Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 28]
Portions of this great stone highway are still in use. If one
wishes to tread where Paul trod, he can do it here. Appii Forum
had a bad reputation, the haunt of thieves, thugs, and swindlers.
What would this motley crowd think of Paul chained to a soldier?
{Three Taverns} (\Tri•n Tabern•n\). Genitive case after \achri\
like \Appiou Phorou\. About 30 miles from Rome. _Tres Tabernae_.
{Whom} (\hous\). Two groups of the disciples came (one Gentile,
one Jewish, Rackham thinks), one to Appii Forum, the other to
Three Taverns. It was a joyous time and Julius would not
interfere. {Took courage} (\elabe tharsos\). The old substantive
\tharsos\ is here alone in the N.T. Jesus himself had exhorted
Paul to be of good courage (\tharsei\ Ac 23:11) as he had done
the disciples (Joh 16:33). Paul had passed through enough to
cause depression, whether he was depressed or not, but he deeply
appreciated this kindly sympathy.
28:16 {Paul was suffered to abide by himself} (\epetrap• t•i
Paul•i menein kath' heauton\). Second aorist passive of
\epitrepo\, to permit or allow. Literally, "It was permitted to
Paul to abide by himself." Some late documents (Textus Receptus)
here add: "The centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain
of the guard" (or the \stratopedarch\). This officer used to be
considered Burrus who was Prefect of the Praetorian Guard A.D.
51-62. But it is by no means certain that Julius turned the
prisoners over to this officer. It seems more likely that Julius
would report to the captain of the Peregrini. If so, we may be
sure that Julius would give a good report of Paul to this officer
who would be kindly disposed and would allow Paul comparative
freedom (living by himself, in his lodging, verse 23, his own
hired house verse 30, though still chained to a soldier). {With
the soldier that guarded him} (\sun t•i phulassonti auton
strati•t•i\). Probably a new soldier every day or night, but
always with this soldier chained to his right hand day and night.
Now that Paul is in Rome what can he do for Christ while he
awaits the outcome of his own appeal to Nero?
28:17 {Those that were the chief of the Jews} (\tous ontas t•n
Ioudai•n pr•tous\). This use of \pr•tos\ for the leading men of a
city or among the Jews we have already had in 13:50; 25:2; Lu
19:47. Literally, "Those that were first among the Jews." The
position of the participle \ontas\ between the article and the
adjective \pr•tous\ is regular (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 777).
{When they were come together} (\sunelthont•n aut•n\). Genitive
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