What I Noticed Today (Acts 26-28)
Acts 26
In verses 1-32, Luke records Paul’s defense before Agrippa. It has six major sections:
- Paul begins with a complimentary introduction directed to Agrippa (vv. 2-3).
- Paul describes his early life as a Jew (vv. 4-8).
- Paul describes his zeal against the followers of Jesus (vv. 9-11).
- Paul describes his Damascus road conversion and commission by God to preach the Gospel (vv. 12-18).
- Paul describes his ministry among the Jews and Gentiles (vv. 19-23).
- Paul debates Festus and Agrippa (vv. 24-29).
Agrippa, Bernice, Festus, and those sitting with them got up and met to discuss Paul. They concluded that Paul had done nothing to deserve being bound and held or death. If he had not appealed to Caesar, he could have been released.
Note: Paul’s rhetorical question to Agrippa in verse 27 (“Do you believe in the prophets? I know you believe.”), boxes Agrippa into a corner. If he says he does not believe, he is rejecting the prophets and their message. If he says he does believe the prophets, then he has to admit that Jesus fulfilled the message of the prophets and is the Messiah. His only way out was to dodge Paul’s question with another question.
Note: By the end of his defense to Agrippa, many had declared Paul’s innocence: The Pharisees (23:9), the commander Claudius Lysias (23:9), Festus the Governor, and now King Agrippa.
Acts 27
In verses 1-8, Luke describes the beginning of Paul’s journey to Rome.
Note: In verse 1, Luke uses “we” again, indicating that he had rejoined the group. This “we” section runs through verse 37.
Note: Some people consider Luke’s detailed description of the voyage to Rome an allegory. The sea and the storm represent opposition to the spread of the Gospel. I think the allegory view is highly unlikely. I believe Luke included this detail as proof of God’s intention to fulfill His promise to Paul to protect him and bring him to Rome so he could preach the Gospel there.
In verse 1, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion in the Imperial Regiment named Julius.
In verses 2-8, Luke describes their route from east to west. The centurion was kind to Paul, allowing him to visit friends in Sidon, which was their first stop after leaving Caesarea.
Note: The trade winds this time of year (mid-September-mid-November) were against them, so the voyage was far more difficult, requiring more stops and a less direct route. Paul’s trip was taking place in late September -mid-October.
When they made it to Myra (southeast coast of Asia Minor, modern Turkey), they switched to a large Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy. They sailed slowly for days to a place called Fair Haven, near the city of Lasea on the island of Crete.
In verses 9-12, after the fast (probably the Day of Atonement), Paul warned the centurion that continued travel was very dangerous and could result in the loss of the ship and its cargo and their lives. The centurion listened to the advice of the ship’s captain, so they set sail hoping to reach Phoenix, a harbor a few miles away on Crete, and winter there.
Note: There was no suitable harbor at Fair Haven to remain over winter because it was open to the sea. The harbor at Phoenix faced southwest and northwest and was protected from the open sea.
In verses 13-26, they left Fair haven, but shortly after, a “northeaster” (hurricane winds) came up, driving the ship out into the sea to a small island named Cauda, some 25 miles from Crete. They tied ropes around the ship to help hold it together and keep it from breaking up. The next day, they lightened the ship by dumping the cargo and gear overboard (but not the grain).
The storm raged on for many days, and the men felt they were doomed. Paul reminded them they should have taken his advice and also encouraged them saying, none of the men would be lost, only the ship. He explained the reason for his confidence was an angel of God had told him they would survive, they would run aground on an island, and he would appear before Caesar.
In verses 27-38, after 14 nights, they were drifting along, and the sailors thought they saw land. As they got closer to land, they threw anchors out of the stern (the back of the ship) to slow the ship down and prayed for daylight.
Note: The reference to the Adriatic Sea in verse 27 is not what we refer to today as the Adriatic Sea but was the northwestern portion of the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Greece and south to Sicily and Malta.
Some of the sailors tried to escape in the skiff, but Paul warned the centurion they must all stay together if they were to be saved. This time, the centurion listened to Paul.
