Act 27:2 | KingComments | STEP | This is a fascinating chapter. We find in it the account of the sea voyage of the prisoner Paul from Caesarea to Italy with Rome as his final destination. God wants Paul to be there so that he will bear witness before the emperor to Who He is. Luke, who is an eyewitness to all events, gives an account of Paul’s experiences and of all those who travel with him. Paul has often travelled by sea, as Luke already stated in Acts ( ). He did not give us a detailed account of those voyages. That Luke, just before the end of the book, describes in detail precisely this sea voyage of the ship on which Paul, as a prisoner, makes the voyage to Rome, must have a deeper meaning. We will also notice this deeper meaning in the course of the chapter. Before I continue, just a brief account of the ‘deeper meaning’ I think I see in this history. There will be readers who question the ‘deeper meaning’, or some aspects of it, or reject completely or partly. I can understand that. The reader does not have to agree with me in everything in order to learn lessons from this sea voyage. It is also good to remember that the application of a history can never be extended to the detail. In this sea voyage it is all about the big picture. I have gratefully used what others have said and written about it. As far as I have recognized their application and consider it responsible for myself, I have included it in this commentary. It is up to the reader to form his own judgment about this. We can say the following beforehand. In the book of Acts we have the description of the first thirty years of church history. With the last verse of Acts 28 the book seems to end abruptly, but it is, so to speak, an open ending. The history of the church has only just begun and continues. How that history continues is presented to us in the history of the sea voyage. It is not strange that certain historical events also have a symbolic meaning. Since ancient times, countless writers have depicted life as a journey. In particular, the sea voyage with its storms provides a recognizable picture of human life, in which also very difficult periods can occur. This also applies to the people of Israel, to the believer, to the servant of the Lord and to the Christian church. We will therefore see that this history has a metaphorical meaning, just as we have in other marine histories described in the Bible. For example, there is a history where the Lord Jesus lies asleep in the ship while a great storm arises ( ). There is also a history where He comes to His disciples who are in a boat in the middle of a storm ( ). Both cases give a picture of the present time we are going through. On the one hand, the Lord is in heaven, but on the other hand, He is also with us, although sometimes it seems as if He is absent. We also see that the faith life of the individual is compared to a voyage on a ship, where shipwreck can occur ( ). So we see that Scripture describes and uses events and expressions from shipping that are a picture for believers – see also the use of the word ‘anchor’ in Hebrews 6 ( ). If we look at the life of the believer and servant who is in the way of the Lord, we see in the journey that Paul makes that that way is not smooth. Paul is in the way that God wants him to go and is experiencing a huge disaster along the way. That shows that being in the way of the Lord does not mean that we will be saved from disasters. Anyone who wants to do a service for the Lord can get an accident or even die. We do not read of wonders in this history. We know that Peter was delivered from prison by an angel, but here we see that Paul remains imprisoned. In the Gospels the Lord rebukes the storm, but here everything has its natural course. Here we see no intervention of God, but despair of people and the total loss of the ship. It is precisely in these circumstances that faith manifests itself and there is reason to witness to the living God. That is what Paul does. On his journey to Rome Paul is the master of the situation. He is just as calm during the storm as he is before rulers and kings. Luke here shows how the faith of a single man can bring about a great change in the lives of many who are travelling with him. Paul is the one who gives advice in accordance with the message he received from God. He encourages and acts in every way in the Name of God in the midst of the scene that surrounds him, a scene full of false confidence and fear. In this history we also see how to look at the forces of nature. God has placed enormous forces in nature. Here they are unleashed. They have a devastating power. Natural laws are not independent of God. They are the result of the Son’s action ( ). They are in the hand of the Son. He disposes of them at His convenience. He Himself can walk on the sea and also enable Peter to do so ( ), something that is normally impossible for a human being. In connection with natural forces, angels also play a role. It is written of them that the Son makes them wind and fire ( ). Was not Job struck by fire and wind when God allowed satan to make use of it ( )? The Lord Jesus is also above that. He rebukes the wind and the sea ( ). The word ‘rebuke’ is used to rebuke demons ( ). When the Lord rebukes the wind and the sea, He is actually rebuking the angelic powers that are behind the wind and the sea. In the storms, we can see the work of evil powers, but God remains in full control. Evil forces can do no more than God allows them to do, while serving His purpose. The same goes for the storm that strikes the ship in which Paul is. Satan knows that Paul is on his way to Rome to bear witness before the emperor of God. This emperor was controlled by satan, so that the realm over which this emperor rules is in reality controlled by satan (cf. with ). Paul is on his way to preach the gospel to this satanic man. This makes the rage of satan all the stronger to torpedo this journey. But Paul gets there and performs the preaching during two imprisonments in Rome ( ; ). As already mentioned, Paul’s journey to Rome also gives an impression of the development of the church after the first thirty years. The journey goes from Jerusalem to Rome and symbolically outlines the situation of Christianity that has arisen in Jerusalem and will completely decline to the roman-catholic church, where the professing church will find its end (Revelation 17-18). On that path Paul, as a representative of the truth of the church, is a prisoner. In the explanation of this chapter we will encounter several aspects of this. Paul has appealed to the emperor and goes to the emperor. When the occasion arises, it is decided that the journey to Italy begins. By using the word “we”, we know that Luke will also go on board. He does not go along as a prisoner, but to keep Paul company on the ship. Paul, the bearer of the Christian testimony, is a prisoner. He is no longer a free man. As an application to our personal life, we can observe that it is a harbinger of a shipwreck if God’s Word can no longer act on us in its full force. The man who has to make sure that Paul, together with some other prisoners, will arrive safely in Rome, is a centurion of the “Augustan cohort”, named Julius. It emphasizes that Paul is a prisoner of the emperor of Rome. Julius chooses a ship that sails a route that leads to Rome. Then the ship sails off for a long voyage. Besides Luke, Aristarchus is also on board. Aristarchus has voluntarily chosen to accompany Paul and Luke on their voyage. In this way he makes himself one with the defamation of the gospel. He has suffered with Paul for the gospel ( ), and in Rome he will voluntarily share Paul’s imprisonment with him ( ). The beginning of the journey looks far from threatening. Julius treats Paul kindly. In the early days, the church did not suffer much from the secular government. The government even protected the church, as we have seen in Acts several times with Paul. At Sidon Paul is allowed to go to the believers, who are called “friends” by Luke. In many places such a company of people has been formed by the grace of the Lord. Where the love of the brotherhood is present, one can speak of “friends” ( ). Paul goes there to receive care from them, which means to enjoy the friendly attention of these friends for him. They will have given him what he needed for his body. This refreshment for his body will have meant an even greater spiritual refreshment. After this encounter, both physically and spiritually invigorating, the journey continues. They experience a headwind, which forces them to sail close to Cyprus. Headwinds or storms do not mean that you are not in the way of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Himself has also been in a storm. It is important to sail the most cautious course, close to a possible harbor. Then they sail through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, where Paul also sailed on his first missionary trip during his return to Syrian Antioch ( ). All these names will certainly have brought back memories to the apostle and brought him to (extra) prayer for the believers in those regions. Then they land at Myra in the province of Lycia on the south coast of Asia Minor.

