The last great narrative in Acts is an epic sea adventure. Paul’s journey by sea to Rome entailed grave difficulty, but God preserved him through every dangerous twist and turn. The detailed account of storms and wreckage, islands and divine insight, faith and fear, all serve a purpose. Luke tells the story with numerous allusions to Homer’s epic Greek novel, The Odyssey, so readers could understand the significance of Paul’s sailing adventures and the superiority of the God who guided him.
Paul’s Sea Voyage to Crete (Acts 26:1-8)
For Paul’s voyage to Rome, he was placed under the care of “a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius” (Acts 27:1). The Augustan Cohort was stationed in Caesarea in the first century and was originally named in honor of the great Roman Emperor Augustus. Luke knew these precise details about the centurion and Paul’s voyage because he joined Paul on the journey—note the reference to “we should sail to Italy” in Acts 27:1.
Luke notes that they sailed with other prisoners and a Macedonian man from Thessalonica named Aristarchus (see Acts 27:2). Paul might have already known Aristarchus, and his letters confirm that Aristarchus remained a supportive friend throughout Paul’s captivity in Rome (see Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24). On this voyage, Luke and Aristarchus likely cared for Paul and cooked his meals since no general service would be offered to the passengers of a cargo ship. Their service was a profound act of friendship since the accommodations would be rough—they would bring their own food, wash their own clothes, and sleep on the deck at night, possibly under a tent cover if they brought one.
Throughout Paul’s ministry, he never traveled alone. He always had companions for the journey. Sometimes we elevate Paul to superhuman status because of his ministry across the Roman Empire, but he wouldn’t have survived it without friends. We are no different. We need friends who support through the good and the bad. So who are those friends for you? Who are the people around you that care for you when life gets hard serving the Lord?
After a quick stop up the coast in Sidon where Paul visited friends who gave him provisions for the trip, they sailed by Cyprus—an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea—and stopped in Myra—a harbor on the southwest coast of present-day Turkey—to board a ship heading all the way to Italy. Due to troublesome winds, they sailed slowly “under the lee of Crete” (Acts 27:7)—“the lee” refers to the side of an island downwind with less exposure to strong winds—which would have been the southern side of Crete. Crete was a large island south of the Aegean Sea between present-day Greece and Turkey. After Paul’s ship sailed about half the distance across Crete, they landed at a southern coastal harbor, Fair Havens, near the city Lasea.
While they waited to continue the voyage, the season of dangerous winds arrived and Paul warned the centurion and ship’s pilot: “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives” (Acts 27:10). Although this narrative detail seems irrelevant since the centurion ignored Paul’s warning (see Acts 27:11), why does Luke mention it? Because Paul’s premonition of danger mirrors Odysseus’s fear of disaster in his famous sea voyages recorded in Homer’s Odyssey.[i] However, Paul is the one to communicate coming disaster in Acts 27 whereas Odysseus hears about it from the goddess Calypso.[ii] That difference reveals Paul’s greater insight than Odysseus, one of the greatest heroes in all of Greek literature.
The connection points between Paul and Odysseus will continue throughout Acts 27-28 to highlight both how Paul’s sea journey rivals the most widely known Greek epic and how God’s providence and protection were superior to what the Greek gods had done for Odysseus. In fact, the parallels already began when Paul’s ship faced winds blowing south that made them pass on the leeward side of Crete (see Acts 27:7) just like Odysseus had done.[iii] Many ancient Greek and Latin writers drew from Homer’s Odyssey for shipwreck stories because it was the most widely known sea voyage novel that people could compare to other voyages. And Luke will cleverly use both the similarities and differences between the stories for his theological purposes.
A Helpless Ship in the Storm (Acts 27:12-38)
The majority of the ship’s leadership and crew decided to ignore Paul’s warning and try to sail from Fair Havens to Phoenix—a Cretan city further west along the coast—where the harbor was large enough for the ship to spend the winter (see Acts 27:12). So they pulled up the anchor on a day with calm winds and began sailing along the coast of Crete (see Acts 27:13). “But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land” (Acts 27:14)—this wind would rush down from the mountains on land and suddenly become strong and dangerous for ships. Soon the ship could no longer hold its position and was blown south across the sea in the wrong direction (see Acts 27:15). This narrative sequence matches Odysseus, who also set sail on a calm day and then encountered strong winds at sea.[iv] The two stories are linked together by using the same Ancient Greek terms for wind not found elsewhere in the New Testament. The similar beginnings to stormy voyages set up the opportunity for Luke to show how Paul and his God navigate the storm and its consequences better than the famed and valiant Odysseus.