On the morning of the fourteenth day, Paul encouraged the men to eat. He gave thanks in front of all of them and began to eat. There were 276 men on board the ship, and when they had eaten their fill, they threw the grain overboard.
Note: 276 men on board this ship with a large cargo and grain means it was a pretty good-sized ship. Josephus, the Jewish historian, notes this was not the largest of the ships of this day, as some were capable of carrying as many as 600 men.
Note: Verse 37 ends the “we” section of Luke’s description of the voyage.
In verses 39-44, now close to land, the ship was grounded on a sandbar. Waves in the stern were breaking the ship apart. Since soldiers were responsible for any prisoners who escaped, they planned to kill them all. The centurion stopped them because he wanted to save Paul. The centurion ordered everyone overboard to swim or float to shore on debris. Everyone made it to shore safely. This portion of the voyage ended just as Paul said, with the cargo lost, the ship running aground on an island, and everyone survived.
Acts 28
In verses 1-6, once ashore, they learned they were on the island of Malta (about 60 miles south of Sicily). The local people started a fire to warm the men since it was cold. As Paul put some wood on the fire, a viper bit him on the hand. The locals thought Paul must be a murderer because though he survived the sea, justice does not allow him to live. Paul shook off the snake. The locals thought he would die, but when nothing happened to him, they changed their minds and thought Paul was a god.
In verses 7-10, a leading man of the island named Publius welcomed them and entertained them for three days. Publius’ father was sick, so Paul went to him, prayed, and laid hands on him, healing him. Because of this, they were rewarded with honors and supplies.
Note: In verse 7, Luke returned to another “we” section that runs through verse 16.
In verses 11-16, after three months in Malta, they set sail on another Alexandrian ship bound for Rome. They had several stops along the way, and in Puteoli, they stayed for seven days with the local believers.
Note: The “Twin Brothers” mentioned in verse 11 on the ship's figurehead were probably Castor and Pollux, the sons of Zeus. Sailors thought Castor and Pollux were gods that protected sailors.
When they got to Rome, they were greeted by believers who had come from the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged. When they entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with one soldier.
Note: The Forum of Appius was a town 43 miles from Rome, and Three Taverns was a town 33 miles from Rome. I wonder how they knew to journey all that way to arrive in Rome as Paul was arriving.
Note: This ends the last “we” section in the book of Acts.
In verses 17-22, after three days, Paul called leaders of the Jews together and explained how he had been accused in Jerusalem and delivered as a prisoner to the Romans who planned to release him, but because he had appealed to Caesar, they had sent him to Rome.
The Jews responded they knew nothing about his situation, they had not received any letters from Judea, and no one had come to report anything evil about Paul. Then the leaders of the Jews asked Paul to explain more about this sect that was spoken against everywhere.
Note: Interestingly, the Christian brothers in Italy knew more about Paul and his situation than the local Jewish leaders. Perhaps once Paul had left Jerusalem bound for Rome, they lost interest in him because he was no longer preaching in their territory.
In verses 23-29, many people came to Paul, where he lived, and he witnessed to them about the Kingdom of God, preaching Jesus as Messiah from the Law and the Prophets. Some of the Jews believed, but others rejected his message. Some began to leave when Paul said the Holy Spirit had spoken directly through the prophet Isaiah.
Note: Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9-10.
Paul said this saving work of God was now being sent to the Gentiles (because the Jews had not listened). After he said this, the Jews left, debating among themselves.
In verses 30-31, Luke concludes the book by saying Paul stayed for two years in his own rented house, welcoming visitors, proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and teaching about Jesus Christ with boldness and without hindrance.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- In each defense before prominent leaders, Paul presented the Gospel. Festus and Agrippa listened and seemed to understand the logic of Paul’s argument for Jesus but rejected his message anyway. People are the same today.
- Paul was under “house arrest,” being guarded by a soldier during his time in Rome, but that did not stop him from continuing to proclaim the Gospel with boldness. Are we as faithful and bold as to proclaim the Good News?
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
