These verses discuss the last days of The Apostle Paul’s trip to Rome. Verses 1-10 recount the amazing power of God working through Paul in three instances:
I. The snake bites Paul but Paul lives. [A snake bite is a reminder of Israel being bitten by snakes and Moses lifting up a pole with a bronze snake on it that all of Israel who looked upon the snake were healed of the snake bites. In Similar fashion the Lord Jesus refers to this act when He says in John 3:14-15: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” This indicates that who have been bitten by sin will be healed of the death that sin brings by looking upon Him.
II. Paul prays for and heals Publius’, a leader of the Island of Malta, father.
III. After this healing the ‘rest of the people on the island who had disease were coming to him and getting cured”.
This powerful demonstration of God’s power led the people of Malta to, “supply Paul and those traveling with him all they needed for their journey’.
This is a manifestation of gratitude from the people. They did not receive the grace of God in vain but turned and offered up a ‘burnt offering’ of thanksgiving to the Lord.
The Lord did the work and the Lord received the credit. See Luke 17:17-19:
17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? 18 Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”
Views from an Evangelist 