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, we hear no more of him in the
sacred history, though we have a great deal of him yet before us in
his epistles. We have attended him through several chapters from
one judgment-seat to another, and could at last have taken leave of
him with the more pleasure if we had left him at liberty; but in
this chapter we are to condole with him, and yet congratulate him.
I. We condole with him as a poor shipwrecked passenger, stripped of
all; and yet congratulate him, 1. As singularly owned by his God in
his distress, preserved himself from receiving hurt by a viper that
fastened on his hand (
1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. 2 And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 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. 4 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 hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 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. 7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged 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. 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: 10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
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, in all probability, he had never come if he had not been thrown upon it by a storm; and yet it seems God has work for him to do here. Even stormy winds fulfil God's counsel, and an ill wind indeed it is that blows nobody any good; this ill wind blew good to the island of Melita; for it gave them Paul's company for three months, who was a blessing to every place he came to. This island was called Melita, lying between Sicily and Africa, twenty miles long, and twelve broad; it lies furthest from the continent of any island in the Mediterranean; it is about sixty miles from Sicily. It has been famous since for the knights of Malta, who, when the Turks overran that part of Christendom, made a noble stand, and gave some check to the progress of their arms. Now here we have,
I. The kind reception which the inhabitants
of this island gave to the distressed strangers that were
shipwrecked on their coast (
II. The further danger that Paul was in by a viper's fastening on his hand, and the unjust construction that the people put upon it. Paul is among strangers, and appears one of the meanest and most contemptible of the company, therefore God distinguishes him, and soon causes him to be taken notice of.
1. When the fire was to be made, and too be
made bigger, that so great a company might all have the benefit of
it, Paul was as busy as any of them in gathering sticks,
2. The sticks being old dry rubbish, it
happened there was a viper among them, that lay as dead till it
came to the heat, and then revived, or lay quiet till it felt the
fire, and then was provoked, and flew at him that unawares threw it
into the fire, and fastened upon his hand,
3. The barbarous people concluded that Paul, being a prisoner, was certainly a murderer, who had appealed to Rome, to escape justice in his own country, and that this viper was sent by divine justice to be the avenger of blood; or, if they were not aware that he was a prisoner, they supposed that he was in his flight; and when they saw the venomous animal hand on his hand, which it seems he could not, or would not, immediately throw off, but let it hang, they concluded, "No doubt this man is a murderer, has shed innocent blood, and therefore, though he has escaped the sea, yet divine vengeance pursues him, and fastens upon him now that he is pleasing himself with the thoughts of that escape, and will not suffer him to live." Now in this we may see,
(1.) Some of the discoveries of natural light. They were barbarous people, perhaps had no books nor learning among them, and yet they knew naturally, [1.] That there is a God that governs the world, and a providence that presides in all occurrences, that things do not come to pass by chance, no, not such a thing as this, but by divine direction. [2.] That evil pursues sinners, that there are good works which God will reward and wicked works which he will punish; there is a divine nemesis—a vengeance, which sooner or later will reckon for enormous crimes. They believe not only that there is a God, but that this God hath said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, even to death. [3.] That murder is a heinous crime, and which shall not long go unpunished, that whoso sheds man's blood, if his blood be not shed by man (by the magistrate, as it ought to be) it shall be shed by the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, who is the avenger of wrong. Those that think they shall go unpunished in any evil way will be judged out of the mouth of these barbarians, who could say, without book, Woe to the wicked, for it shall be ill with them, for the reward of their hands shall be given them. Those who, because they have escaped many judgments are secure, and say, We shall have peace though we go on, and have their hearts so much the more set to do evil because sentence against their evil works is not executed speedily, may learn from these illiterate people that, though malefactors have escaped the vengeance of the sea, yet there is no outrunning divine justice, vengeance suffers not to live. In Job's time you might ask those that to by the way, ask the next body you met, and they would tell you that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction.
