BRUCE C WEARNE, in his series looking at the Book of Acts, looks at what happened during Paul’s stay on Malta…
Now, in the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to the island’s Paramount Chief, a man named Publius. He received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. As it happened, the father of Publius was sick with fever and dysentery. Paul attended him and offered prayers [on his behalf]. Having laid his hands upon him, he brought healing to the man. So, as a result, all the other people on the island who were afflicted with illnesses also came and were cured. That was how we came to leave laden with many gifts from these same people; when we sailed, they put us on board our ship with whatever we needed. – Acts 28:7-10
ON MALTA: Paul is recorded as bring healing to the father of the ‘Paramount Chief’, Publius. Pictured is Malta’ capital, Valletta, as it looks today. PICTURE: Briangotts/Wikipedia
IN A NUTSHELL
Paul the Physician healed the father of Publius and then the people of the island also came to experience healing.
Acts 28:1-10, as part of Luke’s narrative, introduces us to the people of Malta.
Perhaps a church had grown up there. This section of the story would then be background to how that church on that island told its own story. This section would be the earliest account of how the Gospel came to Malta.
At first, some of the islanders thought Paul was a murderer. They weren’t 100 per cent wrong. Then, when he didn’t expire, he was a god and then he developed good relations with Publius, the island’s ‘Paramount Chief’. Paul helped Publius’ father overcome some kind of malarial infection. Was this disease endemic on the island and part of a regular, yearly cycle? When the chief’s father was healed and the news got out, others came to Paul for healing. Their hospitality showed their gratitude. Gifts were lavished on the party as they went on their way. Because of the shipwreck they too had found healing.
Throughout, Luke has told us how the Gospel was preached, and how that task became linked with food distribution, collecting monies for famine relief and other seemingly incidental events. But these events tell us how the Gospel works, how it makes a decisive impact. Caring for people’s physical needs must include their medical care. This is integral to the response to the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit.
Paul had been trained in medical arts and also served people in this way. The Gospel can never be contained in one compartment of any person’s life. Many responsibilities arise from daily life: healing, serving at tables, assisting the poor, forming a friendship, warning about danger, advising government officials, supporting soldiers in their work, visiting prisoners. These are part of what it means to be the bearer’s of God’s image in a life of ongoing gratitude.
Jesus had called Paul to bear witness in Rome. As they travelled there “to take up his post”, even under these strange and constrained circumstances, Paul was fully occupied serving God and neighbour, developing strong friendships with the people brought across his path by the Almighty.
The Maltese people sent the entire party on its way by meeting their travelling needs for the last leg of the journey. All 176 passengers and crew would have to make their own way to whatever destination they were headed.
As we read through Luke’s narrative, we see how he developed his skills as a Christian storyteller, a keen observer of the “human condition.” His account tells us how Paul’s example impressed him. Paul’s confession was that Jesus Himself had sent him to Rome. He tenaciously formed good relations with Roman administrators. He commanded the respect of Roman soldiers like Lysius and Julius, giving them due honour. He expressed his appreciation for the welcome of the Maltese people by collecting firewood for their welcoming fire. The Lord God promises happiness to His people.
Luke is telling his readers how, in this setting, the promises of the Lord are on their way to fulfillment when the people visited throw down the welcome mat (Luke 10:1-12). Not only Greeks, but Barbarians are on the way to being included as God’s Kingdom is proclaimed. There is something truly remarkable here. It has to do with the life of faith that Paul and Luke discovered “on the way”. As they go along in the belief that Jesus leads them, they are blessed by the people the Lord brings cross their path.
Paul, Aristarchus and Luke remained in care of Julius and his soldiers. But I imagine the soldiers and Julius were full of wonder as they sailed away from Malta. Their lives were so very full. God had indeed blessed them all; the people travelling with Paul could easily have been seriously infected by such an abundantly blessed life. Such things do happen.
