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They depart from Melita,

A. M. cir.4066.

A. D. cir. 62.

cir. CCX. 2.

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10 Who also honoured us within a ship of Alexandria, which had A.M.cir. 4067. wintered in the isle, whose sign was

An. Olymp. many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

Castor and Pollux.

A. D. cir. 69. An. Olymp. cir. CCX. 3.

12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there

11 ¶ And after three months we departed three days.

a Matt. 15. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17.

Ch. 27. 6. 1 Cor. 8. 4.

mentioned in this verse, were doubtless healed in the same way.

Massicus ærata princeps secat æquora TIGRI.
"Massicus, chief, cuts the waves in the brazen-beaked
TIGER."

Of another called the Chimera. Æn. v. ver. 118, 223.
Ingentemque Gyas ingenti mole CHIMERAM.

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Gyas the vast Chimera's bulk commands."
And of another called the Centaur. Æn. v. ver. 122.

Verse 10. Honoured us with many honours] The word Tu, as Bp. Pearce has remarked, is often used to signify a pecuniary recompence, or present. The Greek word seems to be thus used in 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the elders which rule well, be accounted worthy of double HONOUR, Tips, which St. Chrysostom, on the place, explains thus: TYY TWY avay-155, 157. καιων χορηγιαν αa supplying them with all necessary things. Diodorus Siculus, and Xenophon, used the word in the same way. In the sense of a pecuniary recompence, or price, paid for any thing, the word run, is met with in 1 Cor. vi. 20.|| ship, from whom they expected succour; and sometimes and vii. 23. And in the Septuagint, Numb. xxii. 17. compared with v. 18. Ps. viii. 5. and xlix. 12. Prov. iii. 9. Bp. Pearce.

Such things as were necessary.] They had before given them many presents, and now they gave them a good seastock; all that was necessary for their passage.

Verse 11. After three months] Supposing that they had reached Malta about the end of October, as we have already seen; then it appears that they left it about the end of January, or the beginning of February; and though in the depth of winter, not the worst time for sailing, even in those seas, the wind being then generally more steady; and, on the whole, the passage more safe.

Whose sign was Castor and Pollux.] These were two fabulous semi-deities, reported to be the sons of Jupiter and Leda, who were afterwards translated to the heavens, and made the constellation called Gemini, or the Twins. This constellation was deemed propitious te mariners; and, as it was customary to have the images of their gods both on the head and stern of their ships, we may suppose that this Alexandrian ship had these on either her prow or stern, and that these gave name to the ship. We, who profess to be a Christian people, follow the same heathen custom: we have our ships called the Castor, the Jupiter, the Minerva, the Leda, (the mother of Castor and Pollux,) with a multitude of other dæmon gods and goddesses; so that were ancient Romans or Grecians to visit our Navy, they would be led to suppose, that, after the lapse of more than 2000 years, their old religion had continued unaltered!

-CENTAURO invehitur magna.

"Sergesthus, in the great Centaur, took the lading place." Besides these names, they had their tutelary gods in the

they had their images on the stern; and when they got safely to the end of their voyage, they were accustomed to crown these images with garlands: thus Virgil, Geor. i. ver. 304.

PUPPIBUS et læti nautæ imposuere CORONAS.

"The joyous sailors place garlands on their sterns." Several ancient fables appear to have arisen out of the names of ships. Jupiter is fabled to have carried off Europa, across the sea, in the shape of a bull; and to have carried away Ganymede, in the shape of an eagle. That is, these persons were carried away, one in a ship called Taurus, or Bull; and the other in one denominated Aquila, the Eagle. Why not Taurus, as well as Tigris? and why not Aquila, as well as Chimera; which names did belong to ships, as we find from the above quotations.

Verse 12. Landing at Syracuse] In order to go to Rome from Malta, their readiest course was to keep pretty close to the eastern coast of Sicily, in order to pass through the streights of Rhegium, and get into the Tyrrhenian sea.

