Atos 28
Marvin Vincent · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 28
Vincent on Barbaros - From the Roman point of view, regarding all as barbarians who spoke neither Greek nor Latin. Not necessarily uncivilized. It is equivalent to foreigners. Compare Romans 1:14; 1 Corinthians 14:11. The inhabitants of Malta were of Carthaginian descent. "Even in the present day the natives of Malta have a peculiar language, termed the Maltese, which has been proved to be essentially an Arabic dialect, with an admixture of Italian" (Gloag). Larkin adds that Malta "had been settled from Phoenician Carthage in the sixth century B.C. Though Rome had captured it from Carthage in 216 B.C. and Augustus had settled veterans and their families on it, those who met Paul at this remote bay were of the original settlers' stock. (Acts 28:1-31 Ministry at Malta and Rome) Showed (furnished)(3930)(parecho from para = near, beside + echo = hold) literally means to have close beside, i.e. to give (offer) in a "up-close-and-personal" way. To hold out toward someone in the sense of to offer. Parecho means to "personally exert pressure to bring something forward" in a positive or negative way (in this context clearly a positive way). Extraordinary (5177)(tugchano/tynchano) means to hit the mark, fall in line with and is used here as as a litotes, that is what one does not expect to experience or meet up with every day and thus it is used to describe of miracles as extraordinary or uncommon in Acts 19:11+ and here in Acts 28:2 tugchano is used to describe that which is unusual or unexpected hospitality. Kindness (5363)(philanthropia from phílos = friend or phileō = to have affection for + anthropos = man; English = philanthropy) means "a friend of humanity," a person warmly loving others, treating them with respect and in this case showing benevolence or a friendly disposition toward the shipwrecked passengers. The only other use of philanthropia is in Titus 3:4+ describing God's "love for mankind" which motivated Him to send His only begotten Son that we might believe in Him and be saved (Titus 3:5+). Luke earlier used the adverbial form philanthropos to describe the "consideration" the Roman Centurion Julius had shown to Paul in allowing him to leave the ship at Sidon and receive care from his friends. (Acts 27:3+). Kindled (681)(hapto/haptomai) most often means to touch but can mean lighting a fire (Lk 22:55+) or lighting a lamp (Lk 8:16+, Lk 11:33+). BDAG - to cause illumination or burning to take place. Fire (4443)(pura from pur = fire) refers to a pile of combustible material or the fire itself. L-N says "a pile or heap of burning material." Ony other NT is Acts 28:3 with no uses in the Septuagint. Liddell-Scott - any place where fire is kindled, 1. a funeral-pyre, 2. a mound raised on the place of the pyre, 3. an altar for burnt sacrifice :-also the fire burning thereon Received (4355)(proslambano from prós = toward + lambáno= to take) literally means to take to oneself with strong personal interest. In the present context it means the native accepted the presence of the shipwreck victims with friendliness, welcoming them with hospitably. (cf Ro 14:1, 3, Ro 15:7, Philemon 1:17). FROM ANECDOTES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE NT - Africaner, the Banditti Chief - "And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness"—Acts 28:2 When Moffat was on his way to the kraal of Africaner—the kraal of the most dreaded outlaw and "banditti chief 'on the colonial border, the farmers at whose houses he was entertained en route assured him that Africaner would no more think of taking his life than he would of slaying a zebra or an antelope. One said the outlaw chieftain would set him up for a mark for his young men to shoot their arrows at; another, that he would strip off his skin and make a drum of it to dance to; another, that he would strike his head from his body, and use his skull for a drinking-cup; and one motherly old lady, wiping the tears from her eyes as she bade him farewell, said," Had you been an old man it would have been nothing, for you would soon have died, whether or no, but you are young, and are going to be eaten by that monster!" Undeterred, however, by these reports, at length Moffat arrived, and found that though the appearance of things was somewhat discouraging, the chief was not so formidable as he had been pictured by the fears of the planters. Before very long the chieftain Africaner became devotedly attached to the young missionary. He was regular as the sun at the daily service, and would sometimes spend the whole day sitting alone in the shadow of some great rock reading the Dutch New Testament. Many nights until dawn he sat conversing with the missionary. Brother Titus also became a friend and a silent hearer of the Gospel. But Titus had two wives, neither of whom he was minded to part with, and as Moffat's monogamist views