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Scripture Reading: Acts 27:1-44
In chapters twenty-seven and twenty-eight of Acts Luke gives us a long narration of Paul’s voyage from Caesarea to Rome. We may wonder why Luke includes such a lengthy and detailed record. In certain matters he is very brief, but the record of this voyage is very detailed and vivid. After considering this matter, I believe that the reason for this detailed account is that Luke intends to present a picture that conveys some important points.
The first of the points conveyed in Luke’s lengthy narrative of Paul’s voyage is Satan’s attack on the apostle. Satan was constantly behind the scene attacking Paul. This is the reason that the voyage was difficult, with many hardships, and took such a long time. The weather in particular was very bad. Acts 27:4 says, “And from there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary.” Later, after boarding an Alexandrian ship, they “sailed slowly for a considerable number of days and came with difficulty off Cnidus” (v. 7). Then with difficulty they came to a certain place called Fair Havens. Eventually, after putting out to sea again, “there beat down from the island a hurricane wind called a northeaster” (v. 14). Satan was behind these difficulties, attacking the apostle.
In the picture portrayed in Acts 27 and 28 we also see the Lord’s sovereign care. The Lord is over all things, including the wind and the storms. The Lord was sovereign over the centurion named Julius who brought Paul to Rome and over all the soldiers who were with him. In His sovereignty, the Lord caused this centurion to show kindness to Paul. Concerning this, 27:3 says, “And on the next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, treating Paul kindly, allowed him to go to his friends to receive care.” Probably some soldiers accompanied Paul, and it is likely that Paul was still in chains. Nevertheless, the Lord sovereignly took care of Paul.
In His sovereignty the Lord also sent an angel to Paul in the midst of a violent storm, when those on the ship had abandoned all hope of being saved (vv. 20, 23). Paul testified that the angel had said to him, “Do not fear, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you” (v. 24). As we shall see, this word indicates that there on the boat Paul had a little kingdom composed of two hundred seventy-six citizens.
Luke and Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, were with Paul on the ship. Luke functioned in two ways. First, as a medical doctor, he took care of Paul’s health. Second, he functioned as a newsman to record the details of the voyage. We thank the Lord for this record. The more we read it, the more we realize how significant it is. In Luke’s detailed account of the voyage we see that the Lord overruled Satan’s attacks. Everything that happened took place at the right time so that Paul’s life was preserved.
The picture in these chapters of Acts also shows Paul’s life, behavior, and character. We see Paul’s ascendancy over the situation. We also see the wisdom and dignity of his human life. No doubt, Paul’s life was a life of living Christ and magnifying Him.
If we read this portion carefully, we shall see that here Paul was living the very life that he aspired to live in Philippians 3. In that chapter Paul says that he pursued Christ in order to be found in Him (vv. 9, 12). When I read Acts 27 and 28, I find Paul in Christ. Throughout a rough and difficult voyage, Paul lived a life of ascendancy and dignity and full of wisdom. Although he was a prisoner, he behaved like a king. Furthermore, he had foresight and wisdom to handle matters.
No doubt, the Lord was with Paul. On the one hand, he was a prisoner, one among two hundred seventy-six passengers. On the other hand, he was the center, the focus, of the situation, whether on the ship or on the island where they wintered after the ship was destroyed. In every circumstance Paul lived a life of ascendancy.
Let us now consider some of the details recorded in 27:1-44. Acts 27:1 says, “And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius of the Augustan cohort.” The pronoun “we” indicates that Luke, the writer, was included. The Augustan cohort may have been an imperial cohort named by Caesar Augustus (cf. Luke 2:1). A cohort was one of ten divisions of an ancient Roman legion and was composed of six hundred men.
Verse 2 continues, “And going on board a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea, and Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.” This is the beginning of the apostle’s fourth ministry journey, which ended in 28:31.
In his account Luke says that at Myra “the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it” (v. 6). Verses 9 and 10 say, “And when considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, and also because the Fast had already passed, Paul advised them, saying, Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with damage and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” The Fast in verse 9 refers to the day of atonement (Lev. 16:29-31; 23:27-29; Num. 29:7).
In verse 10 Paul voiced his feeling about the danger of the voyage. The sailors were experts in sailing the ship, and they knew all about the wind and the sea, but they did not have the insight that Paul had. Although Paul warned them of the damage and loss they would face, “the centurion was persuaded by the navigator and the ship’s owner rather than by what was being said by Paul” (v. 11). The navigator and the ship’s owner convinced the centurion not to take Paul’s word. Therefore, according to their mistaken concept, they continued the voyage. Paul, of course, was neither a sailor nor a navigator. Rather, he was a preacher who at that time was a prisoner. However, he had more insight than the centurion, the soldiers, the sailors, the navigator, and the owner of the ship. Here we have a view of Paul’s character.
Acts 27:13-26 describes the storm and Paul’s prediction of safety. Verses 13 and 14 say, “And when a south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete close inshore. But not long afterward there beat down from the island a hurricane wind called a northeaster.” Literally, the Greek word translated “the island” means “it” and refers to Crete.
