Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 28]
28:3 {When Paul had gathered} (\sustrepsantos tou Paulou\).
Genitive absolute with first aorist active participle of
\sustreph•\, old verb to twist or turn together or roll into a
bundle. In N.T. only here and Mt 17:22. {A bundle of sticks}
(\phrugan•n ti pl•thos\). "Some multitude (or pile) of dry twigs"
(\phrugan•n\ from \phrug•\ or \phruss•\, to dry. Only here in
N.T.). {Laid} (\epithentos\). So genitive absolute again with
second aorist active participle of \epitith•mi\, to place upon.
Few things show Paul to better advantage than this incident. {By
reason of the heat} (\apo t•s therm•s\). Old word, only here in
N.T. Ablative case with \apo\ (from the heat). The viper was in a
state of torpor in the bundle of sticks. The heat wakened him. {A
viper} (\echidna\). The old word used by the Baptist of the
Pharisees (Mt 3:7; Lu 3:7) and by Jesus also (Mt 12:34;
23:33). It is objected that there is little wood in the island
today and no vipers, though Lewin as late as 1853 believes that
he saw a viper near St. Paul's Bay. But the island now has 1,200
people to the square mile and snakes of any kind have a poor
chance. The viper has also disappeared from Arran as the island
became more frequented (Knowling). Ramsay thinks that the small
constrictor (_Coronella Austriaca_) which still exists in the
island may be the "viper," though it has no poison fangs, but
clings and bites. The natives thought that it was a poisonous
viper. {Fastened on his hand} (\kath•pse t•s cheiros autou\).
First aorist active indicative of \kathapt•\, to fasten down on
with the genitive case. Old verb, here only in N.T. Cf. Mr
16:18.
28:4 {The beast} (\to th•rion\). Diminutive of \th•r\ and so
little beast. See on ¯Mr 1:13. Aristotle and the medical writers
apply the word to venomous serpents, the viper in particular
(Knowling), as Luke does here. Vincent calls attention to the
curious history of our word "_treacle_" for molasses (Latin
_theriaca_) from \th•riak•\, an antidote made from the flesh of
vipers. Coverdale translates Jer 8:22: "There is no more
treacle in Gilead." Jeremy Taylor: "We kill the viper and make
treacle of him." {Hanging from his hand} (\kremamenon ek t•s
cheiros autou\). Vivid picture of the snake dangling from Paul's
hand. Present middle participle of \kremamai\, late form for
\kremannumi\, to hang up, to suspend (cf. Ga 3:13). {No doubt}
(\pant•s\). Literally, By all means, old adverb. Cf. 21:22; Lu
4:23; 1Co 9:22. Only by Luke and Paul in the N.T. "They _knew_
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