They are kindly received by A. M. cir. 4066. A. D. cir. 62. Au. Olymp. cir. CCX. 2. A ND when they were escaped, 2 And the barbarous people shew- A.M.cir. 4066. then they knew that the islanded us no little kindness : for they was called Melita. • Ch. 27. 26. kindled a fire, and received us every Rom. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 14. 11. Col. 3. 11. A. D. cir. 62. An. Olymp. cir. CCX. 2. the edg NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIII. Verse 1. They knew that the island was called Melita.] There were two islands of this name, one in the Adriatic Gulph, or Gulph of Venice, on the coast of Illyrium, and near to Epidaurus; the other in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and Africa, and now called Malta. It is about fifty miles from the coast of Sicily; twenty miles long, and twelve miles in its greatest breadth; and about sixty miles in circumference. It is one immense rock of white soft freestone, with about one foot depth of earth on an average, and most of this has been brought from Sicily! It produces cotton, excellent fruits, and fine honey; from which it appears, the island originally had its name; for Μελι meli, and in the genitive case Μελιτος Melitos, signifies honey. Others suppose, that it derived its name from the Phenicians, who establised a colony in it; and made it a place of refuge, when they extended their traffic to the ocean, because it was furnished with excellent harbours (on the E. and W. shores:) hence, in their tongue, it would be called מליטה Melite, escape or refuge, from מלט malatto escape. The Phœacians were probably the first inhabitants of this island: they were expelled by the Phænicians; the Phœnicians by the Greeks; the Greeks by the Carthaginians; the Carthaginians by the Romans, who possessed it in the time of the apostle; the Romans by the Goths; the Goths by the Saracens; the Saracens by the Sicilians, under Roger earl of Sicily, in 1190. Charles V. emperor of Germany, took possession of it by his conquest of Naples and Sicily; and he gave it in 1525 to the Knights of Rhodes, who are also called the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. In 1798, this island surrendered to the French, under Buonaparte; and in 1800, after a blockade of two years, the island being reduced by famine, surrendered to the British, under whose dominion it still remains (1814). Every thing considered, there can be little doubt that this is the Melita, at which St. Paul was wrecked, and not that other island in the Adriatic, or Venetian Gulph, as high up northward as Illyrium. The following reasons make this greatly evident: 1. Tradition has unvaryingly asserted this as the place of the apostle's shipwreck. 2. The island in the Venetian Gulph, in favour of which Mr. Bryant so learnedly contends, is totally out of the track in which the euroclydon must have driven the vessel. 3. It is said in ver. 11. of this chapter, that another ship of Alexandria, bound as we must suppose for Italy, and very probably carrying wheat thither, as St. Paul's vessel did, (chap. xxvii. 38) had been driven out of its course of sailing by stress of weather, up to the Illyrium Melita, and had been for that cause obliged to winter in the isle. Now, this is a supposition, which, as I think, is too much of a supposition to be made. 4. In St. Paul's voyage to Italy from Melita, on board the Alexandrian ship that had wintered there, he and his companions landed at Syracuse, ver. 12, 13. and from thence went to Rhegium. But if it had been the Illyrian Melita, the proper course of the ship would have been, first, to Rhegium, before it reached Syracuse, and needed not to have gone to Syracuse at all: whereas, in a voyage from the present Malta to Italy, it was necessary to reach Syracuse in Sicily, before the ship could arrive at Rhegium in Italy. See the Map accompanying this part; and see Bp. Pearce, from whom I have extracted the two last arguments. That Malta was possessed by the Phænicians, before the Romans conquered it, Bochart has largely proved; and indeed the language to the present day, notwithstanding all the political vicissitudes through which the island has passed, bears sufficient evidence of its Punic origin. In the year 1761, near a place called Ben Ghisa, in this island, a sepulchral cave was discovered, in which was a square stone, with an inscription in Punic or Phœnician characters, on which Sir Wm. Drummond has written a learned essay, (London, Valpy, 1810, 4to.) which he supposes marks the burial-place, at least of the ashes of the famous Carthaginian General Hannibal. I shall give this inscription in Samaritan characters, as being the present form of the ancient Punic, with Sir Wm. Drummond's translation: 2893 998 52 9 ۹۳ Illustrious in the consummation of calamity. He was beloved, As this is a curious piece, and one of the largest remains A viper comes out of the fuel, A. M. cir. 4066. A. D. cir. 62. one, because of the present rain, 4 And when the barbarians