Israel I have this chain around [me]."
For this cause therefore I called for you to see and speak to you: in the next phrase Paul gives the reason he called the ruling class of the Jews together. For on account of the hope of Israel I have this chain around me: the hope of Israel was the Messiah whom they crucified. Paul had always gone to the Jew first with the gospel of grace, and then to the Gentiles. There is much more implied in this statement than is recorded here by Luke. Paul stood before these Jews chained because of this wonderful gospel of grace; Paul was truly a Conqueror in Chains.
Verse 21, "And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee."
LGT "And they said to him, We received neither letters concerning thee from Judea, nor any one of the brethren having arrived reported or said anything evil concerning thee."
In other words, these chief priests are saying that they have not pre-judged Paul, because they had not heard anything evil concerning him.
Verse 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."
LGT "But we think well to hear from thee what thou thinkest: for indeed concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against."
But we think well to hear from thee what thou thinkest: they tell Paul that they are willing to hear what he has to say. For indeed concerning this sect: we want to hear what you have to say concerning what the Christian sect has to say about the Messiah. It is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against: The distinction between Jews and Judaism had already been tightly drawn by this time. Mainly the Jews had maligned Christianity. "The language seems to imply that the number of Christians in Rome was comparatively small and mainly Gentile. If the edict of Claudius for the expulsion of the Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2) was due to disturbance over Christ (Chrestus), then even in Rome the Jews had special reason for hostility towards Christians" (Robertson).
Verse 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."
LGT "And having appointed him a day, many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded fully testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading many concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning to evening."
And having appointed him a day: they made an appointment with him when they would here him. Many came to him to the lodging: Paul had quite a bit of liberty in the house where he lodged, so that many could come and visit with him; however, he always had a guard. To whom he expounded fully testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus: Paul expounded unto them the principles of Christianity and the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. Both from the Law of Moses and the prophets: Paul proved to them both from the Law of Moses and from the Old Testament prophets concerning Jesus Christ as their Messiah; it was only through Jesus that Paul could explain New Testament Truth. All the predictions in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. From morning to evening: Paul was indefatigable in his efforts to persuade both Jews and Gentiles that Jesus was the Messiah.
Verse 24, "And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not."
LGT "And some indeed were persuaded of the things spoken, but some disbelieved."
This has always been the case when the gospel of God's grace has been given; some believe and some do not.
Verse 25, "And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto the fathers,"
LGT "And disagreeing with one another they departed; Paul having spoken one word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,"
Paul having spoken one word: Paul reminded them with the one solemn word that it was characteristic of the Jewish nation to reject the Word of God. This is the last warning Paul will give the Jews. Well spoke; he spoke the truth. The Holy Spirit by Isaiah the prophet to our fathers; full proof that Isaiah was inspired by God.
Verses 26,27, "Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 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."
LGT "Saying, Go to this people, and say, In hearing ye shall hear, and in no wise understand, and seeing ye shall see, and in no wise perceive: for the heart of this people has grown fat and with the ears they have heavily heard, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with the eyes, and with the ears they should hear, and with the heart they should understand, and should be converted."
This quotation of Paul is from Isaiah 6:9,10. This passage in Isaiah demonstrates the attitude towards the gospel of the Jews of Isaiah's time, and the Jews of Paul's time, and also the Jews of our own time. If these Jews had read their own Scriptures they should have believed and become converted.
Verse 28, "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."
LGT "Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations; and they will hear."
This is in complete reversal of the attitude of God's chosen people, the Jews. The Gentiles will hear and they will believe the gospel of grace. Paul would give the gospel to any race that would hear and believe.
Verse 29 (this verse is not in the Greek New Testament)
Verse 30, "And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him."
LGT "And he abode two whole years in his own hired house, and welcomed all who came in to him,"
Paul had remained in custody these two years; it is evident that the Jews were not willing to take his case before the Roman court; they knew how much the Romans hated the Jews. Even through all this time, Paul welcomed anyone who would come to hear the truth.
Verse 31, "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him."
LGT "Proclaiming the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning Jesus Christ with all unhindered freedom."
The book of Acts closes on a very worthy note of Paul doing what Jesus Christ had called him to be an apostle to do; proclaiming the Gospel of God's grace. The book of acts does not close as an unfinished book, because we will be able to fill in the details as we continue our study of the epistles of Paul, beginning with his epistle to the Romans. God bless you as you continue to study with Glenda and Me.
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