“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. 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” (Acts 27:1-2).
Paul had appealed to Caesar and to him he was sent. Luke (the historian) “the beloved physician” was with him (since he writes, “we launched”) as was, “Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica.” Neither of them was forced to accompany Paul, since they were not prisoners. Their love for their beloved brother Paul motivated them to identify themselves with the faithful servant of the Lord in chains, accepting any circumstance that might present itself.
These days, “Paul,” symbolically, is still held captive by men: that is to say the “doctrine” of the Lord, the Head of the church, given to Paul by revelation (Eph. 3:3), is being rejected by Christianity. The religious leaders do not want to recognize Christ as the “head:” they want to have “the preeminence” (3 John 9). Nor do they submit to the guiding of the Holy Spirit, which does not have a voice in their councils nor in their administration. They do not want to know anything about the “heavenly calling:” “who mind earthly things” (Phil. 3:19). How few stand firm in following Paul the prisoner!
“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” (Acts 27:3).
Imagine a prisoner that had to be brought to Caesar, the great emperor, having his liberty to take spiritual refreshment with his “brothers in Christ” in the port of Sidon! The Lord had bent the centurion Julius’ heart in a marvelous way, since the Roman soldier entrusted with the custody of a prisoner, if that prisoner escaped, would pay for the negligence with his own life (Compare Acts 16:27).
“And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary” (Acts 27:4). The captain of the ship had proposed to “sail by the coasts of Asia,” which means to sail following the coasts, possibly touching various ports. However, the contrary winds forced them to change their course and escape the force of the winds “under Cyprus” — a large island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Sometimes in our journey through life we have to abandon certain purposes because of the contrary winds.
“And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. 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; And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea” (Acts 27:5-8).
Despite the difficulties and the contrary winds, the ship could arrive to “the fair havens.” In the early days of the apostles, in spite of the opposition of Satan and “inopportune and evil men” the “gospel ship” continued on its route.
Now, to comment on the journey from “Fair Havens” to the Island of “Melita,” we are going to use the greater part of a pamphlet called PAUL’S JOURNEY FROM THE FAIR HAVENS TO MELITA, AND ITS LESSONS, by G. H. Hayhoe, written about the spiritual meaning of this voyage, since the author expresses the doctrinal Christian truth well.
“The first part of the journey from Caesarea to the Fair Havens, (verses 1-7) is passed over in a very few words, but it is the journey from the Fair Havens until the safe landing on the island, which is given in such detail, and one feels that this is full of deep instruction for us. We can look at the ship as a picture of the church’s outward testimony, the people on board as the true children of God, and Paul himself as standing for the truth called ‘Paul’s doctrine’ (2Tim.3:10), and including all that is properly Christian. When we say “properly Christian” we mean that line of truth which is distinctive and peculiar to this church period, and which connects us with heaven, and with Christ the Head of the church up there.
Those on board the ship decided to start out from the Fair Havens — not, however, at the advice of Paul, but of the others. The Fair Havens would speak to us of the beginning — of the happy oneness seen in the ‘fair’ days of the church’s history. All was well while they walked in the truth, and in the fear of God (Acts 9:31), but such a position is never pleasing to the flesh, and can only be maintained as we walk with God. ‘Time’ is always a great tester, and so we read, ‘Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them’ (verse 9). It is always comparatively easy to start on the path of faith, but the flesh can never continue in it. ‘Sailing’ according to human wisdom is always ‘dangerous’, and we need the Word of God to guide us. We should have our consciences guided by the Scriptures at all times, for only in such a path can we claim His promise, ‘Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble’ (Prov. 3:23).
There is something very sad in the words, ‘the fast was now already past.’ That early devotedness, that ‘fasting and prayer’ which characterized the church at the beginning (Acts 13:3) was past, and one is reminded of the remark of another, ‘There is no substitute for communion.’ When there is not the quiet communion with God and waiting in His presence, we may be sure that trouble is ahead. May these things exercise each of our hearts, so that we may seek to walk in obedience and in the power of the Spirit of God, rather than in paths of human prudence.
This state of things called forth the admonition from Paul, ‘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’ (verse 10). This would remind us of his charge to the elders of Ephesus, warning of the grievous wolves which would enter in, and foretelling the ruin of the testimony ‘after his departure’ (Acts 20:29-30). Do we realize, dear saints of God, that if we give up Paul’s doctrine, if we refuse to walk in the truth which God gave to the church through him, then we too are heading for trouble just as the ship in our picture? Let us remember the exhortation, ‘Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus’ (2 Tim. 1:13). We are not only to hold these things as doctrines — though a most necessary thing in itself — but “in faith and love”; for the truth which we know should have its power over our lives to the Lord’s glory.
