I. INTRODUCTION
A. Malta (Melita) a relatively small island (18 miles long and 9 miles wide) located about 60 miles south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Its inhabitants were a mixture of Phoenicians and Greeks. They were called "barbarians" by the Greeks because they spoke a language other than Greek (compare: Rom. 1:14; Col. 3:11), yet in relation to many of the other non-Greek cultures they were quite civilized.
B. This lesson will concern itself with the fact that the natives believed Paul was being punished by the gods for some crime he had committed. They reached this conclusion upon seeing the viper come out of the fire and fasten itself to Paul's hand. These men had in them a sense that due punishment will overtake the guilty and that punishment will fit the crime. We do not know why they assumed he was a murderer, other than the fact that murder seems to be one crime that is an atrocity in almost ever culture.
C. Do men naturally possess a general sense of Divine justice? Do men believe that the world is under some type of moral government, and crime is to be punished? Do men believe that the crimes of men will eventually be detected? Are men generally of a persuasion that it is right that crimes should be detected and punished?
II. DISCUSSION
A. There is a general sense of Divine justice among men, even among the worldly and uncivilized. For example: the people of Malta, as described in our text.
1. We know that man in general is apart from God, yet we know that man was made in God's own image. Therefore, we should not be surprised that vestiges of godliness sometimes occur in the vilest of mankind. Even among the so-called heathen we often find:
a. the belief in some form of Divinity, such as was the case of these Maltese islanders;
b. a sense of justice and a feeling that the guilty should be punished.
c. the sentiment that anything contrary to a. or b. is wrong.
2. With the above thoughts in view, men often maintain a code of morals. All cultures through the ages, no matter how far apart from God they grew, had some sense of right and wrong. Obviously, many have chosen in the past not to abide by these codes, but that does not mean the code did not exist (e.g. the culture of Noah's time or Sodom and Gomorrah). Any book or writings that might be found from any culture concerning a code of morals is in relative agreement with any other similar writings; be it Moses, Christ, Plato, Confucius or Pliny. Of course the writings of man do not measure up to God's inspired Word, but they are strikingly coincidental in their concepts of right and wrong.
3. Vengeance for murder by the next of kin was practiced prior to the Hebrew law which named the "avenger of blood," (Num. 35:19; Deut. 19:6,12; Josh. 20:3; 2 Sam. 14:11). Places of refuge were set by Moses to try and control this type of revenge, (Num. 35:10-15; 1 Kings 2:28). The point to be made here is that "within man there is a deep conviction of the necessity of punishment."
4. Beyond murder, man has made arrangements through the ages for punishment for all crimes to enter into their laws. Each civilization has had its courts, judges, law officers, prisons and other instruments of punishment.
B. There is a process under the Divine government by which crime will be detected and punished. The Maltese islanders evidently believed this to be true and it can be shown that this belief is in the very nature of man. In the case at hand, the islanders felt that even though Paul had survived the shipwreck, the viper had been reserved to make his escape impossible. While they were in error concerning Paul, their supposition was based on an old truism, "murder will out," that is, murder will always be discovered. But how can we show that this more than just a proverb of man, but a Divine arrangement of God?
1. When a murder is committed in a community, every man becomes a detective of sorts. Each person becomes more vigilant, and concerned with the capture and prosecution of that particular murderer.
2. The difficulty of covering up the crime of murder, no matter how many precautions are taken by the perpetrator, is amazing. You would think (as obviously the murderers do) that it would be fairly easy to conceal the crime, yet time and again criminals are caught and convicted of "the perfect crime."
3. The ability to detect the crime through minuscule means, such as: DNA, a hair, a drop of any bodily fluid, a footprint, a fingerprint, an unguarded remark, or the possession of an article the perpetrator thought was innocent; baffles criminals,defense lawyers, and liberal judges alike.
4. Remorse, indications of guilt, inability to sleep, nightmares, or feelings that they have been deserted by God, on the part of the murderer often lead to their apprehension and conviction.
C. There is a general feeling among all men that criminals should be prosecuted and punished. What are the purposes of punishment?
1. Not primarily for the reformation of the guilty capital punishment never reformed anyone, yet it has been ordained by God as just.
2. Not designed as mere restraint the moral sense of man would not be met or satisfied by this alone.
3. Punishment when administered properly is deserved and justice demands it, even if it is believed that the offender will not repeat the crime.
4. We, as citizens, concede that punishment is proper. The punishment is appointed by the law and demanded by justice, therefore it is required.
D. In conclusion: the guilty may have to pay the consequences of their crimes here on earth, but they may yet escape impending eternal judgment through faith in Jesus Christ. He will bear our sins on His shoulders and in Him we can find safety, pardon, and peace, (Isa. 53:4-6).
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Consider the questions posed in the introduction, point C. Where would man get these beliefs?
2. Distinguish between consequences of sin and forgiveness of sin.