When the ship found temporary relief from the wind while passing “a small island called Cauda,” the sailors pulled up the small boat dragging behind the ship (used for disembarking) so that it wouldn’t be lost in the strong winds. When the winds returned after passing the island, the sailors lowered the ship’s sails so that the wind wouldn’t keep pushing them south until they crashed into the ground “on the Syrtis” (see Acts 27:17)—the Syrtis refers to shallow waters near the North African coast filled with sandbars and ridges where ships frequently got stuck. During the next couple days at sea, the crew threw their cargo and tackle overboard so that the bottom of their boat would not sit deep down in the water and get stuck on shallow ground (see Acts 27:18-19). Unfortunately, due to the storm clouds in the sky, the sailors could no longer see the sun or stars to navigate. So they resigned to the fact that they were going to crash. As Luke summarizes, “all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned” (Acts 27:20).
The Odyssey recounts similar events of a storm-tossed ship being driven off course by winds until the crew gave up hope and resigned to their eventual death at sea.[v] The exact experience of the sun and stars disappearing for many days further connects Acts 27 to the The Odyssey.[vi] But whereas both stories recount passengers who believed they had been abandoned to die at sea, Paul does not lose faith in God.
In Acts 27:21, Paul stands up and reminds the crew that they should have listened to his warning. However, all hope is not lost. Paul assures everyone that “there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship” (Acts 27:22). Since Paul’s words would be hard to believe, he explains where he got this idea: “this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you’” (Acts 27:23–24). This sequence of events follows the storyline of The Odyssey. Odysseus received a similar vision of the goddess Ino who promises him that he will survive even though the ship will not.[vii] However, Paul stands in stark contrast to Odysseus when he receives the vision. Whereas Odysseus does not believe the goddess, Paul responds with faith: “I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told” (Acts 27:25). Paul is clearly a superior figure to Odysseus. Although Odysseus is considered great-hearted, his heart melts when the winds rage.[viii] Paul’s stronger faith is no surprise. He had already been shown to be superior as a prophet when he predicted the shipwreck beforehand, and now he stands confident in his more reliable God.
The ship’s crew did not believe Paul’s words. Even though he told them that the ship would “run aground on some island” (Acts 27:26), they still tried to prevent it. As the winds pushed them across the sea, they began to measure the depth of the water and decided to lower four anchors when the depth reached fifteen fathoms—or 90 feet—to try and stop the boat if it got shallower (see Acts 27:27-29). As their fear of running aground increased, the sailors lowered the small boat back into the water with a plan to escape the ship and leave the passengers behind (see Acts 27:30). However, Paul discovered their plan and told the centurion and his soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (Acts 27:31). Somewhat surprisingly, the soldiers believed him and “cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go” (Acts 27:32). But this act of faith wasn’t the first. Roman soldiers had often demonstrated faith in God and his messengers throughout Luke’s writings (see Luke 7:1-9; 23:47; Acts 10:1-7), and Luke intentionally includes these moments to show how Romans both trust God and benefit from it.
Paul recognized how dejected and de-energized the ship’s passengers had become after fourteen days of fighting the storm without proper meals (see Acts 27:33). So he encourages everyone to eat and regain their strength, reminding them that no one is going to die (see Acts 27:34). Then Acts 27:35 narrates how Paul began to eat some bread: “And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.” The wording mirrors what Jesus did at the Last Supper with his disciples (see Luke 22:19). Paul is publicly thanking God and eating before he suffers through a shipwreck just like Jesus did before he suffered on the cross. He is giving everyone on board a model to follow for trusting God through disaster. When everyone saw what Paul had done, “they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves” (Acts 27:36). All 276 passengers ate until they were full and threw the rest of the wheat out into the sea to lighten the ship (see Acts 27:37)—the weight of hundreds of sacks of wheat bound for Italy would have been quite significant.
