1 2 2/3/08 the record we have, they are J. Smith, The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul and Sir William Acts 27 Ramsey, St. Paul, The Traveler and Roman citizen. Paul the apostle had appealed to Caesar, after two 27:1-8 The departure of Paul to Rome. years of being a political ploy of Felix and Festus, so Paul was going to be sent to Rome to stand 27:1 The boarding of the ship to Rome. before Caesar Nero. 1) The plural "we" last appeared six chapters before. vs. 1a God had told Paul that he was going to go to Rome * Acts 21:18 and bear witness of Him but the timing and the 2) Their port of arrival was to be Italy and way he was going to get there, was without doubt the word sail “apopleo” is a nautical not the way he had though it would take place. term, which appears six times in the remainder of the Acts. vs. 1a If we are committed to study the works of God, * Acts 27:4, 12, 21; 28:10-11 then the ways of God will never offend us, because 2) The apostle Paul was entrusted to a we know that He is just and righteous, therefore I centurion name Julius, along with other can not judge the ways of God by my prisoner. vs. 1b circumstances or emotions, only by His word! a) The Centurion Julius was in charge of 100 men Chapter 27-28:16 records for us the voyage to b) Those prisoners could of been for the Rome and the various details and could be gladiator shows or other cases to be compared to God’s promises to us, of one day presented before Caesar. glorifying us, yet there may be times of difficulties 3) The Augustan Regiment has different and dangers that could cause us to start doubting, opinions but probably were a special yet as we abide in Christ and trust Him, He will be Cohort Augusta, a regiment of faithful. auxiliaries. vs. 1c There have been two men who have done a 27:2 The departure and friends of Paul. tremendous work on behalf of the voyages of Paul to verify the terms, distances and the accuracy of 3 4 1) The ship departed from Adramyttium a 1) The ship sailed in a zig-zag pattern called port in Mysia, at the west coast of Asia. tacking because the winds were contrary, vs. 2a using the Island of Cyprus as a shield. vs. 2) Aristarchus from Mecedonia was with 4 Paul and Luke. vs. 2b-c 2) Myra was about two miles from the sea. a) Aristarchus had been one of the men vs. 5 to accompany Paul to Jerusalem. Acts 19:29, 20:4 27:6-8 The change of ships. b) Ramsay believed he was either going 1) The Alexandrian ship was most likely a back to Thessalonica or assigned as corn or wheat ship, as verse 38 indicates, Paul's slave, in order to go with him and of much larger size than the previous to Rome and Luke as his physician. one, sailing between Egypt and Italy. vs. Acts 20:4, Col. 4:10, Philem. 24, 6 2Tim. 4:11 2) The ship sailed slowly many days due to the winds. vs. 7a 27:3 The stop at Sidon. 3) The distance between Myra and Cnidus 1) The distance from Caesarea to Sidon was was about 30 miles. vs. 7b about 70 miles. vs. 3a 4) The wind was contrary to them again, so 2) Julius kindly allowed Paul to liberty to the Island of Salmone was used for disembark and be with some Christian protection from the wind, as Crete. vs. 7c friends, that they might care for him. 5) The journey was a difficult one, due tot vs3b the constant wind, as they traveled. vs. 8 a) The gospel had established some a) The word passing is a nautical term believers. meaning coasting along or sail. b) Julius is portrayed in a good light, as b) This would be the last point they all the Centurions are in the would have any more protection of scriptures, such as the Centurion that the land or currents came to Jesus asking for his servant and the one at the cross. 27:9-12 The warning of Paul against continuing the voyage. 27:4-5 The departure from Sidon. 5 6 27:9-10 The delay at Fair Havens. 27:13 The journey ensued. 