And they shall be scattered on the merchant ships of foreigners and together plunder the sea.^[1] For they, in their wanderings among the nations, had to make use of the passage through the sea, just as though they were flying on it, they made a swift course through the sea so that they might proclaim the gospel to most nations in a short time. Sometimes they went by foot, sometimes through the sea, but instead of employing Jewish ship captains, they hired those who had received the message of Christ. At the same time, they plundered the sea, that is the islands, through which they passed and made known to their inhabitants the salvific teaching. So you may understand this passage, here is one example. The apostle Paul, being one of those whom this passage prophesies, took a course through the sea on his way to Rome, and when he was shipwrecked on the island called Malta he worked a miracle of great astonishment to the inhabitants, and by healing the physically ill, he so amazed the onlookers that he plundered many and drew them to the salvific teaching.

The Jews, who saw so many miracles, persecuted and harassed Paul. The barbarians, on the other hand, saw none and were kind to him solely because of his misfortune. No doubt, they said, this man is a murderer. They did not simply pronounce their judgment but added, No doubt, as if this was clear for anyone to see. Justice, they say, has not allowed him to live. So they too had an account of providence. These barbarians were far closer to truth than the philosophers. The latter did not allow providence to extend to the sphere below the moon. The former believed that God was present everywhere and that, even if one should escape many dangers, he would not escape in the end. Still, they do not make it their business to bring him to this end but respect him for now on account of his misfortune. They do not broadcast their judgment but only speak to each other. For the chains led them to suspect this. And yet they were prisoners. Let those be ashamed who say, Do not do good to those in prison. Let us feel shame before the barbarians. For they did not know who those men were, only that they were human beings from their misfortune.

See how active [Paul] is, how he never works miracles simply for the sake of it but only in time of need. In the storm, when there was a reason, he prophesied, and it was not simply for the sake of prophesying. Here too, he puts sticks on the fire, not for vain display but to save them and to enjoy some warmth.

When the apostle came out of the sea, he kindled a fire on account of the cold, for with the heat of love he warmed the hearts of those whom by his teaching he had saved from the waves of the tempests. For the sticks are any things said in his exhortations which, having the power to enkindle charity, are plucked from the fullness of the Scriptures as though they were cut from sprigs of foliage.

Because an unclean spirit is driven out of the hearts of the faithful by the flame of the virtues, it strives to pour out the venom of its persecutions on teachers of the truth, so that it can in this way wound their hand, that is, hinder the work of spiritual teaching.

You wickedly hurtful serpent, why do you still wish to call [us] back from the Lord and contrive your old pillaging on the newness of the law? O lover of death, whose very parent you are, why do you renew your warfare upon the redeemed? You come as a plunderer, but you lie there as plunder, and, bringing death [from a tree],^[1] you are destroyed by the branches of a second tree, O evil one, and since the cross of Christ, death is your portion of the wood.

And so the viper, which drove its teeth into the apostle’s hand, since it did not find any entry of sin in him, immediately released him and threw itself into the fire by inflicting on itself a punishment, because it had made an attack against an impenetrable body. Therefore let us fear the beasts, if we do not possess the full armor of virtue.

The beasts prove your faith. Do you believe in the Lord? You will tread upon the asp and the adder, you trample down the lion and the serpent.^[1] And you have the power to walk over snakes and scorpions. Don’t you see that the snake that bit Paul as he gathered sticks did him no harm, since the holy man was found to be full of faith. If you have no faith, fear less the beast than your own faithlessness through which you make yourself susceptible to every type of corruption.

No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live. This was permitted for a good reason. They were to see the thing and utter the thought, so that when it took place, the miracle would not be disbelieved. See how respectfully they speak among themselves, how natural judgment is clearly expressed even among barbarians, and how they did not condemn without giving a reason.

He burned up the beast in the same fire by which he provides them [his companions] with warmth. The saints advance by the same virtues that are the downfall of the impious and their instigator because of their envy.^[1] As the prophet says, Zeal lays hold on an uneducated people, and now fire consumes enemies.^[2]

He, however, shook off the creature into the fire. The faithful are superior to any scheme, either if it is planned by people or beasts, and they are similar to gods, as Scripture says: I say, ‘You are gods; nevertheless, you shall die,’ because of infidelity, ‘like mortals.’^[1] So the barbarians, seeing that [Paul] did not die but escaped from certain death, considered him to be a god, as they used to consider anyone that performed miracles to be a god. And in this manner they named their ancient gods, either because of the excellence of their strength, which they saw to be superior to theirs, as in the case of Hercules, son of Semele,^[2] or because of their magical arts, which raised the admiration of the spectators, as in the case of Simon in Samaria.^[3]

We have faith for a defense, if we are not smitten with distrust, in immediately making the sign [of the cross] and commanding and smearing the heel with the beast. Finally, we often aid even the heathen in this way, who see that we have been endowed by God with that power that the apostle [Paul] first used when he despised the viper’s bite [Acts 28:3].

Look, even after they were rid of the storm, they did not become negligent, and what a lavish welcome they received because of Paul. For three days they stayed there and everyone of them was well-provided with sustenance. . . . It was for Paul’s sake that all this took place, so that the prisoners, as well as the soldiers and the centurion, should believe. For even if they were made of stone, from the counsel they heard him give, from the predictions they heard him make, from the miracles they saw him accomplish and from the nourishment they enjoyed because of him, they would have thought him great. See how quickly sound judgment, when it is not overtaken by some emotion, delivers right decisions and discerning verdicts.

Behold, again another hospitable man, the rich and wealthy Publius, who had seen nothing but had mercy on them because of their calamity. He received and took care of them. . . . It is certainly an act of great benevolence to give hospitality to 270 people. Meditate on what a great profit is hospitality: not because there was necessity or because he acted against his will, but because [Publius] considered it a profit, did he give hospitality to them for three days.

Why did [Paul] heal a sick unbeliever by prayer, when he restored Timothy, one of the sick believers, by the art of medicine,^[1] and Trophimus, another sick believer, he left entirely?^[2] Was it not because this outsider had to be healed by a miracle since he was not inwardly alive, while those who were living with inner health had no need [of healing]?

Dysentery is a difficult disease to cure. He, who received healing from Paul, led many to faith. Therefore miracles are mostly performed among and for unbelievers.

They presented, it says, many gifts to us. Not that [Paul] received wages, God forbid, but as it is written, The worker is worth his keep.^[1] When we sailed, they put on board whatever we needed. It is clear that their hosts, who afforded them such hospitality, also received the word of the preaching. For they would not have been treated so kindly for three days had their hosts not believed strongly and shown the fruits of conversion.