"And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy" Festus made this decision and apparently arrangements were made as soon as possible. "We" Luke will travel with Paul and some feel that Aristarchus was with the group as well (Acts 20:4; Colossians 4:10). Luke had come with Paul to Jerusalem (A... [ Continue Reading ]
"Embarking" We assume that the port of departure was Caesarea. "In an Adramyttian ship" The name here is pronounced add rah mitt ee um. The ship was so named because it originated from the city by this name, which was an important seaport of the Roman province of Asia. The site is now called Karatas... [ Continue Reading ]
"Sidon" This city was about 70 miles north of Caesarea, and the voyage could be easy made in 24 hours. "And Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care" That is, Paul was allowed to spend time with the brethren in Sidon. Paul had passed through his re... [ Continue Reading ]
"Sailed under the shelter of Cyprus" The ship headed north after leaving Sidon. "During this time of year (it was getting late in the sailing season-Acts 27:9) the prevailing winds, called Etesian winds, blow from the west and northwest. As they sail northward, they would sail past the east side of... [ Continue Reading ]
Once they had passed Cyprus there was. stretch of open sea to be cross before they arrived near the southern coast of Cilicia. "Myra" Pronounced my ruh was one of the chief cities of Lycia (lish ih uh), and was situated on the river Andriacus.... [ Continue Reading ]
"There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy" This ship was from Alexandria in Egypt, she was headed for Rome with. load of grain (Acts 27:38) and accommodated 276 persons (Acts 27:37). About 300 years earlier Egypt had become the breadbasket of Rome, and. whole fleet of ships wa... [ Continue Reading ]
"When we had sailed slowly for. good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus" The distance from Myra to the island of Cnidus was 130 miles, and could have been covered in. little more than. day, but the sailing was slow and tedious because of. contrary wind. Cnidus was. harbor on the C... [ Continue Reading ]
"And with difficulty" But such. trip still was tedious, difficult and taxed the expertise of the crew. "Fair Havens" "Fair Havens was nothing more than. small bay. In fact the nearest town was two hours' walk to the east, called Lasea" (Reese p. 896). "Lasea" The name of this town is pronounced luh... [ Continue Reading ]
"When considerable time had passed" "Five miles west of Fair Havens lies Cape Matala, and beyond Cape Matala the south coast of Crete trends away suddenly to the north. There was no more protection from the northwest wind. This is why they waited at Fair Havens for the wind to change. The much time... [ Continue Reading ]
"I perceive" Later on Paul will be given revelation from God on the final outcome, thus the expression "I perceive" may be the result of Paul's experience as. seasoned traveler. Paul had already endured three shipwrecks and. night in the ocean hanging on for dear life (2 Corinthians 11:25). "But als... [ Continue Reading ]
"The centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship" That is, he trusted the experts. The pilot was the helmsman or steersman, who occupied an important position at the stern of ancient ships. He steered the ship and gave directions to the crew. In the end the centurion had th... [ Continue Reading ]
"Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering" Fair Havens did give immediate shelter from the northwest gales, yet it was open to all other points of the compass. "It would put. strain on Lasea, too, to show hospitality to 276 people through the winter" (Reese p. 899). "The majority" Apparentl... [ Continue Reading ]
"When. moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had gained their purpose" The stormy northwest wind ceased and. southwest wind, which would be very favorable for their trip emerged. Here we learn about. lesson about "omens" for these sailors though that they were "as good as there", and get... [ Continue Reading ]
"But before very long" Suddenly things changed. "Rushed down from the land" This wind rushed down from the Cretan mountains. "A violent wind" Literally typhonic, which means. wind of hurricane force. "Called" This is what the sailors called such. violent wind. "Euraquilo" "The sailors recognized thi... [ Continue Reading ]
"Could not face the wind" It was so violent that the pilot could not steer the wind in the direction they needed to go.... [ Continue Reading ]
The modern name of this small island is Gavdho and is about 23 miles southwest of Crete. "Once they were in the shelter of the island, they would have had relatively smooth water for ten or fifteen miles, and in this stretch of smooth water they make what preparations they can for riding out the sto... [ Continue Reading ]
The second precaution is now listed. "They used supporting cables in undergirding the ship" This involved passing cables round it transversely underneath in order to hold the timbers together. "Ancient vessels were provided with cables ready fitted for bracing the hulls to enable them to resist the... [ Continue Reading ]
The next day things get even worse. "They begin to jettison the cargo" Just imagine trying to pick up, carry upstairs and toss overboard large sacks of wheat while the ship underneath your feet is being violently toss about. The reasoning behind this move is that in making the boat lighter and thus... [ Continue Reading ]