Syracuse is one of the most famous cities of antiquity: it is the capital of the island of Sicily; and was built about 730 years before the Christian æra. It lies 72 miles S. by E. of Messina, and about 112 of Palermo. Long. 15. 30. W. Lat. 37. 17. N. In its ancient state, it was about 22 English miles in circumference; and was highly celebrated for the martial spirit of its inhabitants. This was the birth-place of the illustrious Archimedes; who, when this city was besieged by the Romans, under Marcellus, about 212 years before Christ, defended the place with his powerful engines

Virgil speaks of a vessel called the Tiger. Æneid. x. against all the valour and power of the assailants. He beat ver. 166.

their gallies to pieces by huge stones projected from his ma

They sail from Syracuse,

A. M.cir.4067. A.D. cir. 63.

An. Olymp.

CHAP. XXVIII.

13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and

and land at Puteoli.

to tarry with them seven days: and AM. cir.4067. so we went toward Rome.

A. D. cir. 63.
An. Olymp.

cir. CCX. 3.

cir. CCX. 3. after one day the south wind blew, 15 And from thence, when the breand we came the next day to Puteoli : thren heard of us, they came to meet us as 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired|| far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns :

Ch. 10. 23. & 16. 15.

b Ch. 15. 3. Rom. 1. 10.

chines; and by hooks, chains, and levers, from the walls weighed the ships out of the water, and whirling them round, dashed them in pieces against each other, or sunk them to the bottom: several also, he is said to have destroyed by his burning-glasses. When the city was taken by treachery, Archimedes was found intensely engaged in the demonstration of a problem. A Roman soldier coming up, and presenting his dagger to his throat, he cried, "Stop, soldier! or thou wilt spoil my diagram!" The brute was unmoved, and murdered him on the spot.

This city was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake in 1693: its present population amounts to but about 18,000. Christianity, in some form or other, has existed here ever since St. Paul spent the three days in it, mentioned in the text. We fetched a compass] Olev TEPLEJOVTES; whence we coasted about. This will appear evident, when the coast of Sicily is viewed on any correct map, of a tolerably large scale.

Rhegium] A city and promontory in Calabria, in Italy, opposite to Sicily. It is now called Reggio. It had its name Pryor Rhegium, from the Greek Pryvupal, to break off; because it appears to have been broken off from Sicily. The south wind blew] This was the fairest wind they could have from Syracuse, to reach the streights of Rhegium.

The next day to Puteoli] This place, now commonly called Pozzuoli, is an ancient town of Naples in the Terra di Lavoro; and is supposed to have been founded by the Samians, about 470 years before Christ. Within this city are several warm baths, very highly celebrated; and from these, and its springs in general, it seems to have had its ancient name Puteoli, from PUTEI, wells or pits; though some derive it from putor, a stench, or bad smell, because of the sulphureous exhalations from its warm waters. Varro gives both these etymologies, lib. iv. de Ling. Lat. cap. 5. It is famous for its temple of Jupiter Serapis, which is built, not according to the Grecian or Roman manner, but according to the Asiatic. Near this place are the remains of Cicero's villa, which are of great extent. The town contains, at present, about 10,000 inhabitants. Long. 14. 40. E. Lat. 41. 50. N.

Verse 14. Where we found brethren] That is, Christians; for there had been many in Italy converted to the faith of Christ, some considerable time before this, as appears from

St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, written some years before this voyage.

We went toward Rome.] One of the most celebrated cities in the universe, the capital of Italy, and once of the whole world; situated on the river Tiber, 410 miles SSE. of Vienna; 600 SE. of Paris; 730 E. by N. of Madrid; 760 W. of Constantinople; and 780 S. E. of London. Long. 12. 55. E. Lat. 41. 54. N. This famous city was founded by Romulus, at the end of the seventh Olympiad, A. M. 3251; of the Flood 1595; and 753 years before the Christian Era. The history of this city must be sought for in works written expressly on the subject, of which there are many. Modern Rome is greatly inferior to ancient Rome in every respect. Its population, taken in 1709, amounted to 138,569 souls only; among whom were 40 bishops, 2686 priests, 3359 monks, 1814 nuns, 893 courtezans, between 8 and 9000 Jews, and 14 Moors. This city, which once tyrannized over the world by its arms, and over the whole Christian world by its popes, is now reduced to a very low state among the governments of Europe.

Verse 15. When the brethren heard of us] By whom the gospel was planted at Rome is not known: it does not appear that any apostle was employed in this work. It was probably carried thither by some of those who were converted to God at the day of Pentecost; for there were then at Jerusalem, not only devout men, proselytes to the Jewish religion, from every nation under heaven, Acts ii. 5. but there were strangers of Rome also, ver. 10. And it is most reasonable to believe, as we know of no other origin, that it was by these, Christianity was planted at Rome.