saw the A. M. cir.4066. An. Olymp. and because of the cold. A. D. cir. 62. An. Olymp. cir. CCX. 2. venemous 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. of the Punic language now in existence; and as it helps to ascertain the ancient inhabitants of this island, I thought it not improper to insert it here. For the illustration of this, and several other points of Punic antiquity, I must refer the curious reader to the Essay itself. Verse 2. The barbarous people] We have already seen that this island was peopled by the Phoenicians, or Carthaginians, as Bochart has proved. Phaleg chap. xxvi. and their ancient language was no doubt in use among them at that time, though mingled with some Greek and Latin terms; and this language must have been unintelligible to the Romans and the Greeks. With these, as well as with other nations, it was customary to call those βαρβαροι barbarians, whose language they did not understand. St. Paul himself speaks after this manner in 1 Cor. xiv. 11. If I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh, a BARBARIAN; and he that speaketh shall be a BARBARIAN unto me. Thus Herodotus also, lib. ii. 158. says Βαρβαρους παντας Αιγυπτιοι καλεουσι τους μη σφι ομογλωσσους· The Egyptians call all those BARBARIANS who have not the same language with themselves. And Ovid, when among the Getes, says in Trist. ver. 10. BARBARUS hic ego sum, quia non INTELLIGOR ulli. "Here, I am a barbarian, for no person understands me." Various etymologies have been given of this word. I think, that of Bp. Pearce the best. The Greeks who traded with the Phœnicians, formed this word from their observing, that the Phœnicians were generally called by the name of their parent, with the word בר bar prefixed to that name; as we find, in the New Testament, men called Bar-Jesus, BarTholomeus, Bar-Jonas, Bar-Timeus, &c. Hence the Greeks called them βαρ-βαροι, meaning the men who are called Bar Bar, or have no other names than what begin with Bar. And because the Greeks did not understand the language of the Phœnicians, they first, and the Romans in imitation of them, gave the name of Barbarians to all such as talked in a language to which they were strangers." No other etymology need be attempted; this is its own proof; and the Bar-melec in the preceding epitaph, is at least collateral evidence. The word barbarian is therefore no term of re proach in itself; and was not so used by ancient authors, however fashionable it may be to use it so now. Because of the present rain and of the cold.] This must have been some time in October; and when we consider the time of the year, the tempestuousness of the weather, and their escaping to shore on planks, spars, &c. wet of course to the skin, they must have been very cold, and have needed all the kindness that these well-disposed people shewed them. In some parts of christianized Europe, the inhabitants would have attended on the beach, and knocked the survivors on the head, that they might convert the wreck to their own use! This barbarous people did not act in this way: they joined hands with God, to make these sufferers live. Verse 3. There came a viper out of the heat] We may naturally suppose that there had been fuel laid before on the fire, and that the viper was in this fuel, and that it had been revived by the heat; and when St. Paul laid his bundle on the fire, the viper was then in a state to lay hold on his hand. Verse 4. The venomous beast] Το θηριον, the venomous animal; for θηρια is a general name among the Greek writers for serpents, vipers, scorpions, wasps, and such like creatures. Though the viper fastened on Paul's hand, it does not appear that it really bit him; but the Maltese supposed that it had, because they saw it fasten on his hand. Vengeance suffereth not to live. These heathens had a general knowledge of retributive justice; and they thought that the stinging of the serpent was a proof that Paul was a murderer. There is a passage in Bamidbar Rabba, fol. 239. that casts some light on this place. "Although the sanhedrin is ceased, yet are not the four deaths ceased. For he that deserves stoning, either falls from his house, or a wild beast tears and devours him. He that deserves burning, either falls into the fire, or a serpent bites him. He that deserves cutting off with the sword, is either betrayed into the power of a heathen kingdom, or the robbers break in upon him. He that deserves strangling, is either suffocated in the water, or dies of a quinsy." See Lightfoot. As these people were heathens, it is not likely that they had any correct notion of the justice of the true God; and therefore it is most probable that they used the word δική, not to express the quality or attribute of any being, but the goddess Diké, or vindictive justice, herself, who is represented as punishing the iniquities of men. Verse 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. Verse 6. When he should have swollen] Πιμπρασθαι, when he should have been inflamed; by means of an acrid poison introduced into the blood, it is soon coagulated; and in consequence, the extremities of the vessels become obstructed, strong inflammation takes place, and all the parts become most painfully swollen. father, who was ill of a fever. A. D. cir. 62.1 An. Olymp. cir. CCX. 2. Publius; who received us, and lodged A.M.cir. 4066. 