were more strict than those of Colenso, his baptism did not take place. "Yet he admitted," said Moffat, "that a man with two wives is not a man to be envied." The elder brother nursed Mr. Moffat through a dangerous illness with his own hands, and the outlaw became not only a consistent but an eminent Christian. Dr. Moffat with subtle modesty ascribes Africaner's conversion to a dream—a dream of a hot precipice belching fire and of a Saving One who stood on a green mound. Of the reality and effect of this dream we cannot doubt, but deem it to have been suggested by some of the long, loving talks between the two of which the "Pilgrim's Progress" was the theme. When Moffat asked Africaner what was his interpretation of the dream, he said, with great simplicity: "I thought the path was the narrow road leading from destruction to safety, from hell to heaven; the stranger I supposed to be that Saviour of whom I had heard, and long were my thoughts occupied in trying to discover when and how I was to pass along the burning path;" then, with tears in his eyes, he added, "Thank God, I have passed." Acts 28:3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. NET Acts 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. GNT Acts 28:3 συστρέψαντος δὲ τοῦ Παύλου φρυγάνων τι πλῆθος καὶ ἐπιθέντος ἐπὶ τὴν πυράν, ἔχιδνα ἀπὸ τῆς θέρμης ἐξελθοῦσα καθῆψεν τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ. NLT Acts 28:3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. KJV Acts 28:3 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. ESV Acts 28:3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. CSB Acts 28:3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself to his hand. NIV Acts 28:3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. NKJ Acts 28:3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. NRS Acts 28:3 Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire, when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. YLT Acts 28:3 but Paul having gathered together a quantity of sticks, and having laid them upon the fire, a viper -- out of the heat having come -- did fasten on his hand. NAB Acts 28:3 Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, escaping from the heat, fastened on his hand. NJB Acts 28:3 Paul had collected a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a viper brought out by the heat attached itself to his hand. GWN Acts 28:3 Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire. The heat forced a poisonous snake out of the brushwood. The snake bit Paul's hand and wouldn't let go. BBE Acts 28:3 But when Paul had got some sticks together and put them on the fire, a snake came out, because of the heat, and gave him a bite on the hand. came - Job 20:16 Isa 30:6 41:24 59:5 Mt 3:7 12:34 23:33 fastened - Ac 28:4 Am 5:19 2Co 6:9 11:23 Acts 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries VENOMOUS SNAKE BITE But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire - Notice Paul humbly and willingly pitches in and the word bundle (plethos) means a great number, no just one or two twigs! This would allow a small viper to easily be camouflaged as a dry branch. Sticks (phruganon) refers to dry branches or broken shrubs suitable for firewood. As the great spiritual example he was, he never asked others to do what he himself was not willing to do. And here he shows us his servant's heart. As noted above the word for fire (pura) refers to a pile of combustible material. Apparently the viper was in the bundle Paul placed on the fire. Larkin - Jesus and Paul modeled the "character of authority as service" (Lk 22:25-27+)...No act of service for the health and well-being of others was too menial for him or his Master, nor should it be for us. (Acts 28:1-31 Ministry at Malta and Rome) THOUGHT - Is there any service at your church you consider to be "below you," too menial for you to "roll up your sleeves?" If so (and we probably all have a few things on this list), then consider the Master's words For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) Of course, we cannot be a ransom for anyone (Ps 49:7), but we can be a servant to everyone! A viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand - It is interesting that skeptics object to the veracity of this description because modern Malta has little wood and no vipers! However Lewin as late as 1853 believes that he saw a viper near St. Paul's Bay. One reason there may be no vipers today is that Malta is one of the most densely populated regions in the world which would give snakes little chance of survival. Wikipedia says "With a population of about 475,000 over an area of 122 sq mi, Malta is the world's tenth smallest and fifth most densely populated country." Lawrence of Arabia relates a similar experience writing that "When the fire grew hot a long black snake wound slowly out into our group; we must have gathered it, torpid, with the