“When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.’ He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. Buth when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.” (verses 3-6)

First, note that the native people had an innate understanding of justice. The word is even capitalized in the ESV text, and probably rightfully so. For to these people, justice was more than a concept. It was probably a name for a worshiped deity.

Right and wrong are written on the human heart. Image bearers, no matter how far in darkness, know when someone does them wrong and cannot help but look for justice.

Second, realize that their worldview was much too simplistic. In their minds, if something bad happened to a man, that man must be receiving punishment for a past evil. This fallen world is much more complicated than that. Good things happen to evil people. And bad things happen to those who walk in righteousness. Yet the Lord is behind it all, working all things according to the counsel of His will–for the good of His people and the glory of His name.

Any theology of suffering that does not have a great deal of tension within it, cannot be the real thing. For the Scripture’s theology of suffering will cause us much tension within.

Third, recognize Paul’s wonderful opportunity to bear witness to the One who suffered under great injustice, so that we might not receive the punishment our sins deserve. For the statement the native people make about Paul is more or less correct. He was a murderer. Paul could tell them this, but then he could point them to the One who was murdered on his behalf. He could tell them of Jesus Christ, the One who took Paul’s sin (and everyone else’s) upon Himself, so that we might become the righteousness of God.