Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. "When it was
decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and
some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius.
If you’ve ever seen a
group of prisoners taken from the courthouse to a local jail, it’s a sad
sight. Typically, they’re in chains, heads down, feet and hands
shackled together in a line, as they’re placed onto a bus for
transportation. The Romans were “modern” in many ways and Paul would
have been chained to “some other prisoners”
who were also being transported to Rome for trial and sentencing.
They would, of course, be sent by ship to the Italian peninsula.
Years had now passed,
but Paul had been sustained by the promise (Acts 23:11) that he would “bear
witness at Rome” for the Lord. He was now on his way. A
“cohort” was one of ten divisions of a
Roman legion of soldiers. The centurion (a leader of 100 Roman
soldiers) in charge of the prisoners was a man named Julius, no doubt
named after Julius Caesar. The Augustan cohort would have been named
for Augustus Caesar. We will see that God was to comfort Paul
through this man Julius (verse 3).
Verse 2. And embarking
in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the
coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian
of Thessalonica.
Adramyttium was an old
port city in the Roman Province of Asia. It was south of Troas and
opposite the Island of Lesbos. Paul and the other prisoners were
being placed into that ship, because it was headed in the right direction
and it was ready to sail. Aristarchus was mentioned in Acts 19:29 as
a traveling companion of Paul who was grabbed and taken prisoner by the
mob at Ephesus. He survived that wild time and we find him again
with Paul on his last journey from Corinth to Asia (Acts 20:4).
Aristarchus would have been one of Paul’s first converts at Thessalonica.
It seems likely that he stayed with Paul until he arrived at Jerusalem,
and then followed him to Caesarea. He would now go with Paul to Rome.
Verse 3. "The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his
friends and receive care."
Sidon was an ancient
Phoenician city midway between Beirut and Tyre. Small offshore
islands offered protection and made it an excellent port. The place
had been riddled with Phoenician idolatry (Isaiah 23, Ezekiel 28) and is
mentioned in Matthew 11:21. Jesus visited Sidon, or at least the
area around it (Matthew 15:21), where a Caananite woman was commended by
Jesus for her great faith (Matthew 15:28).
It’s important to note
that God reached out to Paul and comforted him through Julius, the Roman
Centurion who was in charge of the prisoners. “Receive care” was a
phrase in use by medical writers and referred to the care and attention of
the sick. Paul had been in custody for a long time and it is likely
he was not well at the moment. He was apparently allowed by Julius
to go ashore at Sidon and receive help from his friends, who would have
included Dr. Luke, the writer of Acts.
Verse 4. "From there we
put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds
were contrary."
It was now late in
August and “contrary” winds were common at the time. Instead of
continuing to the west, they were turned north by the winds, keeping the
large island of Cyprus to the left of the ship. It’s interesting to
note that to be in the will of God (and Paul was very much in God’s will)
does NOT mean we are to be kept from the “storms” of life.
Paul could have been
“raptured” to Rome in an instant, but instead we find this Chapter (27)
full of storms and difficulties, during the Apostle’s journey. These
events were not just about Paul, but about all who traveled with him,
including Julius and the other Romans, and the sailors on the ship, not to
mention the millions who have read of these events since that time.
It’s the same with your life... These verses are for you.
A question for many,
is, “Why is this happening to ME?” And the answer is often found in the
needs of other people. As Paul observed about such matters, “(God)
comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may
be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with
which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
The Lord has in mind that our problems will help others make sense of
their own suffering, and will lead them to faith in Christ.
Verse 5. "When we had
sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed
at Myra in Lycia."
The ship’s captain
stayed near to the coast, and after turning north around the island of
Cyprus, they went nearly due west to the port city of Myra. On the
journey, they passed the area in southeast Asia Minor called Cilicia,
which contained the city of Tarsus, where Paul was born. Pamphylia
was a small Roman province on the Mediterranean coast. Some of the
people at Pentecost were from Pamphylia (Acts 2:10). Paul had
visited the place on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:13, 14:24),
preaching at Perga, its chief city.
They now landed in the
city of Myra, one of the most southern of the ports in Asia Minor.
Myra was a likely port to place the party of prisoners, jailers, Romans
and Paul’s friends, into the westward flowing stream of traffic from Asia.
In modern times, Myra has been given the name Dembre by the Turks.
They would attempt to find another ship in this place for the remainder of
their trip to Rome. God was with them, but the trip would be
difficult.
Verse 6. "There the
centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us
aboard it."
