ActesChapitre 28

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Once we were safely ashore, we learned that the island was called Malta.

The local people showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and it was cold.

Paul had gathered an armful of brushwood and was laying it on the fire when a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.

When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man must be a murderer. He escaped the sea, but Justice has not let him live."

But Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm.

They expected him to swell up or suddenly drop dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing that nothing was wrong with him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

Nearby were estates belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who took us in and entertained us hospitably for three days.

It happened that the father of Publius was in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him, prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him.

After this, the rest of the sick on the island kept coming to him and were cured.

They honored us in many ways, and when we set sail they supplied us with everything we needed.

After three months we put out to sea in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead.

We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.

From there we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. A day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we reached Puteoli,

where we found brothers who invited us to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.

The brothers there had heard about us, and they came out as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.

Three days later he called together the leading men of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them: "Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no ground for a death sentence in my case.

But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—not that I had any charge to bring against my own nation.

That is why I asked to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain."

They answered him, "We have received no letters about you from Judea, and none of the brothers who have come here has reported or said anything bad about you.

But we would like to hear from you what you think, for we know that this sect is spoken against everywhere."

So they set a day for him, and they came to him at his lodging in even greater numbers. From morning until evening he laid out his case, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

They disagreed among themselves and began to leave, after Paul had made this one statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your fathers through the prophet Isaiah when he said:

'Go to this people and say: You will listen and listen, but never understand; you will look and look, but never see.

For the heart of this people has grown dull; they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes—so that they may not see with their eyes, or hear with their ears, or understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

Therefore know this: God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen."

When he had said this, the Jews left, arguing heatedly among themselves.

Paul stayed there two whole years in his own rented quarters, and he welcomed all who came to him,

proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness, and without hindrance.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 28

Main Theme: Paul's arrival in Rome after a shipwreck and his bold proclamation of the kingdom of God.

Content: After the shipwreck, Paul and his companions are stranded on Malta, where they experience hospitality and Paul heals the sick. After three months, the journey continues to Rome, where believers come out to meet them. Paul is allowed to live under house arrest and gathers the Jewish leaders to explain his situation and proclaim Jesus from the Scriptures. Some believe, while others reject the message, and Paul declares that salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. For two years he proclaims the kingdom of God with boldness and without hindrance.

Key Words/Images:

The Snake on Malta – Paul is bitten by a venomous snake but suffers no harm, demonstrating God's protection and causing the people to change their view of him.
Healings – Paul heals Publius' father and then other sick people on the island, showing the power of the gospel in action.
The Hope of Israel – Paul explains that he bears chains because of his hope in the Messiah and the resurrection.
The Isaiah Quotation – Paul quotes Isaiah 6:9–10 concerning the hardened hearts of the people to explain the Jews' rejection.
Unhindered Proclamation – The chapter concludes with Paul proclaiming the kingdom of God "with all boldness and without hindrance" (μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας ἀκωλύτως).

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Acts 28

People

Publius (Ποπλίῳ) is referred to as "the chief man of the island" (τῷ πρώτῳ τῆς νήσου), a title confirmed by inscriptions found on Malta. Both Greek and Latin inscriptions from the island use exactly this title ("πρῶτος Μελιταίων" and "primus Melitensium"), demonstrating Luke's precision in his use of official titles. Publius likely served as the Roman representative or headman of the island under the province of Sicily.

The Jewish leaders in Rome represented a significant community. The Jewish community in Rome had existed since the second century B.C.E. and was substantial at Paul's time. Emperor Claudius had expelled the Jews from Rome around 49 C.E. (cf. Acts 18:2), but they returned after his death in 54 C.E. The fact that these leaders claimed to have received no official letters concerning Paul may indicate that the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem chose not to pursue the matter further after Paul's appeal to Caesar.

Places

Malta (Μελίτη) lies approximately 100 kilometers south of Sicily and was under Roman rule at this time as part of the province of Sicily. The island had a population with Phoenician-Punic background, which explains the term "barbarians" (βάρβαροι) – a concept that was not derogatory but simply denoted people who did not speak Greek or Latin as their native language. Archaeological findings confirm the presence of both Punic and Greco-Roman culture on the island during this period.

