Read and pray: “The following night the Lord stood by him and said: Take courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome" (Acts 23:11).
In 27:27-44, we see a contrast between the base way of thinking and the madness of the sailors and soldiers, and the rising wisdom and care of Paul. This shows that those without Christ are base and foolish. The sailors tried to flee the ship, but Paul, watching over them like a king, stopped them.
“Seeking to flee from the ship, and having lowered the boat into the sea, under the pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers: Unless these men stay on board, you cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and let it drift away” (vv. 30-32). Paul told the centurion and soldiers that they could not be saved if the sailors did not stay aboard. It seemed as if he was in charge, giving orders to his “army” to do what was necessary.
In verses 33 and 34, we read: “As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take food, saying: Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore, I urge you to take some food. It will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.”
They had already waited fourteen days for the storm to pass and had no courage to eat. Now Paul encouraged them to eat, as it was for their salvation. The word "strength" can also be translated as "salvation" and means that without eating, the men would not be saved from the storm.
They needed to eat to gain strength to swim and do whatever was necessary once ashore. Verse 35 says: “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.” Here he conducted himself like a king or at least the head of a large household. He gave thanks for the food and ate.
The storm prevailed, the ship was battered by the tempest, and they feared losing their lives. However, he told them to take courage, be at peace, and eat to have the strength they needed. Then, in front of everyone, he ate. They were all afraid and lacked the courage to eat. For this reason, he set an example and seemed to say: “I am encouraged and at peace. I urge you to imitate me, for I am a man living Christ.” As he took courage and ate, “all were encouraged and ate some food themselves” (v. 36).
According to verse 37, there were “two hundred and seventy-six persons in all” on the ship. As we have said, all were subjects of the kingdom governed by Paul. In 27:30, the sailors wanted to flee, and in verse 42, the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners: “The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape.”
However, the Lord, in His sovereignty, protected Paul. “But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (vv. 43-44).
What the centurion did, preventing the soldiers from doing what they wanted, was again the Lord's sovereignty preserving the life of His servant. Through the sovereign protection of the Lord for Paul, everyone on the ship was brought safely to land, to an island called Malta (28:1).
Enjoy more: Hymn S-91
No comments:
Post a Comment