Brought Safely to Shore

Two hundred seventy-six persons were on the ship that was carrying the Apostle Paul to Rome. This meant that their boat was about half full, since most cargo ships in that day had a capacity of about six hundred people. Still, that was a sizable crowd of men who had suffered through the storm at sea, having only the assurance of Paul that God was protecting them to relieve the anxiety that they no doubt felt (Acts 27:1–38).

Unsurprisingly to all those who know the God whom Paul served, the Apostle’s assertion that no one would die on the voyage ultimately proved true. Luke tells us so in today’s passage. Having spent the night anchored in place in the midst of the storm, the men on the ship saw as day began to dawn that they were near land. A bay with a beach was visible, and the sailors made plans to run the ship ashore on the beach (v. 39). Casting the anchors into the sea and loosening the ropes that tied the rudders so that they could steer the ship to land, they began guiding the boat to the beach (v. 40). They did not get very far, however, for the boat struck a “reef.” The translation is ambiguous because the Greek word can also refer to a shoal, a bank of sand, or a channel. The important thing to note is that the ship hit an obstacle in the water and could go no farther. Waves beat against the boat, breaking up the stern (v. 41).

The chaos provided a perfect escape opportunity for Paul and the other prisoners who were being transported to Rome. Recognizing this and knowing how difficult it would be to keep tabs on all the prisoners, the Roman soldiers planned to kill all the men in custody (v. 42). That was because the soldiers themselves would be killed by other imperial authorities if they let any of the prisoners get away. Julius the centurion intervened because he wanted to save Paul’s life, and the soldiers could not carry out their plan. All the men left the ship and headed for shore, some of them swimming and others floating on planks and other pieces of the ship until they arrived on land safely (vv. 43–44).

Paul’s prediction that no one on the ship would die was therefore vindicated (vv. 23–24). The whole episode also provides a very literal outworking of the promise of Isaiah 43:2 that the waters will not overwhelm God’s servants. Our Lord can be trusted to keep us safe forever in His hand.