Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Acts 28:11-22 Paul arrives in Rome

Acts 28:11-16 After three months in Malta, the centurion and Paul's traveling companions booked passage on an Egyptian ship, which had managed to survive the winter intact. The remainder of the voyage seems to have been uneventful. Their ports of call included Syracuse, on the southeastern corner of the island of Sicily, Rhegium, at the tip of the toe of the boot that is Italy, and Puteoli, on the west coast of Italy. From there they travelled overland to Rome. The legs of the voyages from Malta to Syracuse and Syracuse to Rhegium were both approximately 135 km, and from Rhegium to Puteoli approximately 320 km. The overland journey was approximately 230 km. There were some believers in Puteoli who offered them lodging, and then they proceeded on to Rome. By this time, the centurion apparently knew Paul well enough to trust him with a soldier but did not need the whole contingent. The whole journey from Jerusalem to Rome was approximately 3,400 km, not including whatever distance the boat took them during the storm that was off course.


Acts 28:17-22 Paul wasted no time in asking the leaders of the Jews in Rome to come to him. He recounted the reason for being a prisoner, although apparently he did not present the full gospel at this time. Oddly, they had not heard anything from the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem about him, but they were aware of the Christian sect and wanted to hear Paul's opinion of it. It seems uncharacteristic of the Jewish priests, the Pharisees and the Sadducees that they had not sent word to Rome of Paul and their accusations against him. Perhaps the winter had prevented them from sending messages as well, and Paul's journey, difficult as it was, had still beat their messenger.

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