Further Journey from Malta to Rome

Translation

Paragraph 1. WINTER ON THE ISLAND OF MALTA. Verses 1-10.

When we had thus found safety, we learned for the first time that the island was called Melita. Moreover, the natives showed us unusual kindness, for they made a fire and took us all under cover because of the driving rain and cold. Now, when Paul had collected a quantity of fagots and put them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. Then, as the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they kept saying to each other:

“This man is surely a murderer! Even though he has escaped from the sea, justice will not let him live.”

But he shook off the creature into the fire without the least harm. They, however, expected him soon to swell up or suddenly drop down dead, but when they had looked a long while and saw nothing out of the way happen to him they changed their minds, and they kept saying he was a god.

Now, in that very neighborhood there was an estate belonging to the Governor of the island, a man named Publius. He took us to his house and for three days hospitably kept us. As it happened, Publius’s father was lying ill of fever and dysentery. Paul then went in to see him, and after he had prayed laid his hands upon him and cured him. Thereupon the rest of the sick people in the island kept coming and being cured, and they showered us with honors, and when we were setting sail they put on board whatever we needed.  

Luke’s last chapter maintains the interest of his tale at topnotch to the end. The day of their landing, drenched and chilled, was one in which a cold rain was falling, but the islanders were very hospitable and did all they could to warm and cheer their guests from the wreck. A large fire is built, all foraging for bits of wood or fagots. The dormant viper—constrictor, says Ramsay— carelessly thrown on, roused by the heat, leaps upon Paul’s hand and is quickly shaken off into the fire. The natives in superstition and terror look for deadly effects, and not seeing them, conclude Paul is not a murderer but a god. Of course he disabuses them of this idea as far as he can, though his further acts of a miraculous nature make the process difficult. The incident of further courtesy as extended to Paul by Publius and Paul’s act of grace in healing the chief man’s father gives the apostle great favor in the island, and leads to a great work not alone of outward physical philanthropy on his own part but of even greater spiritual seed-sowing, and in some cases, no doubt, immediate harvest. Thus for three months he and the two hundred and seventy-six refugees make the best of their forced residence on Malta. The throng of his fellow passengers could not fail to see that the amenities they were enjoying were largely due to Paul, and they no doubt deeply appreciated that fact. When at last they departed every token of love was showered upon the apostolic party by the grateful islanders.  

VALETTA, CHIEF CITY OF MALTA.

Translation

Translation

Meanwhile, the brothers there had heard about us and they came out to meet us as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns, and when Paul saw them he thanked God and took courage. Now when we arrived in Rome Paul obtained permission to live by himself together with the soldier who was guarding him.  

The imperial officers on “Castor and Pollux” had sent the mail forward at once, so that the Christians at Rome were ready to receive their friend when he should come. They had been looking for him for over two years. A large group go south on the post road, part as far as to the market town, named after Appius, the builder of the road, over forty miles, and part stopping at a small village, The Three Taverns, thirteen miles nearer Rome. Their interest in Paul thus shown greatly cheered him and filled his heart with thanks to God that now all His pledges were on the point of fulfillment. Arrived at Rome, then and now the most fascinating city of the Mediterranean world, he is turned over by Julius to the Pretorian Prefect, and so favorable was his report that the courtesy was at once extended to Paul to choose his own place of residence, provided his guard be quartered with him, and thus at last he has settled down, after years of longing and anticipation, to “testify in Rome also” on behalf of the Name and the Way.  

