A Study of Acts 27:1-28:10

 

A Study of Acts 27:1 – 28:10

 

Acts 27 is the first half of Paul’s trip from imprisonment in Caesarea to imprisonment in Rome. With Paul is Luke and Aristarchus a Macedonian from Thessalonica; Julius an officer of the Emperor’s Regiment, the ship’s owner and captain and 270 ships crew, Roman guards, prisoners and passengers, a total of 276 persons.

 

The first part of the trip is difficult sailing and after much time had been lost because of contrary winds Paul advised that they should winter where they were, proclaimed that they would suffer loss of property and life. But those in charge decided to go on.

 

They get a favorable wind and take their chance to get to Crete where there is better wintering ports. But they get caught in a large storm that blows off the land and carries them about for 14 days. They have to get rid of everything that weights them down including the ships sailing equipment.

 

On the fourteenth day Paul reminded everyone that he had recommended that they not sail on and He told them of his angelic visitation and that they would had to run aground on an island but by GOD’s Grace no life would be lost, only the ship. That night the ship’s crew realized the waters were getting shallower and they took readings, seeing that they must be close to some land they anchored the ship. The crew then decided to abandon the ship and it passengers, Paul warned the Romans and they stopped the ship’s crew.

 

At sunrise Paul encouraged everyone on board to eat and fortify themselves for no one would be lost. They saw a beach and cut the anchors and made for it but they ran aground on a sand bar and the ship stuck fast. As the stern was breaking up the Romans wanted to kill the prisoners so they would not escape, but the officer wanting to save Paul stopped them. He ordered everyone who could swim to jump and swim ashore and for the rest to use whatever floated to make their way to shore. No one from the ship was lost.

 

The study of this chapter is the result: Paul proclaimed (prophesied) that if they continued their trip there would be loss of property and life and those in charge ignored his warning. By this time everyone on the ship would have know that Paul and his companions were Messianic Jews. Then after two weeks of being caught in a huge storm Paul tells them of his angelic visitation and no one would die. Even then some doubted so the ship’s crew decided to abandon the ship but Paul intervened and eventually everyone was saved.

 

By this time you would think that virtually everyone on the ship would repent of their sins and become believers in JESUS, but there is no evidence of that in Luke’s writing of this event. Yet in chapter 28 there is a revival on the island where they were ship wrecked because Paul did not die after being bitten by a poisonous snake, then he prayed and the Governor’s father was healed of a fever and dysentery, and the island’s residents honored Paul and his two companions. They were there for three months.

 

So were those who were with Paul and his companions for over four months changed? Absolutely, did they become believers? I’m sure some did but at the time it did not make enough difference in their behavior that Luke felt he should write in it his narrative of the events. After about a week on the island all the people brought their sick to Paul for healing and honored him and his companions.

 

What does this say about humanity, especially our society today? JESUS said the road to destruction is wide and the way is easy and there are many who find it; the road to Eternal Life is narrow and the way is hard and few find it. Most people are self interested and most people will not be saved no matter what they see, hear and experience. It’s so random who will and who will not believe and be saved that we must share with everyone we can.