Syracuse (Συρακούσας) on Sicily's east coast was one of antiquity's most famous cities and had been an important cultural center. Rhegium (Ῥήγιον), today's Reggio Calabria, lay at the Italian "toe" by the Strait of Messina. Puteoli (Ποτιόλους), today's Pozzuoli near the Bay of Naples, was Italy's most important port for grain imports from Egypt and trade connections with the East. It was a natural destination point for ships from Alexandria.

Appius Forum (Ἀππίου Φόρου) and Tres Tabernae (Τριῶν Ταβερνῶν) were stations along the Via Appia, Rome's main road southward. Appius Forum lay approximately 69 kilometers (43 Roman miles) from Rome, while Tres Tabernae ("Three Taverns") was about 53 kilometers (33 Roman miles) from the city. The fact that Christians from Rome met Paul at both places shows that the church in Rome was already well-established and organized.

Events and Customs

The snake incident and the local population's reaction illustrate typical Mediterranean folk religion. The Greek text uses ἔχιδνα (poisonous viper/snake), and although there are no poisonous snakes on Malta today, climate changes or habitat shifts over two thousand years could explain this. The idea that "Dike" (δίκη) – the goddess of justice – would not let a murderer escape even after a shipwreck was widespread in Greco-Roman thought. The rapid reevaluation from viewing Paul as a murderer to calling him a god reflects the same fleeting folk theology seen in Lystra (Acts 14:11–18).

Custodia libera was the mildest form of Roman custody. That Paul was allowed to live "by himself" (καθʼ ἑαυτὸν) with only one guard indicates that the authorities did not consider him dangerous. The soldier was likely chained to Paul with a light chain (cf. ἅλυσιν in verse 20). This arrangement allowed Paul to receive visitors and continue his preaching, which was unusually favorable for a prisoner awaiting imperial hearing.

Renting his own lodging (ἰδίῳ μισθώματι) for two years required substantial funds. This was likely financed by support from the churches, perhaps especially from Philippi, which had previously sent gifts to Paul (Phil 4:15–18).

Key Terms

"Barbarians" (βάρβαροι) is a Greek term that originally was onomatopoeic and imitated unintelligible speech ("bar-bar"). In this context, it does not denote uncivilized peoples but simply non-Greek speakers. The Maltese probably spoke a Punic dialect. Luke ironically emphasizes that these "barbarians" showed exemplary "humanity" (φιλανθρωπίαν).

"The Dioscuri" (Διοσκούροις) were the twin brothers Castor and Pollux from Greek mythology, sons of Zeus. They were particularly popular as protectors of sailors, and ships bearing their figureheads were common in Mediterranean trade. That an Alexandrian grain ship bore this mark was completely normal for the period.

"The hope of Israel" (τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ) in verse 20 refers to the messianic hope, especially the resurrection from the dead – which Paul connects directly to Jesus' resurrection. This was the core of Paul's preaching, which he claimed was in continuity with, not in opposition to, Pharisaic Judaism.

The Isaiah quotation (Isa 6:9–10) in verses 26–27 is a central scripture passage that Paul uses to explain Israel's lack of response to the gospel. This quotation about hearing without understanding and seeing without perceiving is also used by Jesus in the Gospels (Matt 13:14–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40) and represents a recurring theme of hardened resistance to God's message.

Chapter-Specific Findings

Inscriptions from Malta confirming the title "the chief man" (πρῶτος) are among the most important archaeological confirmations of Luke's historical accuracy. A Greek inscription mentions "Prudens, knight of the Romans, the chief of the Maltese" (πρῶτος Μελιταίων), and a Latin inscription refers to "Lucius Castricius, knight of the Romans, the chief of all the Maltese" (primus Melitensium omnium).

Excavations in Rome have uncovered remains of the Jewish quarter in the Trastevere area and several synagogues, confirming the significant Jewish presence described by Luke. The catacombs in Rome also contain early Christian inscriptions testifying to the established church Paul encountered.

Personnages5

Isaiah1 Paul3 Jesus1 Publius2 Moses1

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Mots-clés

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