Acts 27:11-33

11 Anciently the steersman, or helmsman, or pilot, was captain of the ship, but his duties in larger vessels corresponds to our navigator. The man who chartered the ship traveled as his own supercargo, and was as much interested in the safety of his lading as the navigator was in his ship. Hence his counsel was sought. One lost his ship and the other his cargo for rejecting Paul's advice. The souls on board (including these two men) were given to Paul, and he lost none of them, even though their action endangered all.

12 Ideal Harbors, was not, as its name implies, a sheltered enclosure, but rather an open roadstead. Hence the majority of those on board thought best to reject the Jewish prisoner's advice and seek better winter quarters.

12 "Looking" must be taken from the sailor's standpoint, which is usually the opposite of a landsman's. Phoenix faced east rather than west.

13 As the south wind came up they probably lost all confidence in the pessimistic Jew who had warned them of danger ahead.

14 This typhoon or hurricane was so violent that the vessel could not keep its course, but was carried off in another direction. Had it not been so strong they could have luffed to the wind and used it to carry them to Phoenix.

16 Cauda is usually called Clauda, but as this reading is corrected in Sinaiticus, and the modern name omits the "1," we have made it Cauda.

16 It was customary, in ancient times, to drag a small boat in the water behind the ship. So long as the vessel was being driven by the gale this was safe, but when its speed was temporarily reduced there was great danger of the boat pounding the vessel to pieces or being itself broken up. Hence they held it off, and then hoisted it on board.

17 "Lowering the gear" in order to keep from running into the Syrtis, on the north African coast, must have consisted in lying-to, or setting a small canvas to bring the vessel up as near the wind as possible. This would stop her progress and change her course.

23 That Paul, a mere prisoner, should have presumed to give advice at all shows how quickly he obtained recognition. Now that all wished that he had been heeded, he easily assumes the leadership. They deserve to be lost, and the vessel and its cargo are lost, through rejecting Paul's words. Yet, notwithstanding their disobedience, he is graciously granted the souls of all who are sailing with him. We cannot believe that this shipwreck is merely an interesting adventure in Paul's career without any bearing on the subject of the book of Acts. We have seen how this account gives us only what concerns the kingdom testimony, leaving out important incidents in his life which have no bearing on it. This shipwreck is not mentioned in his later epistles. Hence it must have a close connection with the fortunes of the kingdom. We take it as a parable of Paul's closing kingdom ministry and the fortunes of those who are associated with him in it. They are in the ship and sustained by it just as the nations, under Paul's early ministries are in the kingdom and find their sustenance at Israel's board. But the kingdom is fast going to pieces, Israel as a nation is nearing its end, and now the question is, what is to become of the believers among the nations to whom Paul had preached? Will they be swallowed up in Israel's downfall? The answer is pictured in the salvation of all who sail with Paul and the Loss of the ship with its cargo. The nations lose everything connected with the kingdom but are safely carried through the catastrophe. They lose all earthly hopes, but gain the higher heavenly place accorded them in Paul's epistles from Rome.

27 Those on board ship have the sensation that land is nearing them when the ship approaches a shore and sailors speak of it in this way. Experienced sailors know when they are near land, even if it is invisible, by the distant roar of the breakers and other indications. The danger now lay in striking something in the dark so that they should not be able to reach the shore and save themselves.