1) They delayed hoping the weather would 1) The weather seemed to be favorable. vs. improve. vs. 9a 13a-c 2) The feast refers to the Day of Atonement 2) They continued to sailed close to Crete. in Sept. or Oct., on the 10th of the vs. 13d seventh month. vs. 9b 3) The dangerous season for sailing was 27:14 The expectation was short-lived. between Sept. 14 threw Nov. 11. vs. 9b 1) Then a tempestuous wind arose. vs. 14a-b * For that reason all navigation ceased 2) The wind was called Euroclydon meaning from Nov. 11 to March 10! Lenski North-eastern wind, a combination of a 4) Paul at this point warned of the real Greek and Latin word. vs. 14c potential danger to the ship and their lives. vs. 10 27:15-16 The wind withstood the ship. * This was by observation only not 1) The ship was caught in a typhoon of the prophecy. hurricane and could not drive forward. vs. 15a 27:11-12 The decision to continue in the 2) They allowed the ship to simply be driven voyage. southward, towards the Island Clauda. 1) The centurion took the ship owners vs. 15b advice to sail rather than Paul’s. vs. 11 3) They were able to secure some protection 2) The other reason was the port was not once again from an Island called Clauda, suited for winter having no protection about 25 miles from Fair Haven. vs. 16a against the sea. vs. 12a 4) They also managed to secure the skiff. vs. 3) The majority voted to sail, with plans of 16b reaching Phoenix, a harbor in Crete about * The word “we” indicates Luke was 40 miles west, the peninsula gave full equally involved in securing the protection to a harbor southwest and safety of the ship. northwest. vs. 12b-d 27:17-19 The severity of the crisis. 27:13-26 The storm placed Paul in command. 7 8 1) They undergirded the ship with cables so they would not of suffered all these it would not break apart, this is know as things. “frapping”. vs. 17a b) Paul says this not to rub it in their 2) They feared drift towards the Syrtis faces but in preparation of what he Sands, the shallow waters with was about to say to them. treacherous rocks and sandbanks, off 3) Paul encourages the men by assuring North Africa, which was the graveyard of them there would be no loss of any of many ships. vs. 17c their lives, only the ship. vs. 22 * There was a minor one also, farther 4) Paul then proceeded to tell them of an east also. angelic visit in the night. vs. 23-24 3) They let the wind fill the sail and be a) An angel that belonged to the God driven. vs. 17d Paul served, had stood besides Paul in 4) They began to jettison the cargo, to the night. vs. 23 lighten the ship. vs. 18 b) he an angel had revealed this to him. 5) The third day they threw over the c) The angel told him to not be afraid, furniture, equipment and tackling of the and then declared he would be ship. vs. 19 brought before Caesar. vs. 24a-c d) The angel declared also that God had 27:20-26 The hope in the midst of a hopeless granted all on board who sailed with situation. Paul. vs. 24d 1) They gave up all hope when the 5) Paul exhorted them to take heart or navigation became impossible without courage and confessed his belief in what the sun or stars, being depressed and God had promised. vs. 25 despondent, they had given up. vs. 20 6) Paul added a P.S., a minor detail, Paul 2) The apostle Paul addressed the men on declared they would run aground on the ship. vs. 21 some Island. vs. 26 a) He stood to his feet, after a long * This was a good thing, to prepare period of being without food and told themselves for what was coming. them they should of listened to him about not sailing from Crete, then 27:27-44 The preparations for beaching the ship. 9 10 4) The soldiers to prevent them from 27:27-28 The sound of land prompted their escaping, cut the ropes and the skiff fell preparations. into the sea. vs. 32 1) The time is long, 14 days at sea in a storm is frightful. vs. 27a 27:33 The encouragement of Paul to the 2) The Adriatic Sea was the Mediterranean men to eat some food. Sea between Italy and Greece and at 1) The apostle Paul exhorted the men as it midnight. vs. 27b was about to dawn. vs. 33a 3) The sailor at midnight heard the braking 2) Paul pointed out it had been fourteen days of waves, indicating the shoreline was since they ate anything. vs. 33b-d near. vs. 27c 3) Paul urged them nourish their body for 4) A fathom is six feet, so it was 120 feet their survival.