Verses 15 through 17 continue: “And when the ship was caught by it and was not able to face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. And running under the shelter of a certain little island called Clauda, we were hardly able to get control of the small boat, which having hoisted up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on Syrtis, they lowered the gear and so were driven along.” “To get control of the small boat” was to secure on deck the small boat which, in calm weather, was attached by a rope to the vessel’s stern (Vincent). The helps mentioned in verse 17 were things such as ropes and chains. To undergird the ship with these helps was to pass the cables around the body of the ship. Syrtis, on which they feared that they might run aground, was a shoal southwest of the island of Crete. For the sailors to lower the gear means either that they lowered the sails or dropped the sea anchor.
According to verses 18 and 19, they began to jettison the cargo and throw the ship’s gear, or furniture, overboard. Verse 20 indicates that the storm was so severe that eventually they lost hope: “Now, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, all hope that we might be saved was now abandoned.” As we shall now see, that time was a good opportunity for Paul to say something to those on the ship.
Concerning this, verse 21 says, “And when they had gone a long time without food, Paul then stood in their midst and said, O men, you should have listened to me and not set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.” Although Paul was a prisoner in bonds, his behavior displayed much ascendancy with dignity. Luke’s narration, as an account of the Lord’s move on earth, does not stress doctrine but the testimony of the Lord’s witnesses (1:8). Hence, in his narration there are no details of doctrines but of the events that occurred to His witnesses, in order to portray their testimonies in their lives. It is especially so with Paul’s voyage in the last two chapters.
Here Paul was a witness of the Lord. Therefore, we should not read Luke’s account merely as a story of a storm at sea. Rather, we need to see in this story the description of the life of one of Christ’s living witnesses.
In 27:21 Paul was frank. The others on board the ship did not have a word to say. Everyone, including the centurion and the navigator, was subdued.
In verse 22 Paul went on to say, “And now I advise you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” They all had lost heart and were waiting for death. Paul, however, told them to cheer up, assuring them there would be no loss of life but only of the ship. Here Paul seems to be saying, “There will be no loss of life among us, but the ship will be lost. Because you did not listen to me, you will lose your ship.”
Verses 23 and 24 continue, “For this very night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood by me, saying, Do not fear, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.” In verse 23 Paul indicated first that he belonged to God and then that he served Him. The Greek word rendered “serve” means to serve as a priest.
In verse 24 the angel assured Paul that he would stand before Caesar. This was to fulfill the Lord’s promise in 23:11 and the apostle’s desire in 19:21.
According to verse 24, God granted to Paul all those who were sailing with him. This indicates that God had given them to Paul and that they were all under him. Apart from Paul’s presence with them, they all would have lost their lives. Here Paul seems to be saying, “Because of me, your lives will be preserved. The Lord has given all of you to me.”
In verses 25 and 26 Paul went on to say, “Wherefore, cheer up, men, for I believe God that it shall be so, even in the way in which it has been spoken to me. But we must run aground on a certain island.” We may regard this word both as an insight and as a prophecy. Paul had the wisdom to see into the situation and to realize what would happen. Because he spoke such a definite word about running aground on a certain island, we may consider this word a prophecy.
In 27:27-44 we have a contrast between the base thought and folly of the sailors and the soldiers and the ascendant wisdom and care of Paul. This indicates that those without Christ are base and foolish. The sailors attempted to flee out of the ship, but they were caught by Paul, who was watching over them like a king. “And when the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship and were lowering the small boat into the sea under pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the small boat and let it fall off” (vv. 30-32). Paul told the centurion and the soldiers that they could not be saved unless the sailors remained in the ship. It seems that Paul was the one in charge, giving orders to his “army” to do what was necessary.
Verses 33 and 34 continue, “And until day was about to come, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued watching without food, taking nothing. Wherefore I encourage you to take some food; for this is for your salvation; for not a hair will perish from the head of any one of you.” They had been watching over the storm for fourteen days, and they did not have the heart to eat anything. Now Paul encouraged them to take food, for it would be for their salvation. The word “salvation” here means that without eating the men would not be saved from the storm. They needed to eat in order to have the strength to swim and to do what was necessary once they were on land.
Verse 35 says, “And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God before all; and he broke it and began to eat.” Here Paul conducted himself like a king, or at least like the head of a large family. He gave thanks for the food and went on to eat. The storm was still raging, the boat was shaking, and they were afraid of losing their lives. Nevertheless, Paul told them to cheer up, to be at peace, and to take some food in order to have the strength they needed. Then, in front of them all, he took the lead to eat. All the others were frightened and did not have the heart to eat. For this reason, Paul set up an example and seemed to be saying, “I am cheerful and at peace. I encourage you to follow me, for I am a man living Christ.” Because Paul took the lead to be cheerful and to eat, “all became cheerful, and they took food” (v. 36). According to verse 37, there were in all “two hundred and seventy-six souls in the ship.” As we have indicated, they all were actually subjects in the kingdom ruled over by Paul.
In 27:30 the sailors wanted to flee, and in verse 42 the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners: “Now the counsel of the soldiers was that they should kill the prisoners, lest anyone should swim away and escape.” However, the Lord in His sovereignty protected Paul. “The centurion, intending to bring Paul safely through, prevented them from their intention and ordered those who were able to swim to throw themselves overboard first and get to the land; and the rest, some on planks, and others on some of the things from the ship. And so it happened that all were brought safely through onto the land” (vv. 43-44). What the centurion did in keeping the soldiers from their intention was once again the sovereignty of the Lord to preserve His servant’s life. Because of the Lord’s sovereign protection of Paul, all those on the ship were brought safely to land, to an island called Malta (28:1).
