Malta is a small island nation located in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. Though quite small in size and population, Malta has played an interesting role in biblical history. Here is an overview of the significance of Malta in the Bible:
Malta in the New Testament
The main biblical significance of Malta comes from its mention in the New Testament, specifically in the book of Acts. In Acts 27-28, the apostle Paul is traveling as a prisoner on a ship heading to Rome. Along the way, they encounter a terrible storm and shipwreck on the island of Malta (Acts 27:27-44). Paul and the other 275 passengers all make it safely to shore, where the people of Malta show them “unusual kindness” (Acts 28:1-2).
Paul goes on to minister on Malta, healing the father of Publius, the chief official, and others on the island who were sick (Acts 28:8-9). After three months, Paul and the other prisoners depart Malta and make it safely to Rome (Acts 28:11). So Malta served as a brief but important stopping place in Paul’s fateful final journey to Rome.
Key Details
Here are some key details to note about Malta’s role in the Bible:
- The shipwreck occurred in around 60 AD while Paul was en route to Rome for his trial before Caesar.
- The islanders showed unusual kindness by building a fire and welcoming the shipwrecked passengers (Acts 28:2).
- God worked through Paul to heal many sick people on Malta (Acts 28:8-9).
- Paul was initially mistaken for a murderer but then hailed as a god by the Maltese after the healings (Acts 28:4-6).
- The Christian faith may have first come to Malta through Paul’s shipwreck and miraculous works there.
Reasons for the Shipwreck
There are several reasons why Paul’s ship wrecked at Malta according to the biblical account in Acts 27:
- Paul had warned that sailing was dangerous, but the centurion in charge wanted to press on (Acts 27:9-11).
- The ship encountered strong, contrary winds that drove them off course (Acts 27:13-15).
- They did not heed Paul’s warning about the coming storm (Acts 27:21).
- The sailors tried unsuccessfully to ride out the storm instead of finding a safe harbor (Acts 27:15-20).
So human foolishness and strong contrary winds brought the ship to wreck at Malta, though God preserved all lives. Paul had prophesied this outcome and maintained faith through it all (Acts 27:22-26).
Theological Significance
The shipwreck at Malta is theologically significant for several reasons:
- It shows God’s sovereignty – He preserved the lives of 276 people through a devastating storm and shipwreck.
- It demonstrates God’s faithfulness to Paul by protecting him and allowing him to testify to the islanders of Malta.
- It illustrates divine providence in using Paul’s misfortune to bring the gospel to a new area.
- Paul’s calm leadership and life-saving advice during the storm show his godly character and dependence on God.
So God worked powerfully through circumstances that seemed against Paul to actually advance His kingdom plan and display His mighty protection of His servants. Malta was a key place for this to unfold.
Historical and Geographical Details
Here are some other historical and geographical details that provide helpful context about Malta in the Bible:
- Malta is located about 60 miles south of Sicily and 200 miles north of Africa.
- In biblical times it was part of the Roman province of Sicily.
- Malta is around 122 square miles in area.
- Its primary harbor in antiquity was known as Melite, which matches Acts’ description (Acts 28:1).
- The Maltese people likely spoke Punic, a Phoenician dialect.
- Malta was an important stopover point between Europe and North Africa.
- The island also featured prominently in early church history.
Later Christian History
In addition to its mention in Acts, Malta played a role in later Christian history:
- The first bishop of Malta was a man named Publius, likely the healing recipient mentioned in Acts 28:7.
- Saint Paul’s Bay marks the traditional site of Paul’s shipwreck.
- The location of Paul’s stay on Malta is marked by the Church of Saint Publius.
- Malta later became strategically important as Muslim conquests threatened Sicily and Italy.
- In 1530 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V fortified Malta to help defend Rome from Ottoman raids.
- The Knights of Malta ruled the island from 1530-1798 and repelled a major Ottoman invasion in 1565.
So in many ways the Christian history of Malta traces back to apostle Paul’s providential shipwreck there on his way to Rome.
Summary of Malta’s Significance
In summary, here are the key points about Malta’s biblical and historical significance:
- Paul shipwrecked there on his fateful final journey to Rome (Acts 27-28).
- The Maltese people showed remarkable hospitality and kindness to the shipwreck victims (Acts 28:1-2).
- Paul healed many sick people on Malta through God’s power (Acts 28:8-9).
- Malta may mark the arrival of the gospel to that region.
- The shipwreck shows God’s sovereignty, providence, and protection of Paul.
- Malta later became strategically important in Christian history.
- Its association with Paul remains a point of pride.
So although just a small island nation, Malta played an interesting role in biblical history as the site of a famous shipwreck. God used this unexpected stopover to display His power and bring Christianity to Malta through Paul.