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Text -- Acts 28:4 (NET)

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Context
28:4 When the local people saw the creature hanging from Paul’s hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer! Although he has escaped from the sea, Justice herself has not allowed him to live!”
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Ships | Prisoners | Paul | PAUL, THE APOSTLE, 4 | Minister | Melita | Luke | DIKE | Barbarian | BARBARIAN; BARBAROUS | ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 8-12 | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , Combined Bible , Maclaren , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Act 28:4 - -- The beast ( to thērion ). Diminutive of thēr and so little beast. See note on Mar 1:13. Aristotle and the medical writers apply the word to ven...

The beast ( to thērion ).

Diminutive of thēr and so little beast. See note on Mar 1:13. Aristotle and the medical writers apply the word to venomous serpents, the viper in particular (Knowling), as Luke does here. Vincent calls attention to the curious history of our word " treacle "for molasses (Latin theriaca ) from thēriakē , an antidote made from the flesh of vipers. Coverdale translates Jer 8:22 : "There is no more treacle in Gilead."Jeremy Taylor: "We kill the viper and make treacle of him."

Robertson: Act 28:4 - -- Hanging from his hand ( kremamenon ek tēs cheiros autou ). Vivid picture of the snake dangling from Paul’ s hand. Present middle participle of...

Hanging from his hand ( kremamenon ek tēs cheiros autou ).

Vivid picture of the snake dangling from Paul’ s hand. Present middle participle of kremamai , late form for kremannumi , to hang up, to suspend (cf. Gal 3:13).

Robertson: Act 28:4 - -- No doubt ( pantōs ). Literally, By all means, old adverb. Cf. Act 21:22; Luk 4:23; 1Co 9:22. Only by Luke and Paul in the N.T. "They knew that he...

No doubt ( pantōs ).

Literally, By all means, old adverb. Cf. Act 21:22; Luk 4:23; 1Co 9:22. Only by Luke and Paul in the N.T. "They knew that he was a prisoner being taken to Rome on some grave charge, and inferred that the charge was murder"(Page).

Robertson: Act 28:4 - -- Though he hath escaped ( diasōthenta ). First aorist passive participle of diasōzō (same verb used in Act 27:43, Act 27:44; Act 28:1), so-cal...

Though he hath escaped ( diasōthenta ).

First aorist passive participle of diasōzō (same verb used in Act 27:43, Act 27:44; Act 28:1), so-called concessive use of the participle (Robertson, Grammar , p. 1129).

Robertson: Act 28:4 - -- Yet Justice ( dikē ). An abstraction personified like the Latin Justitia (Page). The natives speak of @ Dikēn as a goddess, but we know noth...

Yet Justice ( dikē ).

An abstraction personified like the Latin Justitia (Page). The natives speak of @ Dikēn as a goddess, but we know nothing of such actual worship in Malta, though the Greeks worshipped abstractions as in Athens.

Robertson: Act 28:4 - -- Hath not suffered ( nouk eiasenn ). Did not suffer. They look on Paul as a doomed man as good as dead. These people thought that calamity was proof o...

Hath not suffered ( nouk eiasenn ).

Did not suffer. They look on Paul as a doomed man as good as dead. These people thought that calamity was proof of guilt, poor philosophy and worse theology.

Vincent: Act 28:4 - -- Justice ( Δίκη ) Personified.

Justice ( Δίκη )

Personified.

Vincent: Act 28:4 - -- Suffereth not ( οὐκ εἴασεν ) The aorist tense: did not suffer . His death is regarded as fixed by the divine decree.

Suffereth not ( οὐκ εἴασεν )

The aorist tense: did not suffer . His death is regarded as fixed by the divine decree.

Wesley: Act 28:4 - -- they said - Seeing also his chains, Doubtless this man is a murderer - Such rarely go unpunished even in this life; whom vengeance hath not suffered t...

they said - Seeing also his chains, Doubtless this man is a murderer - Such rarely go unpunished even in this life; whom vengeance hath not suffered to live - They look upon him as a dead man already. It is with pleasure that we trace among these barbarians the force of conscience, and the belief of a particular providence: which some people of more learning have stupidly thought it philosophy to despise. But they erred in imagining, that calamities must always be interpreted as judgments. Let us guard against this, lest, like them, we condemn not only the innocent, but the excellent of the earth.

