544
δευτεραῖοι ἤλθομεν εἰς Ποτιόλους.
14. οὗ edpdvtes ἀδελφούς,
παρεκλήθηµεν | ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμέρας ἑπτά ' καὶ οὕτως εἰς τὴν
1 For er NABI Tisch., W.H., R.V., Blass, Wendt have wap’, Hilg. retains επ’. Instead of επιµειναι H 3, 33, 68, 95*, 137, Syr. H., Gig., Theoph. have επιµει- ναντες, so Blass, Hilg., Ramsay (Wendt admits as possible), and the meaning will then be ‘we were comforted among them (xx. 12) while we remained among them
for seven days”’.
not only a great landing-place for tra- vellers from the East, but the great harbour for Alexandrian corn-ships, as also for the trade from Syria and Spain (Renan, Saint Paul, p. 558). Seneca, Epist., 77, gives us a vivid description of the interest taken in the arrival of the corn-ships, since the people of Rome depended so much upon this cargo for food. The importance gained by the place is shown by the fact that it gave its name to the bay, once the Bay of Cume, now the Bay of Naples, but in St. Paul’s day Sinus Puteolanus. Here St. Igna- tius desired to land that he might follow the footsteps of St. Paul to Rome (Mar- tyr., v.), see further Jos., Ant., xvii., 12, I, xviil., 7, 2; Strabo, xvii., 1, 7, and Wetstein’s references. For modern writers cf. also Lewin, St. Paul, Π., 218, and Farrar, ii., 386; their description shows how the Apostle’s eyes now rested upon ‘one of the loveliest of earthly scenes’”’,
Ver. 14. ἀδελφούς, see on i. 156, they may have been from Alexandria, as the commerce between it and Puteoli was so considerable; the absence of the article indicates that the writer knew nothing of their presence previously, but at all events Blass is right when he says, “non magis mirum est Puteolis Chris- tianos ante Paulum fuisse quam Rome”’. Probably after Rome itself Puteoli was the most ancient Jewish community in Italy. Jews were there as early as B.c. 4, after the death of Herod the Great, Jos., Ant., xvii., 12,1; B. $., ii., 7,1, and Schirer accepts the notice of the existence of a Christian Church as in the text, Jewish People, div. ii., vol. ii., p. 241, E.T., so too O. Holtzmann, Neutest. Zeitge- schichte, p. 108; see also Lightfoot, Philippians, p.26. Rhegium and Puteoli are the only two Italian towns men- tioned in the N.T. (except, of course, Rome itself), and when we consider that Puteoli was the most important port, not only for ships from Alexandria, but also from Syria, there is nothing surprising in the fact that Christianity found an early and an easy entrance; at Pompeii, not
far from Puteoli, Christianity had made its way, and before 79 A.D. it was dis- cussed by the gossiping loungers in the street (Καπιδαγ).-- παρεκ.: ‘‘we were entreated to tarry,” R.V. Ramsay (so Blass), rendering «νε were consoled among them, remaining seven days”’ (see critical note), thinks that R.V., although strongly supported, is irreconcilable with St. Paul’s situation as a prisoner. Julius was a Roman officer, and discipline was natural to him, however friendly he was towards Paul. Blass compares xx. 12, and Zéckler also prefers the inferior reading on account of this more usual meaning of παρακαλεῖν. Probably the seven days’ delay was needful for Julius to report his arrival at Rome, and to receive further orders from the capital, perhaps with regard to the disposal of the prisoners, but St. Paul must have been rejoiced at the opportunity of cele- brating a Sunday with the little Christian Church at Puteoli, cf. xx. 6, xxi. 4---καὶ οὕτως: “and so we came to Rome,” about 140 miles, cf. xxvii. 25, ‘‘ destina- tum itineris terminum,” Blass, cf. the article before ‘P., Blass, Gram., p. 149, so Bengel (but see Page’s note). Others take οὕτως as simply = after the stay of seven days, a notice which leads on to ver. 15, and makes us to understand how the brethren came to meet us, since news would easily have reached Rome, and a deputation of the brethren have arrived at Appii Forum. On the former view the writer marks the conclusion and the aim of the long journey (cf. eis τὴν Ῥ. before the verb; in vv. 12, 13, names of places follow the verb without any article, Weiss), and there is a kind of triumph in the words: like an emperor who has fought a naval battle and overcome, Paul entered into that most imperial city ; -he was nearer now to his crown; Rome τε- ceived him bound, and saw him crowned and proclaimed conqueror: cf. Chrys. Others take ἤλθ. as = ἐπορευόμεθα, the actual end of the journey following in ver. 16 (see on the other hand Wendt, in loco, 1888). But ver. 15 may possibly be taken as adding an episode which com-