Acts 28:15
The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.
The brothers there
This phrase refers to the Christian believers in Rome. The term "brothers" (Greek: ἀδελφοί, adelphoi) is often used in the New Testament to denote fellow believers, emphasizing the familial bond within the body of Christ. This highlights the early Christian community's sense of unity and mutual support, which was crucial for the spread of the Gospel in a largely pagan world.

had heard about us
The believers in Rome had received news of Paul's journey. This indicates the effective communication network among early Christians, despite the vast distances and limited means of communication. It reflects the eagerness and anticipation with which the early church awaited the arrival of apostles and teachers, recognizing their role in strengthening and guiding the faith community.

traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns
These were locations along the Appian Way, an important Roman road. The Forum of Appius was about 43 miles from Rome, and the Three Taverns was approximately 33 miles away. The willingness of the believers to travel such distances underscores their dedication and the significance of Paul's visit. It also illustrates the geographical spread of Christianity and the strategic importance of Rome as a center for the faith.

to meet us
The act of meeting Paul and his companions demonstrates the hospitality and honor the Roman Christians extended to Paul. In the ancient world, meeting someone on the road was a sign of respect and welcome. This gesture would have been particularly meaningful to Paul, who was arriving as a prisoner, yet was received with love and support.

When Paul saw them
Paul's recognition of the believers who came to meet him would have been a moment of profound emotional and spiritual significance. It signifies the tangible support and encouragement that the presence of fellow believers can provide, especially in times of trial and uncertainty.

he was encouraged
The Greek word for "encouraged" (θαρσέω, tharseō) conveys a sense of being comforted and strengthened. Despite his chains and the uncertainty of his future, the presence of the brethren uplifted Paul's spirit. This highlights the power of Christian fellowship and the role of the community in sustaining individual believers.

and gave thanks to God
Paul's immediate response to the encouragement he received was to thank God. This reflects his deep-seated faith and gratitude, recognizing God's providence in all circumstances. It serves as a reminder of the importance of thanksgiving in the Christian life, acknowledging God's hand in the support and love we receive from others.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul
The apostle who is on his journey to Rome as a prisoner, yet remains a pivotal figure in spreading the Gospel.

2. The Brothers
Fellow Christians who traveled to meet Paul, demonstrating the early Christian community's support and fellowship.

3. Forum of Appius
A marketplace located about 43 miles from Rome, significant as a meeting point for travelers.

4. Three Taverns
A location approximately 33 miles from Rome, known for being a resting place for travelers.

5. Paul's Encouragement
The event where Paul, upon meeting the brothers, finds encouragement and gives thanks to God, highlighting the importance of Christian fellowship.
Teaching Points
The Power of Christian Fellowship
Fellowship among believers provides strength and encouragement, especially in times of trial.

The Importance of Community Support
The early Christians' journey to meet Paul exemplifies the importance of supporting one another in faith.

Gratitude in All Circumstances
Paul's response of giving thanks to God, even as a prisoner, teaches us to maintain a heart of gratitude regardless of our circumstances.

The Role of Encouragement in Ministry
Encouragement from fellow believers can rejuvenate and sustain those in ministry, highlighting the communal aspect of the Christian faith.

Faithful Witness in Adversity
Paul's journey to Rome, despite being a prisoner, shows his commitment to his mission and serves as a model for enduring faith.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the journey of the brothers to meet Paul illustrate the importance of Christian fellowship in your own life?

2. In what ways can you offer encouragement to fellow believers who are facing trials or challenges?

3. Reflect on a time when you received support from your Christian community. How did it impact your faith journey?

4. How can Paul's example of gratitude in Acts 28:15 inspire you to cultivate a thankful heart in difficult situations?

5. What steps can you take to ensure that you are both giving and receiving encouragement within your church community?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 1:11-12
Paul expresses his longing to visit the Roman believers to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, which is fulfilled in Acts 28:15.

Hebrews 10:24-25
Encourages believers to meet together and spur one another on toward love and good deeds, reflecting the support Paul received.

