Untitled Sermon

The Route to Rome (27-28)

Paul’s long term prayer to visit Rome (19.21; Rom 1.9-12) was answered (28.16), although perhaps not as he imagined. Following his arrest in Jerusalem, subsequent trials (21.31-26.32), and appeal to Caesar (25.11), he left for Rome as a prisoner. On the way he endured shipwreck (27.1-44) and three months on Malta as a castaway (28.1-10), before finally arriving in Rome (28.11-16). Despite being under a form of house arrest, Paul was able to serve the Lord for two years in Rome (28.16-31).

Shipwreck (27.1-44)

Luke’s account is gripping because it is first-hand (‘we’ vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 27, 37). He captures the tension between Paul and the ship’s pilot over the decision to sail (vv4, 7, 9-12), the apparent vindication of the pilot (v13) before the sudden arrival of the storm (v14), and the ensuing loss of all hope on the ship (v20). Remarkably, at this point Paul, the prisoner, assumed control of the situation (v21), orchestrating an improbable but successful rescue (v44, cf. Ps 107.23-32). This passage dispels the myth that to be heavenly minded makes one of no earthly use.

Paul was entrusted to Julius, a courteous centurion (vv1-5), and one of Augustus Caesar’s guards (v1). He was an effective organiser (v6), a decision-maker not afraid to consult (vv11-12), and yet able to authoritatively command his men (vv42-43). Although he was responsible for several prisoners (v1), Luke notes that he treated Paul ‘courteously’ (v3; ‘philanthrṓpōs’, loving mankind). In the NT centurions are consistently referenced in praiseworthy terms, and Julius is no exception. Like Joseph (Gen 39.21), and Daniel (Dan 1.9), God brought Paul into favour with the person directly responsible for him. At their first port, Sidon, Julius allowed Paul to refresh himself with friends. Paul, who once travelled to persecute believers, now had a network of friends wherever he travelled, in these very people (cf. arriving in Rome 28.14, 15, 30). In addition, God provided fellowship onboard the ship in the presence of Luke, ‘the beloved physician’ (Col 4.14), and Aristarchus, his ‘fellow labourer’ (v2; cf. 19.29; 20.4; Col 4.10; Philem 1.24 ). Together, these tokens of mercy surely made the bitter pill of lost liberty easier for Paul to swallow.

The ‘ship of Adramyttium’ (v2, modern day Turkey) that carried them from Caesarea (where Paul’s hearing before Agrippa had taken place, 25.13) intended to hug the coast to Macedonia, perhaps why Aristarchus of Macedonia was on board. At Myra, however, Julius arranged passage on ‘a ship of Alexandria’ (an Egyptian city), destined for Italy (v6). Following a meandering route (v7), the ship continued its slow land-hugging course before arriving at the Fair Havens, a port on the south side of the island of Crete (v8). Despite its name, it was not a good place to winter (v12), and this became the source of friction at the Fair Havens (vv6-12). Paul’s advice was not to sail. Luke gives no indication that special revelation informed Paul’s counsel. In fact, the special revelation he did have at this point affirmed that he would get to Rome (23.11). But Paul did not take this knowledge to mean normal precautions were now unnecessary, and accordingly, his advice was based on experience and plain common sense: given the time of year, embarking on a voyage was dangerous (v9). Paul had suffered multiple shipwrecks (2 Cor 11.25), and clearly had no appetite to go through it unnecessarily. But Paul’s voice was drowned out by the cumulative forces of expert advice – ‘the master and owner of the ship’ (v11); majority opinion – ‘the more part advised to depart’ (v12); and calculated risk – ‘if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter’ (v12). Sailing to Phenice, a safer wintering port a short distance along the coast of Crete, was not a big risk to take, surely? But as it transpired, ‘the man who knew God was wiser than the men who knew the sea’[i] Our best plans are those made in close consultation with the throne of grace (Pr 3.6).

The power of nature is illustrated by the storm at sea (vv13-20). Man’s creative ability to usefully harness wind and water sets him above the animal kingdom. It is part of the dignity of being made in the image of God, and in harmony with the original mandate to exercise dominion over the earth (Gen 1.26-28; Ps 8.3-8). Man can design sailing vessels, navigate making intelligent use of the stars (v20), and develop strategies for weathering storms (vv15-17). But there is a point at which the forces of nature are overwhelming, and we must say, ‘Thou rulest the raging of the sea’ (Ps 89.9) and take refuge in the omnipotent God Himself. Man is not the captain of his own destiny, far less the planet’s! The ‘helps’ with which they undergirded the ship, involved passing ropes around the hull and tying them together to provide additional reinforcement for the storm. The same word is taken up by the Hebrew writer to encourage us to the throne of grace, that me might find ‘grace to help in time of need’ (Heb 4.16). Divinely supplied reinforcement is constantly available to hold us together in the storms of life.

