“And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.”
Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. - Luke establishes the location: Malta, a strategic island between Sicily and North Africa. 'Once safely on shore' (epi tēn gēn anaphygo, epi tēn gēn anaphygo-'having fled safe to the land') affirms the safe arrival. The casual naming suggests that after the storm's intensity, solid ground itself is revelation. Malta's significance: Paul will perform miracles here before his final journey to Rome.
Church Fathers on Acts 28:1
Showed, he says, no little kindness to us — barbarians (as they were )— having kindled a fire: else it were of no use that their lives be saved, if the wintry weather must destroy them. Then Paul having taken brushwood, laid it on the fire. See how active he is; observe how we nowhere find him doing miracles for the sake of doing them, but only upon emergency. Both during the storm when there was a cause he prophesied, not for the sake of prophesying, and here again in the…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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