As far as Appii Forum] About 52 miles from Rome! a long way to come on purpose to meet the apostle! The Appii-forum, or market of Appius, was a town on the Appian way, a road paved from Rome to Campania, by the consul Appius Claudius. It was near the sea, and was a famous resort for sailors, pedlars, &c. Horace, lib. i. Satyrar. 5. ver. 3. mentions this place on his journey from Rome to Brundusium:

Inde FORUM APPI

Differtum nautis, cauponibus atque malignis. "To Forum Appii thence we steer, a place "Stuff'd with rank boatmen, and with vintners base.” This town is now called Cæsarilla de S. Maria.

They travel from Puteoli,

A. D. cir. 63.

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a

A. D. cir. 63.

A. M.cir. 4067. whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, captain of the guard: but Paul A.M.cir.4067. and took courage. was suffered to dwell by himself with An. Olymp. a soldier that kept him.

An. Olymp.

eir. CCX. 3.

16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the

cir. CCX. S.

17 ¶ And it came to pass, "that after three days

a Ch. 24. 25. & 27.3.

b Ch. 25. 8, 10. Ps. 112. 5.

And the Three Taverns] This was another place on the same road, and about 33 miles from Rome. Some of the Roman Christians had come as far as Appii Forum; others, to the Three Taverns. Bp. Pearce remarks, there are some ruins in that place which are now called Tre Taverne; and this place Cicero mentions in his Epistles to Atticus, lib. ii. 11. Ab Appi foro horâ quartá: dederam aliam paulo ante in Tribus Tabernis. "Dated at ten in the morning, from Appii Forum. I sent off another (epistle) a little before, from the Three Taverns."

Zozimus, lib. 2. mentions a xaya the three taverns, or victualling houses, where the emperor Severus was strangled by the treason of Maximinus Herculeus, and his son Maxentius. See Lightfoot.

The word taberna, from trabs a beam, signifies any building formed of timber; such as those we call booths, sheds, &c. which are formed of beams, planks, boards, and the like; and therefore we may consider it as implying, either a temporary residence, or some mean building, such as a cottage, &c. And in this sense Horace evidently uses it, Carm. lib. i. Od. iv. ver 13.

Pallida mors æquo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas
Regumque turres.

"With equal pace, impartial fate

"Knocks at the palace, as the cottage gate."

FRANCIS.

This place, at first, was probably a place for booths or sheds; three of which were remarkable; other houses became associated with them in process of time; and the whole place denominated Tres Taberna, from the three first remarkable booths set up there. It appears to have been a large town in the fourth century, as Optatus mentions Felix a Tribus Tabernis, Felix of the Three Taverns, as one of the Christian bishops.

Thanked God and took courage.] He had longed to see Rome, (see Rom. i. 9-15.) and finding himself brought through so many calamities, and now so near the place, that he was met by a part of that church, to which, some years before, he had written an epistle, he gave thanks to God, who had preserved him; and took fresh courage, in the prospect of bearing there, a testimony for his Lord and Master.

Verse 16. The captain of the guard] Erparonεdacky. This word properly means the commander of a camp; but it signifies the præfect, or commander of the prætorian cohorts, or emperor's guards.

Tacitus (Annal. lib. iv. cap. 2.) informs us, that, in the reign of Tiberius, Sejanus, who was then præfect of these troops, did, in order to accomplish his ambitious designs, cause them to be assembled from their quarters in the city, and stationed in a fortified camp near it ; so that their commander is with peculiar propriety styled by St. Luke, spatoTedapys, the commander of the camp. For the arrival of St. Paul at Rome was in the seventh year of Nero; and it is certain, from Suetonius, (in Tiber. cap. 37), that the custom of keeping the prætorian soldiers in a camp, near the city, was retained by the emperors succeeding Tiberius ; for the historian observes, that both Claudius, at his accession to the empire, was received into the camp, in castra delatus est, namely of the prætorian cohorts; and so Tacitus says of Nero, An. lib. xii. cap. Ĝ9. that on the same occasion, illatus castris, he was brought into the camp. Dr. Doddridge observes, that it was customary for prisoners who were brought to Rome, to be delivered to this officer, who had the charge of the state prisoners, as appears from the instance of Agrippa, who was taken into custody by Macro, the prætorian præfect, who succeeded Sejanus, (Joseph. Ant. lib. xviii. cap. 7. sect. 6); and from Trajan's order to Pliny, when two were in commission, Plin. lib. x. ep. 65. Vinctus mitti ad præfectos prætorii mei debet: he should be sent bound to the præfects of my guards. The person who now had that office was the noted Afranius Burrhus; but both before and after him, it was held by two: Tacit. An. lib. xii. sect. 42. lib. xiv. sect. 51. See Parkhurst,