While they waited to continue the voyage, the season of dangerous winds arrived and Paul warned the centurion and ship’s pilot: “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives” (Acts 27:10). Although this narrative detail seems irrelevant since the centurion ignored Paul’s warning (see Acts 27:11), why does Luke mention it? Because Paul’s premonition of danger mirrors Odysseus’s fear of disaster in his famous sea voyages recorded in Homer’s Odyssey.[i] However, Paul is the one to communicate coming disaster in Acts 27 whereas Odysseus hears about it from the goddess Calypso.[ii] That difference reveals Paul’s greater insight than Odysseus, one of the greatest heroes in all of Greek literature.
The connection points between Paul and Odysseus will continue throughout Acts 27-28 to highlight both how Paul’s sea journey rivals the most widely known Greek epic and how God’s providence and protection were superior to what the Greek gods had done for Odysseus. In fact, the parallels already began when Paul’s ship faced winds blowing south that made them pass on the leeward side of Crete (see Acts 27:7) just like Odysseus had done.[iii] Many ancient Greek and Latin writers drew from Homer’s Odyssey for shipwreck stories because it was the most widely known sea voyage novel that people could compare to other voyages. And Luke will cleverly use both the similarities and differences between the stories for his theological purposes.
A Helpless Ship in the Storm (Acts 27:12-38)
The majority of the ship’s leadership and crew decided to ignore Paul’s warning and try to sail from Fair Havens to Phoenix—a Cretan city further west along the coast—where the harbor was large enough for the ship to spend the winter (see Acts 27:12). So they pulled up the anchor on a day with calm winds and began sailing along the coast of Crete (see Acts 27:13). “But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land” (Acts 27:14)—this wind would rush down from the mountains on land and suddenly become strong and dangerous for ships. Soon the ship could no longer hold its position and was blown south across the sea in the wrong direction (see Acts 27:15). This narrative sequence matches Odysseus, who also set sail on a calm day and then encountered strong winds at sea.[iv] The two stories are linked together by using the same Ancient Greek terms for wind not found elsewhere in the New Testament. The similar beginnings to stormy voyages set up the opportunity for Luke to show how Paul and his God navigate the storm and its consequences better than the famed and valiant Odysseus.
When the ship found temporary relief from the wind while passing “a small island called Cauda,” the sailors pulled up the small boat dragging behind the ship (used for disembarking) so that it wouldn’t be lost in the strong winds. When the winds returned after passing the island, the sailors lowered the ship’s sails so that the wind wouldn’t keep pushing them south until they crashed into the ground “on the Syrtis” (see Acts 27:17)—the Syrtis refers to shallow waters near the North African coast filled with sandbars and ridges where ships frequently got stuck. During the next couple days at sea, the crew threw their cargo and tackle overboard so that the bottom of their boat would not sit deep down in the water and get stuck on shallow ground (see Acts 27:18-19). Unfortunately, due to the storm clouds in the sky, the sailors could no longer see the sun or stars to navigate. So they resigned to the fact that they were going to crash. As Luke summarizes, “all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned” (Acts 27:20).
The Odyssey recounts similar events of a storm-tossed ship being driven off course by winds until the crew gave up hope and resigned to their eventual death at sea.[v] The exact experience of the sun and stars disappearing for many days further connects Acts 27 to the The Odyssey.[vi] But whereas both stories recount passengers who believed they had been abandoned to die at sea, Paul does not lose faith in God.
In Acts 27:21, Paul stands up and reminds the crew that they should have listened to his warning. However, all hope is not lost. Paul assures everyone that “there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship” (Acts 27:22). Since Paul’s words would be hard to believe, he explains where he got this idea: “this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you’” (Acts 27:23–24). This sequence of events follows the storyline of The Odyssey. Odysseus received a similar vision of the goddess Ino who promises him that he will survive even though the ship will not.[vii] However, Paul stands in stark contrast to Odysseus when he receives the vision. Whereas Odysseus does not believe the goddess, Paul responds with faith: “I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told” (Acts 27:25). Paul is clearly a superior figure to Odysseus. Although Odysseus is considered great-hearted, his heart melts when the winds rage.[viii] Paul’s stronger faith is no surprise. He had already been shown to be superior as a prophet when he predicted the shipwreck beforehand, and now he stands confident in his more reliable God.
