On the road to Rome, part 1: Caesarea to Crete
Text, Acts 27:1-12, KJV: 1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. 2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. 4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. 7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; 8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. 9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. 11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. 12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
--Luke was clearly with Paul and others on this voyage; note the "we" in many verses. Some have observed that Luke uses a number of nautical terms not found anywhere else in the Scriptures (see Dr. A. T. Robertson’s notes and comments on this chapter, at https://godrules.net/library/robert/robertact27.htm, and The Pulpit Commentary https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/acts/27.htm for two such references).
--Paul was under the care of a Roman centurion named Julius. Paul was fortunate, indeed blessed, to be protected by honorable men such as Lysias and Julius. There were other prisoners under the custody of Julius but nothing more is said about them until later in the chapter.
--The first part of the voyage seemed to be on a rather small craft compared to a “ship of Alexandria” which could hold 276 people in relative comfort plus various other cargoes.
--Julius gave Paul some liberty to visit friends in Sidon. He had previously stopped at Tyre on his journey to Jerusalem two years before, or longer, and found disciples there. Here in Sidon, he found other friends and they refreshed his spirit. Praise the Lord for good friends.
--Luke kept a record of each stop or “port of call”, as some refer to the various harbors a ship would visit.
--At Myra, Paul and the others were transferred to a “ship of Alexandria”, most likely a large, ocean-going vessel. Wikipedia has an on-line article about various types of Roman ships at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ships_of_ancient_Rome
--Some (Robertson, et al.) believe “the fast” referred to the Jewish observance of the Day of Atonement, sometime between mid-September and mid-October (the Jewish calendar was based on the moon or lunar cycles, compared to solar calendars). Whedon stated the “fast” was the first or great day of atonement and placed the date as his September 23 (https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/whedon-s-commentary-on-the-bible/494239); earlier, Thomas Coke estimated the date as September 25, also mentioning the dangerous winds and waves affecting the Mediterranean (https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/thomas-coke-commentary-on-the-holy-bible/120348).
--Paul warned the leaders about the risk in sailing at this late date but Julius, the centurion, believed the “master and owner”, or, perhaps, the captain and the owner, that they could find a better harbor. Crete was about 150 miles across; “Fair Havens” was about the middle of the southern shore, and Phoenix was about 40-50 miles further west along the shore (https://bibleatlas.org/full/crete.htm). On paper, it didn’t look like too much of a challenge or problem, but they were about to find out otherwise.
On the road to Rome, part 2: The Storm at Sea
Text, Acts 27:13- 26, KJV: 13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. 15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. 16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: 17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
--The “south wind blew softly” and experienced mariners should have known about this, the almost “calm before the storm”. I’m still puzzled why the ship set out, trying to reach the west, when the wind would blow them south.
--Luke next adds that a “tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon” arrived. “Euroclydon”, according to several commentators, is a partly Greek and partly Latin word for the northeast wind. The winds had completely changed, from a soft south wind to a blustering “nor’easter”.
--“Clauda” is also called “Cauda”; it’s another small island that would be about 30 miles southwest of Fair Havens and maybe 20 nearly due south of Phoenix/Phenice.
--“Undergirding the ship” meant the sailors, and possibly others, ran ropes or cables under the hull. One reason was to keep the planks together and reduce the risk of the ship flooding (see Coke, https://bibleportal.com/commentary/section/thomas-coke-commentary-on-the-holy-bible/120355; Ellicott, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/27.htm and John Trapp, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/27.htm, for three references.
--The “quicksands” refer to a very dangerous part of the Mediterranean near the North African coast (Ellicott; also Barnes, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/27.htm and Matthew Poole, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/27.htm).
--Now notice the increasing desperation of the crew: first, they “lightened the ship”—definition not certain; the next day, “we (note how Luke includes himself here) cast out the ‘tackling (definitions vary but include furniture, etc.)’”. Dr. A. T. Robertson observed “it was getting desperate (https://godrules.net/library/robert/robertact27.htm)”.
--In the midst of all this desperation and discouragement, Paul brought some very good news. First he reminded them that if they had stayed in Crete, they wouldn’t be in the mess they were in now. Then he said, “Be of good cheer, the only thing that will be lost will be the ship itself”. He backed up his words with a reference to a message from an angel of the God Whom Paul served. Some note a stirring burst of faith when he spoke of “the God Whose I am, and Whom I serve”. These words must have struck the others in the party as well.
