Acts 27:1-8
1 Now when it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to turn Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion of the Augustan cohort, named Julius.
2 And we boarded an Adramyttian ship that was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, and put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica.
3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care.
4 From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it.
7 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone;
8 and with difficulty sailing past it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.
From Caesarea to Crete (1)
The context
Paul travels from Caesarea to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:15). Luke records this voyage in detail, and it seems to have two purposes: (1) To write about God’s protecting hand over Paul (it is God’s will for Paul to go to Rome). (2) To write about the spread of the gospel to the Gentile world (the building of the church is carried out by the Lord’s sovereignty). Paul was always conscious of his goal to go up to Rome. “Now after these things were finished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome’” (Acts 19:21). Paul was repeatedly warned that dangers awaited him, but he did not waver in his determination to go up to Jerusalem and then to Rome. Many dangers actually came upon him, but Paul’s resolve never faltered. His imprisonment in Caesarea lasted for more than two years. Now, finally, Paul set out for Rome (though as a prisoner). Within the series of events, we see the harmony between God’s sovereignty and the responsibility of those who trust in Him. This spiritual principle applies to us as well. God carries out His plans with sovereignty; therefore, we follow Him. In this voyage, Paul, though a prisoner, comes to serve as a leader. Let us recognize that Paul’s strength comes from Jesus Christ.
Reliability of Luke’s account
There was a Scottish biblical scholar and archaeologist named Sir William Mitchell Ramsay (1851-1939). Around the late 19th century, a group of non-believers in Scotland launched a project to find errors in the Bible. William Ramsay was appointed as an investigator to uncover inaccuracies in Luke’s account. In order to prove that the record in the Acts of the Apostles was inaccurate, he traveled to the places Paul had visited and conducted on-site investigations. After this research, he became a Christian. Not only that, but he also became a leading authority on the study of Asia Minor. He wrote several books on the Acts of the Apostles, the most famous of which is St. Paul, the Traveler and the Roman Citizen. Luke’s record is trustworthy. As we approach the Bible, let us receive everything written in it as the reliable word of God. We have been given an unshakable foundation for our lives.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, the Bible is inerrant word of God. Today, I will continue to walk in trust of Your word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.