Answers. Questions. Acts 28:1-31

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Irma Townsend
6 years ago
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1 1 Answers to Questions on Acts 28: Was Paul guilty of cruelty to an animal when he shook the snake off his hand into the fire and burned it alive? Human life takes precedence over animal life. After all, the snake bit Paul first. Paul was simply acting in self-defense. God showed his approval of what Paul did by miraculously healing Paul. 2. The islanders were prepared, when Paul did not die from the snake bite, to believe he was a god. What does this say about their mindset? They were believers in the supernatural. They had no other explanation for this wondrous event than to properly attribute it to divine intervention. Regrettably many refuse to see God s hand in anything.

2 Discuss the islanders view of divine providence. They believed that diety works in the affairs of mankind. They saw God s hand in happenings around them. 4. Should present day clergymen help build fires or should they only be honored and served? They should help build fires. The world does not owe preachers a living. Paul was a tentmaker and was prepared to support himself. 5. Who was Publius? What did he do for Paul? What did Paul do for Publius, his family and other islanders? Publius was a chief man of the island. His father was sick and Paul miraculously healed him. 6. On how many Alexandrian ships did Paul sail on this journey to Rome? 2 What do you know about these ships? They carried large amounts of wheat from Egypt to Rome. They were larger freighters.

3 The shipwrecked mariners remained on Malta for three months. When winter was passed the journey toward Rome was continued on a ship of Alexandria whose sign was The Twin Brothers. 8. Paul s journey took him from Malta to Syracuse, Rhegium, to Puteoli and finally to Rome. 9. Who were The Twin Brothers and what was Paul s feeling about sailing on a ship with The Twin Brothers as its sign? The Twin Brothers were the mythical sons of Jupiter. Paul had no choice about the ship on which he sailed. We may be assured Paul did not believe in The Twin Brothers or other mythological dieties. 10. List Paul s stops between Malta and Rome. Give the significance of each place. Syracuse: A Greek city on the SE coast of Sicily. Paul spent three days there enroute to Rome. Rhegium: A seaport on the coast of southern Italy across the Strait of Messina from Sicily. Puteoli: A seaport on the western coast of Italy, a very important harbor where great grain ships from Alexandria were unloaded. It was located across the bay from present day Naples and ancient Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. (Nelson)

4 What is the importance of Puteoli and what happened there? Enroute to Rome Paul s group stayed there seven days, and then went on toward Rome. Puteoli was a very important seaport. Ships from Alexandria unloaded grain cargo there. 12. Roman Christians journeyed to The Market (Forum) of Appius and The Three Taverns to meet and encourage Paul. They were not ashamed of his chains. How should Christians now treat other Christians who are in need or trouble? Give examples. The Bible repeatedly stresses the importance of helping those in distress, especially because of righteousness sake. Matthew 5:10, Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 25:31-46, When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply,

5 5 Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. (NIV) Too often Christians do not love each other as we should in times of trouble. 13. Paul had been almost killed by Jerusalem Jews and was now a prisoner in Rome because of them. Why would Paul immediately call the chief of the Jews to him upon his arrival in Rome? He should have well known they were trouble. The all important thing with Paul was to preach Christ to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. With Paul everything else was secondary.

6 List the salient point in Paul s speech to the chief of the Roman Jews in verses Paul was suffering for the hope of Israel. This was the central point of Paul s preaching to Jews everywhere. 15. What was and is the hope of Israel? The coming of the Messiah with all the blessings associated with it as foretold in the Old Testament including the resurrection from the dead. 16. Why did the Judaean Jews not send letters and/or representatives to Rome to oppose, prosecute Paul? Perhaps they were waiting for better weather to make the journey. Letters could have been delayed by bad weather also. Or, maybe, since Paul had left for Rome, they thought they were done with him for good and put him out of their minds. 17. When the Jews came back to hear Paul again how long did he preach, what two major subjects did he address and what was the result of this teaching meeting? He talked about the kingdom of God as it involved Jesus. He testified both from the law of Moses and the

7 7 prophets. He preached from morning till evening. Some believed Paul and some didn t! 18. What was the closing statement at the end of this meeting? Does this mean Paul finally gave up on trying to convert Jews to Christ? Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9-10, He said, Go and tell this people: Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. (NIV) 19. Paul announced, Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles. They will also listen/hear. 20. During Paul s two years in Rome, verses 29-31, what did he do and what did he write? He preached Christ to all within his reach. During these two years, Paul also wrote Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon.

469 driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. Verse 4. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, "A murderer, n

469 driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. Verse 4. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, A murderer, n Chapter 28. Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. Verse 2. The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore