Paul states in Acts 27:10… “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. Paul warns the ship’s masters and helmsman of the seas eerie waters. Several times Luke mentions that the winds are an issue to the ship. At verse 6 the prisoners are transferred to a ship already bound for Italy. Julias was the prisoner charge officer aboard ship a centurion of the Augustan Cohort or duty soldiers. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. Paul, although a prisoner in the sense of pending trial in Rome, is allowed to disembark and visit friends at ports of call. Every good reason to maintain a stable voyage, but this chapter points out the significance of this comment. Prisoners at the time were sometimes used as rowers chained to their job at the oars. After all, Luke was with Paul and went to Rome with Paul. They board ship in Acts 27:1 with other prisoners and possibly passengers. People play with or make light the realities of Satan but do not understand his application throughout history. This could be for the famous Lions of prey or for Roman Gladiators to practice their art for the audiences. Not too amusing but of historical significance, it was not uncommon for prisoners in other provinces of Rome to be shipped to Rome for the “entertainment” of Roman audiences in the arena. Paul was not the only prisoner aboard this ship… “ they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius” (Acts 27:1). Any person who is anti-Semite yet claims to believe in the entirety of the Bible is quite conflicted. He was the only non-Israeli to write any of the books of the Bible. He was a doctor and a Gentile who scribes for and traveled with Paul. It helps to remember that Luke was NOT a Jew or from any of the other eleven Tribes of Israel. Throughout this chapter to the very end, chapter 28, Luke continues to us the plural “we.” This means he was present although there is no indication Luke was ever on trial, a prisoner, or the center of attraction subject to Sanhedrin scorn. This great chapter is an immortal work of the inspired Luke, worthy in every way as one of the great narrations in all literature, giving, as Dummelow said, “The most detailed account of an ancient voyage which we possess, and is our principal source of knowledge of the ancient art of navigation.” Even scholars inclined to be critical here confess that “Luke’s whole account may be assumed to be accurate and entirely trustworthy.” We begin this article with a quote from Coffman’s Commentary…
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