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The Acts of the Apostles
responsible for them would be forfeited. Hence the soldiers desired
to put all the prisoners to death. The Roman law sanctioned this cruel
policy, and the plan would have been executed at once, but for him to
whom all alike were under deep obligation. Julius the centurion knew
that Paul had been instrumental in saving the lives of all on board, and,
moreover, convinced that the Lord was with him, he feared to do him
harm. He therefore “commanded that they which could swim should
cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: and the rest, some
on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to
pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” When the roll was called, not
one was missing.
The shipwrecked crew were kindly received by the barbarous peo-
ple of Melita. “They kindled a fire,” Luke writes, “and received us
everyone, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.” Paul
was among those who were active in ministering to the comfort of
others. Having gathered “a bundle of sticks,” he “laid them on the
fire,” when a viper came forth “out of the heat, and fastened on his
hand.” The bystanders were horror-stricken; and seeing by his chain
[446]
that Paul was a prisoner, they said to one another, “No doubt this man
is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance
suffereth not to live.” But Paul shook off the creature into the fire and
felt no harm. Knowing its venomous nature, the people looked for
him to fall down at any moment in terrible agony. “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.”
During the three months that the ship’s company remained at
Melita, Paul and his fellow laborers improved many opportunities to
preach the gospel. In a remarkable manner the Lord wrought through
them. For Paul’s sake the entire shipwrecked company were treated
with great kindness; all their wants were supplied, and upon leaving
Melita they were liberally provided with everything needful for their
voyage. The chief incidents of their stay are thus briefly related by
Luke:
“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. 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. So when this