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. C 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed : 4 Mark 6. 5. & 7. 32. & 16. 18. Luke 4.40. ch. 19. 11, 12. 1 Cor. 12. 9, 28. The puffy poison spreads and heaves around, Till all the man is in the monster drowned. ROWE. See other examples, in the notes on Numb. xxi. 6. Verse 6. Said that he was a god.] As Hercules was one of the gods of the Phœnicians, and was worshipped in Malta under the epithet of Αλεξίκακος, the dispeller of evil, they probably thought that Paul was Hercules; and the more so, because Hercules was famous for having destroyed, in his youth, two serpents that attacked him in his cradle. Verse 7. The chief man of the island] The term πρωτος CHIEF, used here by St. Luke, was the ancient title of the governor of this island, as is evident from an inscription found in Malta, which runs thus : Λ. κ. υιος κυρ. ιππευς ρωμ. πρωτος Μελιταίων· Lucius Caius, son of Quirinus, a Roman knight, CHIEF of the Melitese. See Bochart Phaleg. and Chan. vol. i. chap. 498, &c. and Grotius. This title is another proof of the accuracy of St. Luke, who uses the very epithet by which the Roman governor of that island was distinguished. Verse 8. The father of Publius lay sick] Πυρετοις και δυσεντερια ; of a fever and dysentery. Paul-prayed] That God would exert his power: and laid his hands on him, as the means which God ordinarily Lucan ix. v. 791. gives a terrible account of this effect of used to convey the energy of the Holy Spirit: and healed the bite of a serpent: illi rubor igneus ora And straight a sudden flame began to spread, him; God having conveyed the healing power by this means. In such a disorder as that mentioned here by St. Luke, where the bowels were in a state of inflammation, and a general fever aiding the dysentery in its work of death; nothing less than a miracle could have made an instantaneous cure in the patient. Such a cure was wrought, and even the heathens saw that it was the hand of God. Verse 9. Others which had diseases] Luke was a physician; yet we do not find him engaging in these cures. As a medical man, he might have been of use to the father of Publius; but he is not even consulted on the occasion. PAUL enters in to him, prays for him, lays his hands on him, and he is healed. The other diseased persons who are mentioned in this verse, were doubtless healed in the same way. Verse 10. Honoured us with many honours] The word τιμη, 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, τιμης, which St. Chrysostom, on the place, explains thus : την των αναγκαιων χορηγιαν a 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 τιμη, is met with in 1 Cor. vi. 20. 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. Massicus ærata princeps secat æquora TIGRI. Of another called the Chimera. Æn. v. ver. 118, 223. And of another called the Centaur. Æn. v. ver. 122. 155, 157. CENTAURO invehitur magna. "Sergesthus, in the great Centaur, took the lading place." Besides these names, they had their tutelary gods in the ship, from whom they expected succour; and sometimes 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. 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. 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 to 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 ancientmartial spirit of its inhabitants. This was the birth-place of 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 Romans or Grecians to visit our Navy, they would be led the illustrious Archimedes; who, when this city was beto suppose, that, after the lapse of more than 2000 years, their sieged by the Romans, under Marcellus, about 212 years old religion had continued unaltered! 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 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns : • Ch. 10. 23. & 16.15. 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. 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 Verse 13. We fetched a compass] Οθεν περιελθοντες ; | 138,569 souls only; among whom were 40 bishops, 2686 whence we coasted about. This will appear evident, when priests, 3359 monks, 1814 nuns, 893 courtezans, between the coast of Sicily is viewed on any correct map, of a tolerably large scale. 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. Rhegium] A city and promontory in Calabria, in Italy, opposite to Sicily. It is now called Reggio. It had its name Ρηγιον Rhegium, from the Greek Ρηγνυμαι, 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 Purel, 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. Ν. 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 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. |