‏ Acts 27:2

Introduction

This is a fascinating chapter. We find in it the account of the sea voyage of the prisoner Paul from Caesarea to Italy with Rome as his final destination. God wants Paul to be there so that he will bear witness before the emperor to Who He is. Luke, who is an eyewitness to all events, gives an account of Paul’s experiences and of all those who travel with him.

Paul has often travelled by sea, as Luke already stated in Acts (Acts 13:4 ; 13 ; Acts 16:11 ; Acts 18:18 ; Acts 20:14 ; Acts 21:1-3 ; 6). He did not give us a detailed account of those voyages. That Luke, just before the end of the book, describes in detail precisely this sea voyage of the ship on which Paul, as a prisoner, makes the voyage to Rome, must have a deeper meaning. We will also notice this deeper meaning in the course of the chapter.

Before I continue, just a brief account of the ‘deeper meaning’ I think I see in this history. There will be readers who question the ‘deeper meaning’, or some aspects of it, or reject completely or partly. I can understand that. The reader does not have to agree with me in everything in order to learn lessons from this sea voyage. It is also good to remember that the application of a history can never be extended to the detail. In this sea voyage it is all about the big picture. I have gratefully used what others have said and written about it. As far as I have recognized their application and consider it responsible for myself, I have included it in this commentary. It is up to the reader to form his own judgment about this.

We can say the following beforehand. In the book of Acts we have the description of the first thirty years of church history. With the last verse of Acts 28 the book seems to end abruptly, but it is, so to speak, an open ending. The history of the church has only just begun and continues. How that history continues is presented to us in the history of the sea voyage.

It is not strange that certain historical events also have a symbolic meaning. Since ancient times, countless writers have depicted life as a journey. In particular, the sea voyage with its storms provides a recognizable picture of human life, in which also very difficult periods can occur. This also applies to the people of Israel, to the believer, to the servant of the Lord and to the Christian church.

We will therefore see that this history has a metaphorical meaning, just as we have in other marine histories described in the Bible. For example, there is a history where the Lord Jesus lies asleep in the ship while a great storm arises (Mt 8:23-26). There is also a history where He comes to His disciples who are in a boat in the middle of a storm (Mt 14:22-33). Both cases give a picture of the present time we are going through.

On the one hand, the Lord is in heaven, but on the other hand, He is also with us, although sometimes it seems as if He is absent. We also see that the faith life of the individual is compared to a voyage on a ship, where shipwreck can occur (1Tim 1:18-20). So we see that Scripture describes and uses events and expressions from shipping that are a picture for believers – see also the use of the word ‘anchor’ in Hebrews 6 (Heb 6:19).