The ship’s crew did not believe Paul’s words. Even though he told them that the ship would “run aground on some island” (Acts 27:26), they still tried to prevent it. As the winds pushed them across the sea, they began to measure the depth of the water and decided to lower four anchors when the depth reached fifteen fathoms—or 90 feet—to try and stop the boat if it got shallower (see Acts 27:27-29). As their fear of running aground increased, the sailors lowered the small boat back into the water with a plan to escape the ship and leave the passengers behind (see Acts 27:30). However, Paul discovered their plan and told the centurion and his soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (Acts 27:31). Somewhat surprisingly, the soldiers believed him and “cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go” (Acts 27:32). But this act of faith wasn’t the first. Roman soldiers had often demonstrated faith in God and his messengers throughout Luke’s writings (see Luke 7:1-9; 23:47; Acts 10:1-7), and Luke intentionally includes these moments to show how Romans both trust God and benefit from it.
Paul recognized how dejected and de-energized the ship’s passengers had become after fourteen days of fighting the storm without proper meals (see Acts 27:33). So he encourages everyone to eat and regain their strength, reminding them that no one is going to die (see Acts 27:34). Then Acts 27:35 narrates how Paul began to eat some bread: “And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.” The wording mirrors what Jesus did at the Last Supper with his disciples (see Luke 22:19). Paul is publicly thanking God and eating before he suffers through a shipwreck just like Jesus did before he suffered on the cross. He is giving everyone on board a model to follow for trusting God through disaster. When everyone saw what Paul had done, “they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves” (Acts 27:36). All 276 passengers ate until they were full and threw the rest of the wheat out into the sea to lighten the ship (see Acts 27:37)—the weight of hundreds of sacks of wheat bound for Italy would have been quite significant.
Paul saw an opportune moment in the middle a deadly storm at sea to encourage all the passengers on a boat he knew was going to sink. That’s not a typical response to impending disaster. Instead of just taking care of himself, Paul pointed everyone to something God had provided—the bread—to help them endure. We can do the same when we care more about the people suffering around us than we do about ourselves. Every encounter with others in need is a potential opportunity for ministry. So what types of crises do you find yourself in with others where you could encourage them by pointing out something God has provided instead of just taking care of yourself?
The Shipwreck (Acts 27:39-44)
Paul’s ship eventually came near land, and the crew saw a bay with a beach where they could run the ship ashore (see Acts 27:39). So they cut off their anchors to further lighten the ship and raised the front sail to head towards the beach (see Acts 27:40). This final attempt to avoid the ship’s destruction, which Paul’s God had said could not be avoided, failed. As the ship neared land in shallower waters, it struck a reef in the sea, got stuck, and began to fall apart (see Acts 27:41). At first, the Roman soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners before they swam away and escaped (see Acts 27:42), but the Roman centurion stopped their plan because he wanted to save Paul’s life. So he ordered the ship’s passengers to swim for shore or use planks to float if they couldn’t swim (see Acts 27:43). Just as Paul predicted, “all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44).
Paul’s shipwreck presents another set of instructive similarities and differences to The Odyssey. In both, the ship is destroyed, and people survive by grabbing onto planks of wood in the sea.[ix] Luke explicitly connects both stories by using unusual poetic terms from Homer’s Odyssey for “the ship” and “running aground” that weren’t common in Luke’s day (compare Luke 27:41 to The Odyssey 9.148).[x] However, in The Odyssey, only Odysseus survives the shipwreck while the entire crew dies.[xi] Although the gods in The Odyssey claim to have compassion in their hearts, they only preserve the hero.[xii] In Acts 27, every person survives just like God promised.
The contrast in survival rates shows the superior love and power of the God Paul trusts. Greco-Roman hearers of Paul’s epic shipwreck would recognize how their temperamental and unreliable gods were far inferior. In the story of Odysseus, the gods Zeus and Poseidon bring storms to kill him[xiii] while the goddesses Calypso, Ino, and Athena work hard to protect him from the destructive waves and wind.[xiv] In Paul’s story, there is one God who controls all and cares for all. So the entire shipwreck story is an evangelistic invitation for ancient Greeks and Romans to trust in the kind and sovereign God whom Paul preached!
