“Acts 27:1-20”

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

“When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, and said to them, ‘Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.’ But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore. But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.”

---End of Scripture verses---

After Agrippa had heard Paul’s case, it was decided that Paul should go to Italy and appear before Caesar to whom he had appealed. As Paul made his way to stand before Caesar Augustus, fittingly enough, his escort was a Roman centurion named Julius who was of the “Augustan Band” or “Cohort” (verse 1). They boarded a ship from Adramyttium, a town in Mysia of Asia Minor (verse 2). Paul was accompanied on his journey by his friend Aristarchus along with other companions (verse 3). It was Aristarchus who was dragged into the theater in Ephesus, along with Gaius, by an angry mob of Diana worshippers (Acts 19:29).

The ship embarked from Caesarea and landed about 70 miles north in Sidon (verse 3). What a blessing it must have been for Paul to be afforded the companionship and help of his friends while he was on this voyage, just as Felix had done for him in Caesarea (Acts 24:23). We must remember that Paul was a prisoner among many other prisoners that were being escorted to Rome by armed soldiers (verse 42). And yet the Lord smiled down upon Paul and granted him favor in the eyes of his captors. I am reminded of the way that the Lord always granted grace and prosperity to Joseph and opened doors for him during all of the abuse that he suffered at the hands of wicked people.

When the crew changed ships at Myra, they ran into considerable trouble from contrary winds and inclement weather (verses 5-7). They sailed along slowly for several days and at Cnidus the winds were so rough they had to change courses (verse 7). They were forced to sail to the south of Crete, very close to the shoreline, to ease the onslaught of the wind. They sailed past Salmone, a haven of Crete, with great difficulty and came to Fair Havens (the most southerly port of the island), which was a safe harbor that naturally sheltered ships from strong winds.

Paul tried to convince them to stay put at Fair Havens where they were protected because considerable time had already been spent there and it was late in the safe travelling season. The fast that Paul spoke of (verse 9) was likely the great Day of Atonement celebrated on 10th day of the 7th month (the end of our September). This coincided with the autumnal equinox, when the Mediterranean Sea turned tempestuous. To sail after this feast was considered a proverbially dangerous thing to do among the ancient Jews.

Paul warned all the captain and crew that if they refused to heed his advice, they would suffer loss of cargo, ship and human life (verse 10). But—“Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there” (verse 12). They promptly ignored the warning of an inspired apostle of Jesus Christ and set out on a fool’s mission. Paul would soon be able to say “I told you so” (verse 21).

When they ran into “Euraquilo” or “Euroclydon,” they essentially sailed into the heart of a Northeaster! This was a very violent storm that was much too forceful to try and navigate through, so they had to give way to it and let it take them wherever it would (verse 15). They were forced to jettison their cargo and all the ships tackle and after a few days they had pretty much abandoned all hope of survival (verse 18-20). Friends, sometimes when you’re running against God, when you’re “running against the wind,” you just get overwhelmed and carried away by it and place your life in the midst of peril.

I guess the main lesson from today’s reading is that what the “majority” says is not always the best thing to do (verse 12). We might often be tempted to go along with the crowd because “everyone else is doing it.” It is never a good idea to do something just because the “majority” says it’s okay to. As a matter of fact, that’s usually a good indication to do just the opposite. Don’t stop and take a poll among your peers when you want to know what God’s will is. Turn to His word. Read what an inspired apostle has to say about a subject. Let the Bible be your guide and the moral compass for you spiritual journey. God has already decided what is right and wrong and we need to turn to Him to determine the best course of action.

Please read Acts 27:21-44 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

-Louie Taylor

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