Acts, Chapter 28
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all
rights reserved
Acts 28:1-3
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.
It was when it was discovered
that they were all safe, they also realized that they
were on the
Due to the rain they
experienced at sea and the cold weather, Paul decided to make a fire. When Paul
had gathered some sticks, a snake came out of the heat, and fastened on his
hand. That was not good thing, but Paul
was on a mission. There were things that
he must accomplish.
Acts 28:4-6
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.
The locals saw the snake on
Paul’s hand, and thought, “No doubt this man is a murderer. And, though he escaped the sea, he will
suffer and die.
But, Paul simply shook the
snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Those around him expected Paul to swell up
and die. That would have been
“normal.” However, when that did not
happen they had a change of attitude, and called him a god.
Most people, both Christian
and non-Christian see with only their carnal eyes and hear with only their
carnal ears.
Acts 28:7-10
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.
In the same holding area were
those things belonging to an
As it “happened,” Publuis’ father was ill.
He may have suffered from dysentery.
That can be fatal. Paul went to him, laid hands on him, and he was
healed.
At the news of that healing,
all who were ill on the island came to Paul to be healed. Due to that the people gave them great honor,
including many gifts.
Acts 28:11-15
11 And after three months we departed in a ship of
12 And landing at
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
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.
Their stay in that area was
approximately three months. Then, they
departed on board a ship from
Their trip took them to Puteoli. That was a
village on the
When it was told that Paul
was coming, some came all the way from Appii, a small
village on the
People also came from “Three
Taverns” a resting area on the way to
Acts 28:16 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.
Now we come to a parting of
the ways with traditionalists. Most tell
a sad tale of Paul’s prison experience in
I prefer the Bible truth to
man-made fabrication.
You will notice that Paul was
allowed to live in a rented house along with a single soldier to guard
him. Paul was not chained to the
soldier.
You will recall that it was a
violation of Roman law to “bind” a Roman citizen unless he had been tried and
convicted by a Roman court. That had not happened! The guard was there to
protect Paul from the rabid Jews who sought to kill him!
Most who relate the severity
of Paul’s first trial are historically challenged.
As we read about Paul’s time
in
Acts 28:17-18
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.
18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me
go, because there was no cause of death in me.
Shortly after arriving is
Peter was a no-show at that
meeting. His name is not mentioned during the meeting. Neither Paul nor Peter ever acknowledged
explicitly that Peter was ever in
Acts 28:19-20
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
Paul continued, “But when the
Jews spoke against it, I was forced to appeal to Caesar. I did not want to
accuse the nation of my birth. Because of that I called for you. I wanted to see you, and to speak with
you. It is because that for the hope of
The “chain” is a reference to
Paul being bound to Christ in the Spirit.
Many times, in Paul’s references to chains, he is using that reference
in the idiomatic sense.
Acts 28:21-22
21 And they said unto him, We
neither received letters out of
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.
They answered, “We have not
any received letters from
Acts 28:23-24
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.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and
some believed not.
On the appointed day of
discussions, a large contingent of local Jews came to Paul’s “lodging” (Gr. xenian-xenian). It was his
rented home, and not a prison cell!
Paul discussed the teachings
of Christianity, birth, death, and resurrection with them. He may have discussed grace. He used the Jewish Scriptures as the basis
for his teaching.
Verse 24 tells us that some
believed the things which were spoken, and some did not.
Acts 28:25-29
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.
28 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.
The Jews left in complete
disarray.
They departed after Paul
Quoted Isaiah, “Go unto this people, and say, ‘Hearing you shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing you 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,’” (Isaiah 6:9-10)
Then Paul told them. “Be it
known to you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that
they will hear it.”
It is at this point that some
feel is the beginning of the “Gentile Church.”
The letters to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, 1st
Timothy, and Philemon, were written from the rented house in Rome. 2nd
Timothy is the only known letter to be written during Paul’s second trial. Titus
may have also been written during his second trial.
Paul had announced that he
was going to the Gentiles before, but he always began by searching out the most
open audience for the Gospel, the Gentiles attending Synagogues.
After Paul finished speaking,
the Jews departed quarrelling among themselves.
Acts 28:30-31
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired
house, and received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the
Acts ends with something that
most Christian theologians ignore.
During the next two years, prior to his first trial, Paul lived in peace
at his rented home. During that time, he
taught all who came to him. He preached
the
No doubt it was not what he would have chosen,
but it was what God chose for him. And,
he lived in the joy of the Lord.
He would finally be brought to
trial where his defense was, no doubt, the same as presented to King Agrippa in
chapter 26.
He was found innocent, and we
are told that he traveled to
Paul’s second letter to
Timothy was written after his second arrest.
I recommend your re-reading it.
He was re-arrested, tried,
and found guilty of being a Christian.
Then, on one bright sunny day, Paul was taken out and according to his
Roman citizenship, was beheaded for the sake of Christ.
The gospel of grace was given
personally, on the road to
Rev 20:4 And
I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I
saw the souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon
their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years.
Some deny the reality of that
verse and in that they deny the reality of Christ Jesus and the Love of the
Father.