twigs" (Lawrence 1927:107). Viper (2191)(echidna) was literally an adder or other poisonous snake and this is the only passage it is used of a literal snake. The other 4 NT uses of echidna figuratively describe the Pharisees (Mt. 3:7; Mt. 12:34; Mt. 23:33; Lk. 3:7) because their incisive words delivered deadly venom, especially from a spiritual perspective. Echidna referred to small poisonous snakes (small size explains why Paul would not have immediately seen it intermixed with the large bundle of twigs and branches). In fact because these vipers looked like a dried twig when they were still, a person collecting wood for a fire could easily often pick one up inadvertently and be bitten. Clearly this viper was not a "garden snake" but a snake whose bite the natives knew had the potential to usually kill a man. This also helps us understand why Jesus and John the Baptizer referred to the Pharisees as "vipers," for they too were not only deceitful (camouflaged or "disguised" as "righteous" men) but their words were like a viper's deadly venom, for they were falsely teaching a works based righteousness which would kill a man's soul and take them to eternal hell fires. NOTE - In Greek mythology, Echidna was a monster, half-woman and half-snake, who lived alone in a cave. She was the mate of the fearsome monster Typhon and was the mother of monsters, including many of the most famous monsters of Greek myth. It is incredible that the intelligent Greeks would so reject the natural revelation of the Creator that they would concoct the most fanciful, absurd machinations of so-called deities that they would then bow down to and worship. This is a frightening thought because it shows what happens when God gives men over to their own depraved desires, men who knew Him but refused to honor Him as described by Paul. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who (ACTIVELY, INTENTIONALLY, WILLFULLY) suppress the truth (ABOUT GOD) in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations (GREEK MYTHOLOGY!), and their foolish heart was darkened (DIVINE DARKENING! RETRIBUTIVE DIVINE JUSTICE!). 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, (ALLOWED BY GOD!) 23 and (ACTIVELY, VOLITIONALLY) exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image (LOOK AT THIS HORRID IMAGE OF "ECHIDNA" HALF HUMAN, HALF SERPENT!") in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over (TO GIVE INTO THE POWER OF ANOTHER!) in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. (Ro 1:18-24+)
Atos 28
Vincent - His death is regarded as fixed by the divine decree. Justice (1349) (dike) means right, especially referring to a judicial verdict declaring someone approved or disapproved. It was a legal decision and included the penalty or punishment (penal justice). Dike refers to the sentence of eternal punishment handed down by God to unbelievers on the day of judgment. In pagan belief the name Dike referred to the mythological goddess of justice. She is depicted as a young, slender woman carrying a physical balance scale and wearing a laurel wreath (See depiction above). She is represented in the constellation Libra which is named for the Latin name of her symbol (Scales). Thayer writes that dike here is "the goddess Justice, avenging justice." Zodhiates adds that "Originally díkē meant manner, tendency. Gradually it became the designation for the right of established custom or usage. The basic meaning of the word involves the assertion by human society of a certain standard expected by its people which, if not kept, can bring forth ensuing judgment (ED: LIKE THAT WHICH THE NATIVES ASSUMED WOULD BEFALL PAUL). Thus it can be said that díkē is expected behavior or conformity, not according to one's own standard, but according to an imposed standard with prescribed punishment for nonconformity. It refers to legitimate custom." (Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament) NET Note on Justice says the pagans are referring to "the goddess Justice (who) has not allowed him to live. BDAG states, "Justice personified as a deity in Acts 28:4"; Louw-Nida has "a goddess who personifies justice in seeking out and punishing the guilty - 'the goddess Justice.' 