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Studies in Acts                                                                                                                  

The Shipwreck (Acts 27:27-44)

Land in sight!

Since their departure from Crete two weeks had past, drifting about in the tumultuous sea. Meanwhile, the storm winds had shifted to the east. When the fourteenth night fell, the people assumed that they were approaching land. Had they heard the breakers above the noise of wind and waves? Or perhaps they were catching some smells from the land? Would they now face shipwreck on a rocky coast?

When they lowered the plumb line, they measured about 37 metres. At that point the sea was still rather deep. But when they had waited a bit longer, and measured again, the water was about 28 metres). Clearly, they were approaching land. On the bottom of the plumb line was a socket to which some grease had been applied. When the line hit the bottom, some material from the sea bottom stuck to the grease socket. According to Herodotus (5th century BC), an experienced mariner could determine his location from the kind of material he pulled up. But in this instance, they were still uncertain, as they had gone far off course.

But now a new fear arose: that the ship would crash against the rocks or run aground on a sandbar. Because it was night, the captain had four anchors lowered from the stern, and used the oars to bring the ship to a stop. They could do nothing more. They prayed that morning would soon dawn, for they were desperate for daylight. Then they would be able to see if they could put the ship on a beach somewhere or if they had approached a rocky coastline.

The escape attempt of the crew is foiled

In this critical situation, some of the crew decided to abandon the passengers to their fate and to reach land themselves if possible. Apparently, they had not taken Paul’s promise (vv. 22-26) seriously. Under the guise of wanting to set the bow anchors, they lowered the lifeboat before the ship ended up on the rocks or on a reef, where the waves would beat the ship to pulp. But Paul saw through their plan. And although he trusted firmly in God’s promise that everyone would be rescued, he did not for that reason sit on his hands. Now that God had granted him the lives of all the passengers (v. 24), he also felt responsible for them. What would they do without the skilled seafarers on board? With great presence of mind, he hastily intervened, and although the lifeboat had already been lowered, he told the centurion Julius and his soldiers: “Unless the crew remains on board, you cannot be saved!”

The centurion trusted the apostle so much that at this command, the soldiers cut the ropes holding the lifeboat and let it drift out to sea empty. This was proof that the Roman officer also trusted that the God of Paul would protect them from drowning!

Eat! All of you will reach land safely

Meanwhile it was still pitch dark, and after thirteen nights the wind was still blowing undiminished. In the distance they could hear the ominous sound of breakers on the coastline. Hundreds of exhausted men, packed together on deck under an open sky, wondered how they would ever reach shore alive. In the glimmer of approaching daylight, Paul turned to his fellow passengers. Since much more of their strength would be required in the coming hours, he encouraged each of them to eat something: “You have continued for fourteen days in stress and fear about how all of this would end, without eating hardly anything. I urge you to eat something now. Your chances of survival will increase if you regain your strength. Take courage, for I tell you again what the God to whom I belong has assured me: not a hair of one of you will perish.”

While he was saying this it was still half dark. Wind and waves continued to beat against the ship. The danger had not yet dissipated. But Paul put his words into practice by taking bread. He thanked God in the presence of those nearby for his good gifts, broke off a piece of bread, and began to eat. In this way he provided an example of sober confidence. Anyone who is negligent in using God’s supplied means is not believing God but is tempting God. In fact, Paul was demonstrating how we must interact with unbelievers. He did not separate himself, like someone averse to the world, like a religious eccentric, from the pagan mariners, passengers, soldiers, and criminals around him, but he conducted himself among them as one of them. When he talked, it was not exclusively about religious matters. When they were near Crete, he soberly pointed out the dangers associated with the approaching winter. When they rejected his advice, and he himself was thereby brought into danger, he later gave encouragement. For Paul, it was ‘pray and work,’ believe and use your head. God will deliver you, but you need to eat.

From this apostle we get exhortations like this: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:5-6). “Remind them . . . to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:1-2). Here we see how he himself put this into practice. He was evangelizing, not intentionally but naturally, casually, with refined sensitivity for time and manner. Only when the Lord apparently offered him the opportunity did he talk succinctly about “the God to whom I belong and whom I serve”—the briefest confession of faith in the New Testament! As a Jew he was used to thanking God for his food, and he did that here as well. But the raging storm near Malta was not the time for a sermon. Nor was it the proper occasion to summon all those pagans to conversion or to accuse their god Poseidon (i.e., Neptune) for leaving them in the lurch. He stated, naturally and practically: “Men, you need to eat, otherwise you won’t survive!” These words, and especially this example, did everyone good. Mariners, passengers, soldiers, prisoners, and possibly slaves as well took courage and began to eat.