The move to lighten the ship reveals the intrinsic preciousness of life. Discarding weight raised the ship’s level in the water, reducing the risk of waves swamping the boat. First to go was the cargo (v18). Next, after three days, was the tackling. This was evidently heavy, requiring the help of all onboard to jettison (v19). Understandably at this point they kept their food (v36), for that is necessary to sustain life. But notice they did not throw the prisoners overboard. Later the soldiers considered killing them, for a Roman soldier could forfeit his life if he lost his prisoner (v42, cf. 12.19), but in the storm, their subconscious value system evidently placed a higher significance on preserving the life of all on board, prisoners included, than on possessions and potential profit. Life is intrinsically precious precisely because we are made ‘in the image of God’ (Gen 1.27; Gen 9.6), and this knowledge is stamped on the heart of man (Rom 2.14-15), explaining why we instinctively want to rescue people in danger and cure sick people.

The direct assurance Paul had already received from the Lord Himself, that he would arrive in Rome and stand before Caesar (23.11), was complemented by the Angel’s announcement (vv21-26). The supplementary information given by the angel of God included specific promises: there would be no loss of life; the ship would be lost; they would be cast on a certain island. This is an example of special revelation received by Paul direct from God (cf. 1 Cor 11.23, 15.3; Gal 1.12). Today we have the word of God, completed by the apostles as pre-authenticated by Christ (Jn 14.26). It forms the only authoritative source of information about Christ, through the knowledge of Whom we have ‘all things that pertain unto life and godliness’ (2 Pet 1.3). We cannot therefore expect additional revelation. Instead, for all our needs we rely on God, and His inspired, infallible word (20.32; 1 Cor 13.8-10; Jude 3; Rev 22.18).

The self-validating prophetic utterances provided solace to Paul, and his glad and bold identification with ‘God, whose I am, and whom I serve’ (v23), is the exemplary response of a soul enabled to cheerfully endure suffering in the confident expectation of coming glory. The word from the Lord also acted as a summons to the centurion, pilot, and shipmen to place their faith in the Lord; for it bore all the hallmarks of a practical demonstration that God’s word is completely reliable (cf. Jn 14.29, Isa 48.5). Paul demonstrated the sublime simplicity of what it means to believe, stating: ‘I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me’ (v25). The God who cannot lie will unfailingly bring His word to pass, and faith acts on it unreservedly. If Paul’s shipmates responded like Jonah’s, by calling on the Lord (cf. Jonah 1.16), then we will see them in heaven!

There is ‘a time to keep silence, and a time to speak’ (Ecc 3.7); and Paul judged both just right. Resisting the temptation to say, ‘I told you so’, Paul spoke only ‘after long abstinence’ (v21), for he was characterized by self-control. The adage: ‘if you’ve nothing helpful to say, say nothing’ is correct; but when Paul had something helpful from the Lord to say, he promptly spoke up.

With the ship fast approaching land in the dead of night, pretending to cast an anchor from the front of the ship, the sneaky shipmen (vv27-32) were in fact letting down a boat for themselves to escape in. Paul, ever a vigilant leader, and no doubt aided by his thorough understanding of the sin nature, spotted their deception (20.31, cf.1 Cor 16.13; Col 4.2), and acting in harmony with the revealed will of God, gave the decisive instruction that they must stay with the ship. Paul’s word was authoritative, for the soldiers promptly cut the boat loose, leaving the sailors with the ship. His authority came from having God’s word and speaking it boldly.

Four anchors were dropped from the ship’s stern, providing a resilient, unseen, connection for the storm tossed ship, to the security of the ocean bed below; giving hope of safety when otherwise they would be dashed on the rocks (v29). The Hebrew writer applies this imagery to the hope set before us in the gospel: ‘which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus’ (Heb 6.19,20). Our anchor is our hope, and our hope is Christ (1 Tim 1.1). He is located not on the seabed below, but high above us, ‘inside the veil’, in the very presence of God which he has ‘for us entered’ (Heb 6.20). We are securely connected to Him not by four ropes, but by His unbreakable word of promise, doubly confirmed for our reassurance by an oath (Heb 6.17,18). Anchored to Christ, the storms may toss our soul like the ship at sea, but we are inseparably connected to Christ, and eternally secure (Rom 8.39).