Miraculous Events on the Island of Malta (Acts 28:1-10)
When Paul and all the passengers made it to shore, they learned they were on the island of Malta—about 60 miles south of Sicily (see Acts 28:1). There they encountered friendly locals who started a fire to keep them warm in the rain and the cold (see Acts 28:2). As Paul placed wood on the fire, “a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand” (Acts 28:3). When the locals saw that Paul had been bitten by a poisonous snake, they quickly concluded he must be a murderer who got the death penalty he deserved. However, Paul didn’t swell up and die as they supposed (see Acts 28:6). In fact, after they saw no effects of the snake bite, “they changed their minds and said that he was a god” (Acts 28:6). It was a radical twist in the story that once again proved God was protecting Paul.
When we compare Paul’s experience on the island of Malta to The Odyssey, we once again find similarities and differences. Both Paul and Odysseus spend time on islands where the locals build fires for them.[xv] Both battle the cold when they wash ashore after shipwrecks.[xvi] Both are viewed negatively by island inhabitants until they change their minds and conclude they are gods.[xvii]However, Paul does not struggle with the fear that grips Odysseus. When Odysseus is thinking through where to sleep at night, he is afraid that wild beasts might attack him in the dark.[xviii] Paul, on the other hand, is bitten by a poisonous viper but simply “shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm” (Acts 28:5). Fear or lack of fear is determined by faith in the goodness of the God taking care of you. Paul knew he wouldn’t die because he trusted God’s promise to get him to Rome, but Odysseus had to live in fear because he served capricious, volatile gods who might abandon him or turn on him.
Paul’s ship eventually came near land, and the crew saw a bay with a beach where they could run the ship ashore (see Acts 27:39). So they cut off their anchors to further lighten the ship and raised the front sail to head towards the beach (see Acts 27:40). This final attempt to avoid the ship’s destruction, which Paul’s God had said could not be avoided, failed. As the ship neared land in shallower waters, it struck a reef in the sea, got stuck, and began to fall apart (see Acts 27:41). At first, the Roman soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners before they swam away and escaped (see Acts 27:42), but the Roman centurion stopped their plan because he wanted to save Paul’s life. So he ordered the ship’s passengers to swim for shore or use planks to float if they couldn’t swim (see Acts 27:43). Just as Paul predicted, “all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44).
Paul’s shipwreck presents another set of instructive similarities and differences to The Odyssey. In both, the ship is destroyed, and people survive by grabbing onto planks of wood in the sea.[ix] Luke explicitly connects both stories by using unusual poetic terms from Homer’s Odyssey for “the ship” and “running aground” that weren’t common in Luke’s day (compare Luke 27:41 to The Odyssey 9.148).[x] However, in The Odyssey, only Odysseus survives the shipwreck while the entire crew dies.[xi] Although the gods in The Odyssey claim to have compassion in their hearts, they only preserve the hero.[xii] In Acts 27, every person survives just like God promised.
The contrast in survival rates shows the superior love and power of the God Paul trusts. Greco-Roman hearers of Paul’s epic shipwreck would recognize how their temperamental and unreliable gods were far inferior. In the story of Odysseus, the gods Zeus and Poseidon bring storms to kill him[xiii] while the goddesses Calypso, Ino, and Athena work hard to protect him from the destructive waves and wind.[xiv] In Paul’s story, there is one God who controls all and cares for all. So the entire shipwreck story is an evangelistic invitation for ancient Greeks and Romans to trust in the kind and sovereign God whom Paul preached!
Miraculous Events on the Island of Malta (Acts 28:1-10)
When Paul and all the passengers made it to shore, they learned they were on the island of Malta—about 60 miles south of Sicily (see Acts 28:1). There they encountered friendly locals who started a fire to keep them warm in the rain and the cold (see Acts 28:2). As Paul placed wood on the fire, “a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand” (Acts 28:3). When the locals saw that Paul had been bitten by a poisonous snake, they quickly concluded he must be a murderer who got the death penalty he deserved. However, Paul didn’t swell up and die as they supposed (see Acts 28:6). In fact, after they saw no effects of the snake bite, “they changed their minds and said that he was a god” (Acts 28:6). It was a radical twist in the story that once again proved God was protecting Paul.