The third day and it appears there is still no relief. Imagine being three days on board. boat with absolutely no rest, relief and everything is getting wet. "They threw the ship's tackle overboard" This would include all extra boards, rigging, cordage and so forth that were carried for making repai... [ Continue Reading ]
"As the mariners of the age were dependent on the sun and the stars exclusively for. knowledge of the direction in which they were sailing, when they had seen neither for many days, and the storm was unabated, they had no definite idea as to where they were, and hence their despair of being saved" ... [ Continue Reading ]
"Had gone. long time without food" This was probably due to the fact that no one felt like eating, it would be very difficult to prepare anything, and much of the food might have been wet. "Paul stood up in the midst and said, 'Men, you ought to have followed my advice'" This sounds like the modern... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 27:22-26 Twice Paul will urge them to keep up their courage because only the ship would be lost, and how could Paul be so certain? Because the previous night an angel of the God to whom he belonged, and whom he served, had stood beside him, had told him not to be afraid, had promised that he mu... [ Continue Reading ]
"The fourteenth night had come" That is, the fourteenth night after leaving Fair Havens. "The Adriatic Sea" The term Adriatic was. popular way of referring to the entire east central region of the Mediterranean. "The sailors began to surmise that they were approaching some land" They sensed the appr... [ Continue Reading ]
"They took soundings, and found it to be twenty fathoms;. little father on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen" "To take. sounding they made use of. line with. lead weight on the end of it. Usually, there were knots on the rope, each. fathom apart" (Reese p. 910). The first soundin... [ Continue Reading ]
"Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks" With the rapid deceasing depth and the fact it was night and could not see where they were headed there was the natural fear of hitting. reef. "They cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak" These four anchors served as. brak... [ Continue Reading ]
"On the pretense" "The sailors now attempted to make sure of their own safety at the expense of the others on board. They lowered the dinghy into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow as well as from the stern. Paul detected their aim, and prevented it" (Bruce p. 5... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul quickly informs the centurion that if these sailors escape then the entire company will perish. These skilled hands that were leaving would be needed to drive the ship to shore, and Paul just does not sit back, but rather does what he can to see that God's promise is fulfilled. We must learn th... [ Continue Reading ]
"By this time the centurion has learned that it was unwise to disregard Paul's advice" (Reese p. 912). There is wisdom behind cutting loose the lifeboat. "History is full of accounts of the terrible scene which accompanies frantic men's attempts to take what seems the last means of escape from. disa... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 27:33-34 This verse reveals what the last 14 days had been like. That had been 14 days of sleeplessness, constant watching, and going without eating. Paul now encourages everyone to eat, for they will need this nourishment to make the swim to shore.... [ Continue Reading ]
Here is an example of. public prayer before. meal.... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 27:36-37 As. result the passengers and crew are encouraged and Luke then mentions how many were on board. Luke may had known the precise number not only by inspiration but also due to the fact that Paul and Luke may have helped distribute whatever food was left to the entire crew.... [ Continue Reading ]
The passengers eat. hearty meal and now have the strength and resolve to lighten the ship even further by unfolding the wheat on board. It appears that up to this point the crew had been trying not only to save the ship but. good portion of the cargo as well, but now the choice is between saving the... [ Continue Reading ]
Even though some of these sailors had probably been to the harbor at Malta, this side of the island they had never seen, but they stop. bay and determined to drive the ship onto the beach if they could.... [ Continue Reading ]
The anchors that had been dropped are left behind in the sea, the two rudders in the back that had been hoisted up and lashed fast, are now put back into use to steer the ship, in addition, they hoist the foresail, which will give them forward movement, because when sailing rudders are only useful i... [ Continue Reading ]
"But striking. reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable" As they headed for shore the unexpected happened, they hit. hidden sandbar. This bar was hit even when they were. good distance from shore. With the front part of the ship stuck in th... [ Continue Reading ]
Seeing that the soldiers were responsible for their prisoners, the soldiers were ready to kill all the prisoners lest any escaped. "In putting the prisoners to death, the soldiers saw what looked to them like the only chance of escaping death themselves" (Reese p. 917). Notice that the sailors had b... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 27:43-44 Eventually the centurion felt too grateful to Paul to allow any such thing to happen. "Again we see that for the sake of one righteous man, the lives of all the prisoners were spared" (Reese p. 917). The centurion instead orders the soldiers who could swim to do so and get to land firs... [ Continue Reading ]