'the goddess Justice would not let him live' Acts 28:4." Although a number of modern English translations have rendered (dike) "justice," preferring to use an abstraction, in the original setting it is almost certainly a reference to a pagan deity. In the NET translation, the noun "justice" was capitalized and the reflexive pronoun "herself" was supplied to make the personification clear. This was considered preferable to supplying a word like 'goddess' in connection with dike. Gilbrant on the native's "verdict" on Paul - They were like the friends of Job who thought any trouble or misery was always judgment (E.G., READ ELIPHAZ'S ERRONEOUS ANALYSIS - Jon 4:6-9ff, BILDAD'S BAD ANALYSIS Job 8:1-22. Related Resources: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people? What does it mean that all things work together for good? Swindoll applies this passage - The natives who observed the incident jumped to a conclusion both cruel and inaccurate. Instantly they judged that Paul’s calamity proved his guilt. Interestingly, even though these barbarians (the actual Greek term) lacked education and refined culture, they possessed an inner standard of justice. They leapt to an instantaneous (albeit incorrect) opinion: “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer.” To them the vicious snakebite represented justice getting her due. There is something amazingly relevant about this episode. A “punishment” mind-set is not limited to rough islanders in the Mediterranean. Heathen tribespeople aren’t the only ones who jump to the erroneous conclusion that those who suffer are simply getting what they deserve. This “calamity-is-proof- of-guilt” attitude lives on with us today, a blunder as old as time itself. The classic case in Scripture is Job. Here was an upright man who worked hard, dealt honestly with people, reared a fine family, and walked with his God. Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a whirlwind of multiple tragedies drove the man to his knees. This “calamity-is-proof-of-guilt” attitude lives on with us today . . . It was bad enough to lose his livestock and all other means of income, but on top of that he lost each one of his children, and finally . . . his health. With hardly a moment between these calamities to catch his breath and gain a measure of equilibrium, Job was reduced to a painful hulk of humanity, covered from head to toe with oozing skin ulcers. Exit: compassion. Enter: thoughtless counselors of blame. One man after another pointed a long, bony finger into the face of the sufferer, frowning at him with condemning words and advising him to confess his guilt. In effect, each one said, “You’re getting what you deserve.” The confrontational dialogue contained in the ancient Book of Job is remarkably relevant. Who knows? Maybe it flashed across Paul’s mind when he heard, “Undoubtedly, this man is a murderer. Justice has not allowed him to live!” I wish there were some way for sufferers to be delivered from such unjust and unfair criticism, but I know of none. It is painful enough to endure the severe blows of life, isn’t it? But when words of condemnation based on superstition and prejudice bite into us, the venom is almost more than we can bear. (Start Where You Are) Acts 28:5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. NET Acts 28:5 However, Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. GNT Acts 28:5 ὁ μὲν οὖν ἀποτινάξας τὸ θηρίον εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἔπαθεν οὐδὲν κακόν, NLT Acts 28:5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. KJV Acts 28:5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. ESV Acts 28:5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. CSB Acts 28:5 However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. NIV Acts 28:5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. NKJ Acts 28:5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. NRS Acts 28:5 He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. YLT Acts 28:5 he then, indeed, having shaken off the beast into the fire, suffered no evil, NAB Acts 28:5 But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. NJB Acts 28:5 However, he shook the creature off into the fire and came to no harm, GWN Acts 28:5 Paul shook the snake into the fire and wasn't harmed. BBE Acts 28:5 But shaking off the beast into the fire, he got no damage. suffered no harm - Nu 21:6-9 Ps 91:13 Mk 16:18 Lu 10:19 Joh 3:14,15 Ro 16:20 Rev 9:3,4 Acts 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm - Luke records no evidence of Paul's panicking, getting excited or even crying out (the initial bit must have hurt)! Notice that in suffered no harm the word for "no" signifies absolute negation -- Paul experienced absolutely no harmful sequela from the viper's bite. Larkin - In a very matter-of-fact way Paul shook the snake off and suffered no ill effects. Thus he proved true Jesus' promise to his messengers (Lk 10:19+; compare Ps 91:13). Still, suffering no harm is the exception, not the rule, for Christian disciples in general and for Paul in particular (Acts 14:22+; Acts 9:16+). (Ibid) No (3762)(oudeis) is composed of three words combined to make one strong affirmation. Ou is the negative adverb used primarily with the indicative, the mood of affirmation and reality and is an unequivocal negative. This ou is combined with the conjunction de or oude which means “not even” (Mt 6:29) and thirdly the numeral heis which is the lowest possible number "one." Thus this compound negative affirms no one, not even to the number of one. E.g., see oudeis in Mt 6:24. Oudeis is used over 200x in the NT - Matt. 5:13; 6:24; 