When we compare Paul’s experience on the island of Malta to The Odyssey, we once again find similarities and differences. Both Paul and Odysseus spend time on islands where the locals build fires for them.[xv] Both battle the cold when they wash ashore after shipwrecks.[xvi] Both are viewed negatively by island inhabitants until they change their minds and conclude they are gods.[xvii]However, Paul does not struggle with the fear that grips Odysseus. When Odysseus is thinking through where to sleep at night, he is afraid that wild beasts might attack him in the dark.[xviii] Paul, on the other hand, is bitten by a poisonous viper but simply “shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm” (Acts 28:5). Fear or lack of fear is determined by faith in the goodness of the God taking care of you. Paul knew he wouldn’t die because he trusted God’s promise to get him to Rome, but Odysseus had to live in fear because he served capricious, volatile gods who might abandon him or turn on him.
Paul didn’t have to fear, even when bitten by a poisonous snake, because God had promised to protect him on the way to Rome. That is some serious faith. But when you are loved and protected by the most powerful God in the universe, it makes sense. So what promises do we have from God that can free us from fear? God promises to never leave us, to guide us, and to forgive us if we repent. So we don’t have to fear being alone, rejected, lost, or condemned. Which promise from God could help you overcome fear right now?
While Paul and his companions remained on the island of Malta, “the chief man of the island, named Publius” (Acts 28:7) hosted them at his house for three days. While they were there, Paul learned that Publius’s father was “sick with fever and dysentery.” So “Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him” (Acts 28:8). That compassionate miracle attracted a lot of attention. People struggling with diseases from all over the island started coming to Paul and were cured (see Acts 28:9). Those healings earned Paul and his companions great honor among the people, and when they were ready to depart for Rome, the locals gave them everything they needed for the journey (see Acts 28:10). In The Odyssey, the Phaeacians honor Odysseus with many gifts as well.[xix] However, Odysseus receives gifts in appreciation for his entertaining stories[xx] while Paul receives gifts for healing diseases. Clearly, Paul proves to be a more dynamic hero than the time-honored Odysseus.
Paul Arrives in Rome (Acts 28:11-14)
When Paul finally sets sail from Malta to Rome after spending the winter there, Luke provides a strange detail about the ship. The ship had “the twin gods as a figurehead” (Acts 28:11). Who were they? The twin gods placed on the front of ships were two of Zeus’s sons: Castor and Pollux (sometimes translated Polydeuces). They were known for protecting sailors at sea. Homer, the author of TheOdyssey, is also credited with a poem about these two gods, celebrating them as “saviors of earthly men.”[xxi] In that poem, he recounts how sailors would pray to these gods for rescue from storms, and they would swoop in and calm the wind and waves. People believed that these gods would protect the righteous and punish evildoers.
The irony of Paul being brought as an accused criminal to Rome on a ship with these twin gods up front caught Luke’s attention. Every Greco-Roman observer who believed in the sea saviors would recognize it. Paul had been rescued from a storm at sea. That fact corroborated his innocence. If he were guilty of a crime, he would have been killed in the shipwreck. It’s just one more observation that Luke includes to make his case for Paul’s innocence to a pagan audience who believed in pagan gods.
Paul’s ship quickly made its way to Syracuse on the coast of the island Sicily and then to Rhegium on Italy’s southwest coast and finally to Puteoli (see Acts 28:12-13). Puteoli was a massive port in the Bay of Naples on the western side of Italy. Paul met a group of Christians there and stayed for a week before traveling to Rome (see Acts 28:14). The distance to Rome was 120 miles from there. When Paul approached Rome, more Christians came out to meet him before he even got into the city at the Forum of Appius—43 miles from Rome—and the Three Taverns—33 miles from Rome (see Acts 28:15). Some Christians in Rome would have known Paul by reputation or from his letter to the Romans or because they had already met him elsewhere, such as Priscilla and Aquila who had since moved to Rome (see Roman’s 16:3). Since Paul was not considered a dangerous criminal and had earned the trust of his Roman custodians, he was allowed to stay by himself when he arrived in Rome with only one soldier to guard him (see Acts 28:16). His arrival in Rome was proof God keeps His word.
