Verses 1-2 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.
The island of Melita is current day Malta, and according to accounts from family members who have been there, the people of Malta are still kind and helpful today. The name, Melita, means “honey”. The Greek word translated as “barbarous” is “barbaros” and it was used by the Greeks to describe any foreigner that did not speak the Greek language.
Application: So called scholars today debate whether Malta was indeed the island that the ship carrying the Apostle Paul wrecked on, but the people living on this island today claim that he did indeed come to their island via storm and shipwreck. They have no reason to promote a lie as this historical event is hardly a tourist attraction. Today there is a religious presence on the island, some of it Catholic and some of it Christian. Since the Apostle Paul started churches everywhere he went, it is reasonable to assume that a Christian assembly was started there by the miracles and the preaching of Paul and his traveling companions.
Verses 3-4 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.
Just as the Apostle Paul had prepared food during the crisis at sea for the fasting people on the ship and had been the voice of reason and encouragement, he now went to work, again being a servant to others who needed to warm up after their frightening and very wet ordeal. And while performing the job of a servant he was bitten. It is not known what species of viper bit the Apostle Paul, but the locals knew it was venomous even if the people of the wrecked ship did not know. Being pagan with the natural suspicion that paganism breeds, the people of Melita thought that a snake bite was punishment for wrong doing, and they also knew that there was a military presence among the survivors of the ship wreck who were in charge of prisoners. So it was easy for them to assume that the Apostle Paul was a wicked man receiving his just reward for his crimes, and they expected him to fall down and die.
Application: In the previous chapter the question was asked, “Was Satan trying to stop the Apostle Paul from reaching Rome?” All of a sudden, the bundle of sticks that the Apostle wraps his arms around contains a poisonous snake. Other people were already starting fires and gathering fuel and they did not encounter a snake and they were not bitten. Again it seems that there was a major evil spiritual influence going on here especially since the Jews worshipped not the LORD of the Old Testament, but Leviathan or Satan whom Jesus described in Revelation chapters 12 and 20 as “the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan…”. Satan had been using the Jews to try and destroy the Apostle Paul and his message about Jesus but Melita was not a Jewish stronghold, so apparently Satan tried to use this viper to do what the Jews had failed to do for so many years. But again, the promise of the LORD to preserve Paul from harm protected him from a terrible death. He was going to go to Rome, but there were people on the island of Melita that needed to hear the Gospel and that needed miracles which the Apostle Paul would do by the power of the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Verses 5-6 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 the normal, natural, and expected results of the snake bite did not come to pass, the people of Melita changed their minds and decided that in order to withstand this poisoning, the Apostle Paul must be a god of some kind. Most people on the Earth at the time of the early church were pantheistic meaning that they had gods of all kinds for all kinds of events in their lives. Gods for anger and revenge, gods for successful food production, gods for fertility, gods for protection, and so forth. Anything in the natural world, good or bad, that they did not understand was ascribed to a god or goddess.
Verses 7-8 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.
In the same area that the shipwrecked people had landed and were being cared for by the Melitans the chief magistrate of the island had his abode. The name, Publius, means “popular” and his man took the Apostle Paul and some of the travelers into his house. Here is the number 3 again which means perfection. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish and Jesus was in the tomb for three days, so the Apostle Paul was in the care of this government official for three days. And it was made known to him that Publius’ father was sick most likely with some kind of gastrointestinal disorder that was causing him to lose blood. So just as he had done elsewhere, the Apostle Paul through the power of the Holy Ghost/Spirit prayed, laid hands on the man, and he was cured.
Verses 9-10 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.
When news of the miracle got around the community, just as had happened when Jesus ministered on the Earth and people heard of the healings done by Him, the people came to the Apostle Paul and were healed of their diseases. This must have been a time of wonder to Julius, his soldiers, the prisoners, and all the other travelers from the ship.
Application: The saying, “God moves in mysterious ways” was certainly true in Melita. If the Apostle Paul had not appealed to Caesar for a court hearing, if the master of the ship and Julius had heeded the Apostle Paul’s warning to stay in port, if the storm had not happened, if the ship had not been dashed to pieces just at the right moment and at the right place, if Publius had not opened his home and visited with the Apostle Paul and company Publius’ father would most likely have died, all the sick people on the island would not have been healed, and the island people as well as the 276 souls from the ship would not have heard the preaching of the Gospel and seen the miracles of healing which proved the truth of the Gospel message.
Verses 11-14 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.
Here is the number 3 again showing that the Apostle Paul’s time on the island was perfect and he was just where God wanted him to be at that moment in time. The ship that they sailed on was marked with the image of Castor and Pollux who were in paganism the twin sons of Jupiter and the gods of sailors. Jupiter was the Roman god of the sky and of thunder, the king of all the Roman gods, and the chief deity of the Roman state religion. He was also called Jove. In Greek he was Zeus. Syracuse was a large maritime city in Sicily, Rhegium was an Italian town, and Puteoli was also in Italy located on the Bay of Naples. So the city of Rome was getting closer and closer.
Verses 15-16 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.