--Paul added other words but closed by saying “we must be cast upon a certain island”. Nobody knew which one at the time, but they were about to find out.
On the road to Rome, part 3: The Shipwreck on Malta
A The events of the night
Text, Acts 27:27-44, KJV: 27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country; 28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. 30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
--The “fourteenth night” meant they had been driven here and there all over the Mediterranean Sea for two weeks. Whether this means 14 days from leaving Crete or 14 days in the storm is debated but one thing is for certain: they were in trouble and they all knew it.
--A “fathom” is six feet down from the ship into the water. Twenty fathoms would be 120 feet below the ship, and fifteen would be 90. The water was getting more and more shallow. We don’t know when the sailors took these soundings but most likely there wasn’t much time between them. If they were approaching land, they wanted to be prepared.
--This vessel, at least, had four anchors for the rear (stern) of the ship. These were cast down into the sea. Luke adds “they . . . wished for the day” as this was still in the pre-dawn hours at best.
--As is so often true, there were and are those who think only of themselves. Luke adds that “the shipmen (sailors, Robertson and others)” wanted to escape and had planned to lower the small boat, pretend to let out anchors from the bow, and then save themselves.
--Paul knew what they were up to and informed the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless THEY stay in the ship, YOU won’t be saved.” Many commentators note that Paul didn’t include himself in this message but certainly did those who were responsible for him, a Roman citizen!
--The soldiers, listening to Paul and perhaps with the centurion’s approval cut off the ropes and let the (little) boat fall off into the sea. All of this, before the sun had risen.
B The events of early morning
Text, Acts 27:33-38, KJV: 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. 37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
--Luke now says “the day was coming on” which probably means the sun had begun to rise. Plenty of things had happened during the night, and the storm was still going on.
--Now Paul mentioned they had “continued fasting” for fourteen days. Few people can go without eating anything for two weeks, but then few people have been tossed about in a storm for two weeks. Probably nobody was really that hungry, or they may have been too sick to eat. Barnes’ Notes has some helpful information at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/acts/27.htm
--Then Paul encouraged them “ . .to take some meat” or, as we’d say, “Eat something!” He went on to say the food was for their health and that nobody would even lose a hair from his head.
--Paul also proved his sincerity by taking some bread, breaking it, and beginning to eat some of it after he gave thanks. He had already mentioned ‘the God Whom I serve and Whose I am” and was truly grateful he and the others had survived thus far. Barnes also mentioned that the passengers would need to eat and gain some strength for what was about to come.
--The others followed suit, being in good cheer, and they also all ate something. Luke records there were 276 passengers on the ship.
--Whatever they ate seemed to work, as afterwards, “they (unspecified, but probably not Luke” lightened the ship cast out the wheat into the sea” As incredible as it seems now, Egypt and much of north Africa was once considered the breadbasket of the Roman Empire. Centuries before, Egypt had grown enough grain to feed much of that part of the world in the days of Joseph (Genesis 41-42).
C The events during the day
Text, Acts 27:39-44, KJV: 39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. 40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. 41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. 42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: 44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
--Apparently, either the wind, the current, or both, drove the ship towards an unknown piece of land (to the sailors). These sailors did notice a certain “creek” with a shore and tried to steer the ship onto that land.
--“Taken up” the anchors could mean they “weighed” anchor or brought them back onto the ship, or, it could mean they let the anchors drop from the ship, loose, onto the sea bed (for example. Benson’s commentary, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/acts/27.htm: Ellicott’s commentary at https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/acts/27.htm and Robertson’s “Word Pictures in the Greek New Testament at https://godrules.net/library/robert/robertact27.htm).
--The sailors also let the rudders down (see notes above) and put down one of the sails (descriptions vary). The goal was to get the ship beached on the ground they saw,
--The ship did run aground, but while the “forepart stuck fast” the “hinderpart” or rear section began to be broken by the waves—this implied the storm was still going on.
--Incredibly the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners, so that they could not swim away and escape! Paul had promised that God was going to save the lives of all on board—and these soldiers propose this!
--The centurion put a stop to this “plan” and said, “No”. He also gave the command that those who could swim, do so, and the rest to use planks or other pieces of the ship.
--Luke adds that “they all escaped safe to land” even though nobody may have known just where they were at that moment. They would find out, soon enough, and Paul would one day make his journey to Rome complete.
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)
