Introduction: this last chapter of Acts begins with Paul and others on the island of Malta, and closes with Paul arriving at Rome, just as the Lord had promised (Acts 23:11, 27:24). Luke summarized nearly 30 years of church growth in one volume, from Jerusalem to Rome and then to other parts of the world, as further history relates. The chapter is divided almost half and half between Paul’s stay at Malta and his beginning ministry in Rome.
1 The Delay: Paul’s Stay at Malta
The Bonfire on the Beach
Text, Acts 28:1-6, KJV: 1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 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. 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. 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. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have 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.
--“When they were escaped” refers to Paul and the other 275 or so who had made it to the shore. Some of them swam; others floated, basically, by planks or other pieces of the ship per the last few verses of Acts 27.
--Melita is another spelling of Malta as attested by some of the commentators like Barnes, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/acts/28.htm Ellicott, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/28.htm; and Matthew Poole https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/acts/28.htm .
--Luke is not insulting the people of Malta by calling them “barbarians”. This only meant the Maltese didn’t speak Latin or Greek as a first or “heart” language (e.g., Benson’s commentary at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/acts/28.htm and Barnes’ notes, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/acts/28.htm).
--The islanders were gracious to the nearly 300 strangers by kindling a fire. Try building a fire when it’s raining at all, let alone when the wind is stronger than just a gentle breeze! This speaks to the kindness these islanders were known for (see references above).
--Paul helped out by gathering some “sticks”, or anything that anyone could use for fuel (https://biblehub.com/greek/5434.htm). How there was anything dry enough to burn in those conditions is amazing.
--Paul also was one of the few mentioned in Scripture to suffer snakebite! Luke says a “viper” came out of the heat—understandable, as cold-blooded reptiles tend to hibernate until warm weather comes, and this event took place in October/November of the year.
--After the snake bit him, Paul shook it off into the fire. The islanders thought Paul was a murderer (technically, he was, because he had voted for the death of many believers in Jesus before his conversion, see Acts 26:10). The islanders expected Paul to die either from the venom or some other cause, but he suffered no ill effects at all.
--They thought he was a “god” after all this! Luke does not record how Paul convinced the people he was not a god, only a man like themselves, but surely he did this. Paul’s concern was that people worship and believe in the One True God, and nothing else.
The Care of and from the Citizens
Text, Acts 28:7-10, KJV: 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. 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. 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: 10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
--Publius was perhaps the Roman governor of the island according to Ellicott’s commentary, (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/28.htm), or, perhaps the wealthiest man on the island (Bengel, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/bengel/acts/28.htm). At any rate, Paul, Luke, and perhaps others were invited to Publius’ house for three days. Nothing is mentioned about the rest of the passengers from the wrecked ship.
--Now Paul performed one of the last recorded miracles in the New Testament. The father of Publius was ‘sick of a fever and of a bloody flux”. Adam Clarke thinks this disease was dysentery and perhaps cholera morbus (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/acts/28.htm). Paul first prayed, then laid his hands on Publius’ father, resulting in his healing!
--This miracle led to others coming to Paul and receiving healing as well. As they came, they were healed, but Luke doesn’t mention how Paul did this. What is important is that people with needs of healing came to Paul, and with our Lord’s help, he healed them.
--Luke says “they honoured [sic] us with many honours [sic] but does not describe these. He added that “. . . when we departed, they (gave) us such things as were necessary”. This once again shows the great kindness of the Maltese people of that era.
--Paul, Luke, and the others had endured shipwreck and who knows what else before they reached Malta. Now they had enjoyed some peace and quiet, it seems, but Malta wasn’t Paul’s ultimate destination. That place was Rome, and soon Luke, Paul, and others would be heading in that very direction.
2 The Destination: Paul’s Final Journey to Rome
The Journey by Sea, from Malta to the Mainland
Text, Acts 28:11-16, KJV: 11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. 12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. 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: 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. 15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of 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. 16 And when we 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.
--“After three months” may refer to the length of time Paul and the others had been on Malta. The shipwreck had happened in the previous October/November time frame and it was entirely too dangerous for ships to sail in the winter, per several sources.
--Imagine what the captain and owner of the shipwreck must have felt when they say another “ship of Alexandria”, anchored securely. Paul had reminded them they would lose the ship and everything in it except themselves (Acts 27:9-10, 22); now, here’s a “sister ship” that may have been just like the other!
--“Castor and Pollux” refer to the Gemini or twin sons of Zeus who were the patron “saints” of sailors in those days (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_and_Pollux). This image, for lack of a better term, was the “figurehead” displayed on the front or “bow” of the ship.
--Syracuse was a port and city on the island of Sicily. The group stayed there for three days. No explanation, but a guess is that the ship was unloaded there.
--“Fetched a compass” is an old (obsolete?) way of saying “we sailed to----”. Ellicott believes that since they were sailing north (Rhegium, now Reggio, was due north of Syracuse. according to https://bibleatlas.org/syracuse.htm) they had to “tack” or take a zig-zag course because of the wind being contrary (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/28.htm).
--This time the “south wind blew”, but Luke doesn’t say it was a “soft” wind. The ship had spent a day at Rhegium after a probably long and tedious trip from Malta; now, they made 180 miles in one day (Ellicott), thanks to that south wind!
The Journey by Land, from Puteoli to Rome
--Luke says at Puteoli (now Pozzuoli, per Ellicott, plus Barnes’ commentary, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/acts/28.htm and Lange’s commentary https://biblehub.com/commentaries/lange/acts/28.htm) they not only found the harbor but also brethren! Strangers of Rome had been at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost many years before (Acts 2:10); possibly, some of them or their descendants were now in Puteoli too.
--After seven days in Puteoli (note: these believers wanted Paul and others to stay with them!), the group began the last several miles on the way to Rome. Puteoli was about 140 miles from Rome (Kretzmann, https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/the-popular-commentary-by-paul-e-kretzmann/317006 and (The Expositor’s Bible comments at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/egt/acts/28.htm). Paul must have rejoiced when he met some brethren, believers in Jesus, whom he had never seen before.
--Not only did Paul, Luke, and others make their way to Rome, a couple of different groups from Rome came to meet them! Appii Forum was about 40 miles from Rome; “Three Taverns”, 30, according to various estimates (e.g., Benson, and Ellicott, to name two).
--William Kelly mentions that neither Appii Forum nor “Three Taverns” had a good reputation in the days of Paul (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/kelly/acts/28.htm). Regardless of their past, they had at least two very important visitors come through: Paul and Luke!
--There is no record of what, if anything, Paul said to the various groups who had come to meet him. Luke does record that Paul “thanked God, and took courage”. No need to criticize Paul, who had been fearless in so many other things (beatings, stoning, shipwreck, to name three); he was simply experiencing a human emotion.
--Courage is something we need, and something we can help other believers receive as well.
--Paul, Luke, and the others in that group finally made it to Rome itself. Julius, the centurion, delivered the other prisoners to the captain of the guard (commentators have different opinions and definitions of who this officer was and what he did). Paul was allowed to “dwell by himself” but with a soldier who “kept (or, was chained to)” him.
--But that’s not the end of the story. It wasn’t long before Paul was right back in ministry!
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)
