27:27-28 The ancient name of the central part of the Mediterranean Sea was the Adriatic or Hadriatic Sea. People referred to what we now call the Adriatic Sea as the Gulf of Adria or Hadria or as the Ionian Sea.955The winds and currents had carried Paul's ship in a northwesterly direction from the south-central Mediterranean. The sailors may have smelled the land, which sailors can do, or they may have heard the waves breaking on shore.
"Took soundings"is literally "hearing the land"in Greek. To determine the depth of the water the sailors tied a weight to a line and threw it overboard. The depth to which it sank indicated the depth of the water. A fathom is 6 feet, so these depths were 120 and 90 feet.
27:29 Four stern anchors kept the ship pointing toward the land so when the sun came up the sailors could beach it prow first. Another rendering of the Greek word for "wished"(euchomai, v. 29) is "prayed."
27:30-32 The ship's crew was about to abandon ship and make for land in the lifeboat leaving the passengers to fend for themselves. Paul probably realized that anchors in front of the ship were unnecessary and sensed their plan.956The sailors would have been valuable on board to help beach the ship safely. They were the experts at maneuvering it. Perhaps the soldiers let the dinghy drift free so the sailors would not try another escape. This small boat would have been useful later when the passengers had to swim to land.
"Verses 24 and 31 provide an interesting illustration of the Biblical viewpoint regarding divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God knew that all on the vessel would be preserved (and if God knows it, it is certain and cannot be otherwise). At the same time God's sovereignty which insured their safety was not intended to discourage human effort, for this was the means by which God would achieve the end in view."957
27:33-37 All on board needed to eat to gain strength for the work of getting ashore that lay ahead. Paul gave thanks to God publicly for the food (cf. 1 Tim. 4:5-6). This would have helped all present to connect their deliverance with God. This meal was evidently not a celebration of the Lord's Supper, as some commentators suggested.958The circumstances of the occasion argue against this view as does the terminology Luke used (v. 35; cf. Luke 24:30). The rest of the people followed Paul's example and ate too.
"It could never be said of Paul as it was said of some people that they were so heavenly minded that they were of no earthly use.' He knew that hungry men are not efficient men; and so he gathered the ship's company around him and made them eat."959
27:38 It was necessary to lighten the ship so it would ride high into shallow water when the sailors beached it.
27:39-40 A sandy beach, traditionally St. Paul's Bay, was second best to a harbor. This type of ship had rudder-like paddles on the sides of the vessel that served to guide it. Evidently the sailors had locked these rudders in place when the ship was drifting, but now they put them into use again. The foresail on the front of the ship would have increased its maneuverability.
27:41 Evidently currents from two parts of the sea converged near the entrance to this bay resulting in an accumulation of sand or mud. The sailors did not see this bar and inadvertently ran the ship aground. It stuck firmly. "Reef"implies coral reef in English, but the Greek word (topon) and investigations at the site (St. Paul's Bay) suggest that Luke probably described a sand or mud bar.
27:42-44 The soldiers would have had to pay with their lives if their prisoners escaped (cf. 12:19; 16:27). The centurion was willing to take responsibility for the prisoners' safety to spare Paul's life. This unusual concern for the apostle raises the unanswerable question of whether this man may have become a Christian on this trip.
God kept His promise to keep Paul and his fellow travelers safe (cf. v. 24).
A British yachtsman and scholar who was familiar with the parts of the Mediterranean Sea that Paul covered on this journey retraced Paul's route in the first part of the nineteenth century. His book relates his experiences and findings. It is fascinating reading and confirms the accuracy of Luke's references in this chapter.960
This unusually dramatic and vivid chapter stresses God's sovereign control over circumstances to bring His will to pass, specifically that Paul should minister in Rome. It reminds us of Jesus' ability to control the winds and the waves of Galilee to accomplish His will and to communicate His identity. He had sent His disciples into a storm (Luke 8:22-25) just as He had sent Paul. Jesus had predicted that He would build His church and that Hades' gates would not overwhelm it (Matt. 16:18). This chapter shows to what lengths God will go to remain faithful to His promises.
