THE PERILOUS VOYAGE TO ROME

Acts 27:1-2 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

After appearing before king Agrippa II and defending himself from the accusations of the Jewish leaders, it was decided that Paul did nothing worthy of death or of bonds,and ...might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar. The fact that the teaching and the actions of Paul did not warrant death or any other punishment, there was no other court or any judge that had the judicial power to override the right given him as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar for final judgment. Therefore, when it became convenient, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. No information is given about these other prisoners being sent to Rome. It is highly possible that they too had appealed to Caesar to avoid biased judgments from judges that were influenced by the Jews of Judea. The military band, led by Julius, a centurion, was assigned to prevent prisoner escape, but also to protect them from any group of people or individual seeking to do them harm.

In order for Paul to be sent to Rome to appeal to Caesar's judgment, he was first assigned to a ship of Adramyttium. Its intended course was to sail by the coasts of Asia. As it is today, to reach a destination, it may require a transfer to another carrier, and so it was in that day. This was the first of three ships that were required to carry Paul to his final destination. Adramyttium, the homeport city from which this ship was destined to return, was located in the Asia Minor province of Mysia. The use of the pronouns "we" and "us" throughout this biblical account assures us that Luke accompanied Paul on this journey, not as a prisoner, but as a friend and voluntary traveling companion. Also accompanying Paul in this same capacity was one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. He is also named in Acts 19:29 and in 20:4. As far as we know, these are the only fellow laborers in Christ that accompanied Paul on this journey to Rome.

Having sailed north from Caesarea and up the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea approximately sixty-five miles, on the following day they made port in the city of Sidon. During this brief delay in the journey, Julius, the centurion assigned to guard Paul, gave him liberty to go ashore unto his friends to refresh himself. No doubt these friends were members of the body of Christ, who provided Paul with personal supplies that were needed for his long voyage to Rome. But the mere association with brethren in Christ served to refresh the soul, just as it does today.

The following verses tell us that, after sailing from Sidon they encountered winds that caused them to alter their heading. Because of this, they were forced to sail under Cyprus (Vs. 4). Had the winds been favorable their course would have been more direct and they would have passed by Cyprus on its opposite side. Instead they sailed past the southern coast of the Asia Minor provinces of Cilicia and Pamphylia and came to Myra, a city of Lycia (Vs. 5).It was at this well known port city that it was necessary to change ships in order to continue their journey to Rome. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein (Vs. 6).

Continuing their journey, they sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, a city located on the most southwestern corner of Asia Minor. Continuing on they again met with unfavorable winds, which prevented them from sailing in a westerly direction - the best possible route between the mainland and the island of Crete. Instead they had to sail southward under Crete, over against Salmone (Vs. 7), a high cliff cape on the eastern-most shore of Crete.

Seemingly with great sailing difficulty, they reached a place which is called The Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. The Fair Havens gained its name from the geographical nature of this sight. It was then, as it is today, a roadstead - a protected harbor very near the southern shore of Crete, which offered a favorable place for mooring ships during unfavorable, turbulent weather.

As it was with this physical event, so do the spiritual tumults of life caused by the wind and waves that confront us and often drive us from the safe and easy paths of life and into sea-lanes that are filled with adversity. Thank God, we have The Fair Havens of refuge offered by Christ Jesus in which we can anchor our souls.