Acts 28:5

And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. AND HE SHOOK OFF THE BEAST INTO THE FIRE, AND FELT NO HARM. (SEE _ .)_...

− 5._Shaking off the viper. _The shaking off of the viper is a token of a quiet mind. For we see how greatly fear doth trouble and weaken men; and yet you must not think that Paul was altogether void of fear. For faith doth not make us blockish, as brain-sick men do imagine, when they be out of danger. − (659) But though faith doth not quite take away the feeling of evils, yet it doth temperate the same, lest the godly be more afraid than is meet; that they may always be bold and have a good hope. So though Paul understand that the viper was a noisome beast, yet did he trust to the promise which was made to him, and did not so fear her plaguy − (660) biting, that it did trouble him; because he was even ready to die if need had been. − “ In umbra et extra teli jacturam,” in the shade, and out of bowshot. “...

1-10 God can make strangers to be friends; friends in distress. Those who are despised for homely manners, are often more friendly than the more polished; and the conduct of heathens, or persons called barbarians, condemns many in civilized nations, professing to be Christians. The people thought that Paul was a murderer, and that the viper was sent by Divine justice, to be the avenger of blood. They knew that there is a God who governs the world, so that things do not come to pass by chance, no, not the smallest event, but all by Divine direction; and that evil pursues sinners; that there are good works which God will reward, and wicked works which he will punish. Also, that murder is a dreadful crime, one which shall not long go unpunished. But they thought all wicked people were punished in this life. Though some are made examples in this world, to prove that there is a God and a Pro...

Verse Acts 28:5. _SHOOK OFF THE BEAST INTO THE FIRE, AND FELT NO HARM._] This is a presumptive evidence that the viper did not _bite_ St. Paul: it fastened on his hand, but had no power to injure him....

AND HE SHOOK OFF ... - In this was remarkably fulfilled the promise of the Saviour Mark 16:18; “They shall take up serpents,” etc....

EXPOSITION ACTS 28:1 We for _they, _A.V. and T.R. (twice). WAS CALLED. It reads as if it was the answer to their question to the natives, "What is this island called?" MELITA. That Melita is the island of _Malta, _and not _Meleda _off the coast of Dalmatia, is demonstrated in Smith's ' Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul,' and it is not worth while here to consider the arguments in favor of Meleda. _Melita _appears to be a Phoenician name, from the root in Hebrew טלַםָ, to escape (Bochart, 'Canaan,' Acts 1:26), meaning, therefore, a "refuge," a harbor of refuge £ so called from sailors often running into Valetta during a gale; or possibly from לֶםֶ, clay, in Italian _malta, _from the clay which forms the bottom of the

AND HE SHOOK OFF THE BEAST INTO THE FIRE,.... Having held it a while, and as being master of it, and as not being afraid of it, though it was the ready way to provoke it to fasten on him again: AND FELT NO HARM; it having not bit him, nor infected him with its poison; and hereby was fulfilled what our Lord promised to his disciples, Mark 16:18;...

Acts 28:1. _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,_ It must have been a fine sight to see the great apostle of the Gentiles gathering a bundle of sticks to put on the fire. But the men who can do great things are usually the men who do not disdain to do little things. Acts 28:3. And laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 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 suffer

CHAPTER 28 _ 1. In the Island of Melita (Acts 28:1)._ 2. The arrival in Rome (Acts 28:11). 3. Paul calling the chief of the Jews and his message (Acts 28:17). Melita, which means “honey,” is the island of Malta. It was even then a prominent place for navigation where many vessels wintered. Luke calls the inhabitants Barbarians, a term used by the Greeks for all peoples who did not use their language. The wrecked company was not plundered by the people of the island, but instead received much kindness and were made comfortable in the cold rain which fell. It was God who moved the hearts of these islanders to show such hospitality to the shipwrecked company for the sake of His servants. Paul is a

THE INHABITANTS OF MALTA. The inhabitants of Malta were of Phoenician extraction; they are called barbarians in Acts 28:2, as they spoke another language than Greek; inscriptions in two languages are found in the island. The date of the landing was before the middle of November (Acts 27:9; Acts 27:27), and the weather was cold, a miserable situation but for the kindness of the inhabitants. For Paul's sentiments on such an occasion, see 2 Corinthians 1:4 and that epistle generally, written about a year before this. But all that is told us of him is that he gathered some sticks, and what came out of them (_cf._...