SEV Biblia, Chapter 28:15
de donde, oyendo de nosotros los hermanos, nos salieron a recibir hasta la plaza de Apio, y Las Tres Tabernas, a los cuales como Pablo vio, dio gracias a Dios, y tom aliento.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 28:15
Verse 15. When the brethren heard of us] By whom the Gospel was planted at Rome is not known: it does not appear that any apostle was employed in this work. It was probably carried thither by some of those who were converted to God at the day of pentecost; for there were then at Jerusalem, not only devout men, proselytes to the Jewish religion, from every nation under heaven, chap. ii. 5, but there were strangers of Rome also, chap. ii. 10. And it in most reasonable to believe, as we know of no other origin, that it was by these Christianity was planted at Rome. As far as Appii Forum] About 52 miles from Rome; a long way to come on purpose to meet the apostle! The Appii Forum, or Market of Appius, was a town on the Appian way, a road paved from Rome to Campania, by the consul Appius Claudius. It was near the sea, and was a famous resort for sailors, peddlers, &c. Horace, lib. i. Satyr. 5, ver. 3, mentions this place on his journey from Rome to Brundusium: -- Inde FORUM APPI Differtum nautis, cauponibus atgue malignis.
"To Forum Appii thence we steer, a place Stuff'd with rank boatmen, and with vintners base." This town is now called Caesarilla de S. Maria.
And the Three Taverns] This was another place on the same road, and about 33 miles from Rome. Some of the Roman Christians had come as far as Appii Forum: others, to the Three Taverns. Bp. Pearce remarks, there are some ruins in that place which are now called Tre Taverne; and this place Cicero mentions in his epistles to Atticus, lib. ii. 11. Ab Appi Foro hora quarta: dederam aliam paulo ante in Tribus Tabernis. "Dated at ten in the morning, from Appii Forum. I sent off another (epistle) a little before, from the Three Taverns." Zosimus, lib. 2, mentions tria kaphleia, the three taverns, or victualling houses, where the Emperor Severus was strangled by the treason of Maximinus Herculeus, and his son Maxentius. See Lightfoot.
The word taberna, from trabs, a beam, signifies any building formed of timber; such as those we call booths, sheds, &c., which are formed of beams, planks, boards, and the like; and therefore me may consider it as implying, either a temporary residence, or some mean building, such as a cottage, &c. And in this sense Horace evidently uses it, Carm. lib. i. Od. iv. ver. 13: - Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas Regumque turres.
"With equal pace, impartial Fate Knocks at the palace as the cottage gate." FRANCIS.
This place, at first, was probably a place for booths or sheds, three of which were remarkable; other houses became associated with them in process of time, and the whole place denominated Tres Tabernae, from the three first remarkable booths set up there. It appears to have been a large town in the fourth century, as Optatus mentions Felix a Tribus Tabernis, Felix of the Three Taverns, as one of the Christian bishops.
Thanked God, and took courage.] He had longed to see Rome; (see Rom. i. 9-15;) and, finding himself brought through so many calamities, and now so near the place that he was met by a part of that Church to which, some years before, he had written an epistle, he gave thanks to God, who had preserved him, and took fresh courage, in the prospect of bearing there a testimony for his Lord and Master.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. And from thence , etc.] That is, from Rome, whither they were going: when the brethren heard of us ; when the Christians at Rome heard that the apostle and his friends were landed at Puteoli, and were on their journey to Rome: these were the members of the church at Rome; for there was a church state here before this time. The apostle had before this written a letter to them, called the Epistle to the Romans, in which he treats them as a church. The Papists say that the Apostle Peter was the first bishop of it, and pretend an uninterrupted succession from him; though it is questionable whether he ever was at Rome; and if he was, it is not probable that he should take upon him the care of a single church, which was not consistent with his office as an apostle: in the first century, the bishops or pastors of this church were as follow; after the martyrdom of Paul and Peter, Eusebius says, Linus was the first bishop of it, the same that is mentioned in ( 2 Timothy 4:21) and according to the same writer f1378 , Anencletus succeeded him, and then Clement, a fellow labourer of the Apostle Pauls, ( Philippians 4:3); who wrote two epistles to the Corinthians, which are still extant; though Eusebius f1379 , not consistent with himself, makes Clement in another place to succeed Linus; and some make Clement even to be before him; and some place one Cletus before Anencletus and him: such an uncertainty is there, and such a puzzle attends the first account of this uninterrupted succession; and which seems designed in Providence to bring it into contempt: in the second century, Euarestus succeeded Clement; and then followed him Alexander, Sixtus, or Xystus, Telesphorus, Hyginus, Pius, Anicetus, Soter, Eleutherius, and Victor: in the third century, Victor was succeeded by Zephyrinus; and after him were Calixtus, Urbanus, Pontianus, Anterus, Fabianus, Cornelius, Lucius, Stephanus, Sixtus, or Xystus II, Dionysius, Felix, Eutychianus, and Gaius: in the fourth century, Marcellinus succeeded Gaius; who was followed by Marcellus, Eusebius, Miltiades, Sylvester, Julius, Liberius, Felix II, Damasus, and Siricius f1380 ; and further than this age, it is not worth while to follow them; the man of sin began