Paul’s leadership again emerges at the big breakfast (vv33-38); big, for it was their first food in fourteen days, and because all 266 souls on the ship ate. His authority was now well established, but wherever possible he preferred the winsome approach, meaning he ‘besought’ rather than commanded the people to eat (cf. Philem 1.8-9). His appeal to eat for their wellbeing (v34) shows faith in God’s revealed word going hand in hand with responsible action: Paul recognised they needed a meal to give them the physical strength to get to the ‘certain island’ after the ship was lost (vv22, 26). Paul’s leadership was one of example, for he ate in front of those on the ship (v35), which encouraged them to do likewise (v36). He further set an example by giving thanks to God before eating (v35), imitating the pattern set by Christ (e.g., Mat 15.36 ), and laying down a right habit for us to follow today. Supplementing his example Paul used encouragement, reassuring those on the ship with the Christlike phrase, ‘there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you‘ (v34 cf. Lk 21.18). Those who have experienced divine comfort are best placed to offer it to others (cf. 2 Cor 1.3-4 )

In accordance with the divine promise, all were saved from the shipwreck (vv39-44). An apparent threat arose to the fulfilment of God’s word when the soldiers decided to kill the prisoners (v42), yet God, who ‘worketh all things after the counsel of His own will’ (Eph 1.11), used the Centurion’s good will toward Paul to uphold His word, and Julius stopped his men for the sake of Paul. Upon running the ship aground, its ‘forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable’, while its ‘hinderpart was broken with the violence of the waves’ (v41). The Hebrew writer takes up the imagery, describing the kingdom which we are receiving as ‘unmoveable’. Applying the thought, we are either pouring our efforts into things that will stand firm, or that will be washed away (2 Cor 4.18). Accordingly, Paul encouraged the Corinthians: ‘my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord’ (1 Cor 15.58).

Three months on Malta (28.1-11)

The original voyage from Crete was intended to take them to a near port, but it ended on Malta, the best part of 1000km away; giving force to the analogy drawn by Paul between the horrors of shipwreck and the effect of abandoning faith and a good conscience (1 Tim 1.19). The moment we override our conscience, or the word of God, we may begin a chain reaction leading us inconceivably off course and damaged.

On Malta, the shipwreck survivors met the non-Greek speaking inhabitants, or ‘barbarous people’, (v2) who proved merciful: all 266 survivors were welcomed and warmed at their fire. Luke described their actions as kindness (v2, philanthrōpía) similar to Julius’ courtesy (27.3, philanthrōpía). The doctrine of man’s sinfulness evidently doesn’t mean that man is incapable of anything positive. Rather, it means that even our best moments are tainted and fall short of God’s glory (Isa 64.6, Rom 3.23).

When Paul was attacked by a viper from the fire, their moral framework emerged. They assumed he was a murderer and expected him shortly to fall down dead in recompense for his past crime. The executor of ‘vengeance’ is not named, the justness of a murderer forfeiting his life was not questioned; it seems they had observed and accepted a sowing and reaping principle in life, although they were ignorant of the God who works it out (Gal 6.7). Their instinctive response is an example of what Paul described as the ‘work of the law written in their hearts’ (Rom 2.15). God has engraved a working knowledge of righteousness on man’s heart, and we may use this knowledge to appeal to people’s consciences when evangelising.

No sooner had Paul shaken the viper from his arm, than the Maltese people change their mind, concluding he was a God (v6)! Without the light of written revelation man is muddled, for creation and conscience does not provide a complete disclosure of God and His ways. It is sufficient, however, to make man accountable (Rom 1.20). Unless the believer is built up by the word of God we too will be ‘tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine’ (Eph 4.14).

The islanders became miracle-beneficiaries: for they saw Paul unharmed by the viper – one of the specific signs the Lord foretold would accompany the preaching of the gospel (Mk 16.18) and rich with symbolic significance; the healing of Publius’ father (v8); and widespread healings of diseased islanders (v9). The apostolic miracles were special signs empowered by God to validate their witness to the resurrection (1.22, Heb 2.4). It is reasonable to therefore assume Paul preached the gospel to these people. By what unexpected means the Lord of the harvest brings the evangelist and hearer together at times (Lk 10.2)! The Islanders, understandably, wanted to honour them on their departure, and both generosity and discretion are combined in Luke’s summary: ‘they laded us with such things as were necessary’ (v10).