8:10; 9:16; 10:26; 11:27; 17:8,20; 20:7; 21:19; 22:16,46; 23:16,18; 24:36; 27:24; Mk. 2:21-22; 3:27; 5:3-4,37; 6:5; 7:12,15,24; 9:8,29,39; 10:18,29; 11:2,13; 12:14,34; 13:32; 15:5; 16:8; Lk. 1:61; 4:2,24,26-27; 5:5,36-37,39; 7:28; 8:16,43; 9:36,62; 10:19,22; 11:33; 12:2; 14:24; 15:16; 16:13; 18:19,29,34; 19:30; 20:40; 22:35; 23:4,9,14-15,22,41,53; Jn. 1:18; 3:2,13,27,32; 4:27; 5:19,22,30; 6:44,63,65; 7:4,13,19,26-27,30,44; 8:10-11,15,20,28,33,54; 9:4,33; 10:18,29,41; 11:49; 12:19; 13:28; 14:6,30; 15:5,13,24; 16:5,22,24; 17:12; 18:9,20,31,38; 19:4,11,41; 21:3,12; Acts 4:12,14; 5:13,23,36; 8:16; 9:8; 15:9; 17:21; 18:10,17; 19:27; 20:20,24,33; 21:24; 23:9; 25:10-11; 26:22,26,31; 27:22,34; 28:5,17; Rom. 8:1; 14:7,14; 1 Co. 1:14; 2:8,11,15; 3:11; 4:4; 6:5; 7:19; 8:4; 9:15; 12:3; 13:2-3; 14:2,10; 2 Co. 5:16; 7:2,5; 11:9; 12:11; Gal. 2:6; 3:11,15; 4:12; 5:2,10; Eph. 5:29; Phil. 1:20; 2:20; 4:15; 1 Tim. 4:4; 6:7,16; 2 Tim. 2:4,14; 4:16; Tit. 1:15; Phlm. 1:14; Heb. 2:8; 6:13; 7:13-14,19; 12:14; Jas. 1:13; 3:8; 1 Jn. 1:5; 4:12; Rev. 2:17; 3:7-8,17; 5:3-4; 7:9; 14:3; 15:8; 18:11; 19:12 Shook off (660) (apotinasso from apo = from + tinasso = to shake) means literally to shake off something in order to get rid of it, speaking of dust in Lk 9:6 and a viper in the only other NT use in this passage. Creature (2342)(therion from ther = wild beast) means dangerous animal, venomous, wild beast, ferocious, dangerous, savage, brutal. Can include tame species as in Heb 12:20. Figuratively in Titus 1:12 therion means behaving like a wild beast as one does when living solely on the level of sensual appetites and passions. Such people are malicious and often savage and rapacious. In the Septuagint this is never used of sacrificial animals. Notice frequency in Revelation, where it is used repeatedly to refer to the Antichrist. Therion - 45x in 38v - beast(38), beasts(2), creature(2), wild beasts(3). Mk. 1:13; Acts 11:6; Acts 28:4; Acts 28:5; Tit. 1:12; Heb. 12:20; Jas. 3:7; Rev. 6:8; Rev. 11:7; Rev. 13:1; Rev. 13:2; Rev. 13:3; Rev. 13:4; Rev. 13:11; Rev. 13:12; Rev. 13:14; Rev. 13:15; Rev. 13:17; Rev. 13:18; Rev. 14:9; Rev. 14:11; Rev. 15:2; Rev. 16:2; Rev. 16:10; Rev. 16:13; Rev. 17:3; Rev. 17:7; Rev. 17:8; Rev. 17:11; Rev. 17:12; Rev. 17:13; Rev. 17:16; Rev. 17:17; Rev. 19:19; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:4; Rev. 20:10 Suffered (3958) (pascho) means to experience a sensation or suffer pain and in this context with the implication of physical suffering. Harm (2556)(kakos) in this context means damaging or harmful. Uses in Acts - Acts 9:13; Acts 16:28; Acts 23:9; Acts 28:5. Acts 28:6 But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. NET Acts 28:6 But they were expecting that he was going to swell up or suddenly drop dead. So after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. GNT Acts 28:6 οἱ δὲ προσεδόκων αὐτὸν μέλλειν πίμπρασθαι ἢ καταπίπτειν ἄφνω νεκρόν. ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ αὐτῶν προσδοκώντων καὶ θεωρούντων μηδὲν ἄτοπον εἰς αὐτὸν γινόμενον μεταβαλόμενοι ἔλεγον αὐτὸν εἶναι θεόν. NLT Acts 28:6 The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn't harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god. KJV Acts 28:6 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. ESV Acts 28:6 They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. CSB Acts 28:6 They expected that he would swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. NIV Acts 28:6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. NKJ Acts 28:6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. NRS Acts 28:6 They were expecting him to swell up or drop dead, but after they had waited a long time and saw that nothing unusual had happened to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. YLT Acts 28:6 and they were expecting him to be about to be inflamed, or to fall down suddenly dead, and they, expecting it a long time, and seeing nothing uncommon happening to him, changing their minds, said he was a god. NAB Acts 28:6 They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly to fall down dead but, after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. NJB Acts 28:6 although they were expecting him at any moment to swell up or drop dead on the spot. After they had waited a long time without seeing anything out of the ordinary happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say he was a god. GWN Acts 28:6 The people were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. BBE Acts 28:6 But they had the idea that they would see him becoming ill, or suddenly falling down dead; but after waiting a long time, and seeing that no damage came to him, changing their opinion, they said he was a god. to say - Ac 12:22 14:11-13 Mt 21:9 27:22 Acts 28 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FIRST A MURDERER! NOW A "GOD"! Talk about the changing tide of opinion! This was a 180 degree about face!
