Acts 27. The time was now come for Paul’s journey to Rome. No formal trial of the apostle had yet taken place. And, no doubt, wearied with the unrelenting opposition of the Jews—with two years’ imprisonment at Caesarea—with repeated examinations before the governors and Agrippa, he had claimed a trial before the imperial court. Luke, the historian of the Acts, and Aristarchus of Thessalonica, were favored to accompany him. Paul was committed to the charge of a centurion named Julius, of the imperial band; an officer, who, upon all occasions, treated the apostle with the greatest kindness and consideration.
It was then “determined” that Paul should be sent, along with “certain other prisoners,” by sea to Italy. “And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched,” says Luke, “meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia. 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.” Loosing from Sidon they were forced to sail under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary, and come to Myra, a city of Lycia. Here the centurion had his prisoners transferred to a ship of Alexandria on her voyage to Italy. In this vessel, after leaving Myra, they “sailed slowly many days,” the weather being unfavorable from the first. But running to the leeward of Crete, they safely reached “the Fair Havens.”
Winter was now near, and it became a serious question what course should be taken—whether they should remain at Fair Havens for the winter, or seek some better harbor.
Here we must pause for a moment and notice the wonderful position of our apostle in this serious consultation. As before Festus and Agrippa, he appears before the captain, the owner, the centurion, and the whole crew, as having the mind of God. He counsels, directs, and acts, as if he were really the master of the vessel, in place of being a prisoner in the custody of soldiers. He advised that they should remain where they were. He warned them that they would meet with violent weather if they ventured out to the open sea—that much injury would be done to the ship and cargo, and much risk to the lives of those on board. But the master and the owner of the ship, who had the greatest interest in her, were guided by circumstances and not by faith; they were willing to run the risk of seeking a more commodious harbor to winter in, and the centurion naturally deferred to their judgment. All were against the judgment of the man of faith—the man of God—the man who was speaking and acting for God. Even the circumstances in the scene around them seemed to favor the opinion of the sailors rather than that of the apostle. But nothing can falsify the judgment of faith. It must be true in spite of every circumstance.
It was therefore resolved by the majority that they should leave Fair Havens, and sail to Port Phenice, as a more secure winter harbor. The wind changed just at this moment. Everything seemed to favor the sailors. “The south wind blew softly;” so sanguine were they, Luke tells us, that they supposed their purpose was already accomplished. (Ver. 13.) They accordingly weighed anchor and with a soft breeze from the south, the vessel, with her “two hundred threescore and sixteen souls” on board, left the port of Fair Havens. But scarcely had she rounded Cape Matala, a distance of only four or five miles, when a violent wind from the shore caught the vessel, and tossed her in such a manner that it was no longer possible for the helmsman to make her keep her course. And as Luke observes, “We let her drive,” that is, they were compelled to let her run before the wind.
But our chief concern here is with Paul as the man of faith. What must have been the thoughts and feelings now of his fellow-passengers? They had trusted to the wind, and they must now reap the whirlwind. The solemn counsels and warnings of faith had been rejected. Many, alas! heedless of the warning here recorded, and under the flattering wind of favorable circumstances, have launched on the great voyage of life, utterly regardless of the voice of faith. But like the fawning wind that betrayed the vessel from the harbor, all soon changed into a furious tempest on the troubled sea of life.
THE STORM IN THE SEA OF ADRTA.
The term “Euroclydon” given to this tempestuous wind, indicates, we are told, a storm of the utmost violence. It was accompanied by the agitation and whirling motion of the clouds, and by great commotion in the sea, raising it in columns of spray. The sacred historian now proceeds to give an accurate account of what was done with the vessel in these perilous circumstances. Having run to the leeward of Clauda, they may have escaped for a little the violence of tire tempest. This would give them an opportunity to make every preparation for weathering the storm.
The day after she left Clauda—the violence of the storm continuing—they began to lighten the ship by throwing overboard whatever could be spared. All hands seem to have been at work. “And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; and the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 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.”
“His race performed, the sacred lamp of day
Now dips in western clouds his parting ray;
His languid fires, half lost in ambient haze,
Refract along the dusk a crimson blaze:
Till deep immerged the sinking orb descends,
And cheerless night o’er heaven her reign extends;
Sad evening’s hour, how different from the past!
No flaming pomp, no blushing glories cast,
No ray of friendly light is seen around;
The moon and stars in hopeless shade are drown’d.”
Nothing could be more dreadful to ancient mariners than the continued over-clouded sky, as they were accustomed to be graded by their observation of the heavenly bodies. It was at this moment of perplexity and despair that the apostle “stood forth” and raised his voice amidst the storm. And from his word of sympathy we learn, that all their other sufferings were aggravated by the difficulty of preparing food. “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.” Verses 21-26.
THE SHIPWRECK.
The shipwreck was not far distant. “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.” Fourteen days and nights this heavy gale continued without abatement; during which time their sufferings must have been great beyond description.
At the close of the fourteenth day, “about midnight,” the sailors heard a sound which indicated that they were nearing land. The sound, no doubt, was the roar of the breakers on the unknown shore. No time was to be lost; so they immediately cast four anchors out of the stern, and anxiously wished for day. Here a natural but ungenerous attempt was made by the sailors to save their own lives. They lowered the boat with the professed purpose of laying out anchors from the bow, but intending to desert the sinking ship. Paul seeing this, and knowing their real design, immediately “said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.” Thus the divine counsel of the apostle was the means of saving all on board. “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” It is no longer the ship’s captain or the ship’s crew that are looked to for wisdom and safety. Every eye is turned to Paul the prisoner —the man of faith—the man who believes and acts according to the revelation of God. Circumstances often mislead when looked to for direction, the word of God is our only sure guide, whether in fair or in foul weather.
