11 After three months we set sail in a ship that had
wintered in the island, a ship of Alexandria, with the twin gods [4] as a
figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And
from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south
wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found
brothers [5] and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came
to Rome. 15 And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as
the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked
God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay
by himself, with the soldier that guarded him. (Acts 28:11-16 (ESV)
“On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.” This
implies that Paul was perhaps a bit apprehensive and unsure. He had written to
the Romans three years prior to all of this from Corinth. Since then much had
taken place, and though God had allowed Paul to live, a person can understand
him being distraught. Sometimes it isn’t the living that you worry about, but
what you are going to have to live through and endure. Sometimes living is
harder than dying. Paul would have to be in Rome quite some time before he
would be heard. During this time he would be a prisoner. Things would be
perhaps quite difficult for him if the Christians of Rome had turned their
backs on him, if indeed the Judiazers had gotten in among them to the point
where they would contradict him. A prisoner under house arrest has a hard time
making a living. At this time prisoners were dependent on family and Paul had
none. No one to bring him food, or provide him shelter. He would have to rely
on the Roman Christians for this sort of thing.
Now he is very relieved that the Christians have met him at
Three Taverns. He doesn’t know them. He’s just relieved. If they have come it
means his letter has found good soil as it were. They are willing to take him
under their wing and support him, even as a prisoner. They had received his
message with joy. This is something to take heart in, the gospel at work.
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