JFB: Act 28:4-6 - -- His chains, which they would see, might strengthen the impression.

His chains, which they would see, might strengthen the impression.

JFB: Act 28:4-6 - -- They believed in a Supreme, Resistless, Avenging Eye and Hand, however vague their notions of where it resided.

They believed in a Supreme, Resistless, Avenging Eye and Hand, however vague their notions of where it resided.

Clarke: Act 28:4 - -- The venomous beast - Το θηριον, The venomous animal; for θηρια is a general name among the Greek writers for serpents, vipers, scorp...

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

Clarke: Act 28:4 - -- Vengeance suffereth not to live - These heathens had a general knowledge of retributive justice; and they thought that the stinging of the serpent w...

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 of 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 δικη, not to express the quality or attribute of any being, but the goddess Dikê, or vindictive Justice, herself, who is represented as punishing the iniquities of men

Hesiod makes a goddess of what the Maltese called Δικη, or Justice: -

Η δε τε παρθενος εϚι ΔΙΚΗ, Διος εκγεγαυια,

Κυδνη τ αιδοιη τε θεοις, οἱ Ολυμπον εχουσιν·

Και ρ ὁποτ αν τις μιν βλαπτῃ σκολιως ονοταζων

Αυτικα παρ Διΐ πατρι καθεζομενη Κρονιων

Γηρυετ ανθρωπων αδικον νοον·

Hesiod. Opera, ver. 254

Justice, unspotted maid, derived from Jove

Renown’ d and reverenced by the gods above

When mortals violate her sacred laws

When judges hear the bribe and not the cause

Close by her parent god, behold her stand

And urge the punishment their sins demand

Coke.

||&&$

Calvin: Act 28:4 - -- 4.So soon as the barbarians saw This judgment was common in all ages, that those who were grievously punished had grievously offended. Neither was th...

4.So soon as the barbarians saw This judgment was common in all ages, that those who were grievously punished had grievously offended. Neither was this persuasion conceived of nothing; but it came rather from a true feeling of godliness. For God, to the end he might make the world without excuse, would have this deeply rooted in the minds of all men, that calamity and adversity, and chiefly notable destruction, were testimonies and signs of his wrath and just vengeance against sins. Therefore, so often as we call to mind any notable calamity, we do also remember that God is sore offended, seeing he punisheth so sharply. Neither did ungodliness ever get the upper hand so far, but that all men did still retain this principle, that God, to the end he may show himself to be the Judge of the world, doth notably punish the wicked. But here crept in an error almost always, because they condemned all those of wickedness − 656 whom they saw roughly handled. Though God doth always punish men’s sins with adversity, yet doth he not punish every man according to his deserts in this life; and sometimes the punishments of the godly are not so much punishments as trials of their faith and exercises of godliness. −

Therefore, those men are deceived, who make this a general rule to judge every man according to his prosperity or adversity. This was the state of the controversy between Job and his friends, ( Job 4:7) they did affirm that that man was a reprobate, and hated of God, whom God did punish; and he did allege, on the other side, that the godly are sometimes humbled with the cross. Wherefore, lest we be deceived in this point, we must beware of two things. The former is, that we give not rash and blind judgment of things unknown, − 657 according to the event alone, for because God doth punish the good as well as the bad; yea, it falleth out oftentimes that he spareth the reprobate, and doth sharply punish those who are his; if we will judge aright, we must begin at another thing than at punishments, to wit, that we inquire after the life and deeds. If any adulterer, if any blasphemous person, if any perjured man or murderer, if any filthy person, if any cozener, if any bloody beast be punished, God doth point out his judgment as it were with his finger. If we see no wickedness, nothing is better than to suspend our judgment concerning punishment. −

The other caution is, that we wait for the end. For so soon as God beginneth to strike, we do not by and by see his drift and purpose; but the unlike end doth at length declare, that those differ far before God who seem in men’s eyes both alike in the likelihood of punishment. If any man object that it is not in vain so often repeated in the law, that all private and public miseries are the scourges of God, I grant indeed that that is true; but yet I deny that it doth keep God from sparing whom he will for a time, though they be of all men the worst, and from punishing those more sharply whose fault is mean. − 658 Nevertheless, it is not our duty to make that perpetual which falleth out oftentimes. We see now wherein the men of Melita were deceived, to wit, because having not scanned Paul’s life, they judge him to be a wicked man, only because the viper doth bite him; secondly, because they stay not the end, but give judgment rashly. Nevertheless, we must note that these are detestable monsters, who go about to pluck out of their hearts all feelings of God’s judgment, which is ingrafted in us all naturally, and which is also found in the barbarians and savage men. Whereas they think that Paul is rather guilty of murder than of any other offense, they follow this reason, because murder hath always been most detestable. −