Paul Arrives in Rome (Acts 28:11-14)
When Paul finally sets sail from Malta to Rome after spending the winter there, Luke provides a strange detail about the ship. The ship had “the twin gods as a figurehead” (Acts 28:11). Who were they? The twin gods placed on the front of ships were two of Zeus’s sons: Castor and Pollux (sometimes translated Polydeuces). They were known for protecting sailors at sea. Homer, the author of TheOdyssey, is also credited with a poem about these two gods, celebrating them as “saviors of earthly men.”[xxi] In that poem, he recounts how sailors would pray to these gods for rescue from storms, and they would swoop in and calm the wind and waves. People believed that these gods would protect the righteous and punish evildoers.
The irony of Paul being brought as an accused criminal to Rome on a ship with these twin gods up front caught Luke’s attention. Every Greco-Roman observer who believed in the sea saviors would recognize it. Paul had been rescued from a storm at sea. That fact corroborated his innocence. If he were guilty of a crime, he would have been killed in the shipwreck. It’s just one more observation that Luke includes to make his case for Paul’s innocence to a pagan audience who believed in pagan gods.
Paul’s ship quickly made its way to Syracuse on the coast of the island Sicily and then to Rhegium on Italy’s southwest coast and finally to Puteoli (see Acts 28:12-13). Puteoli was a massive port in the Bay of Naples on the western side of Italy. Paul met a group of Christians there and stayed for a week before traveling to Rome (see Acts 28:14). The distance to Rome was 120 miles from there. When Paul approached Rome, more Christians came out to meet him before he even got into the city at the Forum of Appius—43 miles from Rome—and the Three Taverns—33 miles from Rome (see Acts 28:15). Some Christians in Rome would have known Paul by reputation or from his letter to the Romans or because they had already met him elsewhere, such as Priscilla and Aquila who had since moved to Rome (see Roman’s 16:3). Since Paul was not considered a dangerous criminal and had earned the trust of his Roman custodians, he was allowed to stay by himself when he arrived in Rome with only one soldier to guard him (see Acts 28:16). His arrival in Rome was proof God keeps His word.
The entire story of Paul’s sea voyage and shipwreck are connected to the popular stories and poetry of Paul’s time. The strength of his faith and superiority of his God are contrasted to stories known by Luke’s audience. That is a pattern for us to follow. To introduce people to God, we should use powerful stories from the culture around us. We should move from the stories people know to the God they need to discover. So what are the most well-known epics from your culture that can be compared and contrasted to stories in the Bible so that people can relate? Is it a movie about your local history or a book popular in your culture? Using the stories people know to introduce stories about God that are unfamiliar is critical in our communication about Christ to our cultures.
Citations
[i] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:173-176,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D145
[ii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 12:389,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+12&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[iii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 14:253-254,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D14%3Acard%3D234
[iv] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:295-296,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D262
[v] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 10:566-569,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+10&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[vi] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 9:143-145,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+9.148&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[vii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:341-345,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D313
[viii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:297-299,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D262
[ix] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:110,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D365
[x] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 9:148,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+9.148&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xi] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:110,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D92
[xii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:190-191,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D145
[xiii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:132-133,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D92
[xiv] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:436-439,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D408
[xv] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 12:58,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xvi] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:465-472,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D451
[xvii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 14:205,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+14&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xviii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:473,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D451
[xix] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:36-39,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D1
[xx] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 14:508-509,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+14&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xxi] Evelyn-White, Hugh G., “Homeric Hymn to the Dioscuri,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0138%3ahymn%3d33
[i] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:173-176,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D145
[ii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 12:389,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+12&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[iii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 14:253-254,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D14%3Acard%3D234
[iv] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:295-296,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D262
[v] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 10:566-569,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+10&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[vi] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 9:143-145,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+9.148&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[vii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:341-345,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D313
[viii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:297-299,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D262
[ix] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:110,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D365
[x] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 9:148,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+9.148&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xi] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:110,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D92
[xii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:190-191,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D145
[xiii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:132-133,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D92
[xiv] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:436-439,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D408
[xv] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 12:58,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xvi] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:465-472,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D451
[xvii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 14:205,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+14&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xviii] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:473,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D451
[xix] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 5:36-39,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D5%3Acard%3D1
[xx] Murray, A. T., “Homer, The Odyssey 14:508-509,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/textdoc=Hom.+Od.+14&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136
[xxi] Evelyn-White, Hugh G., “Homeric Hymn to the Dioscuri,” accessed October 10, 2023, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0138%3ahymn%3d33
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