28:1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

2 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.

3 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.

4 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 suffereth not to live.

5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:

10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

All right, 28:1: “And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.” Our word is “Malta.” And it’s right here. Right off the coast of Sicily. It was owned by Great Britain. And in World War II they had a British base there that kept Rommel’s gas line from getting from Italy to North Africa, and it was bombed by the Germans, and finally the German paratroops took it. Malta. M-A-L-T-A. Was “Melita.”

“And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness.” The word “barbarous” there meaning somebody who didn’t speak your language. “Barbarian.”

“For they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.” Which again shows the time of year. It’s November, right along in there, October and November.

“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.” There came a viper not out of the fire, notice, but out of the heat. And that snake has got near that fire to get warm, which they’ll often do.

One of the most horrible horror stories I ever read in my life was a true story where they found trappers up in one of those northwest woods and came into a house, and killed about sixteen snakes on the floor of a room there that, when the old couple lit a fire to keep warm the snakes had come up through the fireplace and the bricks and stuff in the room. And the old man and his wife were on the bed; they were crazy, mad, stark-raving mad. They had been there, you know, a couple days like that. About sixteen snakes on the floor. Big, little, small. Sitting in their bed crazy.

QUESTION: Did the snakes kill them?

ANSWER: No, they didn’t come up and even bite them. They went crazy, just fear.

All right, 4: “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 suffereth not to live.” Which shows you the barbarians have a better knowledge of Galatians 6, you know, than a lot of college professors do.

Now, notice, Christ said in the Apostolic Commission, “they shall take up serpents,” won’t harm them. When these Stamites try to give you a hard time on Paul’s commission, the Apostles’ Commission, just you remind them Paul is the only apostle who fulflled Mark 16. I don’t mean 2 Corinthians 5. Mark 16 is fulfilled by Paul, not the twelve.

All right, then, “this fellow is a murderer.” “And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, —” a poisonous snake will do that to you “— or fallen down dead —” in the other case.

“But after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.” That’s how people are. Some people are. “You dirty so-and-so!” “You’re a god!”

And then at one time, you know, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name, Let angels prostrate fall.” “Blasphemer!” and crucify him. That’s how people are. They’re like that.

Paul and Barnabas go in there, and, “Boy, the gods are come down in the likeness of men!” They stone him and draw him outside the city dead.

Now, you ought to learn that lesson about people. People are fickle. You better thank God you never were never called to be a movie star or a TV star or a politician. Those people have to spend all their lives staying in good to keep up their ratings, you know, and keep up their votes. And if you’re called to preach, that’s something you don’t have to waste your time with. All you have to do is please God, brother. Now, you may have to spend a lot of time trying to please the brethren and get along, but don’t bend over backwards, I mean, don’t put them ahead of God. Put God first. And make you some good enemies and keep them.

That’s right, brother. Every Christian ought to have some good enemies. Make one or two every day. Keep you healthy, keep you wide awake and alert.

And there’ll be things like this. You do something in your Christian life, and somebody look at you and say, “Well, God’s all through with him,” you know. “And you just wait awhile.” They’ll wait for you to fall down dead, you know. They’ll figure, “Boy, the devil got him,” you know. “Serpent did him. Boy, the devil got him! Ask any angel!” you know.

You just stay with it. Just stay with it. Act like you won’t fall down, and they’ll decide maybe you’re God, and they’ll be wrong both times.

“And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.” Verse 7: “In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux.” A “bloody flux” is a flow where the blood doesn’t coagulate, just keeps running. Ends in “X”.

“To whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.” Now Luke was there, and Luke doesn’t do nothing. Luke lets Paul show the apostolic sign.

“And laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.” A lot of them got saved undoubtedly.

QUESTION: No faith?

ANSWER: No faith. There’s nothing about faith mentioned at all. “Entered in, prayed, laid hands” — Mark 16. Paul fulfills Mark 16. He doesn’t fulfill 2 Corinthians 5.

All right, and “laded us with such things as were necessary.” We’d say “loaded.” But it still is “laded,” and “ladle,” and “heavy-laden.” We understand what it means.

28:11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.