During all the months of this journey from Caesarea to Rome, none of the prisoners escaped from the custody of Julius and all except the Apostle Paul were handed over to prison guards when they finally arrived in the city of Rome. Word had preceded the Apostle Paul that he was coming to Rome and so he had a welcoming party to greet him and encourage him about 35 miles outside the city of Rome.
Verses 17-20 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. 18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
As was the Apostle Paul’s manner, he first met with the Jewish leaders in the city of Rome to explain why he was there and what had transpired with the Jews in Judah and Asia that lead to his arrest.
Verses 21-22 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. 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.
The Jews living in Rome had not heard of the accusations against the Apostle Paul, but they knew he belonged to the Faith or the Way as it was called and they actually wanted to know about what the Apostle Paul knew and about what he had been preaching and teaching. This in itself was a miracle from the LORD.
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.
The Apostle Paul wasted no time getting back into the ministry of explaining the Gospel message using the Old Testament Scripture to show how prophesy had been fulfilled and that Jesus was the promised Messiah
Verses 24-27 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 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 our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 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.
In typical Jewish fashion dissension arose between them as some accepted the truth of the Gospel message and some rejected the truth and the LORD Jesus Christ. So they decided to leave and not come back to hear the Apostle Paul. So his last words to them were from the Prophet Isaiah showing them that this prophesy was true in their lives.
Verses 28-29 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
So the Jews left and got into a great disputation or argument regarding what they had been told, but Scripture is silent as to whether any of these Jewish leaders converted and followed Jesus Christ.
Verses 30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. (Acts 28)
So two years in Caesarea and then two years in Rome all while under arrest and being guarded by Roman soldiers gave the Apostle Paul the opportunity to spread the Gospel to all who would come and hear the Word and no one stopped him from evangelizing the area in which he abode. And during this entire time the Apostle Paul lived outside of a prison cell and, although in chains, had the freedom to continue the ministry to which he had been called and to which he had dedicated his entire adult life.
The life and ministry of the Apostle Paul when studied is miraculous and amazing. He repented of his sins against God’s people (those who believed in Jesus Christ by faith), he was baptized in water and received the Holy Ghost and power from On High, and then obediently followed the leading of the Holy Ghost/Spirit for the rest of his life on Earth. But what most people reading the book of The Acts of the Apostles do not know or realize is what the Apostle Paul’s belief system was before he was called out of it by the LORD Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Nor will most people realize why the Jewish leadership hated him so much that they tried to kill him at every opportunity.
Most Christian believers think that the Jews of the times of the early Church worshiped God Almighty and believed in and obeyed the Old Testament Scripture: the first five books or the Torah and the books of the prophets. Christians believe that the Jews of today live in the Old Testament but reject the New Testament. This is incorrect. The Pharisees during the Roman occupation of Palestine who controlled the religious atmosphere and the Jewish people and who taught doctrine had the Torah memorized, but their interpretation of the Word of God was twisted to support their Babylonian Talmud, a devilish religious believe system adopted while in captivity in Babylon and brought with the exiles back to Jerusalem when many of the Jews returned to Judah. This belief system is what today’s Zionist Jews believe and what the rabbis teach. When this writer has time, a more thorough document will be written regarding what Jews believe and posted in the “Topics” section. But until then, a brief synopsis of their beliefs will be given here. Why? Because when the reader understands what the Apostle Paul had been indoctrinated into and taught by Pharisaic instruction, it will be apparent that his conversion and his coming out of this Babylonian system was a greater miracle than was thought just by reading the book of Acts.
The Jews worship what they call the Holy Serpent. They have a Tree of Life but it is not the one written about in the book of Genesis that was in the Garden of Eden. This Tree of Life houses the Holy Serpent whose name in the masculine is Leviathan and in the feminine Malkuth. The Tree of Life contains other Jewish gods that are often prayed to. These are Hod, Hesed, Binah, and Kether to name a few. So Judaism is pagan and pantheistic with multiple gods. They believe this Holy Serpent is the coming Messiah and when it appears, it will conquer the Gentiles and usher in a Jewish utopia in which the Jews will have global dominance. Furthermore, Gentiles are nothing more than beasts that were created to serve the Jews and are not worthy to live. This is why Israel today can without feeling bomb and kill all the Gentiles in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and any place else they choose. They are only killing beasts that don’t deserve life anyway. They believe that this Holy Serpent guides each Jew to a higher and higher plane where they will eventually achieve godhood and that all Jews are serpent beings. This Holy Serpent is the same one that was in the Garden of Eden tempting Eve and his name is Lucifer or Satan or the Devil. No wonder Jesus called the Jews, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” as recorded in Matthew 23:33. Jesus knew and understood the Jew’s belief system and the devilish doctrine they taught, but most Christians do not understand and so they do not understand parts of New Testament Scripture and they do not have an understanding of the huge spiritual battle the Apostle Paul and all the early Church apostles were in as they spread the Gospel throughout the entire known world. If this sounds too fantastic to be true, there is more, especially the written words of Jewish Rabbis which cannot be quoted here. Satan has his religions and religious people and witchcraft and Judaism are his main denominations that cause chaos and spiritual death in and to anyone who adopts these doctrines or religious systems.