Acts 28 - Paul Shakes Off Snakes on the Island of Malta!

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All quotes are from Enduring Word Commentary Written By David Guzik unless noted. 

Paul Ashore on Malta

Once Paul and his sailing companions made it to shore on the island of Malta, they were welcomed by the natives. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the beach. The heat drew out a snake who fastened to Paul's arm. Being a superstitious people, the islanders thought this was a sign that Paul was a murderer. But when Paul shook off the snake and suffered no ill effects, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 

These experienced sailors would certainly have known the island of Malta, but not this side of the island. Almost all the traffic to Malta came to the main port, on the other side; they didn’t recognize this side of the island.

God didn’t preserve Paul from the storm just to let him perish by a snake. Paul was protected. It was promised he would go to Rome (you must also bear witness at Rome, Acts 23:11), and Paul wasn’t to Rome yet. It wasn’t so much that nothing would stop Paul as it was that nothing would stop God’s promise from being fulfilled.

This is a typically human reaction. For these natives, Paul had to be seen in extremes. Either he was terribly evil or considered a god. In truth, Paul was neither a criminal deserving punishment nor a god. This is all the more reason we must be cautious about what others think of us, either for good or bad.

The chief official welcomed Paul and some others, though we don't know who these men were. It was most certainly less than the 276 passengers on board. The man's father was sick with a fever and dysentary, and Paul placed his hands on him healed him. Although there is nothing magical about Paul placing his hands on them when he prayed for healing, this practice is mentioned quite often, which is why we practice this method today. 

When word got out about the healing, many others came to be prayed for and were healed. It doesn't say they were all healed by Paul, so my assumption would be the others prayed for the islanders as well. 

Paul’s Arrival at Rome

After three months, presumably after winter was over, they again commandeered an Alexandrian ship. There were various stops and eventually they made it to Rome. The Christians in Rome welcomed Paul and his companions. Paul thanked God and was encouraged. Though Paul was under arrest, somehow these believers were able to connect with Paul. When they got to Rome, Paul was the afforded the privilege of a room by himself with just one guard to protect him. This again shows how God was watching over Paul to orchestrate such favorable conditions for him even though he was in custody. 

They had received Paul’s famous letter to the Romans a few years before, so they probably felt like they knew him already – and they certainly wanted to honor him. In light of the love and honor behind this greeting, no wonder that Paul thanked God and took courage. 

“Luke is far from giving the impression that Paul was the first person to bring the gospel to Rome… the presence of those Christians – the brothers, as Luke calls them – provides evidence enough that the gospel had reached Rome already.” (Bruce) There were Jewish people from Rome present at Peter’s preaching on Pentecost many years before (Acts 2:10), so there had probably been Christians from and in Rome from the beginning.

“Now, at the very end of the book, the apostle comes to Rome. Thus Jesus’ prophecy that his disciples would be his witnesses ‘to the ends of the earth’ is fulfilled.” (Boice)

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard

We see Paul's freedom in the fact that he was able to call together the local Jewish leaders. He explained to them why their was no basis for his arrest, as his teaching was in accordance with all of the Jewish customs of their ancestors. While the Romans wanted to release him based on a lack of evidence of wrongdoing, the Jews demanded he be arrested. This is when he appealed to go to Caesar as a Roman citizen, which is what brought him to them.

Paul followed his consistent practice of going to the Jews first in every city he came to as an evangelist. It took him only three days to have a meeting with the leaders of the Jews in Rome.

Paul wanted them to know that he was a prisoner because of his belief in Israel’s Messiah, the hope of Israel. As the year A.D. 70 approached, time was running out before an unparalleled national calamity struck a Jesus-rejecting Israel. In 10 years or so it would be clear that Jesus was the hope of Israel, yet a hope that many of them rejected.

The Jewish leaders had not received any formal letters against Paul, but they had heard of reports circulating about him, so they were interested to hear from him directly. Many Jews came to hear him speak, and he spoke for hours about the kingdom of God and persuade them about Jews using the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament). He argued persuasively proving Jesus was the Messiah. Some were convinced by what he said, and others WOULD NOT BELIEVE. 

Note the people had a choice. Paul had presented them with the clear and compelling evidence that Jesus was and is the Messiah. He was a testimony to this truth. But some accepted and some rejected just like today. 

This demonstrates that the religious leaders who accused Paul in Jerusalem and Caesarea knew their case was hopeless. They made no effort to send ahead documents confirming their case against him.

Though they did not know anything about Paul, they had heard that Christianity was unpopular among some, being spoken against everywhere. They should be complimented on wanting to hear the story from Paul himself.

 In speaking of the kingdom of God, Paul undoubtedly taught what Jesus taught: That in Jesus God brought a spiritual kingdom that would take root in men’s hearts before it took over the governments of this world. Most of the Jewish people of Jesus’ day and of Paul’s day looked for a political kingdom, not a spiritual kingdom.

Paul was undoubtedly frustrated by those who rejected the message. So, he left them with a prophecy from Isaiah 6:9.10. This summarized the unbelief of the Jews. Though they saw, heard, and perceived the gospel, their hearts were hardened so they would not come to faith. Again it was a willing rejection of clearly presented truth. 

Their hearts were calloused, so that they could not see or hear the truth. Instead of listening with an openness to believe in what Paul was teaching, they were predisposed to reject it outright. Paul closed with a statement which showed the finality of their rejection. He said from now on this story of Jesus' salvation would go primarily to the Gentiles who would be a lot more open to the gospel of their salvation than the very people from whom that salvation came from. 

But, Paul did not immediately abandon either the Jews or Gentiles in Rome. He rented a home and was able to preach and teach the gospel to anyone who cared to listen! Paul's heart was like Jesus. He desired all people to be saved but realized some were not predestined to do so! 

Paul understood that Isaiah prophesied of their hardness of heart. Certainly, Paul was happy that some received the gospel, but he was undoubtedly distressed if even one of them rejected Jesus.

“If you reject Jesus, you can hear, but never understand; you can see but never perceive. You heart is, and will be, hard, your ears closed, and your eyes shut – because you really don’t want to turn to God and be healed of your sin.” This is a message just as true today as it was when Isaiah first said it – or when Paul quoted it. Many hear and reject simply because they don’t want to turn to God and be healed of their sin.

If some of them rejected the salvation of God, it did not make that salvation of no effect. It just meant that God would find those who would hear it – in this case, the Gentiles.

Though Paul could not travel, he could teach and preach to all who came to him – and this he did. He also wrote letters; we have these two years of Roman custody to thank for the letters to the Ephesians, the Philippians, and the Colossians.These two years were not wasted, and God didn’t waste Paul’s time in Rome. God never wastes our time, though we may waste it by not sensing God’s purpose for our lives at the moment.