During the anxious interval which remained till the dawn of day, Paul had an opportunity of lifting up his voice for God, and for the encouragement of the whole company. What a scene of intensified interest it must have been! The night dark and stormy—the shattered vessel in danger of going down at her anchors, or of being dashed to pieces on the rocky shore. But there was one on board who was perfectly happy amidst it all. The state of the ship—the shallow water—the alarming sound of the breakers, had no terror for him. He was happy in the Lord, and in full communion with His very thoughts and purposes. Such is the Christian’s place in the midst of every storm, though comparatively few rise to it; faith only can reach it. This was Paul’s last exhortation to the ship’s company.
“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. 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. 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. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. Verses 33-36.
Their only hope now was to run the ship on shore and so escape to land. Though ignorant of the coast, “they discovered a certain creek with a shore,” or, a smooth beach; and determined to run the ship aground there. So they cast away the anchors, unloosed the rudder bands, hoisted the mainsail to the wind, and made for the shore. The ship thus driven, her bow stuck fast in the beach and remained unmoved, but the stern was broken to pieces by the violence of the waves.
Paul’s ship has now reached the shore; and once more the man of faith is the means of saving the lives of all the prisoners. The centurion, greatly influenced by the words of Paul, and anxious at least for his safety, prevents the soldiers from killing the prisoners, and gave orders that those who could swim should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land; and that the rest should follow on such boards or broken pieces of the ship as were available. “And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” Their deliverance was as complete as Paul had predicted it would be.
PAUL AT MELITA—NOW MALTA.
Acts 28. The inhabitants of the island received the shipwrecked strangers with no small kindness, and immediately lighted a fire to warm them. The sacred historian gives us a living picture of the whole scene. We see the persons described moving in it. The apostle gathering sticks for the fire—the viper fastening on his hand—the barbarians first thinking him a murderer, and then a god from the sting being harmless. Publius, the chief man of the island, lodged them courteously three days; and his father, who lay sick of a fever, was healed by Paul laying his hands on him and praying for him. The apostle was enabled to work many miracles during his stay on the island; and the whole company, for his sake, were loaded with many honors. We see God is with His beloved servant, and he exercises his accustomed power among the barbarians. As the concluding part of Paul’s journey to Rome is so prosperous, that scarcely any incident in it is recorded, we will only notice it briefly.
After a three months’ stay in Malta, the soldiers and their prisoners left in a ship of Alexandria for Italy. They touched at Syracuse, where they tarried three days; and at Rhegium, from which place they had a fair wind to Puteoli. Here they “found brethren,” and while they were spending a few days with them, enjoying the ministry of brotherly love, the news of the apostle’s arrival reached Rome. The Christians at once sent forth some of their number, who met Paul and his friends at Appii forum and the three taverns. A beautiful instance and illustration of the fellowship of saints. What must have been the feelings of our apostle on this first introduction to the Christians from the Church at Rome! His long cherished desire was at last accomplished; his heart was filled with praise; “He thanked God,” as Luke says, “and took courage.”
Paul’s arrival at Rome.
Along the Appian Road, most probably, Paul and his company traveled to Rome. On their arrival, “the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.” Though he was not released from the constant annoyance of being chained to a soldier, every indulgence compatible with his position was allowed him.
Paul was now privileged “to preach the gospel to them that were at Rome also;” and proceeded without delay to act upon his divine rule—“to the Jew first.” He sends for the chief of the Jews and explains to them his true position. He assures them that he had committed no offense against his nation, or the customs of the fathers: but that he was brought to Rome to answer certain charges made against him by the Jews in Palestine: and so unfounded were the charges, that even the Roman governor was ready to set him free, but the Jews opposed his liberty. In fact it was, as he said, “for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” His only crime had been his firm faith in the promises of God to Israel through the Messiah.
The Roman Jews, in reply, assured Paid that no report to his prejudice had reached Rome, and that they desired to hear from himself a statement of his faith; adding, that the christians were everywhere spoken against. A day was therefore fixed for a meeting at his own private lodgings. At the appointed time many came, “to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.” But the Jews at Rome, as at Antioch and Jerusalem, were slow of heart to believe. “And some believed the things which were spoken and some believed not.” But how earnestly and unweariedly he labored to win their hearts for Christ! From morning till evening he not only preached Christ, but sought to persuade them concerning Him. He sought, we may be sure, to persuade them concerning His Godhead and manhood—His perfect sacrifice—His resurrection, ascension, and glory. What a lesson and what a subject for the preacher in all ages! Persuading men concerning Jesus from morning till evening.
The condition of the Jews is now set before us for the last time. The judgment pronounced by Esaias was about to fall on them in all its withering power—a judgment under which they lie to this day—a judgment which shall continue until God interpose to give them repentance, and to deliver them by His grace to the glory of His own name. But, in the meantime, “the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it;” and, as we know, blessed be His name, they have heard it; we ourselves are witnesses of it.
“And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him; preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” Acts 28:30, 3130And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. (Acts 28:30‑31).
These are the last words of the Acts. The scene on which the curtain falls, is most suggestive—the opposition of Jewish unbelief to the things which concerned their souls’ salvation: suggestive, alas! of what soon befell them. And here, too, ends the history of this precious servant of God, so far as it has been directly revealed. The voice of the Spirit of truth on this subject becomes silent. Our further knowledge of Paul’s subsequent history must be gathered almost exclusively from his later epistles: and from these we learn more than mere history; they give us a blessed insight into the feelings, conflicts, affections, and sympathies of the great apostle, and of the condition of the Church of God generally, down to the period of his martyrdom.