And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. (2) And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. (3) And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. (4) And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. (5) And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. (6) Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
This island on which the shipwrecked crew, Paul and his company landed, is the place that is now called Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea. We are not to understand by those islanders being celled barbarous people, that it hath respect as much to their manners, as to their language. Their courtesy to Paul, and the rest of the ship's company, was great indeed. But it is supposed, that they are the rather called barbarous, because their dialect was a broken mixture of different tongues, so that it became difficult to understand them, or to be understood by them, when speaking in the pure language of the Latin, used at that time by the Romans; or in the Greek, by, those of Greece. But, certainly, it was the Lord which gave Paul and his company favor with this people, or they would hardly have received with so much kindness, so large a company, as two hundred, threescore, and sixteen souls; much less have entertained them so long as they remained there, and laded them with such things as they needed, on their departure, (Acts 28:10-11.) Reader! it is always blessed to observe, the Lord's predisposing the minds of men to favor his people. On Paul's account, the men of Malta shall treat them all kindly. For Jesus's sake, his redeemed shall be taken care of, and fed, if it be needful, and rather than want food, at their enemies table. See Exodus 12:36; Isaiah 16:4
The circumstance of this viper seems to have been graciously ordained by the Lord, to answer much good. By the miracle of Paul's safety, from the bite of the venomous reptile, the Lord proved that scripture, Mark 16:18 and Luke 10:19. And, from the different sentiments, induced in the minds of those islanders, from what they saw; first, in supposing him a murderer, and then making a transition to fancy him a God; who shall say, what might follow by grace on the hearts of some of them, during the three months Paul remained there, in bringing them to the knowledge of the truth.