(2.) Some of the mistakes of natural light,
which needed to be rectified by divine revelation. In two things
their knowledge was defective:—[1.] That they thought all wicked
people were punished in this life; that divine vengeance never
suffers great and notorious sinners, such as murderers are, to live
long; but that, if they come up out of the pit, they shall be
taken in the snare (
4. When he shook off the viper from his hand, yet they expected that divine vengeance would ratify the censure they had passed, and that he would have swollen and burst, through the force of the poison, or that he would have fallen down dead suddenly. See how apt men are, when once they have got an ill opinion of a man, though ever so unjust, to abide by it, and to think that God must necessarily confirm and ratify their peevish sentence. It was well they did not knock him down themselves, when they saw he did not swell and fall down; but so considerate they are as to let Providence work, and to attend the motions of it.
III. Paul's deliverance from the danger,
and the undue construction the people put upon this. The viper's
fastening on his hand was a trial of his faith; and it was found to
praise, and honour, and glory: for, 1. It does not appear that it
put him into any fright or confusion at all. He did not shriek or
start, nor, as it would be natural for us to do, throw it off with
terror and precipitation; for he suffered it to hang on so long
that the people had time to take notice of it and to make their
remarks upon it. Such a wonderful presence of mind he had, and such
a composure, as no man could have upon such a sudden accident, but
by the special aids of divine grace, and the actual belief and
consideration of that word of Christ concerning his disciples
(
IV. The miraculous cure of an old gentleman that was ill of a fever, and of others that were otherwise diseased, by Paul. And, with these confirmations of the doctrine of Christ, no doubt there was a faithful publication of it. Observe, 1. The kind entertainment which Publius, the chief man of the island, gave to these distressed strangers; he had a considerable estate in the island, and some think was governor, and he received them and lodged them three days very courteously, that they might have time to furnish themselves in other places at the best hand. It is happy when God gives a large heart to those to whom he has given a large estate. It became him, who was the chief man of the island, to be most hospitable and generous,—who was the richest man, to be rich in good works. 2. The illness of the father of Publius: He lay sick of a fever and a bloody flux, which often go together, and, when they do, are commonly fatal. Providence ordered it that he should be ill just at this time, that the cure of him might be a present recompence to Publius for his generosity, and the cure of him by miracle a recompence particularly for his kindness to Paul, whom he received in the name of a prophet, and had this prophet's reward. 3. His cure: Paul took cognizance of his case, and though we do not find he was urged to it, for they had no thought of any such thing, yet he entered in, not as a physician to heal him by medicines, but as an apostle to heal him by miracle; and he prayed to God, in Christ's name, for his cure, and then laid his hands on him, and he was perfectly well in an instant. Though he must needs be in years, yet he recovered his health, and the lengthening out of his life yet longer would be a mercy to him. 4. The cure of many others, who were invited by this cure to apply to Paul. If he can heal diseases so easily, so effectually, he shall soon have patients enough; and he bade them all welcome, and sent them away with what they came for. He did not plead that he was a stranger there, thrown accidentally among them, under no obligations to them and waiting to be gone by the first opportunity, and therefore might be excused from receiving their applications. No, a good man will endeavour to do good wherever the providence of God casts him. Paul reckoned himself a debtor, not only to the Greeks, but to the Barbarians, and thanked God for an opportunity of being useful among them. Nay, he was particularly obliged to these inhabitants of Malta for the seasonable shelter and supply they had afforded him, and hereby he did in effect discharge his quarters, which should encourage us to entertain strangers, for some thereby have entertained angels and some apostles unawares. God will not be behind—hand with any for kindness shown to his people in distress. We have reason to think that Paul with these cures preached the gospel to them, and that, coming thus confirmed and recommended, it was generally embraced among them. And, if so, never were any people so enriched by a shipwreck on their coasts as these Maltese were.
V. The grateful acknowledgement which even
these barbarous people made of the kindness Paul had done them, in
preaching Christ unto them. They were civil to him, and to the
other ministers that were with him, who, it is likely, were
assisting to him in preaching among them,
11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. 12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days. 13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. 15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
We have here the progress of Paul's voyage towards Rome, and his arrival there at length. A rough and dangerous voyage he had hitherto had, and narrowly escaped with his life; but after a storm comes a calm: the latter part of his voyage was easy and quiet.
