Paul Arrives in Rome

“There (at Puteoli) we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days.  And so we came to Rome.  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.  And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.” –Acts 28: 14-16 (ESV.  Read Acts 28:11-16).

The natives of Malta, still extending their kindness to Paul and his companions as well as the other shipwrecked victims, “put on board whatever we needed” wrote Luke in Acts 28:10.  And after wintering there for three months, they set sail (about March, 60 A. D.).  Luke identifies the kind of ship the captain secured to take them on to the seaport of Puteoli in Italy.  It was a ship from Alexandria, Egypt, likely another grain ship, laden with wheat or corn from the fertile fields of Egypt.  The ship had a masthead of the “twin gods,” Castor and Pollux, believed to be the twin sons of Zeus and Leda.  These were held to protect seamen and were common on many vessels of that day.  They went into port at Syracuse on the southeastern coast of Sicily and stayed there three days.  This was a Greek city that rivaled Athens in grandeur.  Probably some of the load of grain was left at that port.  From there they voyaged to Rhegium (modern-day Reggio of Calabria) on the northeastern tip of Sicily and southwestern tip of Italy.  Evidently a narrow ship’s passageway divided Sicily and Italy at that point.  With a favorable south wind, the ship made its way northward to the port of Puteoli where they disembarked.  The remainder of the way would be overland.  The long and eventful voyage from Caesarea to Italy was finished.

Imagine how Paul’s heart was gladdened as “brothers,” fellow believers, came out to greet Paul and they were together seven days.  How did they know Paul would be on the ship that landed at Puteoli?

Luke does not tell us, but we can imagine that an overland mail rider may have taken a message, or else believers from Palestine may have sent notice to watch for Paul.  With the shipwreck and wintering in Malta, the expected entourage may have arrived later than anticipated. “We” (meaning Paul, Luke and Aristarchus) enjoyed a week’s fellowship with believers before having to go on to the city of Rome some 130 miles from Puteoli where they landed.  Along the route, Roman Christians met them at the Forum, or marketplace, of Appius (on the famed Appian Way) 40 miles from Rome, and at Three Taverns 28 miles from Rome.  Imagine the joy in Paul’s heart to see these who had already adopted the Way and were eager to see him.  The church was growing in the Roman Empire, with believers at many of the areas of the nation.  And so they came to Rome, and Paul was allowed, under a soldier guard, to stay ‘by himself.’  Dr. Robert L. Maddox, Jr. writes of Paul’s arrival in Rome:  “No matter that Paul was a prisoner bound for an uncertain future before Roman courts; he was in the hands of God, and the believers were both honored and delighted to meet him and have him in their midst” (Layman’s Bible Book Commentary. Acts. Nashville: Broadman, 1979, p. 139). Ocean voyagers of long ago used to write on their maps of unknown lands:  ‘Here be dragons; here be burning sands.’  Paul could readily state (and write) of Rome to which God had promised to send him, ‘Here be God.  He is with me in this place.’  And thus, Paul the prisoner, came to Rome, bound but free, arrested but protected by the God to whom he had pledged his life and work.  How exciting

was that prospect?  To God be the glory!