The Centurion named
Julius, who was in charge of the prisoners being sent from Caesarea, in
Judea, to Rome, Italy, found a ship that was sailing in the right
direction. It was a craft from Alexandria, a city in Egypt founded
by Alexander the Great, in 332 B.C. The merchant ships of that place
were among the largest and finest of the day. Its vessels usually
sailed directly from Alexandria to Puteoli in the Bay of Naples, the
nearest harbor to Rome. But at that time of year, the ship may well
have been driven north by the same contrary winds (verse 4) that had
forced Paul and the others to the north.
It all seems like
“chance” doesn’t it? And yet, the hand of God was leading just these
events for precisely this group of people. They (the sailors and
others on board) would be given the opportunity to take a “cruise” with
the Apostle Paul. He was a repository of Christ, filled with the
Holy Spirit of God, and as such, they would have the opportunity to find
the Lord. “Chance” was not a part of their lives, and it is not a
part of yours, either.
Verse 7. "When we had
sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off
Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under
the shelter of Crete, off Salmone;"
The ship that was
supposed to take Paul to Rome was sailing near the wind, but was making
very little headway. Over many days, they had traveled only about
130 miles, which could have been made in 24-hours with a favorable wind.
This is very much like life for many – you’re trying so hard, but making
such little headway. But God was WITH the Apostle Paul, even when
the going was tough. He’s with you, too, even when the going is
hard.
Cnidus was a city at
the southwest corner of Asia Minor, which they reached with difficulty.
They were unable to go further north and west against the winds, and so
the captain turned the ship south to the Island of Crete. Passing
the Cape of Salmone, they now were traveling along the southern side of
that large island.
Verse 8. "and with difficulty sailing past
it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea."
Their difficulty in
sailing continued. It makes one wonder what factors are involved,
when difficulties come into our lives? God’s will was clearly that
Paul would go to Rome. To what extent was the enemy involved in the
contrary winds that blocked him? We don’t know, but God would get
Paul through, no matter what the opposition to His will.
“With difficulty
sailing past it” was a nautical phrase in the Greek, which included the
meaning, “to sail alongside the coast” (as in the avoidance of a storm).
They were now sheltered from the strong north wind by the Island of Crete,
but the absence of wind left them without forward power. They did
manage to get as far as Fair Havens, anchored there, and some likely went
inland to a town called Lasea.
Verse 9. "When
considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even
the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them,"
Luke, writer of the
Books of Luke and Acts, used the Greek phrase translated here as
“considerable time” on a number of occasions in both his Gospel and in
this Book. In this instance, it probably meant a delay of a couple
of weeks. The voyage would now become even more dangerous as the
journey continued, and those in charge did not know what to do. The
phrase “the fast was already over,” refers to the Day of Atonement, in
October.
Now, true leadership
emerged. From the Roman point of view, this voyage simply involved
the transporting of prisoners to the City of Rome. The ship’s
captain saw all this as an opportunity for profit. For the purposes
of God, this was Paul’s Fourth Missionary Journey. God’s vantage
point, though we often miss it, is always the correct one, for those on
Paul’s journey, as well as on yours and mine.
Verse 10. "and said to
them, 'Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and
great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.'"
In every difficult
situation, a person of vision tends to emerge, for God will make it so.
Because of the Cross of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of God has been
given to those who have faith in our Lord. Understanding, wisdom and
knowledge have been given liberally for the benefit of all in this world.
Whether they know Him or not, all benefits we have are directly or
indirectly from Him and His gifts. It is strange, when you think
about it, that we so often resist the gifts of God in those around us.
The Captain of the
ship they traveled on, and Julius, the Roman Centurion, were supposedly in
charge of the events described in these verses, but they did not know WHAT
was going to happen. Paul the Apostle, the prisoner, DID know,
because God had revealed the immediate future to him, and he was now
openly sharing what was about to occur.
Verse 11. "But the
centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than
by what was being said by Paul."
This is the incredible
response of those in this world: they tend to listen to so-called “logic”
based on a false premise, and “reason”, without having sufficient
information to reach a conclusion. Often people are “persuaded” for
the wrong reasons. Paul the Apostle was wonderfully gifted by the
Lord and did not need to rely on mere human logic. He “saw” in ways
that few in history have ever “seen.”
“If only I could see
God, then I would believe,” is the cry of many. But the fact is, the
world has seen God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, and most have not
believed. Paul had much to say, and he is still speaking through the
Word of God; yet few listen and few believe. It’s time to listen to
the Lord and His Word, who entrusts His Spirit to those who simply BELIEVE
in Him.