13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:

14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

“And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.” The sign is the insignia on the ship. They used to have a prow, they had these prows they’d carve out. The Vikings would have dragons on them. The mid-Victorian people would have women on them. A maiden, you know, out there with hands like this, you know, and a mermaid and all that stuff. And Delta has a triangle, you know, and National has a sun, and Eastern has a flying bird, they’ve reduced to an abstract now. And the boxcars have them. Santa Fe, Rock Island, B and O, those are the signs on the cars.

Now the sign on this ship was Castor and Pollux. That’s Gemini. That’s the constellation Gemini. The twins.

QUESTION: When he’s doing all this healing here, is he doing it just for kindness?

ANSWER: Well, he’s doing it to manifest the power of God, get ‘em converted. He’s an apostle; he has the apostolic signs.

All right, 12: “And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.” That’s where they get the name for the city in New York from.

“And from thence we fetched a compass.” That means to go in a circle. Now, somebody thought that meant they went down in the cabin, you know — to get “fetch it.” But, to “fetch a compass” means to sail in a circle.

“And came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli.” What they’re doing is coming around the boot here. They take a circle around through here, and then they come up in here, and then up in here, and up in here this way.

“Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, —” which they found the ruins for “— and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.” Bible question: What did Paul take at the three taverns? He took courage.

“And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.” Private custody.

28:17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.

19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.

22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

“And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together.” Now here’s the last chance. This is the worldwide rejection here.

“And when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, —” true “— or customs of our fathers, —” true. See, he had that vow and that purification, boy. He had ‘em. “I kept the customs.”

“Yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar.” We’ve reviewed this.

“Not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.” Makes that clear. He’s not a fifth columnist. Quisling.

“For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Now, when he says “the hope of Israel” he means Christ. But when he says that to those Jews, they’re thinking the resurrection, the resurrection of the nation.

“Because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed —” showed what? I’ve got it blurred here. Showed what? “Or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest.” That’s what people want. They don’t care what God says. They say, “What do you think? What do you think?” What I think is absolutely immaterial. It couldn’t matter any less. It’s what God says.

“What thou thinkest.” Somebody finish it for me. My papyrus is mutilated here.

“For as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.” How about that? Is that modern Christianity? How could you ever identify New Testament Christianity with what you see going on in America today? The Biblical Christians, everywhere they were spoken against. See that thing? Didn’t have any friends speaking for them anywhere. Now, how you going to reconcile that with what you see going on in America today? I’ll tell you, man, if you haven’t got a lot of enemies, you’re in the wrong pew, somewhere. Some gap there somewhere.

QUESTION: I don’t understand what they’re saying. It says, “For as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.” What are they saying?

ANSWER: They’re saying, “We Jews don’t know about what’s going on with you, but as for that bunch called Christians, all we know is everywhere people speak against that.” The Jews are saying there must be something wrong with them; everybody’s against them.

QUESTION: Against Paul?

ANSWER: Well, against the Christians. The sect. The “sectarian.”

28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And —” here’s what you’ll get: “— some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.” That’s all there is to it. Just like ol’ Pharaoh. The fellow that believed kept his animals in the barn. The one that didn’t turned them out in the field.

“And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word.” What do you suppose that one word was going to be? It’s going to be “Gentiles.”

Verse 25: “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” That’s found in Romans, and found again here, and it’s found quoted in John. It’s in John, Acts and Romans, that verse.

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles.” That’s the word that ties the rag in a bush.

“And that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.”

28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,

31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

“And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him.” Very loose protective custody.”

“Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” Notice how the Acts ends? It ends with Paul still preaching, and the Holy Spirit still working — and there’s no end to the Book of Acts. There’s the end of the Acts of the Apostles. But there’s no end to the Book of Acts. We’re supposed to still be “acting.” So it doesn’t have any end. It just closes, and the preaching’s going on.

All right, verse 28 says the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, so from Acts 28 on the main church history is not with the Jews any more, it’s for the Gentiles. And that brings you up to Church History I, which you studied the first year you came here. That brings you up to Church History I.

All right, now, the examine here is going to be — when did I say? A week from Monday? All right, next week, next Monday, we’ll have the examination here on archaeology, right? All right, at that time, we’ll meet for the class period for Acts at the regular time, 7 o’clock, and I’ll go through what you’re going to need for the exam.