Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Acts
Book: Acts
Chapter: 28
Overview:
Paul kindly received at
Melita.
(1-10) He arrives at
Rome.
(11-16) His conference with the Jews.
(17-22) Paul preaches to
the Jews, and abides at
Rome a prisoner.
(23-31)
1-10 God can make strangers to be friends; friends in distress.
Those who are despised for homely manners, are often more
friendly than the more polished; and the conduct of heathens, or
persons called barbarians, condemns many in civilized nations,
professing to be Christians. The people thought that
Paul was a
murderer, and that the
Viper was sent
By Divine
Justice, to be
the avenger of
Blood. They knew that there is a
God who governs
the world,
So that things do not come to pass
By Chance,
No, not
the smallest event, but all
By Divine direction; and that evil
pursues sinners; that there are good
Works which
God will
reward, and wicked
Works which he will punish. Also, that
Murder
is a dreadful crime, one which shall not long go unpunished. But
they thought all wicked people were punished in this
Life.
Though some are made examples in this world, to prove that there
is a
God and a
Providence, yet many are left unpunished, to
prove that there is a
Judgment to come. They also thought all
who were remarkably afflicted in this
Life were wicked people.
Divine
Revelation sets this matter in a true
Light. Good men
often are greatly afflicted in this
Life, for the trial and
increase of their
Faith and patience. Observe
Paul's deliverance
from the danger. And thus in the strength of the
Grace of
Christ, believers shake off the temptations of
Satan, with holy
resolution. When we despise the censures and reproaches of men,
and look upon them with holy contempt, having the
Testimony of
our consciences for us, then, like
Paul, we shake off the
Viper
into the
Fire. It does us
No harm, except we are kept
By it from
our duty.
God hereby made
Paul remarkable among these people,
and
So made way for the receiving of the
Gospel. The
Lord raises
up friends for his people in every place whither he leads them,
and makes them blessings to those in affliction.
11-16 The common events of travelling are seldom worthy of
being told; but the comfort of
Communion with the saints, and
kindness shown
By friends, deserve particular mention. The
Christians at
Rome were
So far from being ashamed of
Paul, or
afraid of owning him, because he was a prisoner, that they were
the more careful to show him respect. He had great comfort in
this. And if our friends are kind to us,
God puts it into their
hearts, and we must give him the
Glory. When we see those even
in strange places, who
Bear Christ's name, fear
God, and serve
him, we should lift up our hearts to
Heaven in thanksgiving. How
many great men have made their entry into
Rome, crowned and in
triumph, who really were plagues to the world! But here a good
Man makes his entry into
Rome, chained as a
Poor Captive, who
was a greater blessing to the world than any other merely a
Man.
Is not this enough to
Put us for ever out of conceit with
worldly favour? This may encourage
God's prisoners, that he can
give them favour in the eyes of those that carry them captives.
When
God does not soon deliver his people out of
Bondage, yet
makes it easy to them, or them easy under it, they have reason
to be thankful.
17-22 It was for the honour of
Paul that those who examined his
case, acquitted him. In his
Appeal he sought not to accuse his
nation, but only to clear himself. True Christianity settles
what is of common concern to all mankind, and is not built upon
narrow opinions and private interests. It aims at
No worldly
benefit or advantage, but all its gains are spiritual and
eternal. It is, and always has been, the
Lot of
Christ's holy
religion, to be every where spoken against. Look through every
town and village where
Christ is exalted as the only
Saviour of
mankind, and where the people are called to follow him in
newness of
Life, and we see those who give themselves up to
Christ, still called a
Sect, a party, and reproached. And this
is the treatment they are sure to receive,
So long as there
shall continue an ungodly
Man upon
Earth.
23-31 Paul persuaded the Jews concerning
Jesus. Some were
wrought upon
By the
Word, and others hardened; some received the
Light, and others shut their eyes against it. And the same has
always been the effect of the
Gospel.
Paul parted with them,
observing that the
Holy Ghost had
Well described their state.
Let all that hear the
Gospel, and do not heed it, tremble at
their doom; for who shall heal them, if
God does not? The Jews
had afterwards much reasoning among themselves. Many have great
reasoning, who do not reason aright. They find fault with one
another's opinions, yet will not yield to
Truth. Nor will men's
reasoning among themselves convince them, without the
Grace of
God to open their understandings. While we
Mourn On account of
such despisers, we should rejoice that the
Salvation of
God is
sent to others, who will receive it; and if we are of that
number, we should be thankful to Him who hath made us to differ.
The
Apostle kept to his principle, to know and preach nothing
but
Christ and him crucified. Christians, when tempted from
their main business, should bring themselves back with this
question, What does this concern the
Lord Jesus? What tendency
has it to bring us to him, and to keep us walking in him? The
Apostle preached not himself, but
Christ, and he was not ashamed
of the
Gospel of
Christ. Though
Paul was placed in a very narrow
opportunity for being useful, he was not disturbed in it. Though
it was not a wide door that was opened to him, yet
No Man was
suffered to shut it; and to many it was an effectual door,
So
that there were saints even in
Nero's household, Php 4:22. We
learn also from Php 1:13, how
God overruled
Paul's
imprisonment for the furtherance of the
Gospel. And not the
residents at
Rome only, but all the
Church of
Christ, to the
present
Day, and in the most remote
Corner of the globe, have
abundant reason to
Bless God, that during the most mature period
of his
Christian Life and experience, he was detained a
prisoner. It was from his
Prison, probably chained
Hand to
Hand
to the soldier who kept him, that the
Apostle wrote the
Epistles
to the
Ephesians,
Philippians,
Colossians, and
Hebrews;
Epistles
showing, perhaps more than any others, the
Christian Love with
which his
Heart overflowed, and the
Christian experience with
which his soul was filled. The believer of the present time may
have less of triumph, and less of heavenly joy, than the
Apostle, but every follower of the same
Saviour, is equally sure
of safety and peace at the last. Let us seek to live more and
more in the
Love of the
Saviour; to labour to
Glorify Him
By
every action of our lives; and we shall assuredly,
By his
strength, be among the number of those who now overcome our
enemies; and
By his free
Grace and
Mercy, be hereafter among the
blessed company who shall sit with Him upon his
Throne, even as
He also has overcome, and is
Sitting On his
Father's
Throne, at
God's right
Hand for evermore.