Burrhus was a principal instrument in raising Nero to the throne; and had considerable influence in repressing many of the vicious inclinations of that bad prince. With many others, he was put to death by the inhuman Nero; and is praised by the historians for moderation and love of justice. His treatment of St. Paul is no mean proof of this. Calmet.

With a soldier that kept him.] That is, the soldier to whom he was chained, as has been related before, chap. xii. 6.

Verse 17. Paul called the chief of the Jews together] We have already seen, in chap. xviii. 2. that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome; see the note

Paul calls the chief of the Jews.

CHAP. XXVIII.

together, and states his case to them.

A. M. cir.4067. Paul called the chief of the Jews to-cause that for the hope of Israel I A. M.cir. 4067.

A. D. cir. 63.

A. D. cir. 63. An. Olymp.

An. Olymp. gether: and when they were come am bound with this chain. cir. CCX. 3. together, he said unto them, Men 21 And they said unto him, We cir. CCX. 3. and brethren, though I have committed neither received letters out of Judea concerning nothing against the people, or customs of thee, neither any of the brethren that came' our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner shewed or spake any harm of thee. from Jerusalem into the hands of the Ro

mans.

b

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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.

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.

Ch. 24. 12, 13. & 25.8. & 26. 31. 3. 1. & 4. 1. & 6. 20.

25. 8.— ch. 21. 33. ch. 22. 24. & 24. 10. & ch. 25. 11. ch. 26. 6, 7. ch. 26. 29. Eph.

2 Tim. 1. 16. & 2. 9. Philem. 10, 13.

Luke 2. 31. ch. 24. 5, 14. 1 Pet. 2. 12. & 4. 14. -Luke 24. 27. ch. 17. 3. & 19. 8. See on ch. 26. 6, 22.

there but it seems they were permitted to return very soon; and, from this verse, it appears that there were then chiefs, probably of synagogues, dwelling at Rome.

I have committed nothing] Lest they should have heard and received malicious reports against him, he thought it best to state his own case.

Verse 20. For the hope of Israel, I am bound, &c.] As if he had said this, and this alone, is the cause of my being delivered into the hands of the Romans; I have proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah; have maintained that though he was crucified by the Jews, yet he rose again from the dead; and, through him, I have preached the general resurrection of mankind: this, all Israel professes to hope for; and yet it is on this account that the Jews persecute me. Both the Messiah and the resurrection might be said to be the hope of Israel; and it is hard to tell which of them is here meant ; see chap. xxiii. 6. || xxiv. 15, 21. and xxvi. 6. It is certain that, although the It is certain that, although the Jews believed in the general resurrection, yet they did not credit it in the manner in which Paul preached it; for he laid the foundation of the general resurreciion, on the resurrection of Christ.

Verse 21: We neither received letters, &c.] This is very strange, and shews us that the Jews knew their cause to be hopeless; and therefore did not send it forward to Rome. They wished for an opportunity to kill Paul; and when they were frustrated by his appeal to the emperor, they permitted the business to drop. Calmet supposes they had not time to send; but this supposition does not appear to be sufficiently

solid; they might have sent long before Paul sailed; and they might have written officially by the vessel in which the centurion and the prisoners were embarked. But their case was hopeless; and they could not augur any good to themselves from making a formal complaint against the apostle, at the emperor's throne.

Verse 22. For as concerning this sect] See the note on chap. xxiv. 14. A saying of Justin Martyr casts some light on this saying of the Jews: he asserts, that the Jews not only cursed them in their synagogues, but they sent out chosen men from Jerusalem, to acquaint the world, and particularly the Jews every where, that the Christians were an atheistical and wicked sect, which should be detested and abhorred by all mankind. Justin Martyr. Dial. p. 234.