Vengeance doth not suffer They gather that he is a wicked man, because vengeance doth persecute him though he have escaped the sea. And they feigned that the revenging goddess did sit by the seat of Jupiter, which they commonly called Δικη; grossly, I grant, as men ignorant of pure religion, and yet not without some tolerable signification, as if they had painted out God to be Judge of the world. But by these words the wrath of God is distinguished from fortune, and so the judgment of God is avouched against all blind chances. For the men of Melita take it to be a sign of the heavenly vengeance, in that though Paul be saved, yet can he not be safe. −

TSK: Act 28:4 - -- barbarians : Act 28:2 beast : Act 28:5; Gen 3:1; Isa 13:21, Isa 13:22, Isa 43:20; Zep 2:15 No doubt : Luk 13:2, Luk 13:4; Joh 7:24, Joh 9:1, Joh 9:2 a...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Act 28:4 - -- The venomous beast - The English word "beast"we usually apply to an animal of larger size than a viper. But the original θηρίον the...

The venomous beast - The English word "beast"we usually apply to an animal of larger size than a viper. But the original θηρίον thērion is applicable to animals of any kind, and was especially applied by Greek writers to serpents. See Schleusner.

No doubt - The fact that the viper had fastened on him; and that, as they supposed, he must now certainly die, was the proof from which they inferred his guilt.

Is a murderer - Why they thought he was a murderer rather than guilty of some other crime is not known. It might have been:

(1) Because they inferred that he must have been guilty of some very atrocious crime, and as murder was the highest crime that man could commit, they inferred that he had been guilty of this. Or,

(2) More probably, they had an opinion that when divine vengeance overtook a man, he would be punished in a manner similar to the offence; and as murder is committed usually with the hand, and as the viper had fastened on the hand of Paul, they inferred that he had been guilty of taking life. It was supposed among the ancients that persons were often punished by divine vengeance in that part of the body which had been the instrument of the sin.

Whom, though he hath escaped the sea - They supposed that vengeance and justice would still follow the guilty; that, though he might escape one form of punishment, yet he would be exposed to another. And this, to a certain extent, is true. These barbarians reasoned from great original principles, written on the hearts of all people by nature, that there is a God of justice, and that the guilty will be punished. They reasoned incorrectly, as many do, only because that they supposed that every calamity is a judgment for some particular sin. People often draw this conclusion, and suppose that suffering is to be traced to some particular crime, and to be regarded as a direct judgment from heaven. See the notes on Joh 9:1-3. The general proposition that all sin will be punished at some time is true, but we are not qualified to affirm of particular calamities always that they are direct judgments for sin. In some cases we may. In the case of the drunkard, the gambler, and the profligate, we cannot doubt that the loss of property, health, and reputation is the direct result of specific crime. In the ordinary calamities of life, however, it requires a more profound acquaintance with the principles of divine government than we possess to affirm of each instance of suffering that it is a particular judgment for some crime.

Yet vengeance - ἡ δίκη hē dikē . "Justice"was represented by the pagan as a goddess, the daughter of Jupiter, whose office it was to take vengeance, or to inflict punishment for crimes.

Suffereth not to live - They regarded him as already a dead man. They supposed the effect of the bite of the viper would be so certainly fatal that they might speak of him as already, in effect, dead (Beza).

Poole: Act 28:4 - -- Venomous so the viper is called by that appellative word, from whence also comes theriaca, or treacle, which is made out of flesh, or trochusses, ...

Venomous so the viper is called by that appellative word, from whence also comes theriaca, or treacle, which is made out of flesh, or trochusses, of vipers. And if men can make an antidote out of poison, much more can God bring good out of evil.