If we look at the life of the believer and servant who is in the way of the Lord, we see in the journey that Paul makes that that way is not smooth. Paul is in the way that God wants him to go and is experiencing a huge disaster along the way. That shows that being in the way of the Lord does not mean that we will be saved from disasters. Anyone who wants to do a service for the Lord can get an accident or even die.

We do not read of wonders in this history. We know that Peter was delivered from prison by an angel, but here we see that Paul remains imprisoned. In the Gospels the Lord rebukes the storm, but here everything has its natural course. Here we see no intervention of God, but despair of people and the total loss of the ship. It is precisely in these circumstances that faith manifests itself and there is reason to witness to the living God. That is what Paul does. On his journey to Rome Paul is the master of the situation. He is just as calm during the storm as he is before rulers and kings.

Luke here shows how the faith of a single man can bring about a great change in the lives of many who are travelling with him. Paul is the one who gives advice in accordance with the message he received from God. He encourages and acts in every way in the Name of God in the midst of the scene that surrounds him, a scene full of false confidence and fear.

In this history we also see how to look at the forces of nature. God has placed enormous forces in nature. Here they are unleashed. They have a devastating power. Natural laws are not independent of God. They are the result of the Son’s action (Heb 1:3). They are in the hand of the Son. He disposes of them at His convenience. He Himself can walk on the sea and also enable Peter to do so (Mt 14:25 ; 29), something that is normally impossible for a human being.

In connection with natural forces, angels also play a role. It is written of them that the Son makes them wind and fire (Heb 1:7). Was not Job struck by fire and wind when God allowed satan to make use of it (Job 1:12 ; 16 ; 18-19)? The Lord Jesus is also above that. He rebukes the wind and the sea (Mt 8:26). The word ‘rebuke’ is used to rebuke demons (Mk 1:25 ; Mk 9:25). When the Lord rebukes the wind and the sea, He is actually rebuking the angelic powers that are behind the wind and the sea. In the storms, we can see the work of evil powers, but God remains in full control. Evil forces can do no more than God allows them to do, while serving His purpose.

The same goes for the storm that strikes the ship in which Paul is. Satan knows that Paul is on his way to Rome to bear witness before the emperor of God. This emperor was controlled by satan, so that the realm over which this emperor rules is in reality controlled by satan (cf. Lk 4:5 with Lk 2:1). Paul is on his way to preach the gospel to this satanic man. This makes the rage of satan all the stronger to torpedo this journey. But Paul gets there and performs the preaching during two imprisonments in Rome (Phil 1:12-13; 2Tim 4:17).

As already mentioned, Paul’s journey to Rome also gives an impression of the development of the church after the first thirty years. The journey goes from Jerusalem to Rome and symbolically outlines the situation of Christianity that has arisen in Jerusalem and will completely decline to the roman-catholic church, where the professing church will find its end (Revelation 17-18). On that path Paul, as a representative of the truth of the church, is a prisoner. In the explanation of this chapter we will encounter several aspects of this.

A Calm Start and Headwind

Paul has appealed to the emperor and goes to the emperor. When the occasion arises, it is decided that the journey to Italy begins. By using the word “we”, we know that Luke will also go on board. He does not go along as a prisoner, but to keep Paul company on the ship. Paul, the bearer of the Christian testimony, is a prisoner. He is no longer a free man. As an application to our personal life, we can observe that it is a harbinger of a shipwreck if God’s Word can no longer act on us in its full force.

The man who has to make sure that Paul, together with some other prisoners, will arrive safely in Rome, is a centurion of the “Augustan cohort”, named Julius. It emphasizes that Paul is a prisoner of the emperor of Rome. Julius chooses a ship that sails a route that leads to Rome. Then the ship sails off for a long voyage.

Besides Luke, Aristarchus is also on board. Aristarchus has voluntarily chosen to accompany Paul and Luke on their voyage. In this way he makes himself one with the defamation of the gospel. He has suffered with Paul for the gospel (Acts 19:29), and in Rome he will voluntarily share Paul’s imprisonment with him (Col 4:10).

The beginning of the journey looks far from threatening. Julius treats Paul kindly. In the early days, the church did not suffer much from the secular government. The government even protected the church, as we have seen in Acts several times with Paul.

At Sidon Paul is allowed to go to the believers, who are called “friends” by Luke. In many places such a company of people has been formed by the grace of the Lord. Where the love of the brotherhood is present, one can speak of “friends” (3Jn 1:15). Paul goes there to receive care from them, which means to enjoy the friendly attention of these friends for him. They will have given him what he needed for his body. This refreshment for his body will have meant an even greater spiritual refreshment.

After this encounter, both physically and spiritually invigorating, the journey continues. They experience a headwind, which forces them to sail close to Cyprus. Headwinds or storms do not mean that you are not in the way of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Himself has also been in a storm. It is important to sail the most cautious course, close to a possible harbor.

Then they sail through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, where Paul also sailed on his first missionary trip during his return to Syrian Antioch (Acts 14:24-26). All these names will certainly have brought back memories to the apostle and brought him to (extra) prayer for the believers in those regions. Then they land at Myra in the province of Lycia on the south coast of Asia Minor.