Philippians 1:3-5
Paul thanks God for the partnership in the Gospel, similar to his gratitude upon meeting the brothers in Acts 28:15.
A New Year's SermonA. Brown.Acts 28:15
Christian SympathyJ. Rogers, B.Acts 28:15
Give Him a CheerActs 28:15
Gratitude and Courage Well Linked TogetherP.C. Barker Acts 28:15
Gratitude and EncouragementFamily ChurchmanActs 28:15
Human KindnessW. Clarkson Acts 28:15
Human SympathyScientific IllustrationsActs 28:15
Soul Inspiration from Human SympathyW. Harris.Acts 28:15
Sympathy HelpfulActs 28:15
Thankfulness and CourageCharles Garrett.Acts 28:15
The Break in the CloudsR.A. Redford Acts 28:15
The Force of Christian SympathyJ. Woodhouse.Acts 28:15
The Meeting At Appii Forum and the Three TavernsHomilistActs 28:15
The Old and the New YearF. Brown.Acts 28:15
The Sight of Christian Friends EnliveningW. Jay.Acts 28:15
The Welcome At Appii ForumJ. Hardman, LL.Acts 28:15
Five Remarkable ThingsJ. Parker, D.Acts 28:7-15
Good in ChristianityD. Thomas, D.Acts 28:7-15
Prayer with the SickActs 28:7-15
PubliusJ. Burn.Acts 28:7-15
The Passage from Malta to RomeE. Johnson Acts 28:11-15
People
Esaias, Isaiah, Paul, Publius
Places
Alexandria, Forum of Appius, Jerusalem, Judea, Malta, Puteoli, Rhegium, Rome, Syracuse, Three Taverns
Topics
Appii, Appii-forum, Appius, Ap'pius, Brethren, Brothers, Courage, Encouraged, Felt, Forth, Forum, Hearing, Heart, Huts, Inns, Market, Meanwhile, Meet, Meeting, Movements, News, Paul, Praise, Seeing, Sight, Tabernae, Taverns, Thanked, Thanks, Thence, Town, Traveled, Tres
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Acts 28:15

     5566   suffering, encouragements in
     5976   visiting
     7742   missionaries, support
     8416   encouragement, promises
     8676   thanksgiving

Acts 28:11-16

     5108   Paul, life of

Acts 28:14-16

     4263   Rome

Library
After the Wreck
'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
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

The Last Glimpse of Paul
'And 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; 18. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. 19. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Paul in Rome
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.' --ACTS xxviii. 30, 31. So ends this book. It stops rather than ends. Many reasons might be suggested for closing here. Probably the simplest is the best, that nothing more is said for nothing more had yet been done. Probably the book was written during these two years.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

On Faith
"Without faith it is impossible to please him." Heb. 11:6. 1. But what is Faith? It is a divine "evidence and conviction of things not seen;" of things which are not seen now, whether they are visible or invisible in their own nature. Particularly, it is a divine evidence and conviction of God, and of the things of God. This is the most comprehensive definition of faith that ever was or can be given; as including every species of faith, from the lowest to the highest. And yet I do not remember any
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Pastoral and Personal
FOURTH GROUP OF EPISTLES FIRST TIMOTHY. TITUS. SECOND TIMOTHY. THE PLACE OF THE EPISTLES +When Written.+--It is generally agreed among scholars that no place can be found for the writing of First Timothy, Titus, and Second Timothy in the period covered by Luke in his narrative in Acts. Agreeing with the tradition of the church, however, the opinion of many eminent scholars is that Paul was released from the first Roman imprisonment (Acts 28:16, 30), that he again took up his missionary work, and
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The Supremacy of Christ
THIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES COLOSSIANS. PHILEMON. EPHESIANS. PHILIPPIANS. THE QUESTION AT ISSUE +The Supremacy of Christ.+--These Epistles mark a new stage in the writings of Paul. The great question discussed in the second group of Epistles was in regard to the terms of salvation. The question now at issue (in Colossians, Ephesians, Philippian+The Reason for the Raising of this Question+ was the development of certain false religious beliefs among which were, "asceticism, the worship of angels,
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The Apostle's Position and Circumstances
PHILIPPIANS i. 12-20 Disloyal "brethren"--Interest of the paragraph--The victory of patience--The Praetorian sentinel--Separatism, and how it was met--St Paul's secret--His "earnest expectation"--"Christ magnified"--"In my body" St Paul has spoken his affectionate greeting to the Philippians, and has opened to them the warm depths of his friendship with them in the Lord. What he feels towards them "in the heart of Christ Jesus," what he prays for them in regard of the growth and fruit of their
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies

The New Name of Methodism
Sunday, 9.--I declared to about ten thousand, in Moorfields, what they must do to be saved. My mother went with us, about five, to Kennington, where were supposed to be twenty thousand people. I again insisted on that foundation of all our hope, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved." From Kennington I went to a society at Lambeth. The house being filled, the rest stood in the garden. The deep attention they showed gave me a good hope that they will not all be forgetful hearers. Sunday,
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

Wesley in Wales
Monday, 15.--Upon a pressing invitation, some time since received, I set out for Wales. About four in the afternoon I preached on a little green at the foot of the Devauden (a high hill, two or three miles beyond Chepstow) to three or four hundred plain people on "Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." After sermon, one who I trust is an old disciple of Christ, willingly received us into his house: whither many following, I showed them their need of a Saviour from these
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Theme of Acts
'The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. 2. Until the day in which He was taken up.'--ACTS i. 1, 2. 'And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.' --ACTS xxviii. 30, 31. So begins and so ends this Book. I connect the commencement and the close, because I think
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Lix. What was Learned in God's House. Isaiah vi.
NOT SEEN BY EVERYONE THERE.--Isaiah had his eyes opened. The same awful Person had been present before, but had not been seen, and He is still there, but how few of us are conscious of His presence. How differently the church and chapel-goers would look next Sunday morning as they come home, if only they realised what had been going on in the place where they had spent the last hour. I. A LESSON FROM HISTORY.--"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord." The King of Judah was dead, but
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

