Free Bible Commentary
“Acts 28:11-31”
Categories: Acts“After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him. And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: ‘Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.’ Then they said to him, ‘We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.’ So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: ‘The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, “Go to this people and say: ‘Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’” ‘Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!’ And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves. Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”
---End of Scripture verses---
“At the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead” (verse 11). Alexandria was the second largest city in Egypt. The twin brothers were Castor and Pollux, the sons of the Roman god Jupiter (Greek god Zeus). According to mythology, the two brothers were translated to heaven where they reside as guardians over sailors in the form of the constellation Gemini. It was customary to have images of the brothers both on the stem and stern of a ship.
The ship landed successively at Syracuse, Rhegium and Puteoli (verse 12). Syracuse was the capital of Sicily, one of most famous cities of antiquity and the birthplace of Archimedes, the famous Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Rhegium was a seaport on the coast of southern Italy. The town enjoyed great prosperity until it was captured and destroyed by Dionysius of Syracuse in 387 BC. Puteoli (sulfur springs) was an important port city in the Bay of Naples and it was the closest harbor to the city of Rome.
In Puteoli Paul and his companions found some brethren in Christ who took them into their homes for a week. God’s spiritual family should always look out for one another and take care of each other, no matter how far apart they live from each other and regardless if they have actually physically met before. We can learn a valuable lesson from these unnamed faithful Christians. Names and faces should be of no consequence in the kingdom of Christ. Only the name of Christ etched on the heart and Spirit’s seal stamped upon the soul.
When the local brethren heard that Paul and his group had arrived in the city of Rome, they came to visit from as far away as the Market of Appius and the Three Inns. The Market of Appius was a town 40 miles southeast of Rome located on the Appian Way, a commerce road that stretched from the Bay of Naples to the capital city. Three Inns was a village about 10 miles closer to Rome situated on the same road. Both towns were stopping places on the Appian Way with inns that offered lodging to traders and travelers.
When Paul was in Rome, “He stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered” (verses 30-31). Isn’t it very encouraging to know that our awesome God is always in control? It may have seemed that the harassment from the hard-hearted Jews led to Paul’s arrest and containment and that he had been brought to Rome to stand trial as a criminal. But God used all of the difficult circumstances of Paul’s life to bring him to Rome so he could preach Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God with ease and openness to the people in that city. This was another preaching trip and God was with Paul every inch of the way as He promised He would be. The truth was taught. Souls were saved. Our God is good.
This was the end of the road for the book of Acts, but it wasn’t the finale for the Apostle Paul. Luke records no more of his exploits in his service to the Lord, but we learn from Paul’s later epistles some things that transpired in his life. In Paul’s further traveling and teaching, at some point he had left Trophimus in the city of Miletus because he had become ill (2 Timothy 4:20). There are other statements that indicate that Paul traveled to other places as well, but he ultimately ended up back in Roman prison near the end of his life (2 Timothy 1:8, 16-17; 2:9; 4:6-8).
Paul wrote his second and final letter to Timothy from a prison cell in Rome. His latter accommodations were obviously much less hospitable then his first two-year stay there in the city. Paul wrote in 2 Tim 4:6-8 – “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Paul knew his physical life was about to end, but he was equally convinced that better things awaited him in eternity because he faithfully served the God of heaven until he drew his last breath on earth. Secular history suggests that Paul was beheaded under the persecution of Emperor Nero in 67 or 68 AD. I can’t wait to meet him on the other side!
Have a blessed day!
-Louie Taylor
