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Confidence in the Storm
"“A gentle south wind” seemed to be ideal for the journey to Phoenix, so the crew weighed anchor (27:13). But “there was a noted tendency of a south wind in these climes to back suddenly to a violent north-easter, the well known gregale.” Unfortunately Paul’s ship had to confront a northeaster with all its force. They eventually decided that they could not fight it, so they gave in and let it carry them along in the opposite direction, away from the island (27:14–15). The little island of Cauda gave them a temporary reprieve from the gale (27:16), and they were able to take some emergency measures necessary under these conditions. The lifeboat that may have been towed behind the ship was hauled in (27:17a), and the crew passed ropes under the ship “to hold together and reinforce the hull against the battering of the waves.”
As they were being driven along, a new fear confronted them—the dreaded shallows and quicksands off the shore of Cyrene in North Africa called “Syrtis” (27:17b), which “inspired an obsessional fear constantly mentioned in first-century literature.” The crew “lowered the equipment or instrument” (lit.), an action that has been given numerous explanations as Luke is not specific about this instrument. This may be because Luke did not know what the instrument was or had forgotten its technical name. It was probably a floating anchor that “was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of the wave..."
As a result of this storm, most of the people on board would have become seasick and not have eaten for several days. In this hopeless situation Paul came with a word of encouragement, having himself been encouraged by God (2 Cor. 1:3–4) through a vision. When he said that they should have taken his advice (27:21), he was not making an “I told you so” statement but trying to win their attention. Twice he asked them to keep up their courage (27:22, 25), basing that appeal on his vision. God had a job for him in Rome, and because of that everyone would be saved (27:24). After expressing his faith in God, he predicted the ship would run aground on an island (27:25–26). From this point on, Paul seems to have assumed a leadership role in the ship." [1]
It's this last point that I think is most significant and important: everyone is convinced that they are going to die, but Paul knows the truth. He doesn't base it on a special revelation from God about the storm specifically, but rather that he will testify in Rome. How can he testify in Rome if he's dead? This seems like a small thing, but how many of us so quickly abandon our faith when we face a "storm" in our lives? Suddenly all the things we thought we knew and believed don't seem so certain - maybe it was all just our imagination... Paul faces the same temptation here I'm sure, but holds fast: God has a purpose and will bring him through.
Confidence in the Storm
"“A gentle south wind” seemed to be ideal for the journey to Phoenix, so the crew weighed anchor (27:13). But “there was a noted tendency of a south wind in these climes to back suddenly to a violent north-easter, the well known gregale.” Unfortunately Paul’s ship had to confront a northeaster with all its force. They eventually decided that they could not fight it, so they gave in and let it carry them along in the opposite direction, away from the island (27:14–15). The little island of Cauda gave them a temporary reprieve from the gale (27:16), and they were able to take some emergency measures necessary under these conditions. The lifeboat that may have been towed behind the ship was hauled in (27:17a), and the crew passed ropes under the ship “to hold together and reinforce the hull against the battering of the waves.”
As they were being driven along, a new fear confronted them—the dreaded shallows and quicksands off the shore of Cyrene in North Africa called “Syrtis” (27:17b), which “inspired an obsessional fear constantly mentioned in first-century literature.” The crew “lowered the equipment or instrument” (lit.), an action that has been given numerous explanations as Luke is not specific about this instrument. This may be because Luke did not know what the instrument was or had forgotten its technical name. It was probably a floating anchor that “was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of the wave..."
As a result of this storm, most of the people on board would have become seasick and not have eaten for several days. In this hopeless situation Paul came with a word of encouragement, having himself been encouraged by God (2 Cor. 1:3–4) through a vision. When he said that they should have taken his advice (27:21), he was not making an “I told you so” statement but trying to win their attention. Twice he asked them to keep up their courage (27:22, 25), basing that appeal on his vision. God had a job for him in Rome, and because of that everyone would be saved (27:24). After expressing his faith in God, he predicted the ship would run aground on an island (27:25–26). From this point on, Paul seems to have assumed a leadership role in the ship." [1]
It's this last point that I think is most significant and important: everyone is convinced that they are going to die, but Paul knows the truth. He doesn't base it on a special revelation from God about the storm specifically, but rather that he will testify in Rome. How can he testify in Rome if he's dead? This seems like a small thing, but how many of us so quickly abandon our faith when we face a "storm" in our lives? Suddenly all the things we thought we knew and believed don't seem so certain - maybe it was all just our imagination... Paul faces the same temptation here I'm sure, but holds fast: God has a purpose and will bring him through.
[1] Ajith Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), 611-12.
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