And they all wept much, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,
Read Chapter 20
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
They kissed him: These marks of tenderness are dictated by nature, and have always been used between friends, who were separating from each other, or who meet after a long absence. The Scripture furnishes us with numberless examples of it. (Calmet)
He likewise prayed, as he usually did, when he bade his last farewell. See his last adieus with the Tyrians, (chap. xxi. 5. 6.) where they all kneeled down to pray on the shore. This is also reasonable, and becoming a Christian. It is a sign of communion and mutual charity, and implores a prosperous voyage for those who were departing, whilst those who remained, cherish in their mind the remembrance of the virtues of their absent friend. (Menochius)
The mind of man cannot conceive a finer subject for the painter than this melting separation. After the discourse, we see St. Paul falling on his knees, and praying with them all for the last time; a general burst of tears takes place, when they are told that they are to see their father's face...
He shows their affection also by saying, Upon his neck, as taking a last and yet a last embrace, such was the love they conceived from his discourse, such the spell of love that bound them. For if we groan when simply parting from each other, although we know that we shall receive one another back again, what a tearing away of themselves it must have been to them! Methinks Paul also wept. Having torn ourselves away, he says: he shows the violence of it by saying, having torn ourselves away from them. And with reason: otherwise they could never have got to sea. What means, We came with a straight course unto Coos? Instead of saying, we did not go round nor make stay in other places.