Verse 12. "Because the harbor was not
suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea
from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a
harbor of Crete, facing southwest and
northwest, and spend the winter there.
The “majority” reached
a decision to keep on going to the west, though the Lord, through the
Apostle Paul, had just told them “the voyage will
certainly be with damage and great loss” (verse 10).
“Phoenix”, a place of various names, including “Phineka,” and “Loutro”,
was a harbor with an inland town, a location that would give them some
protection for the winter.
If they continued the
journey, they would face fierce winds, which, under their present
circumstance, was not a good decision. The leader of the Romans
(Julius) was thinking about his orders, which meant he should get the
prisoners to Rome as soon as possible. The ship’s Captain had a
cargo that “must” be delivered. Many of our “majority” decisions in
the present are like this one, in which we grab a solution out of need
rather than acting with good sense.
Verse 13. "When a
moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their
purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.
As they left their
present location, a gentle south wind came up and lifted the sails into
the direction they wanted to go. It was viewed as a sign of “good
luck”, and they pushed on, deciding they had been right and the Apostle
Paul was wrong. Similar conclusions are made thousands of times each
day in our “modern” world, involving such decisions as whether to buy or
sell on the stock market. We look for “signs,” much like these
people of long ago.
I lost the first
thousand dollars I ever saved, by investing the money in what the stock
broker called a “sure thing.” Indeed, his (and my) decision looked
good for awhile, but then suddenly the company was gone and so was my
thousand dollars. The men in charge of Paul’s ship felt good about
what they were doing, and were prudent, remaining close to the shore in
case something did go wrong.
Verse 14. "But before
very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo;
The people of the time
(2000 years ago) had names for certain weather conditions, much like we do
today. Hurricanes are almost human in their ferocity and so we call
them by human names. We call winds by titles, such as: El Nino, La
Nina, Typhoons, Cyclones and so on. Hot, seasonal winds blowing
toward the coast in California, USA, are termed “Santa Ana” winds.
This was a strong
headwind that came down on them from the Island of Crete. They were
south of the island, heading west, but (verse 15) were stopped dead in the
water by the force of the “Euraquilo”. It would be very dangerous to
a ship with large sails, such as the one they were on. They knew
what was happening, but were caught by a force greater than they were and
could do nothing about it.
Verse 15. "and when the
ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and
let ourselves be driven along.”
The word for “driven”
was used only three times in the New Testament, and each time by the
writer Luke, in such places as Luke 8:29, where the man “was driven by the
demon into the wilderness.” It was a common term in Classical Greek
(known very well to Dr. Luke), most often used for the kind of storm that
literally blows everything away. The vessel was in great trouble,
for the captain and crew were no longer in control. It was the storm
that now sailed the ship.
There are times when
life will simply come and take you away. No matter how carefully you
have managed your money, marriage, or other circumstances, something like
a “Euroquilo” (verse 14) will sweep you off. Never fear. Give
yourself to Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul had done, and every seeming
“disaster” in your life will work for God’s glory and your ultimate good.
Verse 16. “Running under the
shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the
ship's boat under control.”
Clauda is an island
just south and west of the Island of Crete, which was called “Caudos” by
Pliny, in his “Natural History.”
The life (ship’s) boat towed by the ship was nearly being swept away at
that moment. When in Israel, during the year 2000, we stopped half
way across the Sea of Galilee on a 35-foot craft, so Pastor Jim Schorr
could deliver one of his excellent Bible studies. He was talking
about the time a sudden storm came up and frightened Jesus’ disciples,
when a sudden storm DID come up and started spinning our boat around in
circles on the anchor.
In Israel, we had an
engine, and the crew members smiled as they got the craft back under
control. The captain and crew of the vessel that contained the
Apostle Paul, had no engine, and the crew members were, of course, NOT
smiling. Paul had received instruction from the Lord, and had urged
them to remain at Crete (verse 21). He knew that it’s difficult,
once you’ve set out in the wrong direction, to get things back under
control.
Verse 17. “After they had
hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and
fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let
down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along.”
It was quite a normal
practice for ships of that day to carry strong rope or sometimes chain,
which they used to tightly “under gird” the vessel at various points, to
keep it from breaking up in a storm. The sailors who attached the
cables were very brave and some were inevitably lost at such times.