Atos 28
Vincent has an interesting note on prosdokao writing that it was "Frequent in medical writers, to denote expectation of the fatal result of illness." Swell up (only NT use)(4092)(pimpremi) in passive means to set on fire, and figuratively to become inflamed and become swollen and/or burn with fever. The natives must have seen the dramatic reaction to this viper's bite. In classical Greek pimpremi came to indicate the inflammation of wounds and the swelling associated with them. It was a medical term. The related verb is used in Nu 5:21 where a woman who had been accused of adultery (without proof) was to pronounce a curse on herself and if it was true her "thigh (would) waste away and (her) abdomen (would) swell (Lxx - pimpremi - also used in Nu 5:27 = "abdomen will swell") Fall down (2667)(katapipto from katá = down + pípto = to fall) to fall down from the effects of the viper's bite. The only other use describes Paul and his party on the way to Damascus prostrating themselves at the vision of "light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with" Paul (Acts 26:14+). In Ps 145:15 we see "The LORD sustains all who fall (Lxx = katapipto)." The only other use in the Septuagint is Neh 8:11. But after they had waited (prosdokao) a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him - KJV = "saw no harm come to him" is more literally "nothing out of place" (meden atopon). Vincent adds that the word (atopos) was "Used by physicians to denote something unusual in the symptoms of disease, and also something fatal or deadly as here." Clearly the natives expected Paul would suffer harm from the viper. Why else would Luke record this statement? Unusual (824)(atopos from a = without + topos = place) means literally having no place, out of place or out of the ordinary and hence unusual, unexpected, surprising. In this context it means nothing amiss, strange, out of line and thus nothing injurious. Only 4x in NT - Lk. 23:41; Acts 25:5; Acts 28:6; 2 Th 3:2. Had seen (2334)(theoreo from theaomai = to look at closely or attentively or contemplatively - even with a sense of wonder from theorós = spectator, one looks at thing with interest and purpose) indicates the rapt attention like a spectator at an athletic context. Vincent says the idea is "looking steadfastly, as one who has an interest in the object, and with a view to search into and understand it: to look inquiringly and intently." They changed their minds and began to say that he was a god - The changing winds of public opinion. The murderer is now a god! No he is not a god, but the truth is once again he was protected by God. Bengel - "Observe the fickleness of human reasoning. He is either an assassin, say they, or a god." Larkin - The islanders' about-face shows the power of a worldview for interpreting experience—and how a non-Christian worldview often won't "get it right." Those who have a non-Christian worldview and observe a "witness in sign" are likely to misconstrue what is happening unless an interpretation, a "witness in word," is provided. Even then, unless the Lord opens the heart (cf Acts 16:14+) to understand the gospel witness, the miraculous sign will not serve to point unambiguously to the power of Jesus the Savior. The Maltese are not alone in misinterpreting a "witness in sign" (Acts 2:12-13+; Acts 3:12+; Acts 8:18-21+; Acts 14:11-18+; Acts 19:13-16+). And today Luke calls the "signs and wonders" movement to reckon with this ambiguity and aim to make the Spirit-empowered, Spirit-illuminating proclamation of the gospel message central to any "power encounter." (Ibid) Changed their minds (3328)(metaballo from meta = change of place or condition + bállo = to cast, put) means to throw or turn over as with a plow, to change. In this only NT it is in the middle voice meaning to change oneself, and so think differently than before.