We have here,
I. Their leaving Malta. That island was a
happy shelter to them, but it was not their home; when they are
refreshed they must put to sea again. The difficulties and
discouragements we have met with in our Christian course must not
hinder us from pressing forward. Notice is here taken, 1. Of the
time of their departure: After three months, the three
winter months. Better lie by, though they lay upon charges, than go
forward while the season was dangerous. Paul had warned them
against venturing to sea in winter weather, and they would not take
the warning; but, now that they had learned it by the difficulties
and dangers they had gone through, he needed not to warn them:
their learning did them good when they had paid dearly for it.
Experience is therefore called the mistress of fools, because those
are fools that will not learn till experience has taught them. 2.
Of the ship in which they departed. It was in a ship of Alexandria;
so was that which was cast away,
II. Their landing in or about Italy, and
the pursuing of their journey towards Rome. 1. They landed first at
Syracuse in Sicily, the chief city of that island. There they
tarried three days, probably having some goods to put
ashore, or some merchandise to make there; for it seems to have
been a trading voyage that this ship made. Paul had now his
curiosity gratified with the sight of places he had often heard of
and wished to see, particularly Syracuse, a place of great
antiquity and note; and yet, it should seem, there were no
Christians there. 2. From Syracuse they came to Rhegium, a city in
Italy, directly opposite to Messina in Sicily, belonging to the
kingdom of Calabria or Naples. There, it seems they staid one day;
and a very formal story the Romish legends tell of Paul's preaching
here at this time, and the fish coming to the shore to hear
him,—that with a candle he set a stone pillar on fire, and by that
miracle convinced the people of the truth of his doctrine, and they
were many of them baptized, and he ordained Stephen, one of his
companions in this voyage, to be their bishop,—and all this, they
tell you, was done in this one day; whereas it does not appear that
they did so much as go ashore, but only came to an anchor in the
road. 3. From Rhegium they came to Puteoli, a sea-port town not far
from Naples, now called Pozzolana. The ship of Alexandria
was bound for that port, and therefore there Paul, and the rest
that were bound for Rome, were put ashore, and went the remainder
of their way by land. At Puteoli they found brethren,
Christians. Who brought the knowledge of Christ hither we are not
told, but here it was, so wonderfully did the leaven of the gospel
diffuse itself. God has many that serve and worship him in places
where we little think he has. And observe, (1.) Though it is
probable there were but few brethren in Puteoli, yet Paul found
them out; either they heard of him, or he enquired them out, but as
it were by instinct they got together. Brethren in Christ should
find out one another, and keep up communion with each other, as
those of the same country do in a foreign land. (2.) They desired
Paul and his companions to tarry with them seven days, that
is, to forecast to stay at least one Lord's day with them, and to
assist them in their public worship that day. They knew not whether
ever they should see Paul at Puteoli again, and therefore he must
not go without giving them a sermon or two, or more. And Paul was
willing to allow them so much of his time; and the centurion under
whose command Paul now was, perhaps having himself friends or
business at Puteoli, agreed to stay one week there, to oblige Paul.
4. From Puteoli they went forward towards Rome; whether they
travelled on foot, or whether they had beasts provided for them to
ride on (as
III. The meeting which the Christians at Rome gave to Paul. It is probable that notice was sent to them by the Christians at Puteoli, as soon as ever Paul had come thither, how long he intended to stay there, and when he would set forward for Rome, which gave an opportunity for this interview. Observe,
1. The great honour they did to Paul. They had heard much of his fame, what use God had made of him, and what eminent service he had done to the kingdom of Christ in the world, and to what multitudes of souls he had been a spiritual father. They had heard of his sufferings, and how God had owned him in them, and therefore they not only longed to see him, but thought themselves obliged to show him all possible respect, as a glorious advocate for the cause of Christ. He had some time ago written a long epistle to them, and a most excellent one, the epistle to the Romans, in which he had not only expressed his great kindness for them, but had given them a great many useful instructions, in return for which they show him this respect. They went to meet him, that they might bring him in state, as ambassadors and judges make their public entry, though he was a prisoner. Some of them went as far as Appii-forum, which was fifty-one miles from Rome; others to a place called the Three Taverns, which was twenty-eight miles (some reckon it thirty-three miles) from Rome. They are to be commended for it, that they were so far from being ashamed of him, or afraid of owning him, because he was a prisoner, that for that very reason they counted him worthy of double honour, and were the more careful to show him respect.