This man is a murderer it is a strange sense that men by the light of nature had of Divine vengeance, especially of God’ s revenging of murder. Hence they called one of their furies Tisiphone, as one that punished and revenged murder. Yet they were to blame in this case:

1. Because they confine the punishment of wicked men wholly unto this life.

2. In that they did not expect the event; they judged before they knew what would be the end of Paul afterwards.

3. They erred, in that they measured the goodness or badness of a man’ s state or cause by his prosperity or adversity.

Haydock: Act 28:4 - -- Murderer. In this instance we see how unfounded are the judgments of men. As if the misfortune itself were not sufficient to endure, the man upon w...

Murderer. In this instance we see how unfounded are the judgments of men. As if the misfortune itself were not sufficient to endure, the man upon whom any temporal calamity falls, must be also judged to be an object of divine vengeance. How cruel and preposterous, yet how common are such proceedings! Whence can it happen that man is so forward to think evil, so slow to suspect good in his neighbour? (Haydock) ---

Not to live. The inhabitants of the island, called Barbarians, had a notion of a Deity, and also that murder was against the law of God and nature. (Witham)

Gill: Act 28:4 - -- And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast,.... The viper is called "Therion", a beast, it being of the viviparous kind; and hence comes "Theriaca...

And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast,.... The viper is called "Therion", a beast, it being of the viviparous kind; and hence comes "Theriaca", or "Venice treacle", the foundation of which composition is vipers' flesh; and it is called venomous, because it is of all serpents the most venomous: this when the country people saw

hang on his hand, having wrapped itself about it,

they said among themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer: they might see he was a prisoner by his chain, or might learn it from some of the company, and therefore took it for granted he had been guilty of some crime; and by the viper's fastening on him, they concluded it was murder he was guilty of; for the same notion might obtain among them, as among the Jews, that a murderer that could not be legally convicted, was sometimes punished this way.

"Says R. Simeon ben Shetach l, may I never see the consolation, if I did not see one run after his friend into a desert place; and I ran after him, and I saw the sword in his hand, and the blood dropping, and he that was slain panting; and I said to him, O wicked man, who has slain this? either I or thou; but what shall I do? for thy blood is not delivered into my hand; "for the law says, by the mouth of two or three witnesses he shall surely die" (#De 17:6): may he that knows the thoughts take vengeance on that man that slew his friend; they say, they did not remove from thence, עד שבא נחש, "till a serpent came", and bit him, and he died.''

So the Jews observe, that when the execution of capital punishments was taken away from them, yet such who deserved them were punished by God in a way equivalent to them: so for instance, if a man committed a crime, for which he deserved to be burnt, either he fell into the fire, or נחש נושכו, "a serpent bit him" m; or if he deserved to be strangled, either he was drowned in a river, or died of a quinsy. There is a kind of an asp which the Egyptians call "Thermuthis", which they reckon sacred, and worship: this they say will not hurt good men, but destroys the wicked; and if so, says the historian, then δικη, "vengeance", or justice has honoured this creature, to be so sharp sighted as to discern the good from the bad; and they say, Isis sends it to the most wicked n. Agreeably to which these men reason,

whom though he hath escaped the sea: has not been drowned there, when shipwrecked,

yet vengeance suffereth not to live. The Greek word "Dice" rendered "vengeance", is the name of a goddess among the Heathens, said to be the daughter of Jupiter and Themis o. She is represented as sitting by her father Jupiter; and when anyone does injury to another, informs him of it p. She is painted sorrowful, and with a contracted forehead, a grave countenance, and a rough aspect, to strike terror in unrighteous persons, and give confidence to righteous ones q, agreeably to her name, which signifies "justice". This deity the barbarians supposed pursued Paul; and though she let him escape the sea, she will not suffer him to live any longer; for they looked upon the viper's fastening on him, as to be sent by her, so to be immediate death to him.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Act 28:4 The entire scene is played out initially as a kind of oracle from the gods resulting in the judgment of a guilty person (Justice herself has not allow...

Geneva Bible: Act 28:4 ( 2 ) And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he ...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Act 28:1-31 - --1 Paul, after his shipwreck, is kindly entertained of the barbarians.5 The viper on his hand hurts him not.8 He heals many diseases in the island.11 T...

Combined Bible: Act 28:4 - --notes on verse 3     

Maclaren: Act 28:1-16 - --After The Wreck And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2. And the barbarous people showed us no little kindnes...