Finally arriving in Rome (28.11-16)

Leaving Malta by ship they hugged the south-west coast of Italy, prior to landing at Puteoli, and travelling to Rome by land. Luke noticed the ship’s sign: ‘Castor and Pollux’, twins from Greek mythology who were represented on the vessel (v11). The pair were regarded as the ‘gods of mariners, to whom all their good fortune was ascribed’.[ii] The contrast between such superstitions and the true God who rules the waves stands out. Paul’s appeal to those of Lystra would be apt here too: we ‘preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein’ (14.15).

A search for saints occurred in Puteoli where they ‘found brethren’. They largeheartedly accommodated the group, presumably including the soldiers and prisoners, ‘seven days’ (v14). This would have provided the opportunity to break bread (cf. 20.7). To accommodate such a stop Julius may have been more than simply sympathetic to the gospel. It also points to the spread of the gospel, for wherever Paul went it seems there were pockets of saints to be found; and Paul searched them out. News of their approach went before them, and a welcoming party from Rome came to meet them. Those who looked for saints, were themselves looked for! As a result, Paul ‘thanked God, and took courage’, underlining that there is nothing to substitute for an in-person visit (cf. 2 Jn 1.12). The word ‘meet’ (apántēsis) expresses a loving welcome given to an arriving friend and is used by Paul to describe the moment when we will ‘meet’ the Lord in the air at His return for the church (1 Thess 4:17). What thankfulness and courage we will take from that meeting!

At Rome the prisoners were delivered to the captain of the guard’, but Paul was placed under house arrest, and one set-apart soldier was given the responsibility of guarding him (v16). Think of all he heard! But Paul too was a set-apart soldier, for his preferential treatment was no mistake, it was the sovereign overruling of God, which meant, even though in bonds, he was free to engage in spiritual warfare (Eph 6.11-18).

Two years in Rome (28.17-31)

True to his habit, Paul sought first of all a Jewish audience in his new location, calling ‘the chief of the Jews together’ (v17). His first purpose was to provide an explanation for his imprisonment. Having appealed to Caesar, it was important to establish that he was not a criminal, nor set against his nation (v19); after all, a justly incarcerated, disloyal, evangelist is hardly a good advert for the message. Paul used the occasion to win a further hearing, referring to the ‘hope of Israel’ (v20) as the reason for his chain. There is an inextricable link between the gospel and Israel’s future, for Christ is at the centre of both (cf. Rom 9-11). The response of the Roman Jews shows that, although they had heard nothing specific of Paul (v21), believers were subject to general reproach from early on (v22).

Like Esther, Paul did not try to say everything on the first occasion (c.f. Est 5.3, 5.6, 5.8), but sought successive audiences which gave the opportunity for exposition (v23). When the word of God is being set forth in order, it is an ideal scenario to invite people to hear something of the breadth of God’s truth. Paul’s subject was ‘the kingdom of God’, that great programme of God’s which embraces both His purpose for the nation of Israel and the church; his strategy was to ‘persuade them concerning Jesus’; his source, ‘the law of Moses, and…the prophets’ for the apostolic gospel involved proving from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ expected by the scriptures (cf. 17.2-3). His seriousness is seen from the fact that he spoke ‘from morning till evening’ (v23). This was not a hobby, it was his life.

The ending of Luke’s record of Paul’s ministry is striking, for after the two year period in Rome (v30) we are left to wonder, what happened next? Luke concludes by summarising the two responses to Paul’s presentation of Christ in Rome: ‘some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not’ (v24, cf. 17.32). There was reception and rejection. This encourages evangelism, but with realistic expectations. To the rejectors, Paul pressed home their solemn accountability with a rebuke taken from Isaiah (cf. Isa 6.9-10): ‘their eyes they have closed’ (v27). Israel’s general and wilful rejection of God’s Son was the divinely designed catalyst for salvation to be offered beyond the Jews to the Gentiles (v28, cf. Rom 11.11). It is significant therefore that Acts, which began in Jerusalem with the gospel offered first to the Jews, ends in Rome with it going out to the Gentiles.

Paul circumstances could hardly be described as ideal but look what God can accomplish in non-ideal circumstances! Perhaps we too can identify some improvement to our liberty, or opportunity, or ability, that we think would allow us to do something for God. Let each difficulty remind us of God’s ways with Paul who came to realise that his weakness was his strength, for God deposits His treasure in ‘earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us’ (2 Cor 4.7).

[i] Through the Bible Day by Day, A Devotional Commentary, (F. B. Meyer). Published 1914, accessed via E-sword.

[ii] Robertson’s Word Pictures, cited in e-Sword.