However, in spite of the warning, Paul’s word was set aside (v. 11) and the ship of testimony was guided by its ‘master and owner.’ Thus men took things into their own hands, and like those of Asia, they turned away from Paul (2 Tim. 1:15) to follow their own ideas. How true this was after the death of the Apostles, and even in a large measure before their death. The haven was not considered to be commodious (spacious and convenient), for we can never expect the truth of God to be spacious and convenient enough to suit the crowd, and so we find that ‘the more part advised to depart thence.’ If we trace through the Scriptures we can see clearly that the majority have never chosen to walk in the path of obedience. Is it not true that there were always but few who chose the narrow path? Let us beware of following the crowd, but rather with a single eye, let us make Christ the Object of our hearts, and His Word the guide for our feet. We will have sweet peace in such a path, though the company may be small.
For some time after his word of admonition, Paul remained silent, and history shows us that ‘Paul’s doctrine’ and the heavenly calling of the church were lost for many centuries after the death of the Apostle. But Paul was still on board, and so the precious truths of which we have been speaking, were hidden within God’s blessed Word for many a long year, quite unnoticed and unheeded. The ship, in the meantime started out for Phenice — that spacious and convenient port — the center of commerce! Such is the desire of many a true Christian — a Phenice church, a worldly church. This is the attempt to make Christianity acceptable to the world, and fit it in with the scheme of world improvement. Strangely enough, the south wind blew softly. God seemed to be giving them what they desired, and do we not hear many Christians, walking in paths of disobedience, telling of ‘the south wind blowing softly’ — of the blessing they are having? It may seem that way, just as when the early church was drifting into the world, but as we remarked previously, time is a great tester, and so it was in our picture. It was their purpose which they supposed they had obtained. Let us ask ourselves, do we want our own plans and purposes, or God’s? Do we know that we have the truth because we have God’s Word for what we believe, or do we just suppose we are right when in reality we are following our own ideas? How good to be able to say, ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ and to walk in the path of His choosing.
Oh what a great deal is bound up in those words ‘loosing thence.’ What a sad day it was in the history of the early church when they left the Fair Havens to attain to Phenice. Notice too how they sailed ‘close by Crete.’ All the truth is not given up at once. Christians will say there is hardly any difference between one company and another, but let us ask the question, have they ‘loosed thence’? Whether it is a foot, or a mile, it is the path of departure. Geographically, Phenice is not far from the Fair Havens, and often it seems only a step from the truth into looseness, but what a dangerous step, just as this proved to be a dangerous journey. Nor did they ever get to Phenice, for the Lord hindered them; and so the Lord loves His own too much to allow them to settle down in this poor world.
The soft-blowing south wind did not continue very long, and then what a change! It was followed by a ‘tempestuous wind called Euroclydon’ (v. 14). Such is the way when we follow ‘the master and owner’s’ advice, and set aside the truth of God to accomplish our own purposes. Nor could the ship ‘bear up under the wind’ (v. 15). Thus history shows us that one bad doctrine after another came into the early church and those who chose to remain in a position where the ‘vessels to honor and dishonor’ were all together (2 Tim. 2:20-21), soon found themselves utterly powerless to do anything — they had to ‘let her drive.’ Although there were many attempts made to repair the ship, they found it was all of no avail as the place was filled with quicksands (vvs. 16-17). Even the godly ones in those early days after the death of the apostles, could not repair the damage that had been done. Should this not be a voice to us today? If we allow a little evil, it will only be a question of time, till there will be so much damage to the ship of testimony that it cannot be repaired (1 Cor. 5:6).
However now that the old ship has been allowed to get into such a condition, are we called upon to repair it? No, the ruin exists, and we should be on our faces before God and own it, but the Word of God calls upon us rather to purge ourselves from the vessels to dishonor in the great house of professing Christendom, and to ‘follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart’ (2 Tim. 2:22).
The attempts made to repair the ship were useless, as we have remarked, and instead of things improving, they became gradually worse. ‘The next day they lightened the ship.’ The so-called non-essentials were thrown overboard. Oh, let us beware of those who want us to throw those ‘non-essentials’ overboard, and what is sadder still, the so-called non-essentials are often those things that concern the glory of Christ, and His finished work (which bad doctrine always attacks), and church truth, so dear to the heart of Christ who ‘loved the church, and gave Himself for it’ (Eph. 5:25). We need not be surprised, therefore, that after lightening the ship, the next day they cast out its tackling (v. 19). Even the very apparatus necessary to the proper control of the ship was thrown overboard. Thus we see the course of departure from the truth of God. It is a gradual thing which begins when we ‘loose thence.’ May the Lord give us so to value the truth, that we may seek to walk in the path of obedience at all costs.