Marble tablets were found, about 150 years ago, describing a large ship
that carried as inventory, twelve such supporting cables. It was a
standard shipping practice of the time.
What they hoisted up
to the deck of the larger vessel was the “ship’s boat” (verse 16), which
was a kind of life boat, often towed behind a cargo ship. The Syrtis
Major, as it was called¸ was an area of shallows off the north coast of
Africa, considered very dangerous for its rocks and shoals. At this
time, they were being driven along by the storm, out of control to the
extent that they were dragging the anchor, in hope of slowing themselves
down.
Verse 18. “The next day as we
were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo;”
There comes a time
when your life becomes more important than your money. If told by a
surgeon that your life depends on a certain surgical procedure, you are
likely to be willing to pay anything to keep on living. The captain
of the ship was now at a point when he would give up his financial future
for a chance to live another day. The storm was violent and getting
worse, and their choices were becoming fewer by the moment.
It’s not clear whether
he owned the ship or its cargo. If he did not own one or the other,
his career was in trouble. The owners would be after him for
repayment. If he did have ownership, then all he had worked for, all
those years, was being thrown overboard before his very eyes. On his
order, the crew began lightening the load of the ship by dumping the
ship’s cargo into the sea.
Verse 19. “and on the third
day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands.”
The ship was, by now,
undoubtedly leaking badly, in spite of the under girding by cables that
was mentioned in verse 17. All on board had undoubtedly heard
frightening tales told by survivors of wrecked ships. Their present
circumstances would have seemed very similar to those stories.
“Tackle” was a word used for the “gear” or “equipment” of a ship, which
meant they were now throwing overboard anything that wasn’t nailed down.
Essential items were
being thrown into the sea to lighten the vessel just a little bit more, so
they might live one more day, another hour. That’s often true for
the cancer patient, who, along with those who love them, will try ANYTHING
for the person to live just a little bit longer. Any money will be
spent, all rumors of “miracle cures” will be followed. There are
times in our lives when desperation rules. At that point, remember
Jesus Christ, for He is the One you really need.
Verse 20. “Since neither sun
nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us,
from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.”
The absence of sun or
stars meant no kind of competent navigation was possible. They did
not have any idea where they were. Rocks could be right in front of
them at that very moment and they would not know. They were
gradually abandoning all hope of living further. Have you lost all
hope? There are wonderful words that Paul wrote, which include, “Christ
in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). There is hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ, even when all seems otherwise lost.
Without him, the most
wonderful circumstances in life will ultimately end in the loss of –
everything! For most who end up in homes for the aged, it’s like the
sun and stars have gone out, a storm is upon them, and all hope is
gradually abandoned. In Him, you have a certain hope, leading to a
glorious future that will never end. God offers you JOY in Jesus
Christ – Will you say “yes” to Him?
Verse 21. “When they had gone
a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said,
‘Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from
Crete and incurred this damage and loss.’”
The words, “I told you
so” are not really what we want to hear during times of great distress,
but Paul had words they needed – He would show them that God watches out
for ordinary people like you and me. In verse 10, we saw that he
knew, through the power and enabling of the Lord, just how difficult this
journey would be. They hadn’t listened at that time, but possibly
they would listen now.
They were hungry.
People tend to listen when they have acute needs. That is why it is
important to note Jesus’ words, when He said, “I
am the Bread of Life (John 6:35).” God offers Jesus Christ,
who is just as necessary to the soul as bread is to a hungry man. We
are all starving for that which is real and lasting, and He is indeed the
“Bread of Life” for you right now.
Verse 22. “Yet now I urge you
to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but
only of the ship.”
This is extremely
specific. There were at least dozens of people on board that ship,
including Romans, the ship’s crew, prisoners in chains, and the friends of
Paul, along with whatever passengers might also have sailed with them.
The storm was so bad that it was unlikely any of them would live on.
The ship would go down. They could all see that was going to happen.
But would all survive? – Impossible, it was thought.
The end of human
abilities is often where God begins His work. He had in mind the
salvation of every prisoner, Roman and sailor on that ship, and if Paul
was right about what was going to happen, then God is real! How else
could someone know precisely that the ship would be lost, but the people
would survive? Read this historical account carefully, for God is
certainly real, and He cares for you just as much as for Paul.
Verse 23. “For this very
night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before
me,”
The Lord was
continuing to speak to Paul, this time through an angel, a supernatural
messenger sent from God. We are surrounded and kept safe by God’s
holy angels. No matter how strong we might feel, we would not be
alive right now, except that God has brought us to this point. He
watches over you and me, and He assigns capable beings to get us through.