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Vincent notes that sunecho is joined with fever here and in Lk 4:38+ and was a common medical term in the same sense. Recurrent fever - No Greek word for "recurrent" but fever is in the plural in the Greek so literally is "fevers" which in the plural was a medical term for successive, intermittent attacks of fever. Fever (4446)(puretos/pyretos from pur = fire; Eng - pyretic) means fiery heat, then fever ("burning heat"). TDNT says "The word puretos describes the symptom of “fever.” Greek medicine distinguishes types of fever, and ascribes them to natural causes. Popular belief thinks gods or demons can both cause and cure fevers." All 6 NT uses of puretos (Mt. 8:15; Mk. 1:31; Lk. 4:38; Lk. 4:39; Jn. 4:52; Acts 28:8) refer to those who were sick with a fever or sick with some malady accompanied by a fever. Doctor Luke classified the fever in Lk 4:38+ as megas or “great” which was the ancient way of classifying fever - they were referred to by the physicians as either great and little fevers. Remember they had no convenient glass (or today digital) thermometers! Luke does not say Publius' father's fever is megas or great, but does indicate it is recurrent by using the plural of puretos ("fevers"). Vincent on fever and dysentery - Hippocrates often speaks of the two complaints in combination. Dysentery (KJV = "Bloody flux")(1420) (dusenterion/dysenterion from dys/dus = difficulty, illness + enteron = bowel [Eng - enteric] from entos = within) is a bacterial infection that primarily involves the gastrointestinal tract and is accompanied by severe abdominal pains and diarrhea. Dysentery is especially associated with shigellosis. While most cases of shigellosis are self-limited, severe cases can result in death. Obviously this is another medical term (of multiple) used by Luke in this section. As an infectious disease doctor, I would be remiss to not include in the the differential diagnosis amebic dysentery. And I would also add that most commentators think the illness was "probably the "Malta fever" (Micrococcus melitensis) (Brucellosis), which in the nineteenth century was traced to the milk of Malta goats and for which a vaccine was developed in 1887. Untreated, it lasted an average of four months, but in some cases up to two to three years (Longenecker 1981:565)." (Ibid) I suppose that is possible but Brucellosis causes high spiking fevers in the afternoon (cf the Greek way of classifying fever - as great or little - Luke did not say "great.") and it does not usually manifest significant gastroenteritis (although there can be abdominal pain), but is a more systemic (body wide) illness with constitutional symptoms (headache, body ache, night sweats, etc). Perhaps we will learn the true diagnosis in Heaven! Gilbrant - This term, used since the time of Herodotus, has been transliterated into today’s medical term dysentery. Although it did not originate as a technically medical term, Vine says it is formed from enteron which denotes an intestine (Expository Dictionary, “Dysentery”). Classical Greek clearly associates it with an “affliction,” something one “suffers” from and which is usually accompanied by fever (see Liddell-Scott). There are no occurrences in the Septuagint to describe this ailment; however, its only New Testament appearance is consistent with the classical meaning. In Acts 28:8 Paul prayed and laid hands on the father of Publius while shipwrecked on the island of Melita. He apparently suffered from some form of dysentery. The KJV renders this term “bloody flux” in that same passage. Gilbrant notes that Luke "could have used his skill if the Holy Spirit had directed him to do so. But with even the best of ancient medical practice, the care and recovery of the father of Publius would have been a long drawn-out process. Something more was needed, especially to bring a witness to the power of the gospel. God often uses a miracle as an entering wedge to open a new door for the proclamation of the good news about Jesus." This story of healing Publius' father is reminiscent of the account of Jesus' ministry in Capernaum in Luke 4:38-40+ for in both cases, the relative of the healer's host is healed and the blessing is then extended to others. And Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him - Note the sequence - Paul first sought the Lord, then he acted in accord with the will of the Lord. A good example to imitate - pray before we act! We won't always experience a miracle, but we may indeed experience the leading of the Spirit, especially as we make this our frequent practice. Paul did supernaturally what Luke could not do naturally (or at least he did not attempt to do). Of course Paul was the "conduit" or the "intermediary" but ultimately it was God (Jehovah Rapha) Who did the healing and Who alone was deserving of the glory. David Peterson - Prayer with the laying on of hands for healing occurs only here in Acts, though the combination is used for commissioning in 6:6; 13:3 (cf. 9:12, 17 for the laying on of hands for healing without any mention of prayer), and prayer may be assumed in 8:18-19; 19:6. Prayer is especially mentioned here to show Paul's reliance on God. (Pillar New Testament Commentary -The Acts of the Apostles) Prayed (4336)(proseuchomai from pros = toward, before emphasizing the direct approach of the one who prays in seeking God’s face + euchomai = to speak out, express a wish) in the NT is always used of prayer addressed to God (to Him as the object of faith and the One who will answer one’s prayer) and means to speak consciously (with or without vocalization) to Him, with a definite aim (See noun proseuche). Proseuchomai encompasses all the aspects of prayer -- submission, confession, petition, supplication (may concern one's own need), intercession (concerned with the needs of others), praise, and thanksgiving.