2. The great comfort Paul had in this. Now
that he was drawing near to Rome, and perhaps heard at Puteoli what
character the emperor Nero now had, and what a tyrant he had of
late become, he began to have some melancholy thoughts about his
appeal to Cæsar, and the consequences of it. He was drawing near to
Rome, where he had never been, where there were few that knew him
or that he knew, and what things might befal him here he could not
tell; but he began to grow dull upon it, till he met with these
good people that came from Rome to show him respect; and when he
saw them, (1.) He thanked God. We may suppose he thanked
them for their civility, told them again and again how kindly he
took it; but this was not all: he thanked God. Note, If our
friends be kind to us, it is God that makes them so, that puts it
into their hearts, and into the power of their hands, to be so, and
we must give him the glory of it. He thanked God, no doubt, for the
civility and generosity of the barbarous people at Melita, but much
more for the pious care of the Christian people at Rome for him.
When he saw so many Christians that were of Rome, he thanked God
that the gospel of Christ had had such wonderful success there in
the metropolis of the empire. When we go abroad, or but look
abroad, into the world, and meet with those, even in strange
places, that bear up Christ's name, and fear God, and serve him, we
should lift up our hearts to heaven in thanksgiving; blessed be God
that there are so many excellent ones on this earth, bad as it is.
Paul had thanked God for the Christians at Rome before he had ever
seen them, upon the report he had heard concerning them (
IV. The delivering of Paul into custody at
Rome,
17 And it came to pass, that after three days
Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come
together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have
committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers,
yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the
Paul, with a great deal of expense and hazard, is brought a prisoner to Rome, and when he has come nobody appears to prosecute him or lay any thing to his charge; but he must call his own cause; and here he represents it to the chief of the Jews at Rome. It was not long since, by an edict of Claudius, all the Jews were banished from Rome, and kept out till his death; but, in the five years since then, many Jews had come thither, for the advantage of trade, though it does not appear that they were allowed any synagogue there or place of public worship; but these chief of the Jews were those of best figure among them, the most distinguished men of that religion, who had the best estates and interests. Paul called them together, being desirous to stand right in their opinion, and that there might be a good understanding between him and them. And here we are told,
I. What he said to them, and what account
he gave them of his cause. He speaks respectfully to them, calls
them men and brethren, and thereby intimates that he expects to be
treated by them both as a man and as a brother, and engages to
treat them as such and to tell them nothing but the truth; for
we are members one of another—all we are brethren. Now, 1.
He professes his own innocency, and that he had not given any just
occasion to the Jews to bear him such an ill will as generally they
did: "I have committed nothing against the people of the
Jews, have done nothing to the prejudice of their religion or civil
liberties, have added no affliction to their present miseries, they
know I have not; nor have I committed any thing against the
customs of our fathers, either by abrogating or by innovating
in religion." It is true Paul did not impose the customs of the
fathers upon the Gentiles: they were never intended for them. But
it is as true that he never opposed them in the Jews, but did
himself, when he was among them, conform to them. He never
quarrelled with them for practising according to the usages of
their own religion, but only for their enmity to the Gentiles,
II. What was their reply. They own, 1. That
they had nothing to say in particular against him; nor had any
instructions to appear as his prosecutors before the emperor,
either by letter or word of mouth (
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
We have here a short account of a long conference which Paul had with the Jews at Rome about the Christian religion. Though they were so far prejudiced against it, because it was every where spoken against, as to call it a sect, yet they were willing to give it a hearing, which was more than the Jews at Jerusalem would do. It is probable that these Jews at Rome, being men of larger acquaintance with the world and more general conversation, were more free in their enquiries than the bigoted Jews at Jerusalem were, and would not answer this matter before they heard it.
I. We are here told how Paul managed this
conference in defence of the Christian religion. The Jews appointed
the time, a day was set for this dispute, that all parties
concerned might have sufficient notice,
1. There were many got together to Paul. Though he was a prisoner and could not come out to them, yet they were willing to come to him to his lodging. And the confinement he was now under, if duly considered, instead of prejudicing them against his doctrine, ought to confirm it to them; for it was a sign not only that he believed it, but that he thought it worth suffering for. One would visit such a man as Paul in his prison rather than not have instruction from him. And he made room for them in his lodging, not fearing to give offence to the government, so that he might do good to them.