Verse 23. To whom he expounded-the kingdom of God] To whom he shewed that the reign of the Messiah was to be a spiritual reign; and that Jesus, whom the Jewish rulers had lately crucified, was the true Messiah, who should rule in this spiritual kingdom. These two points were probably those on which he expatiated from morning to evening, proving both, out of the law, and out of the prophets. How easily Jesus, as the Messiah, and his spiritual kingdom, might be proved from the law of Moses, any person may be satisfied, by consulting the notes written on those books. As to the prophets, their predictions are so clear, and their prophecies so obviously fulfilled in the person, preaching, miracles, passion, and death of Jesus Christ, that it is utterly impossible, with any show of reason, to apply them to any other.

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stand; and seeing ye shall see, and not per-Jews departed, and had great reasoning among

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Verse 24. Some believed, &c.] His message was there treated as his gospel is to the present day; some believe, and || are converted; others, continue in obstinate unbelief, and perish. Could the Jews then have credited the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom, they would have found little difficulty to receive Jesus Christ as the MESSIAHI.

contentions about the truth and authenticity of the religion of Christ, infallibly end in the triumph and extension of that religion.

Verse 30. Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house] As a state-prisoner, he might have had an apartment in the common prison: but peculiar favour was shewed him; Multitudes of those, now called Christians, can more easily and he was permitted to dwell alone, with the soldier that credit Jesus as the Messiah, than believe the spiritual nature guarded him, ver. 16. Finding now an opportunity of preachof his kingdom. The cross is the great stumbling-block;ing the gospel, he hired a house for the purpose, and paid for millions expect Jesus and his kingdom, who cannot be per- it, St. Chrysostom observes, by the fruits of his own labour. suaded that the cross is the way to the crown.

Verse 25. Agreed not among themselves] It seems that a controversy arose between the Jews themselves, in consequence of some believing, and others disbelieving; and the two parties contested together: and, in respect to the unbelieving party, the apostle quoted the following passage from Isai. vi. 9.

Verse 26. Hearing ye shall hear, &c.] See the notes on Matt. xiii. 14. and John xii. 39, 40.

Verse 28. The salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles] St. Paul had spoken to this effect twice before, chap. xiii. 46. and chap. xviii. 6. where, see the notes; but here, he uses a firmer toue, being out of the Jewish territories, and under the protection of the emperor. By the salvation of God, all the blessings of the kingdom of Christ are intended. This salvation God could have sent unto the Gentiles, independently of the Jewish disobedience; but He waited till they had rejected it, and then reprobated them, and elected the Gen- || tiles. Thus the elect became reprobate, and the reprobate elect. They will hear it.] That is, they will obey it; for anɔvely, signifies not only to hear, but also to obey.

Verse 29. And had great reasoning among themselves.] The believers contending with the unbelievers; and thus we may suppose that the cause of truth gained ground. For,

Here he received all that came unto him, and preached the gospel with glorious success; so that his bonds became the means of spreading the truth, and he became celebrated even in the palace of Nero, Phil. i. 12, 13. and we find that there were several saints, even in Cæsar's household, Phil. iv. 22. which were, no doubt, the fruits of the apostle's ministry. It is said, that during his two years' residence here, he became acquainted with Seneca the philosopher, between whom and the apostle, an epistolary correspondence took place. In an ancient MS. of Seneca's epistles, in my own possession, these letters are extant, and are in number fourteen, and have a prologue to them, written by St. Jerom. That they are very ancient cannot be doubted; but learned men have long age agreed that they are neither worthy of Paul nor of Seneca.

While he was in captivity, the church at Philippi, to which he was exceedingly dear, sent him some pecuniary assistance by the hands of their minister Epaphroditus, who, it appears, risked his life in the service of the apostle; and was taken with a dangerous malady. When he got well, he returned to Philippi, and, it is supposed, carried with him that Epistle which is still extant; and from it we learn, that Timothy was then at Rome with Paul, and that he had the prospect of being shortly delivered from his captivity. See Phil. i. 12, 13. ii. 25. iv. 15, 16, 18, &c.

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