THE ROMAN FORUM, WESTERN END—RECONSTRUCTED—JUPITER CAPITOLINUS ABOVE ON LEFT—ARX, OR CITADEL, ON RIGHT WITH MAMERTINE PRISON BELOW

Translation

Then, three days having elapsed, he called the leading Jews together and when they had assembled, he said to them:

“Brother men, although I have done nothing against our people nor the customs of our fathers, I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem to the Romans. They wished to release me after due examination, as they found no capital offense in me. When, however, the Jews kept objecting, I was forced to appeal unto Cesar, but not because I had anything to charge against my own nation. It is on this account that I have asked to-see you and talk it over with you, for it is really on account of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

And they replied to him:

“We have not received letters about you from Judza, nor have any of the brothers reached here and circulated any bad report or tale about you. We will be glad to hear what your opinions are, but as for this sect, we well understand that there is opposition to it on all sides.”

Then, having arranged a day with him, they came in increased numbers to the place where he was staying, and he began to set the case before them. He gave his opinion as to the Kingdom and tried to persuade them from the law of Moses and from the Prophets, about Jesus, continuing from morning until evening. As a result some were convinced by his words; others, however, would not believe. So when they were not able to agree together they began to go away, but Paul added this parting word:

“Rightly spoke the Holy Spirit to your fathers through the prophet Isaiah:

‘GO AND SAY TO THIS PEOPLE, You SHALL EVER BE HEARING AND NEVER UNDERSTANDING; You SHALL EVER BE SEEING AND NEVER PERCEIVING;  FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME GROSS, THEIR HEARING HAS BECOME DULL, THEIR EYES HAVE BECOME CLOSED; LEST EVER THEY SHOULD PERCEIVE WITH THEIR EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS, AND TURN AGAIN, AND I SHOULD CURE THEM’

(Isa. vi, 9, 10).

Therefore, let it be well understood that this salvation of our God has been sent to the Gentiles, and that they at least will listen to it” (verse 29 not in the Greek).

He plunges immediately into the business that is on his heart. The third day the chief members of the Jewish colony, apart from the Christians as such, accept his invitation for a conference at his house. He makes a carefully worded statement of the occasion of his presence as a prisoner of state in Rome under charges concerning which he presumes they have knowledge. He assures them of his innocence, as had repeatedly been established in court, and that he had been compelled to appeal to the Emperor solely to escape the persistent and really unfair stand of some who would at all costs make him trouble. He begs them to believe that he has no hard feelings against them or intention of seeking reprisals, that he is in deepest sympathy with his own people and ancestral faith, and that he hopes to show them there that the Hope of Israel which they are all looking for has in Jesus, their Lord and Master, truly come.

They reply very guardedly yet courteously that no word has reached them either by letter or from returning pilgrims concerning his case and express a wish to hear him more at length about his ideas relative to this new Way to which he has referred, for to them in Rome, as everywhere, it gives the impression of being an impossible solution of either their popular expectations or the true meaning of the Holy Writings. They, therefore, set a day which is agreeable to Paul and come again in larger numbers, giving an entire day to hear his views as he expounds the Law and the Prophets on the two great subjects they were written to reveal, namely, “The Nature of the Kingdom of God among Men” and “The Character and Function of Messiah and His Work.” Discussion was prolonged into the evening. Some were convinced and others not. To these last he felt there was nothing he might further say except to remind them that it had always been so—some received and some rejected the Truth, and he quotes their greatest writer, Isaiah, as Jesus and others many times had done, showing that the Spirit had foreseen and clearly foretold this sad and universal fact. Moreover, he wished it clearly understood, as he had in part implied, and they must see is deeply taught in their Scriptures, that the Saviour and Messiah who came into the world through the Jews was to become Redeemer and King of all men, Gentiles as well as believing Jews, and that it looked as  though the Gentiles would exceed the chosen people in appreciating this royal truth.

Translation

After this for two full years he kept living in his own hired house and receiving all who came to visit him, announcing the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all freedom of speech and no embarrassment.  

Luke’s summary ending is a restrained shout of triumph:

Paul dwelt two whole years
In his own hired house,
Receiving all who would come,
Proclaiming the Kingdom of God,
Teaching in all confidence
The things concerning
Christ, All hindrances overcome,
His chain a badge of protection.  

THE MARTYRDOM OF PAUL