Acts 28:4

“And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast, etc.] The viper is called “Therion”, a beast, it being of the viviparous kind; and hence comes “Theriaca”, or “Venice treacle”, the foundation of which composition is vipers’ flesh; and it is called venomous, because it is of all serpents the most venomous: this when the country people saw hang on his hand, having wrapped itself about it, they said among themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer: they might see he was a prisoner by his chain, or might learn it from some of the company, and therefore took it for granted he had been guilty of some crime; and by the viper’s fastening on him, they concluded it was murder he was guilty of; for the…”

“No doubt this man is a murderer--His chains, which they would see, might strengthen the impression. whom . . . vengeance suffereth not to live--They believed in a Supreme, Resistless, Avenging Eye and Hand, however vague their notions of where it resided.”

“The venomous beast - The English word “beast” we usually apply to an animal of larger size than a viper. But the original θηρίον thērion is applicable to animals of any kind, and was especially applied by Greek writers to serpents. See Schleusner. No doubt - The fact that the viper had fastened on him; and that, as they supposed, he must now certainly die, was the proof from which they inferred his guilt. Is a murderer - Why they thought he was a murderer rather than guilty of some other crime is not known. It might have been: (1) Because they inferred that he must have been guilty of some very atrocious crime, and as murder was the highest crime that man could commit, they inferred that…”

“And when the barbarians saw - they said - Seeing also his chains, Doubtless this man is a murderer - Such rarely go unpunished even in this life; whom vengeance hath not suffered to live - They look upon him as a dead man already. It is with pleasure that we trace among these barbarians the force of conscience, and the belief of a particular providence: which some people of more learning have stupidly thought it philosophy to despise. But they erred in imagining, that calamities must always be interpreted as judgments. Let us guard against this, lest, like them, we condemn not only the innocent, but the excellent of the earth. Acts 28:5”

“barbarians: Act 28:2 beast: Act 28:5; Gen 3:1; Isa 13:21, Isa 13:22, Isa 43:20; Zep 2:15 No doubt: Luk 13:2, Luk 13:4; Joh 7:24, Joh 9:1, Joh 9:2 a murderer: Gen 4:8-11, Gen 9:5, Gen 9:6, Gen 42:21, Gen 42:22; Num 35:31-34; Pro 28:17; Isa 26:21; Mat 23:35, Mat 27:25; Rev 21:8 Acts 28:5”