MHCC: Act 28:1-10 - --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; ...

Matthew Henry: Act 28:1-10 - -- What a great variety of places and circumstances do we find Paul in! He was a planet, and not a fixed star. Here we have him in an island to which, ...

Barclay: Act 28:1-6 - --It was upon the island of Malta that Paul and the ship's company were cast. The King James Version is a little unkind to the Maltese. It calls them ...

Constable: Act 9:32--Rom 1:1 - --III. THE WITNESS TO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH 9:32--28:31 Luke next recorded the church's expansion beyond...

Constable: Act 19:21--Rom 1:1 - --D. The extension of the church to Rome 19:21-28:31 "The panel is introduced by the programmatic statemen...

Constable: Act 27:1--28:16 - --4. Ministry on the way to Rome 27:1-28:15 For a number of reasons Luke seems to have described t...

Constable: Act 28:1-6 - --Paul's preservation on Malta 28:1-6 28:1-2 Malta, also called Melita (meaning refuge, which it proved to be for Paul and his companions), lies about 6...

College: Act 28:1-31 - --ACTS 28 7. The Winter at Malta (28:1-10) The Welcome by the Barbarians (28:1-6) 1 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Ma...

McGarvey: Act 28:3-6 - --3-6. While they were endeavoring to make themselves comfortable around the fire, an incident occurred which had an important bearing upon the future w...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Acts (Book Introduction) THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES By Way of Introduction But for the Acts we should know nothing of the early apostolic period save what is told in the Epi...

JFB: Acts (Book Introduction) THIS book is to the Gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. In the Gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying: in...

JFB: Acts (Outline) INTRODUCTION--LAST DAYS OF OUR LORD UPON EARTH--HIS ASCENSION. (Act 1:1-11) RETURN OF THE ELEVEN TO JERUSALEM--PROCEEDINGS IN THE UPPER ROOM TILL PEN...

TSK: Acts (Book Introduction) The Acts of the Apostles is a most valuable portion of Divine revelation; and, independently of its universal reception in the Christian church, as an...

TSK: Acts 28 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Act 28:1, Paul, after his shipwreck, is kindly entertained of the barbarians; Act 28:5, The viper on his hand hurts him not; Act 28:8, He...

Poole: Acts 28 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 28

MHCC: Acts (Book Introduction) This book unites the Gospels to the Epistles. It contains many particulars concerning the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Christian church from th...

MHCC: Acts 28 (Chapter Introduction) (Act 28:1-10) Paul kindly received at Melita. (Act 28:11-16) He arrives at Rome. (Act 28:17-22) His conference with the Jews. (Act 28:23-31) Paul p...

Matthew Henry: Acts (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Acts of the Apostles We have with an abundant satisfaction seen the foundation of our holy religion...

Matthew Henry: Acts 28 (Chapter Introduction) We are the more concerned to take notice of and to improve what is here recorded concerning blessed Paul because, after the story of this chapter, ...

Barclay: Acts (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES A Precious Book In one sense Acts is the most important book in the New Testament. It is the simple truth t...

Barclay: Acts 28 (Chapter Introduction) Welcome At Malta (Act_28:1-6) Help And Healing (Act_28:7-10) So We Came To Rome (Act_28:11-15) Unsympathetic Jews (Act_28:16-29) Without Let Or H...

Constable: Acts (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title "Acts of the Apostles" is very ancient. The Anti-Marcioni...

Constable: Acts (Outline) Outline I. The witness in Jerusalem 1:1-6:7 A. The founding of the church 1:1-2:46 ...

Constable: Acts Acts Bibliography Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pelican Archaeolog...

Haydock: Acts (Book Introduction) THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. INTRODUCTION. St. Luke, who had published his gospel, wrote also a second volume, which, from the first ages, hath bee...

Gill: Acts (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO ACTS This book, in some copies, is called, "The Acts of the holy Apostles". It contains an history of the ministry and miracles of ...

College: Acts (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION As early as the second century the title "The Acts of the Apostles" was given to this document. Before that time the work probably circu...

College: Acts (Outline) OUTLINE I. THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM - 1:1-8:1a A. INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK - 1:1-3 B. THE COMMISSIONING OF THE APOSTLES - 1:4-8 C. THE ASCENSI...

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