The Voyage and Shipwreck of the Apostle Paul,[1]
Part One: A Tale of Two Travelers Typifyng Two
Testaments[2], Subtitle: Paul as Counter-Jonah
Acts 27:1-44
Introduction:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it
was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of
belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the
season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we
had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far
like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being
received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”[3]
Outline:
I. The First Leg of the Journey — Failure to Follow
Paul’s Counsel (27:1-11)
II. The Second Leg of the Journey — Failure to Reach Safe
Haven (27:12-20)
III. The End of the Ship — The Deliverance of the Crew by
Heeding Paul’s Counsels (27:21-44)
Transition:
There is more than one concern that we need to have as we
grapple with the content of this chapter. We need to consider it in the light
of the entire Canon, and we need to visualize it in the purpose of Luke-Acts.
Precious little of either has been done to date. There is work to be done here!
I. The First Leg of the Journey — Failure to Follow Paul’s
Counsel (27:1-11)
1
And when it was determined that
we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto
one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. 2 And entering into
a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one
Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 And the
next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave
him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. 4 And when we
had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were
contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and
Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the
centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over
against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against
Salmone; 8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called
The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. 9 Now when
much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was
now already past, Paul admonished them, 10 And said unto them, Sirs,
I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the
lading and ship, but also of our lives. 11 Nevertheless the
centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things
which were spoken by Paul.
Geographical details:
Adramyttium
the coasts of Asia
Sidon
Cyprus
the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia
Myra, a city of Lycia
Cnidus
Crete, over against Salmone
The fair havens
the city of Lasea
Nautical details:
contrary winds
dangerous sailing (during the approximate period from September
14th to November 11th)
II. The Second Leg of the Journey — Failure to Reach
Safe Haven (27:12-20)
12
And because the haven was not
commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any
means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of
Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. 13 And when the
south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing
thence, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long after there
arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. 15 And when
the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. 16
And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much
work to come by the boat: 17 Which when they had taken up, they used
helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands,
strake sail, and so were driven. 18 And we being exceedingly tossed
with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; 19 And the
third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 20 And
when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on
us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
Phenice….which is an haven of Crete
a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon
a certain island which is called Clauda
Compare verse 18 to Jonah 1:5 - Then the mariners were afraid,
and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to
lighten it of them.
Jonah
|
Paul
|
Point
|
Jew
|
Jew
|
Comparison
|
Sent to Gentiles
|
Sent to Gentiles
|
|
On a ship in severe weather
|
On a ship in severe weather
|
|
Instructed crew how to save ship
|
Instructed crew how to save ship
|
|
Disobeyed God
|
Obeyed God
|
Contrast
|
Went from the presence of God
|
Went with the presence of God
|
|
Not initially a prisoner, until made
so by God after being thrown overboard
|
Already a prisoner prior to being
taken on board, and remained a prisoner throughout
|
|
The reason for the danger to the crew
|
The reason for the salvation of the
crew
|
|
Slept while the sailors tried to save
the ship
|
Assisted the sailors in the actions
taken to attempt to save the ship
|
|
Thrown overboard at his own request to
save the ship
|
Counseled the commander not to allow
the sailors to leave the ship, and later not to kill him and the other
prisoners
|
|
The ship and crew were saved — in spite
of the danger he had put it and them in — by heeding his counsel
|
The ship was not saved because of failure
to heed his counsel — the crew was only by heeding his counsel
|
|
Old Covenant
|
New Covenant
|
Covenant
|
Exception - Prophet to the Gentiles
|
Rule - Apostle to the Gentiles
|
|
Gentiles excluded as such
|
Gentiles included
|
|
His heart was not in the ministry
since he feared God would be merciful to the Gentiles
|
His heart and soul was in the ministry
that the Gentiles might see the light
|
|
Curse
|
Blessing
|
|
Death required
|
Life preserved
|
“Besides the personal element, there is the inner spiritual
meaning. There is one scene in the OT of which this is the most obvious
counterpart — the shipwreck of Jonah. If S. Paul in some
respects resembled Jeremiah, the parallel between the NT
prophet and Jonah is still more striking, — all the more so because of the
equally obvious contrast in character. Jonah is the prophet in the OT who more
than any other might, like S. Paul, be called 'the prophet of the Gentiles.'