In total, there were 276 men on board. And all of them were now eating quietly, encouraged by Paul’s tactful conduct on that ship during their emergency. In such circumstances, no captain could have strengthened their morale any better. When all had eaten their fill and had regained their strength, the captain made a wise decision. Out of concern for the ship, he commanded that its load be lightened, so that in addition to everything that had already been surrendered, they threw the grain overboard as well. The shallower it sat in the water, the closer the ship could come to the shore. The ship itself had to be viewed as a complete loss, as Paul had said as well.

The shipwreck

When daylight finally came, they did not recognize the coast of Malta, presumably because this island lay beyond the normal shipping route between Alexandria and Rome. They did spot a deep cove with shoreline, and after some deliberation decided to attempt to put the ship ashore at that place. The alternative was a shipwreck on the rocks. To limit the dangers of running aground, the captain took several new precautionary measures. Given the storm, it was impossible to bring the anchors up on aboard. So, he had the anchor ropes cut; they sank to the bottom of the sea. At the same time, they lowered into the water both oars on either side of the ship, so that they could steer the ship into the bay. In order to make headway against the storm, they hoisted the foresail and let the wind drive them up on the beach.

But when the ship entered the bay, it ran aground. The bow did not move far enough and came to a stop with a jolt. The force of the breakers began breaking the ship apart. The form of the Greek verb used here suggests that this did not happen all at once, so the passengers could move forward to the bow. The chance that the ship would reach the beach undamaged was now out of the question. But they had approached the coast closely enough so that without too much difficulty everyone could get to shore.

Paul was still almost killed

Roman soldiers who were supposed to guard prisoners were chiefly responsible if one of them escaped (recall Peter’s guards who, after his liberation from prison, were executed [12:19]). Because there was now a real chance that prisoners could escape by swimming away, the soldiers were planning to kill them all. Most of them had likely already been condemned to die. The apostle was also in danger of perishing just as he came close to being delivered. But Julius, the centurion in charge, saw to it that the execution did not occur. During the voyage he had apparently become impressed with Christ’s apostle. Would he come to faith? Julius commanded that those who could swim were to jump overboard to reach land. The rest had to hold on to boards or pieces of the wreckage and let themselves be carried to shore. In this way all of them did indeed reach land safely.

A boat under Jesus’ care

In this way God’s promise was fulfilled and his plans did not fail. The lives of all 276 shipmates were spared. Exactly as it had been foretold, they landed on an island, the only one in the 400 km route between Tunisia and Sicily! But, as had also been foretold, the ship was lost.

In the foregoing we read once again of the Acts of Jesus. The glorified Christ wanted his apostle to testify of him in the imperial palace in Rome (cf. Acts 19:21; 23:11). When this appeared impossible, he made it possible. During the terrible storm between Crete and Malta, he preserved his envoy for the fourth time in connection with a shipwreck (2 Corinthians 11:25, assuming this was written before Paul’s journey to Rome). Luke’s account makes it abundantly clear: Paul’s successful voyage to Rome was a miracle of God.

We dare not ascribe directly to Satan the storm that almost prevented this, though we do know that by means of a storm he had caused the death of Job’s children (Job 1:18-19). We should remember that in that time of the year and in this region, storms were normal. But this typhoon must have pleased Satan because everything looked as though Paul’s ship would perish. But the outcome confirmed Jesus’ word: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).

During the storm, the Lord granted his apostle special authority among the passengers. The majesty of his Lord radiated from him. It must have been evident to them that it was not Poseidon (i.e., Neptune), their god of the sea, who ruled the wind and the waves, but the God of Paul, whose promise had been fulfilled to the smallest detail. Would some of these shipwreck victims have come to faith in his God? After all, it was a remarkable proof of God’s goodness that he had spared the lives of 276 people for the sake of Paul! (v. 24). This was how God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of ten righteous (Genesis 18:26-32; cf. Proverbs 11:11). Let us not ignore deliverances like this, on account of the dark mysteries in God’s cosmic rule. For example, in connection with a news report like: “The airliner, carrying four hundred passengers, made a successful emergency landing!” Finally, there is no doubt that Psalm 107:23-31 was in the heart and on the lips of Paul after his deliverance.

Some went down to the sea in ships,

doing business on the great waters;

they saw the deeds of the LORD,

his wondrous works in the deep.

For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,

which lifted up the waves of the sea.

They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;

their courage melted away in their evil plight;

they reeled and staggered like drunken men

and were at their wits’ end.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

He made the storm be still,

and the waves of the sea were hushed.

Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,

and he brought them to their desired haven.

Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Questions:

What does Paul’s conduct on board ship teach us about how to behave in the midst of a pagan society?

The presence of Paul on the ship serves to save the pagans who are also on board. How does a Christian presence help to preserve an essentially non-Christian society?

– Alida Sewell