You might decide that it’s egocentric to think that you and I have some
kind of heavenly protection.
That would indeed be
the case, except for one thing – We really ARE under the protection of
beings sent by God. These verses are a historical account of events
that happened 2000 years ago. The words were by Dr. Luke, a careful
observer who wrote what he saw and heard. And this is a clear record
of God’s intervention in the lives of ordinary human beings. To deny
that He lives and watches out for people, is to deny history. You
are being watched over and cared for, right now.
Verse 24. “saying, ‘Do
not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has
granted you all those who are sailing with you.’”
Paul had been in
custody at Caesarea, and he still is in custody on the ship in these
verses. Then, like now, Paul had become discouraged and afraid.
We see that in the words of the Lord to him, which included, “take
courage” and he was told that he would testify for the Lord in Rome
(Acts 23:11). Time had passed - Paul had remained in custody at
Caesarea for more than two more years (Acts 24:27), but the words of the
Lord had sustained him.
Now he was afraid
again, and the Lord comforted him by sending His angelic messenger,
telling this man of God, “Don’t be afraid, Paul,”
for he had indeed become fearful once more. A storm surrounded them
right at that moment. The ship was out of control and it looked like
Paul might NEVER get to Rome! The crew wasn’t LISTENING to him!
But God was there for him, just as He is for you and me. Trust in
Him and He will comfort you.
Verse 25. “Therefore,
keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly
as I have been told.”
What does it take to
have courage in the face of imminent disaster? It certainly helps to
not be alone at such times. It also is extremely important to be
with Someone who can safely lead you through the mess you’re in.
Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth;
for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will
speak; and He will tell you things to come” (John 16:13).
From a human
perspective, there was only disaster ahead of Paul and the others on the
ship with him. As a group, they were ALL losing their courage,
because they now had no hope. But, just like Jesus said, the Holy
Spirit reveals the TRUTH about what is happening and will tell you things
to come. The men on the ship were shaken, without hope, and they
expected to die, but they now looked at Paul, and dazed though they were,
they LISTENED to the word of God through God’s man.
Verse 26 "But we must run
aground on a certain island.”
The words of the
Apostle Paul in this verse didn’t sound so helpful to those who were
listening! They were going to run aground – among the very WORST
words a sailor could hear (akin to being taken by a sea monster)!
But they had no one else to listen to, except their own fears, and they
were tired of listening to that. So they listened to Paul some more.
They were going to run
aground on a CERTAIN island. You and I may “run aground” in some
manner, in the future. But also note that just like God knew which
island it would be, He knew the circumstances of your life before you were
ever born. He KNOWS where your life will “crash” and when it will
not. He knows what the outcome of your circumstances will be.
It’s time NOW to trust in Him who knows and loves you; and then you will
understand He is WITH you, when the “crash” does come.
Verse 27. “But when the fourteenth night
came, as we were being driven about in the
Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were
approaching some land.”
They were still being
swept along, out of control, driven by the fierce winds that sailors of
the time called the “Euraquilo” or “Euroclydon” (verse 14). These
were experienced men who now received good news and bad news from the sea
around them. Even though it was midnight, they could sense the
changes that were occurring in relation to the ship. The good news
was that they were FINALLY coming to land.
The bad news was the
same thing. They were still moving far too fast, wildly out of
control, and any land they might encounter would smash the ship’s hull to
bits. The confident words of Paul (verse 26) were largely forgotten
by the worried sailors, as they heard the words inside themselves that
nobody wants to hear: “I’m going to die!”
Verse 28. “They took
soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they
took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms.”
Sure enough, they
dropped a weighted rope into the sea, trying to determine the depth of the
water around them. A “fathom” was about six feet, so the first
sounding told them about 120 feet of water was under the ship at that
moment. Not very much further, they dropped the line again, and this
time, it was only fifteen fathoms, which was about ninety feet.
Indeed, the ship seemed to be heading straight for land!
Most people make every
effort to determine the future. An economist applies algebraic
formulas in an attempt to determine the direction of the economy.
Political analysts, for thousands of years, have tried to understand the
moves that governments will take. You’re probably trying to decide
what will happen to YOU! The people of this world are pretty good at
reading signs, but we need more, because crashes will come - we need the
Lord!
Verse 29. “Fearing that
we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from
the stern and wished for daybreak.”