2. He was very large and full in his discourse with them, seeking their conviction more than his own vindication. (1.) He expounded, or explained, the kingdom of God to them,—showed them the nature of that kingdom and the glorious purposes and designs of it, that it is heavenly and spiritual, seated in the minds of men, and shines not in external pomp, but in purity of heart and life. That which kept the Jews in their unbelief was a misunderstanding of the kingdom of God, as if it came with observation; let but that be expounded to them, and set in a true light, and they will be brought into obedience to it. (2.) He not only expounded the kingdom of God, but he testified it,—plainly declared it to them, and confirmed it by incontestable proofs, that the kingdom of God by the Messiah's administration was come, and was now set up in the world. He attested the extraordinary powers in the kingdom of grace by which bore his testimony to it from his own experience of its power and influence upon him, and the manner of his being brought into subjection to it. (3.) He not only expounded and testified the kingdom of God, but he persuaded them, urged it upon their consciences and pressed them with all earnestness to embrace the kingdom of God, and submit to it, and not to persist in an opposition to it. He followed his doctrine (the explication and confirmation of it) with a warm and lively application to his hearers, which is the most proper and profitable method of preaching. (4.) He persuaded them concerning Jesus. The design and tendency of his whole discourse were to bring them to Christ, to convince them of his being the Messiah, and to engage them to believe in him as he is offered in the gospel. He urged upon them, ta peri tou Iesou—the things concerning Jesus, the prophecies of him, which he read to them out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, as pointing at the Messiah, and showed how they had all had their accomplishment in this Jesus. They being Jews, he dealt with them out of the scriptures of the Old Testament, and demonstrated that these were so far from making against Christianity that they were the great proofs of it; so that, if we compare the history of the New Testament with the prophecy of the Old, we must conclude that this Jesus is he that should come, and we are to look for no other.
3. He was very long; for he continued his discourse, and it should seem to have been a continued discourse, from morning till evening; perhaps it was a discourse eight or ten hours long. The subject was curious—he was full of it—it was of vast importance—he was in good earnest, and his heart was upon it—he knew not when he should have such another opportunity, and therefore, without begging pardon for tiring their patience, he kept them all day; but it is probable that he spent some of the time in prayer with them and for them.
II. What was the effect of this discourse.
One would have thought that so good a cause as that of
Christianity, and managed by such a skilful hand as Paul's, could
not but carry the day, and that all the hearers would have yielded
to it presently; but it did not prove so: the child Jesus is set
for the fall of some and the rising again of others, a foundation
stone to some and a stone of stumbling to others. 1. They did
not agree among themselves,
III. The awakening word which Paul said to them at parting. He perceived by what they muttered that there were many among them, and perhaps the greater part, that were obstinate, and would not yield to the conviction of what he said; and they were getting up to be gone, they had had enough of it: "Hold," says Paul, "take one word with you before you go, and consider of it when you come home: what do you think will be the effect of your obstinate infidelity? What will you do in the end hereof? What will it come to?"
1. "You will by the righteous judgment of
God be sealed up under unbelief. You harden your own hearts, and
God will harden them as he did Pharaoh's'; and this is what was
prophesied of concerning you. Turn to that scripture (
2. "Your unbelief will justify God in
sending the gospel to the Gentile world, which is the thing you
look upon with such a jealous eye (
IV. The breaking up of the assembly, as it should seem, in some disorder. 1. They turned their backs upon Paul. Those of them that believed not were extremely nettled at that last word which he said, that they should be judicially blinded, and that the light of the gospel should shine among those that sat in darkness. When Paul had said these words, he had said enough for them, and they departed, perhaps not so much enraged as some others of their nation had been upon the like occasion, but stupid and unconcerned, no more affected, either with those terrible words in the close of his discourse or all the comfortable words he had spoken before, than the seats they sat on. They departed, many of them with a resolution never to hear Paul preach again, nor trouble themselves with further enquiries about this matter. 2. They set their faces one against another; for they had great disputes among themselves. There was not only a quarrel between those who believed and those who believed not, but even among those who believed not there were debates. Those that agreed to depart from Paul, yet agreed not in the reasons why they departed, but had great reasoning among themselves. Many have great reasoning who yet do not reason right, can find fault with one another's opinions, and yet not yield to truth. Nor will men's reasoning among themselves convince them, without the grace of God to open their understandings.
