We all know that ships and boats always have a name painted upon the stern, to distinguish them from one another. Many large ships have also a figure or image as well: thus a ship called "The Lord Nelson," would have fastened to the fore part, or prow, an image or figure of Lord Nelson cut out in wood and painted. This sort of thing is called the "figure-head." The ancients, instead of putting a figure, painted the picture of one, on the fore part of their vessels, and this was called "the sign." Castor and Pollux were two of the imaginary gods or heroes of the ancients: they were twin brothers, and were supposed to take particular care of sailors. A picture of Castor and Pollux was painted on this ship of Alexandria.
St. Luke says, "And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux." Their voyage was undisturbed now, and they soon reached the island of Sicily, "and landing at Syracuse," then the capital of the island, "tarried there three days. And from thence," St. Luke says, "we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium," a town in Italy, almost opposite to that of Messina, another considerable town in Sicily, and just at the entrance of the Straits of Messina. At Rhegium they appear to have intended to wait for a favourable wind; for we read, "and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli." Here the voyage ended: at Puteoli the ship would land whatever cargo she carried, and then return to Alexandria. St. Paul and his companions must go by land to Rome, about one hundred miles to the north-west of Puteoli. Puteoli was not only a great place of trade for corn, but also for merchandise of all kinds, which was brought there from different countries, to be exchanged for the productions of Italy. This exchange is, as we have already said, called "commerce."
With so many people from all parts coming to Puteoli, it was impossible that the Christian religion should not have been brought into the place by some of them; and it appears that there were at this time a certain number of Christians at Puteoli: for St. Luke says, "where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days." They were naturally glad of such an opportunity of conversing with the Apostle, and wished to keep him with them for seven days; and it seems that he was allowed to remain with them, which speaks well for the kindness of Julius, the centurion under whose care he was placed, and who had all along evidently favoured St. Paul. They then "went toward Rome. And from thence," St. Luke says, "when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and the Three Taverns." Rome was at this time the most important city in the world: people came there from all countries; so we are not surprised to find that there were great numbers of Christians there. When the news reached them that St. Paul, whom many of them had probably known in other countries, was not only landed in Italy, but was actually approaching Rome from Puteoli, great numbers went out to meet and welcome him. Some of them went as far as Appii Forum, a place about fifty miles from Rome; others met him at the "Three Taverns," about thirty miles from Rome. The sight of so many true Christians was a great joy to the Apostle, who was anxious that all men everywhere should repent and turn to God. St. Luke says, "Whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." Thanked God for all that had been done in the conversion of the heathen; whilst he was encouraged to hope for a still further spread of the Gospel, whatever might be his own fate.
Chapter XXXI.—ST. PAUL A PRISONER AT ROME.
The centurion Julius had now finished his work, he had brought St. Paul from Cæsarea to Rome, as he had been ordered to do. On the way, he had seen wonderful things, which must have convinced him that the prisoner whom he was now to deliver into the charge of others, was a good and holy man, under the especial protection of his God; and he had moreover seen that this God was great and powerful, and able to command the wind and waves, as none of the gods worshipped by the heathen, could do. Whether he, or any other of St. Paul's fellow voyagers, became Christians, we are not told.
St. Luke tells us, "And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him." It was probably owing to what Festus had written after Agrippa's interview with his prisoner, that he was now allowed to live in a hired house of his own, with merely one soldier to guard him; instead of being shut up in prison, as he would have been, had he been supposed to have broken any of the Roman laws. According to custom, he was probably linked by a small chain to this soldier, but he was not prevented from seeing anybody who came to him; and he soon made use of this liberty, for "it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain."
St. Paul was anxious that the Jews at Rome should not be prevented from listening to his teaching, by the idea that he was a prisoner on account of any crimes he had committed; and as they might, perhaps, have heard some account of all that had happened at Jerusalem, he took the earliest opportunity of explaining, that he had done nothing contrary to the religion taught by Moses; and that, in fact, the only reason for which he was a prisoner was, that he had preached of the coming of the Messiah, and of the future resurrection of all men,—matters taught by all the prophets, and so firmly believed by the Children of Israel in all ages, that the doctrine might truly be called "The hope of Israel"; for upon it, depended all their hope of obtaining favour and mercy from the Almighty. The Jews of Rome, however, had heard nothing of the treatment which St. Paul had received from their brethren in Jerusalem, "And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against."
These Jews were not prejudiced against St. Paul, but were willing to listen to all he had to say. They knew that the Christians, "this sect," as they called them, were much spoken against, and that while some thought their doctrines were true and right, others said they were false and mischievous,—likely to make men wicked instead of good,—and ought not, therefore, to be attended to at all.