The desperate actions
of the ship's crew continued throughout the night. They knew that
the ship was lost, and in spite of Paul's words to the contrary (verse 24
& context), it was thought they were all going to die. This is so
typical of the responses of many people. All is well and life seems
like smooth sailing, but then trouble comes, the night falls, and
desperation rules. At such times it’s hard to listen, but we look
for a "ray of sunshine" in the darkness of the moment, and we struggle to
survive.
The "bow" is the front
or forward part of the ship, while the "stern" is the rear of the vessel.
Ships were usually anchored from the bow, but preserved vessels of the
time have been found with "hawser" holes for anchors also in the stern.
They were hoping to slow down this vessel, which was being driven by the
storm at a high rate of speed straight toward the land they felt was right
ahead.
Verse 30. “But as the sailors
were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship's boat into
the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow,”
A small boat might
well have been safer at such a moment. That was the thought of the
ship's sailors, who pretended they were using the ship's lifeboat to put
down more anchors at the front of the vessel, but they really were
"jumping ship" like the "rats" they were. They would leave the Roman
soldiers, prisoners and other passengers on the ship to die, while they,
themselves, could hopefully escape with their lives.
We see a lot of this
in corporations, businesses and governments. The phrase "golden
parachute" has come into common usage in our society, because so many will
strip organizations of assets, take them for themselves, and then "jump
ship", hopefully into a life of personal ease. They didn't foresee
that the Holy Spirit of God was on board the ship, revealing their
intentions to Paul the Apostle. God would show them for what they
were, just as He will reveal you and me.
Verse 31. “Paul said to the
centurion and to the soldiers, ‘Unless these men remain in the ship, you
yourselves cannot be saved.’”
The sailors aboard the
doomed vessel were preparing to sneak away on the ship's lifeboat, hoping
the smaller craft might survive, if the large ship was lost. They wanted
to escape and had decided they did not care if Julius the Centurion and
other Roman soldiers, the prisoners and all the passengers were lost. But
God revealed their plan to Paul the Apostle, who spoke to Julius with
words sure to catch his attention.
Paul essentially said,
"If the sailors go, you and your soldiers will die!" You may have
wondered in life: "How could this situation happen to ME?" The answer is
that God has in mind your salvation, and He will allow events in your life
to become intensely personal, until such time that you finally trust in
Him. It was God's intention that ALL on board would be saved, and He has
salvation in mind for you, as well. Julius wanted to live and he had
become fascinated by the Word of God expressed through Paul – he was the
right man for Paul to address. Julius would do something about the
problem!
Verse 32. “Then the soldiers
cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it fall away.”
Julius the Centurion
LISTENED to Paul's words (verse 31) and told his Roman soldiers to ACT
immediately. At his command, the men rushed to the bow (front) of the
ship, drew their swords and hacked the ropes until the ship's lifeboat
fell away into the sea. Julius had learned during this journey, that
Paul's words had the authority of God in them. Just like Julius, when we
finally understand that we are hearing the Word of God, we must ACT in
response to His Word.
There are activities
in your life that must be cut away. The lifeboat looked promising, and
indeed, it might have saved the lives of some. But God, in that
circumstance, had the intention that ALL would be saved. No doubt people
all over the ship had been praying for deliverance, but not only must we
ask, but it is also important to pray "according to (God's) will", and if
we do, God hears us and answers (1 John 5:14-15). Julius had heard and
responded to the will of God, just like you and I must do.
Verse 33. “Until the day was
about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying,
‘Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and
going without eating, having taken nothing.’”
The days of the storm
had become weeks, and they were filled with the weariness that comes from
work based in constant fear. Some may have snatched a bite from time to
time, but essentially they had eaten nothing for a full two weeks. In
addition to the constant work, they may have also been ordered to conserve
food in case they ended up shipwrecked and could not immediately find
anything to eat.
There are times to
conserve your assets and there are other times you should use them up.
The future is so uncertain that it’s difficult to tell WHAT you should do
with the assets God has entrusted to you. But take heart, for as we are
seeing in these Chapters, God does watch out for His own and He will lead
you through. Learn to trust in Him now. Take His Son, Jesus Christ, as
your own, receive His forgiveness and His Spirit, and He will show you
what must be done in your life.