to grow apace, and in a century or two afterwards, proclaimed himself universal bishop: they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and the Three Taverns ; these were both of them towns that lay in the Appian way to Rome; the former of these Horace makes mention of, in the account of his journey from Rome to Brundusium; first he says, he came to Aricia, or Rizza, which is about 160 furlongs, or 21 miles from Rome, and from thence to Appii Forum: that Appii Forum was further from Rome than the Three Taverns, appears from what Cicero says f1382 , who dates his letter to Atticus from Appii Forum, at four oclock, and tells him, that be had sent him another a little before from Tres Tabernae, or the Three Taverns; and indeed, Appii Forum was one and fifty miles from Rome, and the Three Taverns but three and thirty: so that the sense must be, that some of the brethren from Rome came as far as the Three Taverns, and others as far as Appii Forum; which, as before observed, were two towns upon the road: hence the former of these was not a statue of Appius, near the city of Rome, as some have said; nor a market in the city itself, as says Jerom f1384 , or a writer under his name; whose words are, Appii Forum is the name of a market at Rome, from Appius, formerly a consul, and from whom the Appian way had its name: but this was a town at some distance; there were several towns in Italy of a like appellation; as Julii Forum, Cornelii Forum, now Imola, Livii Forum, now Forli: Pliny makes mention of an Appii Forum; and there was a town in Calabria, called Taberna: and as the one was not a mere market place, so the other does not design three houses for public entertainment; for the words should not be translated three taverns, nor indeed translated at all; nor are they by Luke, who retains the Latin name, as the name of a place; and here it was that Severus, the Roman emperor, was killed by Herculius Maximianus f1386 ; and this, in Constantines time, was the seat of a bishop; for among the bishops assembled on account of Donatus, mention is made of one Felix a Tribus Tabernis f1387 , or Felix bishop of Tres Tabernae, the same place we call the Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage ; that is, when he saw the brethren that came to meet him, he gave thanks to God for the sight of them, which he had so much desired; and he took heart and courage, and went on cheerfully, and in high spirits, towards Rome; in hope of seeing the rest, and believing that God had some work for him to do there.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-16 - The common events of travelling are seldom worthy of being told; but the comfort of communion with the saints, and kindness shown by friends, deserve particular mention. The Christians at Rome were so fa from being ashamed of Paul, or afraid of owning him, because he was prisoner, that they were the more careful to show him respect. He ha great comfort in this. And if our friends are kind to us, God puts it into their hearts, and we must give him the glory. When we see thos even in strange places, who bear Christ's name, fear God, and serv him, we should lift up our hearts to heaven in thanksgiving. How man great men have made their entry into Rome, crowned and in triumph, wh really were plagues to the world! But here a good man makes his entr into Rome, chained as a poor captive, who was a greater blessing to the world than any other merely a man. Is not this enough to put us for ever out of conceit with worldly favour? This may encourage God' prisoners, that he can give them favour in the eyes of those that carr them captives. When God does not soon deliver his people out of bondage, yet makes it easy to them, or them easy under it, they have reason to be thankful.
Greek Textus Receptus
κακειθεν 2547 ADV-C οι 3588 T-NPM αδελφοι 80 N-NPM ακουσαντες 191 5660 V-AAP-NPM τα 3588 T-APN περι 4012 PREP ημων 2257 P-1GP εξηλθον 1831 5627 V-2AAI-3P εις 1519 PREP απαντησιν 529 N-ASF ημιν 2254 P-1DP αχρις 891 PREP αππιου 675 N-GSM φορου 5410 N-GSN και 2532 CONJ τριων 5140 A-GPF ταβερνων 4999 N-GPF ους 3739 R-APM ιδων 1492 5631 V-2AAP-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM παυλος 3972 N-NSM ευχαριστησας 2168 5660 V-AAP-NSM τω 3588 T-DSM θεω 2316 N-DSM ελαβεν 2983 5627 V-2AAI-3S θαρσος 2294 N-ASN
Robertson's NT Word Studies
28:15 {When they heard of us} (akousantes ta peri hemwn). How "they heard the things concerning us" we do not know. Good news had its way of travel even before the days of telegraph, telephone, daily papers. Possibly Julius had to send on special couriers with news of his arrival after the shipwreck. Possibly some of the brethren in Puteoli at once (beginning of the week) sent on news to the brethren in Rome. The church in Rome had long ago received Paul's letter from Corinth at the hands of Phoebe. {To meet us} (eis apantesin hemin). Idiomatic phrase, "for meeting with us" (associative instrumental case). _Koin_ word apantesis from verb apantaw, to meet, in N.T. only here; #Mt 25:6; 1Ti 4:17. Use after eis rather than infinitive like a translation Hebraism (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 91). {As far as the Market of Appius} (acri appiou forou). The Forum of Appius, 90 miles from Puteoli, 40 from Rome, on the great Appian Way. The Censor Appius Claudius had constructed this part of the road, B.C. 312. Paul probably struck the Appian Way at Capua. 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} (triwn tabernwn). Genitive case after acri like appiou forou. 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 qarsos). The old substantive qarsos is here alone in the N.T. Jesus himself had exhorted Paul to be of good courage (qarsei #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.