(G. H. Hayhoe)
“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” (Acts 27:20).
This verse is a figure of the “Dark Ages” in the fullest sense. The church’s heavenly calling was lost, because “neither sun nor stars in many days appeared.” Only God could raise up a testimony that would be in agreement with His mind out of so much darkness.
“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. 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. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island” (Acts 27:21-26).
Paul, whose advice was rejected (see v. 10), after a long silence, spoke again. Christianity would not have arrived at the state of confusion it was found in if it had obeyed and put into work the doctrine of Paul as displayed in his divinely inspired epistles. As it is written: “the church: Whereof I am made a minister” (Col. 1:24-25).
God revealed what was going to happen in those days to His faithful servant. Likewise, the Lord’s faithful servant today knows what is going to happen in this world, since he has the Spirit of God and the Word of God, the Bible — while the sons of this present evil age stay in darkness.
How good it is to be able to affirm along with Paul:
“I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me”!
“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; And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms” (Acts 27:27-28).
G. H. Hayhoe continues:
“‘Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him’ (Matt. 25:6) — they realized that they were nearing ‘some country’ (v. 27). And we are getting near to our heavenly home too! Let us sound as they did, and we shall find that this blessed event is getting nearer. At the first sounding it was twenty fathoms, then only fifteen. Yes, we shall soon hear His blessed voice, and see His lovely face, therefore let us seek to be as men who wait for their Lord. While they were waiting and wishing for the day, they were not idle, for the verses which follow show us that there was much activity on board, with Paul, whose advice was once slighted, speaking once again. They did not allow the wind and the waves to discourage them any longer, because they believed God.
The first steps taken after the discovery of their position as near ‘some country’, are very instructive. ‘Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day’ (v. 29). Here we find the proper attitude of those who would seek, in a day of confusion and darkness, to maintain a testimony according to the mind of God. They feared lest they should have fallen upon rocks — there was humility and a sense of their own helplessness. They waited upon the Lord and their confidence was in Him alone. Nor was this movement confined to one part of the world. It went to the ‘four corners’, and the Spirit of God worked in power gathering souls to Christ — the Anchor. Another striking thing about the early testimony was the ‘wishing for the day.’ The bright hope of His coming was before their hearts. What a blessed place when they were thus gathered in confessed weakness, with Christ alone as their Anchor.
The enemy soon made an effort to spoil this work of God, and some of the shipmen attempted to flee out of the ship under color of casting anchors (v. 30). No doubt this would speak of independency, and would remind us of those who leave the collective testimony raised up of God, to follow paths of their own choosing. Independency is not of God. We are members one of another, and the one loaf on the table at the Lord’s Supper, speaks of the one body of Christ composed of all true children of God (1 Cor. 10:17). The Lord Jesus prayed for oneness in testimony, in His beautiful prayer in John 17:21. ‘That they all may be one; as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.’ This oneness was seen on the day of Pentecost when ‘they were all with one accord in one place’ (Acts 2:1), but how soon failure came in and spoiled everything. But are His thoughts about the church which He loved, and for which He gave Himself, altered by man’s failure? No, never! ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever’ (Heb. 13:8).
Notice that the attempt to flee out of the ship — to go off in independency — was ‘under color’ of casting anchors. Such pleas are used by those who take independent ground even today. They tell us they are working toward the same end, preaching the same gospel, using the same Anchor (Christ) as those who would remain in the ship of testimony, but let us not forget the words of the Lord, ‘He that gathereth not with Me scattereth’ (Matt. 12:30).
If we are not gathering with Christ, and to Christ, we are but scattering the sheep — how solemn! We cannot expect the Lord to reward such activities, for His Word declares that ‘if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully’ (2 Tim. 2:5). Dear reader, are you striving according to the rules — the Word of God?
Their plan to escape brought forth a special word from Paul, ‘Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved’ (v. 31). Happily these men were hindered in their purpose by this word of warning, and at this point we may ask our own hearts if we are willing to abandon our course, when the Word of God shows us we are in the wrong. How good it would be if we were willing to follow the Scriptures in all things, and at all times. Undoubtedly we, as individuals, as well as the church of God as a whole, would be spared many a sorrow if such were the case. Too often pride comes in, and we refuse to hearken to the Word when it shows us our mistakes. Truly ‘God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble’ (1 Peter 5:5).