Jonah indeed received his mission in a very different way : he fled from the
presence of the Lord and took ship for Tarshish. But in their voyages the
experience of the prophets coincided. Both suffered shipwreck; and although
Jonah, unlike S. Paul, brought the storm upon his vessel, yet in each case the
prophet won the salvation of his company, — Jonah by the sacrifice of himself.
Finally both alike experienced deliverance, Jonah from the deep, Paul from the
peril of death; and after this they fulfil their respective missions to the
great cities of Nineveh and Rome.”
— Richard Belward
Rackham, The Acts of the Apostles: An
Exposition, Oxford Commentaries, ed. Walter Lock (London: Methuen & Co., 1901), pg. 477; on Google Books at https://books.google.com/books?id=T4f9C9sTl9cC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 25 APR 2015]; and on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/actsapostlesane01rackgoog [accessed 25 APR 2015]; 8th ed., Westminster
Commentaries, ed. Walter Lock (London: Methuen & Co., Ltd., 1919) at https://archive.org/details/actsofapostlesex00rack [accessed 25 APR 2015].
“Third, I was reminded of
the story of Jonah in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. What an amazing contrast
Jonah is to Paul. Both Paul and Jonah were Jews, but they were very different
Jews. Jonah was commanded to take the gospel to the Gentiles of Nineveh, but he
refused and fled in the opposite direction. Paul was commanded to take the
gospel to the Gentiles as well, and he obeyed. Jonah fled aboard a ship, and
his presence there put all the sailors at risk. His disobedience endangered
these Gentile sailors. The sailors are saved by throwing Jonah overboard, off
the ship. And thus they are delivered (and apparently converted). Jonah will
eventually reach his destination, but only kicking and screaming. It is Paul’s
presence on board the ship that saves all. Those who sought to abandon ship
(like the sailors) would have put themselves and others at risk. God saved
Paul’s shipmates because of Paul. God saved Jonah’s shipmates in spite of
Jonah. What a backdrop the Book of Jonah is to Acts 27.”
— Bob Deffinbaugh, “34.
Shipwreck (Acts 27:1-44)” on Bible.org
at
https://bible.org/seriespage/shipwreck-acts-271-44 [accessed 25 APR 2015].
III. The End of the Ship — The Deliverance of the Crew
by Heeding Paul’s Counsels (27:21-44)
21
But after long abstinence Paul
stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto
me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. 22
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of
any man’s life among you, but of the ship. 23 For there stood by me
this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying,
Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given
thee all them that sail with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good
cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26 Howbeit
we must be cast upon a certain island. 27 But when the fourteenth
night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the
shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country; 28 And sounded,
and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they
sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. 29 Then fearing lest we
should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and
wished for the day. 30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of
the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though
they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, 31 Paul said to
the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be
saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let
her fall off. 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them
all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried
and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I pray you
to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair
fall from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had thus spoken, he
took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had
broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and
they also took some meat. 37 And we were in all in the ship two
hundred threescore and sixteen souls. 38 And when they had eaten
enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. 39 And
when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek
with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust
in the ship. 40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they
committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up
the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. 41 And falling into
a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck
fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence
of the waves. 42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the
prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape. 43 But the
centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded
that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get
to land: 44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces
of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
We will focus more on this section in the next sermon (Part
2).
Conclusion:
God sent the Ninevites a Jonah. God gave the world a
Paul.
[Sermon preached 26
APR 2015 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown,
PA.]
Appendix 3 — Resources on Acts
G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of
the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.
Paul Barnett, The
Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 2005).
Darrell L. Bock, Acts,
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic, 2007).
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text
with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).
Dennis E. Johnson, The Message of Acts in the History of
Redemption (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1997).
I. Howard Marshall, Acts:
An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).
David G. Peterson, The
Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar
New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).
John B. Polhill, Acts,
Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary,
gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers,
1992).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts,
Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical
Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2012).