The Church of Jerusalem and the Labors of Peter.
Su hei Petros, kai epi taute petra oikodomeso mou ten ekklesian, kai pulai hadou ou katischusousin autes.--Matt. 16:18. Literature. I. Genuine sources: Acts 2 to 12; Gal. 2; and two Epistles of Peter. Comp. the Commentaries on Acts, and the Petrine Epistles. Among the commentators of Peter's Epp. I mention Archbishop Leighton (in many editions, not critical, but devout and spiritual), Steiger (1832, translated by Fairbairn, 1836), John Brown (1849, 2 vols.), Wiesinger (1856 and 1862, in Olshausen's
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Quotations from the Old Testament in the New.
1. As it respects inspiration, and consequent infallible authority, the quotations of the New Testament stand on a level with the rest of the apostolic writings. The Saviour's promise was: "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth;" literally, "into all the truth," that is, as immediately explained, all the truth pertaining to the Redeemer's person and work. When, therefore, after the fulfilment of this promise, Peter and the other apostles expounded to their brethren
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Chronology of the Apostolic Age.
See the works quoted in § 20 p. 193, 194, especially Wieseler. Comp. also, Hackett on Acts, pp. 22 to 30 (third ed.). The chronology of the apostolic age is partly certain, at least within a few years, partly conjectural: certain as to the principal events from a.d. 30 to 70, conjectural as to intervening points and the last thirty years of the first century. The sources are the New Testament (especially the Acts and the Pauline Epistles), Josephus, and the Roman historians. Josephus ( b. 37,
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Mission and Return of the Seventy.
(Probably in Judæa, October, a.d. 29.) ^C Luke X. 1-24. ^c 1 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others [i. e., other messengers in addition to the twelve apostles], and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. [Luke has told us of the journey through Samaria to Jerusalem, and John has told us what occurred at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. We learn from John also that Jesus was at the Feast of Dedication (John
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Ancient Versions of the Old Testament.
In the present chapter only those versions of the Old Testament are noticed which were made independently of the New. Versions of the whole Bible, made in the interest of Christianity, are considered in the following part. I. THE GREEK VERSION CALLED THE SEPTUAGINT. 1. This is worthy of special notice as the oldest existing version of the holy Scriptures, or any part of them, in any language; and also as the version which exerted a very large influence on the language and style of the New Testament;
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Preaching (iii. ).
Eternal Fulness, overflow to me Till I, Thy vessel, overflow for Thee; For sure the streams that make Thy garden grow Are never fed but by an overflow: Not till Thy prophets with Thyself run o'er Are Israel's watercourses full once more. Again I treat of the sermon. We have looked, my younger Brother and I, at some main secrets and prescriptions for attractive preaching. What shall I more say on the subject of the pulpit? In the first place I will offer a few miscellaneous suggestions, and then
Handley C. G. Moule—To My Younger Brethren

Divine Healing.
The thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy beautifully extolling the glories and virtues of Christ's redemptive works. "The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." "It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.... Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the
Charles Ebert Orr—The Gospel Day

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

First Missionary Journey Scripture
STUDY III FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY Scripture, Acts 13:1-14:26 INTRODUCTION TO THE THREE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS Before taking up the study of the first missionary journey, attention is called to certain points which should be considered in regard to all three of them (Acts 13:1-21:17). We have now arrived at what we might call the watershed of the Acts of the Apostles. Hitherto we have had various scenes, characters, personages to consider. Henceforth Paul, his labors, his disputes, his speeches, occupy
Henry T. Sell—Bible Studies in the Life of Paul

The Purpose in the Coming of Jesus.
God Spelling Himself out in Jesus: change in the original language--bother in spelling Jesus out--sticklers for the old forms--Jesus' new spelling of old words. Jesus is God following us up: God heart-broken--man's native air--bad choice affected man's will--the wrong lane--God following us up. The Early Eden Picture, Genesis 1:26-31. 2:7-25: unfallen man--like God--the breath of God in man--a spirit, infinite, eternal--love--holy--wise--sovereign over creation, Psalm 8:5-8--in his own will--summary--God's
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

Interpretation of Prophecy.
1. The scriptural idea of prophecy is widely removed from that of human foresight and presentiment. It is that of a revelation made by the Holy Spirit respecting the future, always in the interest of God's kingdom. It is no part of the plan of prophecy to gratify vain curiosity respecting "the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1:7. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God"--this is its key-note. In its form it is carefully adapted to this great end.
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Epistles of Paul.
1. The apostolic epistles are a natural sequence of the office and work committed by the Saviour to the apostles. They were the primitive preachers of the gospel, and, under Christ, the founders of the Christian church. From the necessity of the case they had a general supervision of all the local churches, and their authority in them was supreme in matters of both faith and practice. It was to be expected, therefore, that they should teach by writing, as well as by oral instruction. It does not
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

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