• Complete dark (20)

• 14 nights (27)

• 276 people

• Struck sandbar

• Saved by the Centurion

• Island of Malta, off the coast of Sicily

ShipwreckedShipwrecked

Shipwreck on Malta (28:1)

• Islanders (2) (barbaros)

• Islanders showed unusual kindness (philanthropy)

ShipwreckedShipwrecked

Snakebite!Snakebite!

• While gathering wood (3)

• Bitten by viper• No poisonous

snakes on Malta today!

Snakebite!Snakebite!

• Murderer! (4)

• A god! (6)

Excursus:Excursus:Problem of EvilProblem of Evil

• Job & Habakkuk

• Luke 13:1-5

• John 9:1-3

• What did I do to deserve this?

Somewhere in Somewhere in my youth or my youth or childhood, I childhood, I must have must have

done done something something

good.good.

♫ ♫

When it comes to the problem of evil, we may be

closer to the islanders on

Malta than we at first think.

Winter on MaltaWinter on Malta

• Healed all the sick people on the island (9)

• Stayed 3 winter months (11)

So we came to Rome (14)

• Brethren met him

• Forum of Appius (40 miles south of Rome)

• Three Taverns (30 miles south of Rome)

Paul in ChainsPaul in Chains• Lived by himself in

his own rented apartment (16, 30)

• A soldier to guard him (16)

• Probably chained in 4-hour shifts

Meeting with Meeting with Jews in RomeJews in Rome

• I have done nothing against our people (17)

• Handed over to the Romans (paradidōmi)

Meeting with Meeting with Jews in RomeJews in Rome

• The Jews had received no word on Paul (21)

• Rome was typical of the Jewish response – mixed

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who

came to see him. Boldly and without

hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Acts 28:30-31)

?Luke does not tell us the result of

Paul’s trial before Caesar.

During the 2 years in Rome Paul wrote the 4 Prison Epistles

During the 2 years in Rome Paul wrote the 4 Prison Epistles

• Ephesians• Philippians• Colossians• Philemon

• Perhaps a circular letter, sent to churches throughout Asia

• The “whole armor of God” is the response to the “spiritual forces of evil” (6:10-18).

• Sent to a church Paul hadn’t visited – started during his ministry in Ephesus

• Response to spiritual confusion – lift up Christ (1:15-20)

• A church that had a special 10-year relationship with Paul

• Financially supported Paul• Letter deals with how to unite in

the face of conflict (4:2)

• Name of a Christian slave owner in the Colossian church

• Written on behalf of Philemon’s slave, Onesimus

• Very public, private letter