CHAPTER 28
Acts 27:44-45-28:1-10 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners, for fear that any swim away and escape; but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, prevented them from carrying out their intent, and commanded those who could swim, having thrown off their clothes, to jump first onto the land, and the rest on boards or on pieces from the ship; and so all were brought safely to shore. And when they were safe, we learned that the island was called Melita. The natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and received us all because of the rain and the cold. As Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and placed them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said among themselves, “Certainly this man is a murderer, whom, though he has been saved from the sea, Justice has not permitted to live.” But he shook the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They expected that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but when they had waited and observed nothing unusual happening to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. In the neighborhood of that place there was an estate belonging to Publius, the first man of the island, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously for three days. It happened that Publius’s father was lying sick of fever and an infectious intestinal inflammation; Paul entered in, prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him. After this had taken place, the rest on the island who had diseases came and were cured; and they honored us with many marks of respect, and when we set sail they furnished the supplies we needed.
“ The soldiers planned .” Again from this it is shown that Paul had been favored, for although some wished to kill him so that the prophecy about Paul might not fail, the centurion did not allow them to be killed in order to save Paul.
“ a viper, driven out by the heat .” The viper, having fastened onto the apostle’s hand and not finding the cavity of sin, immediately sprang away and drove itself against the fire, as if collecting a penalty for itself, because it struck with its body something that belonged to no one. But we fear wild beasts, since we do not have the full armor of virtue. [THEODORET Q,18 in Gen.]
Therefore when the Barbarians saw this and the certain death escaping them, they thought him to be a god , having the custom, making everything marvelous, to consider as a god; just as they used to call the old gods, either because of some greater strength they exhibited among themselves, as was Heracles; or because by magic they astounded those about them, as was Simon in Samaria. [AMMONIUS]
As Paul journeyed from Melita to Rome.
Acts 28:11-16 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. Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day a south wind sprang up, and on the following day we came to Puteoli. There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 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. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
“ the figurehead of the Twin Gods .” It was always customary in the ships of Alexandria, especially near the bow, to have such inscriptions on both the starboard and the port sides. And since it was natural, in that era of prevailing idolatry, for the Twin Gods to be depicted on the ship, it followed that they were considered foreign, that is, idolaters. Concerning this Isaiah also said: They shall be cast forth in a foreign ship; they shall take up their habitation over the sea. (Isa. 11:14) [CYRIL]
“ as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns .” Some places are noted outside Rome, one of which is said, with some probability, to have a statue of Appius and to be called his tribute, just as to this day the images of kings among the Romans are called tributes; the places called the taverns refer mysteriously to certain inns or shelters or to the use of taverns, so named in the Roman language. [ISIDORE]
On Paul's discussion with the Jews in Rome.
Acts 28:17-24 And it came to pass that after three days he called together the leading men of the Jews; and when they had come together he said to them, "Men, brethren, I have done nothing against the people or against the customs of our fathers, being delivered bound from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, after they had examined me, wished to release me, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews opposed, I was limited to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason I called for you to see and to speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain." And they said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brethren who came report or speak any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against." Having arranged a day, many came to him into the lodging, to whom he explained, testifying the kingdom of God and persuading them concerning Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening. And some were persuaded by the things spoken, but others disbelieved.
Knowing that it was altogether inappropriate to be tried, and especially before unbelievers, Paul defends himself about both matters, so that their reports might not be anticipated. For this reason, he says, I wished you to see me, so that no one might accuse anything falsely. And he mentions the things present, that, indeed, wishing to avoid their hands, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not as inflicting evils on others, but fleeing evils myself.
" for concerning this sect ," and the following. Before he arrived. Paul was in Rome, the Jews had been commanded not to receive the preaching concerning Christ, and not only they alone, but also Jews everywhere in the world. How is this clear? We find in the books of the ancients that the priests and scribes and elders dwelling in Jerusalem, having written letters, sent them throughout the nations to the Jews everywhere, disapproving the teaching about Christ as foreign to God, and ordering by letters that it not be received. This, indeed, seems to be what the prophecy of Isaiah also means when it says: "Woe to the land, wings of ships beyond the rivers of Cush, sending captives by sea, and clay letters upon the water." (Isa. 18:1-2) By this he indicates that even beyond the land of the Ethiopians and the ends of the earth the sound of wickedness concerning those dwelling in Judea went forth like ships flying, and their apostles bearing clay letters, sailing over the waters, and filling the sea, ran throughout the whole world, slandering the word concerning our Savior. It is still the custom among the Jews to call “apostles” the circular letters brought to them by their leaders. [EUSEBIUS]
Acts 28:25-31 But being at odds with one another they separated, Paul saying one word that The Holy Spirit spoke well through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, Go to this people and say, You will hear with hearing and will not understand, and seeing you will see and will not perceive; for the heart of this people has grown dull, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have closed their eyes; for fear that they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn back, and I should heal them. Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they also will listen. And he remained there two whole years in his own rented lodging, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness without hindrance.
“ The Holy Spirit spoke well through Isaiah the prophet ,” and the following. To those who call him the minister of the Father, Paul here gives a severe rebuke concerning the Holy Spirit. For concerning the Lord seated on a high and exalted throne, whom Isaiah saw, therefore speaks the Holy Spirit. For He is of the same essence as the Father and the Son, and shares the same power 1 . And this utterance prepares the prophet’s words as if voiced by God concerning those things which pertain to Jesus, since the people heard the words of Jesus and did not understand, and seeing the wondrous works done by him did not see. For turning the saying toward a future time, he indicates the reference of the prophecies to later times. Consider, however, the precision regarding the Spirit. He did not say, “And you will not look,” but rather, “ and seeing you will see and will not perceive .” Nor, that you will not hear, but that you will hear and will not understand. They first denied themselves, stopping their ears, closing their eyes, and hardening their heart. For not only did they not hear, but they heard with difficulty. And they did this, he says, for fear that perhaps I should turn back and heal them, indicating their malice and deliberate turning away. And he says this, drawing it out and provoking, and showing that if they should turn back, he would heal them.
It should be known that Luke relates up to this point concerning the blessed Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, having written the book at that time, and knowing the following events least of all. Nor did he set down the account of his martyrdom in the book. For having left him there, Luke and Aristarchus went out. Eusebius 2 , however, recorded the later times exactly: that under Nero, Paul having once more defended himself, was sent back to the ministry of preaching, was released to Caesar, and preached for another ten years. But when Nero arrived at the height of madness, a slaughter was raised against the apostles.
Having been sent again, Paul in the thirtieth and sixth year of the saving Passion, and in the thirteenth of his own, made testimony by the sword with his head cut off. Therefore from the nineteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and the second year of the saving Passion from which he began to preach the Gospel, until the twenty-second of the same Tiberius, four years. And the years of Gaius likewise four. Again the years of Claudius fourteen, whom Nero succeeding in the thirteenth year of his reign put the Apostle to death. Therefore the whole time of Paul's preaching is twenty-one years; and another two years which he spent in prison at Caesarea. In addition again, the earlier two years in Rome, and the last ten years, so that all the years from his calling until his end are thirty-five. From the saving Passion thirty-six. For after the Lord's ascension, after certain few days, the apostles appointed Stephen and those with him to the ministry. Then we immediately find Stephen stoned, and Paul consenting to the murder. Who shortly afterwards rushed to Damascus to destroy the saints there. In the midst of the road his calling came to him from God, so that that year might be spent a little. Immediately he began to preach, taking hold in the nineteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and is completed in the thirteenth year of Nero, his head having been cut off by the sword.
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Translator notes for Acts chapter 28.
1. The specific language Oecumenius used, linking the Spirit's essence directly to the Father and Son, was solidified during the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. This council expanded on the earlier Nicene Creed to explicitly state that the Holy Spirit is "the Lord, the giver of life... who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified."
2. Eusebius, Church History 2.22