Verse 34. “Therefore I encourage you to take
some food, for this is for your
preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”
The sailors, soldiers
and passengers on board the storm-tossed ship, had essentially not eaten
for fourteen days. They were full of fears, tired of the orders they had
been receiving from those in charge, and they were hungry. God's first
choice for us is that we FEAST together in His presence. Going without
food is often our choice, not His. He who owns the cattle on a thousand
hills, can feed you from nothing, just as He did for the people Israel,
during forty years in the desert.
And note that a "fast"
has little to nothing whatever to do with going without food. God
thoroughly defines a "fast" in Isaiah Chapter 58. Start with
approximately verse 6 of that Chapter, where the Lord asks the question, "Is
this not the fast that I have chosen", and then continues by
teaching us this truth: A "fast" is when we give up something we have, in
order to help someone else. IF I give up my food, it's to hand my plate
to a hungry person.
In this instance, on
the ship, they had God's command that they were to EAT, and His promise
that ALL of them would live. It was important for them to listen and
respond, and it’s the same for you and me.
Verse 35. “Having said this,
he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke
it and began to eat.”
As a leader in the
Body of Christ (if we know Him, we are His leaders), you need to not only
tell others what God has indicated you to say, but you are also to LIVE as
He directs. No doubt, the crew and soldiers had been praying incessantly
to whatever "gods" they knew about, hoping that the storm would cease and
they might live. Many had, no doubt, pledged to some "god" or another,
that they would not eat until they were OK.
Here was Paul, who
told them that 1) it was God's will for them to LIVE, and 2) God's will
for them to EAT. Rather than just speak words, Paul, picked up a loaf of
bread, broke it while standing on the storm-tossed ship’s deck, gave
thanks to God, and began to eat. They all watched him with frightened
eyes, expecting "Thor" or some other "god" to strike him for eating, but
nothing happened.
Verse 36. “All of them were
encouraged and they themselves also took food.”
For weeks, the sailors
and others on the ship had been buffeted by intense winds that were
carrying the vessel to its doom. They were tired, and for whatever
combination of reasons, had essentially not eaten food for the past two
weeks. The word "encouraged" had not been in their vocabulary for what
must have seemed like a very long time.
But now, Paul the
Apostle, the Roman prisoner, had been prompted by the Holy Spirit of God
to tell them 1) they would live, and 2) they should eat. Isn't it
wonderful that we have the written Word of God? Here is the historical
account of a disastrous set of circumstances, and yet, God was still in
charge. The crew, soldiers and other passengers, believing Paul's words
and actions, began to eat.
Verse 37. “All of us in the
ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons.”
"Two hundred and
seventy-six" represents a lot of people, indicating this was quite a large
ship for the time. Note that God had each individual in focus. He knew
how many there were; knew them individually by name. We know the names of
Paul the Apostle, Julius the Centurion, and Luke, who was not only the
writer of this Book, but also a passenger on the ship. We know little
more, even about those around us right now; even about ourselves.
But God knows us all.
For the most part, the human beings of this world are just numbers to the
rest of us. The numbers "six billion" or "ten billion" people, might tell
us something about the quantity, but what about the names, the hopes,
intentions, needs and dreams of each one? God knows us all intimately and
longs that we will be His. Trust in the Lord now, for He not only knows
you, but He will also bring you through.
Verse 38. “When they had
eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat
into the sea.”
Here is desperation
carried to a very high degree. A few people on board, including Julius
the Centurion and the friends of Paul who accompanied him, BELIEVED the
words of Paul the Apostle, who spoke the Word of God to them. Most of
them did not, and they were still throwing things overboard, hoping
desperately to jettison just enough to lighten the ship sufficiently to
get them safely to land.
If you look carefully
at history, or the records of meetings in corporate or government
boardrooms, you will find a similar desperation to what we see in these
verses. Most human organizations are simply accidents waiting to happen,
tossed by the "storms" of life, inches and moments ahead of disaster. On
this ship, they tossed even their remaining food over the side, but they
were offered more - Christ was with them, just as He is with you; and He
intends that you will be safe in Him.
Verse 39. “When day came, they could not
recognize the land; but they did observe a
bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they
could.”
FINALLY, it was light
enough to see, after the long night of the storm, and sure enough, the
sailors and others looked ahead and saw land. They were going to hit
SOMETHING, and they were angling for as soft a landing as possible. If
they could just get the ship to the beach, it was possible the ship might
come through, and maybe, just maybe, they would live. They did not
recognize the place, but ANYTHING was better than the tension of the last
few weeks. They would go there if they could.