The next few verses are very interesting indeed, as Paul besought them all to take meat. With the recovery of the truth in these last days, what a precious supply of ‘meat’ has been made available to Christendom, for as we remarked before, those on board typify to us all the true children of God. This ‘meat’ was not anything new. It was on the ship all through the journey, but in spite of the rich supply that was there, they had ‘continued fasting’ (v. 33). So now the truth which God has recovered to us is not anything new, but it is, and has been since the days of the Apostles, contained in God’s blessed unchanging Word.”
(G. H. Hayhoe).
“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” (Acts 27:34).
It is for our spiritual health that we eat from this rich banquet: the Word of God. It is the necessary food which nourishes the soul. And the promise, “not an hair fall from the head of any of you”, affirms to us the eternal security of the believer in the Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd, who says: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28).
“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” (Acts 27:35).
We have read in the previous verses (vv. 34-35) that there was an abundance of bread on the ship in which Paul was brought captive towards Rome, but that no one had made use of it for two weeks. Then Paul encouraged them to eat the bread for their health. Taking a spiritual application from all of that, it is advisable that we eat the delicious banquet of the Word of God, which, for us is ready at hand in the Bible, the necessary food which feeds the soul.
From this verse, we can draw out another spiritual lesson: the act of Paul, breaking bread after giving thanks, signals the fact that there was a powerful movement of God’s Spirit at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and throughout the world. After so many years without fulfilling the word of the Lord: “this do in remembrance of ME,” the believers in the Lord Jesus began to break bread simply as members of the “body of Christ” gathered only to His Name (see Matt. 18:20).
“Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls” (Acts 27:36-37).
Everyone who was in the boat participated with the Apostle Paul. The breaking of bread is not the act of an individual, but rather of the church. So Christians would know that the breaking of bread, instituted by the Lord Jesus before the church existed, is a privilege bestowed on her. He gave Paul a special revelation:
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor. 11:23-26).
This passage strictly refutes the idea that the Lord’s Supper is not for His church.
“And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea” (Acts 27:38). This verse paints the picture of what is happening today in the Christian profession. The modernist movement proclaims: “We are fed up with the Gospel of Redemption with the blood of Christ; we do not want it. We do not need a Book inspired by God. We are going to throw it all in the sea of forgetfulness. We are rich, and we are prosperous, and we do not need anything” (Compare Rev. 3:17).
“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” (Acts 27:39).
The sailors did not consult Paul, who had the mind of God, but worked headstrongly. “They knew not the land”: that is to say, they did not have discernment. The Christian who does not consult his Bible is going to lose his spiritual discernment. “But they discovered a certain creek with a shore.” The spiritual Christian does not see something visible as his goal: “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). “They were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.” “If” expresses uncertainty. But there is nothing uncertain about the destination of the believer in the Lord Jesus: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).
Was it necessary to risk shipwreck on the creek with a shore? No. With four anchors thrown out, they could ride out the storm until it stopped; they had enough food and they had satisfied their hunger. Why, then, continue willfully with their purpose? Truly, it was the foolish proceeding of a headstrong action.
And where are the prominent leaders of modern Christianity directing the ship of Christian testimony?
“taken up the anchors,” — the fundamental doctrines of faith,
“they committed themselves to the sea” – the doctrines of faith rejected;
“and loosed the rudder bands” — the control by way of the rudder, which is the guiding of the Holy Spirit, left aside;
“hoisted up the mainsail to the wind” — an ecumenical movement, an appearance of great religious activity:
“and made toward shore” — leading to shipwreck (see Acts 27:40).
“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” (Acts 27:41).
“The two seas” met in the place where the ship ran aground, and, attacking it with all their strength, they put us in mind of two things the devil is using to undo the Christian testimony — one is rationalism, or rather modernism. The other is the religious ritualism which substitutes “works” for the redeeming and comprehensive work of Christ, the Son of God.
“And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape” (v. 42). Following their agreement was the devil’s evil purpose: the destruction of the Lord’s faithful witness, Paul.
“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: 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” (Acts 27:43-44).
The Lord put it in the Roman centurion’s heart to want to save Paul, and he kept him from death. Although the devil had wanted to stop the epistles of Paul, with the true doctrine about the church — her formation, her practice and her objective — God, in His supreme sovereignty, has conserved them in their entirety for the instruction of the believers in Christ Jesus.
“They escaped all safe to land.” Although the ship was ruined, no one on board died. Although the witness of Christianity has been shipwrecked, the Lord is not going to let the soul of even one of His sheep for which He laid down His life die. “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28). Chosen “in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Eph. 1:4).