Acts of the Apostles (55)
Introduction
So Malta is due south of Sicily, and so we can see they have come all the way to the west. After winter, they then sailed to Syracuse, which was in Sicily, and then to Rhegium, which right at the toe of Italy’s boot. They made their way up north to Puteoli, a port on the west coast of Italy, about 150 miles south of Rome. They then came to Three Taverns, which was about 30 miles south of Rome. Some believers came out to welcome Paul there, encouraging him, and who then accompanied him back to Rome.
The Text
“And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 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. 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 . . .” (Acts 28:1–31).
Summary of the Text
When they got their bearings on shore, they discovered that they were on Malta (v. 1). The native barbarians there built a fire and received them kindly (v. 2). Paul was gathering sticks for the fire, doing his part, and a viper came out of the sticks and bit him (v. 3). The people assumed that he was a murderer, and that vengeance had caught up with him (v. 4). Paul shook the viper into the fire (v. 5), and when he didn’t swell up and die (Mark 16:18), the people changed their minds and said he was a god (v. 6). The chief man on the island was named Publius and put them up for three days (v. 7). His father was seriously ill but Paul came and healed him (v. 8). Word got out about this, and so many sick people on the island came and were also healed (v. 9). The people showered them with honors and provided for their necessities when they departed (v. 10). After three months, they departed on a ship that had wintered there, whose sign was the Gemini twins (v. 11). They stopped at Syracuse in Sicily for three days (v. 12), then Rhegium (southern Italy), then Puteoli (on the Gulf of Naples, v. 13). They found Christians there and stayed with them for a week, and then on to Rome (v. 14). Some Christians in Rome heard that they were coming and came out to meet them at the Three Taverns, which was an encouragement to Paul (v. 15). When they arrived at Rome, the other prisoners were delivered to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to live in a house with just one soldier to guard him (v. 16). After three days, Paul summoned the leaders of the Jews and told them he was innocent of wrongdoing, but that he had in fact been handed over to the Romans by the Jews (v. 17). The Romans had been disposed to let him go (v. 18), but the Jews were so adamant against him that Paul had appealed to Caesar—but it was not that he had any accusations against his people (v. 19). So Paul had asked to see these rabbis because he wanted to talk with them about the “hope of Israel” (v. 20), which was of course the resurrection. The Jews in Rome said that they had received no information from the prosecution back in Judea (v. 21), but they did want to hear him out on the subject because they had heard a lot about Christianity (v. 22). So they set up a time and spent the whole day in the Scriptures talking about the kingdom and about Jesus (v. 23). Some believed, and some did not (v. 24). They departed, not agreeing with each other, and Paul applied the words of the prophet Isaiah to them as they were going out the door (v. 25). The Jews were under a judicial hardening (vv. 26-27), and so the Word would therefore go to the Gentiles, and they would receive it (v. 28). The Jewish rabbis then left, with much discussion among themselves (v. 29). So Paul spent the next two years in a rented house, receiving visitors (v. 30). He preached the kingdom of God, and all about Jesus, doing so with great freedom (v. 31).
Last Leg
The last leg of Paul’s journey was extremely fruitful. He had a healing ministry in Malta and was an encouragement to the believers in Puteoli. Notice that the week-long stay there was for the sake of Paul, with the centurion and his prisoners willing to tag along. Then Christians from Rome accompanied them along the last, final stretch, which would have been on foot.
The Hardening of the Jews
Isaiah prophesied a terrible future for Israel, not to mention a glorious restoration of Israel. But the dark prediction lies right at the commencement of Isaiah’s ministry (Is. 6:9-10). Even in this grim time, the Lord would preserve a remnant for Himself (Is. 10:21-22). And then, beyond that, beyond all mortal hopes, Israel’s walls will eventually be called Salvation, and her gates Praise (Is. 60:1-22). This will be the glory of Jew and Gentile together. So Paul is writing the unbelievers among these men off . . . but not forever (Rom. 11).
Remember Our Table of Contents
We have walked through the entire book of Acts, and we have seen the concentric ripples, moving outward from the great splash at Pentecost (Acts 1:8). They would testify in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14), Judea (Acts 8:1), Samaria (Acts 8:1), and out to the uttermost part of the earth (the rest of Acts).
The critical center of the book was the Council at Jerusalem in chapter 15, which sat on the question of whether someone could become a Christian, entering into covenant with Abraham, without becoming a Jew first. It was determined that this could be done, and so it was that it became possible to integrate what was happening in Jerusalem and Judea with what was happening out in the outer ripples—in Samaria, Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome. That integration point was Christ, and the new man was to be called Christian—a name first applied at Gentile Antioch.
Preaching the Kingdom
When the rabbis came to him for their intensive study, Paul talked to them about two things. He testified concerning the kingdom (v. 23), and he spoke to them about Jesus. We see the same thing in v. 31. When people came to visit him over the course of two years, he preached the kingdom, and he spoke about Jesus.
Now at the very start of the book of Acts, the Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples, working with them for forty days. What did He talk about over the course of those forty days? He instructed them concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
Christ is of course the head of the church, but He is also the Lord of everything else. The kingdom of God is the rule and realm of Jesus Christ, and this rule and realm encompasses more than just ecclesiastical lands. It overarches more than just the sanctuary. The church is central to God’s kingdom purposes, but the church is not identical with the kingdom. We worship in the church here, so that we might extend the kingdom out there. Christ is the Head of the church, certainly. But He is also the Lord of auto mechanics, computer coding, farming, politics, garbage disposal, county government, novel writing, and not to put too fine a point on it, everything else. We end with the kingdom message. Jesus is Lord, and the book ends with Paul waiting for his chance to tell this to Caesar.