Acts chapter 28

vs 1

There is no way that I feel this is the last chapter of Acts. These last few chapters describing Paul's visit to Jerusalem and his imprisonment have seemed to be building up to something. What they actually build up to is quite odd.

They landed on Malta! Lovely holiday destination.

vs 2

I bet they still do that. What good fortune that they landed somewhere with friendly natives! God knows how to have it going on.

vs 3

Ouch! And well, in those days, that would pretty much signal "You're dead".

vs 4

Seems like fairly reasonable logic, doesn't it? If someone escapes one tragedy only to come across another, then you think they had it coming. We may not have the culture of 2000 years ago, but people still believe (wrongly) in this idea that fate deals you what you deserve.

vs 5

Because, of course, God has more use for him than that.

vs 6

So surviving one thing and falling to the next makes you a murderer - but surviving two things in a row makes you a god. The sense of proportion is a little whacked out methinks.

vs 7

What, all of them? I mean, there was 276 of them on that boat. Did he welcome them all? I guess none of them had anywhere to go. Very generous man, in that case.

vs 8

So Paul paid his rent by healing the sick father. And also continues to show how cool God is.

vs 9

Which is unsurprising. What is surprising is that they actually were all cured. I wonder if Malta has been Christian ever since, or something like that. That would be a cool story.

vs 10

So basically, because of Paul, they had good lodgings, were honoured by the locals, and were supplied and on their way. And not only did all this happen, but God used his shipwreck to let Paul visit a place he'd never been - Malta. I wonder if he ever went back?