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
We are here taking our leave of the history of blessed Paul; and therefore, since God saw it not fit that we should know any more of him, we should carefully take notice of every particular of the circumstances in which we must here leave him.
I. It cannot but be a trouble to us that we
must leave him in bonds for Christ, nay, and that we have no
prospect given us of his being set at liberty. Two whole
years of that good man's life are here spent in confinement,
and, for aught that appears, he was never enquired after, all that
time, by those whose prisoner he was. He appealed to Cæsar, in hope
of a speedy discharge from his imprisonment, the governors having
signified to his imperial majesty concerning the prisoner that
he had done nothing worthy of death or bonds, and yet he is
detained a prisoner. So little reason have we to trust in men,
especially despised prisoners in great men; witness the case of
Joseph, whom the chief butler remembered not, but forgot,
II. Yet it is a pleasure to us (for we are
sure it was to him) that, though we leave him in bonds for Christ,
yet we leave him at work for Christ, and this made his bonds easy
that he was not by them bound out from serving God and doing good.
His prison becomes a temple, a church, and then it is to him a
palace. His hands are tied, but, thanks be to God, his mouth is not
stopped; a faithful zealous minister can better bear any hardship
than being silenced. Here is Paul a prisoner, and yet a preacher;
he is bound, but the word of the Lord is not bound. When he wrote
his epistle to the Romans, he said he longed to see them, that
he might impart unto them some spiritual gift (
1. To whom he preached: to all that had a mind to hear him, whether Jews or Gentiles. Whether he had liberty to go to other houses to preach does not appear; it is likely not; but whoever would had liberty to come to his house to hear, and they were welcome: He received all that came to him. Note, Ministers' doors should be open to such as desire to receive instruction from them, and they should be glad of an opportunity to advise those that are in care about their souls. Paul could not preach in a synagogue, or any public place of meeting that was sumptuous and capacious, but he preached in a poor cottage of his own. Note, When we cannot do what we would in the service of God we must do what we can. Those ministers that have but little hired houses should rather preach in them, if they may be allowed to do that, than be silent. He received all that came to him, and was not afraid of the greatest, nor ashamed of the meanest. He was ready to preach on the first day of the week to Christians, on the seventh day to Jews, and to all who would come on any day of the week; and he might hope the better to speed because they came in unto him, which supposed a desire to be instructed and a willingness to learn, and where these are it is probable that some good may be done.
2. What he preached. He does not fill their
heads with curious speculations, nor with matters of state and
politics, but he keeps to his text, minds his business as an
apostle. (1.) He is God's ambassador, and therefore preaches the
kingdom of God, does all he can to preach it up, negotiates the
affairs of it, in order to the advancing of all its true interests.
He meddles not with the affairs of the kingdoms of men; let those
treat of them whose work it is. He preaches the kingdom of God
among men, and the word of that kingdom; the same that he defended
in his public disputes, testifying the kingdom of God
(
3. With what liberty he preached. (1.)
Divine grace gave him a liberty of spirit. He preached with all
confidence, as one that was himself well assured of the truth
of what he preached—that it was what he durst stand by; and of the
worth of it—that it was what he durst suffer for. He was not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ. (2.) Divine Providence gave
him a liberty of speech: No man forbidding him, giving him
any check for what he did or laying any restraint upon him. The
Jews that used to forbid him to speak to the Gentiles had no
authority here; and the Roman government as yet took no cognizance
of the profession of Christianity as a crime. Herein we must
acknowledge the hand of God, [1.] Setting bounds to the rage of
persecutors; where he does not turn the heart, yet he can tie the
hand and bridle the tongue. Nero was a bloody man, and there were
many, both Jews and Gentiles, in Rome, that hated Christianity; and
yet so it was, unaccountably, that Paul though a prisoner was
connived at in preaching the gospel, and it was not construed a
breach of the peace. Thus God makes the wrath of men to praise
him, and restrains the remainder of it,