OPEN BOOK – HINTS FROM THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS: PAUL THE PHYSICIAN
BRUCE C WEARNE, in his series looking at the Book of Acts, looks at what happened during Paul’s stay on Malta…
Now, in the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to the island’s Paramount Chief, a man named Publius. He received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. As it happened, the father of Publius was sick with fever and dysentery. Paul attended him and offered prayers [on his behalf]. Having laid his hands upon him, he brought healing to the man. So, as a result, all the other people on the island who were afflicted with illnesses also came and were cured. That was how we came to leave laden with many gifts from these same people; when we sailed, they put us on board our ship with whatever we needed. – Acts 28:7-10
ON MALTA: Paul is recorded as bring healing to the father of the ‘Paramount Chief’, Publius. Pictured is Malta’ capital, Valletta, as it looks today. PICTURE: Briangotts/Wikipedia
IN A NUTSHELL
Paul the Physician healed the father of Publius and then the people of the island also came to experience healing.
Acts 28:1-10, as part of Luke’s narrative, introduces us to the people of Malta.
Perhaps a church had grown up there. This section of the story would then be background to how that church on that island told its own story. This section would be the earliest account of how the Gospel came to Malta.
At first, some of the islanders thought Paul was a murderer. They weren’t 100 per cent wrong. Then, when he didn’t expire, he was a god and then he developed good relations with Publius, the island’s ‘Paramount Chief’. Paul helped Publius’ father overcome some kind of malarial infection. Was this disease endemic on the island and part of a regular, yearly cycle? When the chief’s father was healed and the news got out, others came to Paul for healing. Their hospitality showed their gratitude. Gifts were lavished on the party as they went on their way. Because of the shipwreck they too had found healing.
Throughout, Luke has told us how the Gospel was preached, and how that task became linked with food distribution, collecting monies for famine relief and other seemingly incidental events. But these events tell us how the Gospel works, how it makes a decisive impact. Caring for people’s physical needs must include their medical care. This is integral to the response to the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit.
Paul had been trained in medical arts and also served people in this way. The Gospel can never be contained in one compartment of any person’s life. Many responsibilities arise from daily life: healing, serving at tables, assisting the poor, forming a friendship, warning about danger, advising government officials, supporting soldiers in their work, visiting prisoners. These are part of what it means to be the bearer’s of God’s image in a life of ongoing gratitude.
Jesus had called Paul to bear witness in Rome. As they travelled there “to take up his post”, even under these strange and constrained circumstances, Paul was fully occupied serving God and neighbour, developing strong friendships with the people brought across his path by the Almighty.
The Maltese people sent the entire party on its way by meeting their travelling needs for the last leg of the journey. All 176 passengers and crew would have to make their own way to whatever destination they were headed.
As we read through Luke’s narrative, we see how he developed his skills as a Christian storyteller, a keen observer of the “human condition.” His account tells us how Paul’s example impressed him. Paul’s confession was that Jesus Himself had sent him to Rome. He tenaciously formed good relations with Roman administrators. He commanded the respect of Roman soldiers like Lysius and Julius, giving them due honour. He expressed his appreciation for the welcome of the Maltese people by collecting firewood for their welcoming fire. The Lord God promises happiness to His people.
Luke is telling his readers how, in this setting, the promises of the Lord are on their way to fulfillment when the people visited throw down the welcome mat (Luke 10:1-12). Not only Greeks, but Barbarians are on the way to being included as God’s Kingdom is proclaimed. There is something truly remarkable here. It has to do with the life of faith that Paul and Luke discovered “on the way”. As they go along in the belief that Jesus leads them, they are blessed by the people the Lord brings cross their path.
Paul, Aristarchus and Luke remained in care of Julius and his soldiers. But I imagine the soldiers and Julius were full of wonder as they sailed away from Malta. Their lives were so very full. God had indeed blessed them all; the people travelling with Paul could easily have been seriously infected by such an abundantly blessed life. Such things do happen.
Donate
Sight+ is a new benefits program we’ve launched to reward people who have supported us with annual donations of $26 or more. To find out more about Sight+ and how you can support the work of Sight, head to our Sight+ page.
Musings
Biological pattern
TAKE PART IN THE SIGHT READER SURVEY!
We’re interested to find out more about you, our readers, as we improve and expand our coverage and so we’re asking all of our readers to take this survey (it’ll only take a couple of minutes).
To take part in the survey, simply follow this link…