W. C. van Unnik, “The ‘Book of Acts’ the Confirmation of
the Gospel,” in Novum Testamentum 4:1
(OCT 1960), pp. 26-59; reprinted in The
Composition of Luke’s Gospel: Selected Studies from Novum Testamentum,
compiled by David E. Orton, Vol. 1 of Brill’s
Readers in Biblical Studies (Leiden: Brill, 1999), pp. 184-218.
William H. Willimon, Acts,
in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for
Teaching and Preaching, series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed.
Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
Appendix 4 — Resources on Paul
Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural
Studies in 1 Corinthians (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011).
F. F. Bruce, Paul:
Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1977).
D. A. Carson, The Gagging
of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996),
pp. 496-501.
W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged
American ed. (New York: E. B. Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Adolf Deissmann, Paul:
A Study in Social and Religious History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson
(New York: Harper Torchbooks, n.d.).
F. W. Farrar, The Life
and Work of St. Paul (New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and
Letters”, in The Face of New Testament
Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R.
Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), pp. 283-325.
Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.,
"Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center
on Westminster Theological Seminary
at http://wts.edu/resources/media.html?paramType=audio&filterTopic=5&filterSpeaker=10&filterYear=2005 [accessed 20 MAR 2013].
Frank J. Goodwin, A
Harmony of the Life of the St. Paul According to the Acts of the Apostles and
the Pauline Epistles (New York: American Tract Society, 1895); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Richard N. Longenecker, The
Ministry And Message Of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).
Richard N. Longenecker, Paul,
Apostle Of Liberty (New York: Harper & Row, 1964).
Richard N. Longenecker, ed., The Road From Damascus : The Impact Of Paul's Conversion On His Life,
Thought, And Ministry (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
Richard N. Longenecker, Studies
In Paul, Exegetical And Theological (Sheffield : Sheffield Phoenix Press,
2004).
J. Gresham Machen, The
Origin of Paul's Religion: The James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union
Theological Seminary in Virginia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1925).
Leon Morris, The
Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1955).
John Pollock, The
Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969,
2012); also published as The Man Who
Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York:
Doubleday, 1969).
Stanley E. Porter, Paul
in Acts, in Library of Pauline
Studies, gen. ed. Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers,
Inc., 1999; 2001 reprint of The Paul of
Acts: Essays in Literary Criticism, Rhetoric and Theology, in Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen
Testament 115, by Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen).
W. M. Ramsay, The
Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on his Life and Thought (New York: A.
C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, Pauline
and Other Studies in Early Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and
Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul
the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton,
1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal
Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, The
Teaching of Paul in terms of The Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York
University (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
A. T. Robertson, Epochs
in the Life of Paul: A Study of Development in Paul's Character (Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The Missionary: Realities, Strategies
And Methods (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic,
2008).
Udo Schnelle, Apostle
Paul: His Life and Theology, trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben
und Denken, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).
Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul,
Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL:
IVP Academic, 2001).
James Stalker, The
Life of St. Paul, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by
Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google
Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 7 FEB 2013].
James Ironside Still, St.
Paul on Trial (London: Student Christian Movement, 1923).
End Notes:
[1] The title is adapted from
the classic work on the subject by James Smith, The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul with Dissertations on the Life and
Writings of St. Luke, and the Ships and Navigation of the Ancients, 2nd ed.
(London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts, 1856); on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/voyageandshipwr02smitgoog
[accessed 23 APR 2015]; and 4th ed., rev. Walter E. Smith (London: Longmans,
Green, and Co., 1880); on Google Books
at http://books.google.com/books?id=IMsNAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 23 APR 2015]. Along with Smith the following imporant work should
also be consulted on this episode: William M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and Roman Citizen, 11th ed. (London: Hodder
and Stoughton, 1907), pp. 314-341; and 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton,
1907), pp.195-211, s.v. Chapter XIV, “The Voyage to Rome;” on Christian Classics Ethereal Library
(CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.xvii.html
[accessed 23 APR 2015].
[2] The subtitle is adapted from Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities: A Story of the French
Revolution (London: Chapman & Hall, 1859); on Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/98/98-h/98-h.htm [accessed 25 APR 2015]; on Internet Archive (New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1894) at https://archive.org/details/ataletwocities03dickgoog [accessed 25 APR 2015].
[3] Dickens, op. cit., pg. 1.
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