The Greek words for "a
bay with a beach" refer to a sandy or pebbly beach, with a gradual ascent
from the water. If only they could reach it, they thought, they might be
saved. They should have listened to the words of the Apostle Paul, who
had repeatedly told them the ship would be lost, but all the people would
be saved. In all your concerns about tomorrow, you might think about
reading the Bible, especially the Book of Revelations. It's a "difficult"
Book, full of violence and trouble, but it has a very "happy ending" for
those who trust in the Lord, allowing you to live well, end well and then
spend eternity with Him.
Verse 40. “And casting off
the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were
loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind,
they were heading for the beach.”
This is like driving
into the fast lane on a modern highway, with plenty of speed, but no
brakes. They now cut the lines and let the ship's anchors go. They
hoisted the big sail at the front of the boat, and let it GO toward the
beach, with the full winds of the storm behind them. Some would have
shouted and others would have been silent, as the last moment of this
journey (and possibly their lives) was unfolding before them.
They were now without
brakes (their anchors were gone) and rudderless, completely driven by the
storm, with no control whatsoever. Note this was the ultimate test of the
words of Paul. He had told them that all the people would live, but the
ship would be lost. In much the same manner, you and I will be tested by
the storms of life. Are the words of faith we have uttered, real or not?
We will know, and so will those around us.
Verse 41. “But striking a
reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck
fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the
force of the waves.”
The Apostle is
continuing on his very unexpected “Third Missionary Journey.” Paul’s ship
had been traveling at breakneck speed, blown by the storm toward the beach
of some island - which one they did not yet know. They had hoped to run
the ship up onto the beach, but now, something unexpected happened.
Two currents in the
sea ran toward one place and collided near the beach. Under the whitecaps
at that spot was a hidden reef, which they suddenly hit, and the ship was
jolted to a stop. Those on board would have been thrown onto the decks or
into ship's walls, at the suddenness of this occurrence. The waves
continued to crash into them from behind, and the "stern" (the rear) of
the ship began to break into pieces.
Verse 42. “The soldiers' plan
was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and
escape;”
Under the Roman system
of government, which was derived from Greek governmental systems, the
lives of all Roman citizens were considered important. Surrounding
nations were invaded and territories annexed, in an attempt to create
"buffer" provinces to protect the citizens of the Roman Empire. Harsh
penalties existed for criminal acts, with the idea of protecting Roman
citizenry from those who would do them harm.
When criminals were
apprehended, every effort was made to keep them in custody, and if that
could not work for whatever reason, the prisoners were to be summarily
killed. If they escaped, the jailers were themselves to be killed. This
was motivation carried to a very high degree and it was therefore
reasonable that the soldiers would want to kill Paul the Apostle and the
other prisoners.
Verse 43. “but the centurion,
wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and
commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to
land,”
Julius the Centurion
had been deeply moved by the person, words, and life of the Apostle Paul.
We saw in Verse 42, that if Paul and the other prisoners escaped, his own
life would be forfeit. In Roman legions, the soldiers were fiercely loyal
to one another. A Centurion such as Julius was in an honored position,
and in addition, he protected his men. It went both ways, for the men
were loyal to Julius, trusting him to the point of being willing to die at
his command.
And so it was at this
moment. Julius gave the order and the soldiers obeyed. Because of the
Apostle Paul, ALL the prisoners would be allowed to try and make it to
shore. Those who could swim, whether prisoners or not, were to jump
first, and then the others would follow. This was a VERY personal
sacrifice for those involved, and Julius would soon KNOW if this little
Apostle was really sent by the living God.
Verse 44. “and the rest
should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship.
And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”
The rest of Julius the
Centurion's plan was unfolding in this verse. After those who could swim
had jumped into the water and headed for the shore, the others were to
take anything that would float, hold on tight, and jump into the sea.
Their fear at that time would have been complete, except for Julius the
Centurion, who was becoming, through the words and actions of Paul, a
believer in Jesus Christ; and also the Apostle himself and his
companions. They were trusting in God.
They all made it
safely to land! That was what God had promised and that was what
happened. They were ALIVE because of the Word of God. The purpose of
Almighty God is that you will have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and
that, believing, you will be saved. Some who read these words will
believe and others will not. That is your choice. You can stay on the
"ship" of this sinking world, or you can jump into His arms and be saved
by trusting in Him.
Lord, I trust in You,
now. I believe that You died for me and then rose from the dead, becoming
my Substitute, that I might live. Forgive me, Lord, for all I have
thought and done. Set me free from my sins that I might live for You. In
Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
