A Study of Acts: Paul Recognizes the Danger of Delay
Acts 27:9-13; 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 - Sometimes the best advice in a situation does not come from subject matter experts, but from a person who is obedient to God’s will.
“When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.”
Acts 27:9-13 NASB1995
As the group remains at Fair Havens, considerable time has passed and now the voyage is downright dangerous as sailing conditions in the Mediterranean in the late fall are not favorable and were usually avoided entirely in the winter. The fast that is referred to is the Day of Atonement, which occurs in the Hebrew month of Tishri (equivalent to October). Paul admonishes them, saying that he perceives that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but possibly their lives. Paul probably knows what he is talking about, as this passage from 1 Corinthians 11 notes about the travails he has had; at the time 1 Corinthians was written, this journey to Rome had not yet taken place:
“Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”
2 Corinthians 11:24-27 NASB1995
The centurion is more persuaded, however, by the pilot and captain of the ship. Despite its name, the small town of Fair Havens is not a fair haven for overwintering. The majority on the ship reach the decision to try and make for Phoenix, further northwest in Cyprus (see the green line on the map) and a better winter port. The plan is to try and stay close to the shore. The authority of the crew and the captain in this circumstance are hard to overlook and it’s no surprise that their expertise probably mean more to the centurion than the warnings from a religious leader who is also a prisoner. A moderate south wind comes up, confirming that this is probably the right decision and they weighed anchor, starting to sail along the coast.
Typical Roman merchant ship - Image from the Naval Encyclopedia (online)
Pastor Jack Andrews, quoted in Precept Austin, has an interesting take on this decision from his expository writings:
Wrong steps in the wrong direction lead to disaster! We are not always overwhelmed by a tidal wave of sin, but little by little we can be overtaken. There is a laboratory experiment often carried out, in which a frog is placed in water heated at the rate of .0036 of a degree Fahrenheit per second and in which, although it never moves, at the end of 2 1/2 hours the frog is found to be dead. The explanation for this is that the water is heated so gradually that the frog never becomes aware of the rising temperature and is boiled to death without a struggle. If you were to drop him suddenly into hot water he would splash it all over the place in an all-out effort to get out! Satan desires to get us off course—to sail us into danger outside the will of God! Satan wants to cause us to shipwreck our faith and have loss of supplies, loss of the ship, and loss of sailors (saints)! He would lead us astray little by little if we let him. Give him an inch and he will take a mile— give him an inch and he will also take an inch! Little decisions can cause big problems! As we are sailing along life’s sea and living by faith let us keep our eyes on Jesus and follow Him! Are you in a storm at sea? Have you set sail when you were supposed to stay put? Would you cry out to the Lord for help? Would you call on the Lord in hope? Phoenix is just a short distance, but if God is calling for you to stay in Fair Havens— by all means you better stay! (The Jack Andrews Expository Studies: Understanding Acts).
That’s an excellent analogy for this situation! We often take little steps in the wrong direction when we should stay put. Little decisions can cause big problems, so keep your eyes on Jesus. I can imagine that Paul immerses himself in prayer for the situation. He knows that he will make it to Rome, but he also cares deeply for his friends, the centurion and the other lives of those on board the ship.
My next devotional examines Acts 27:14-28 - The ship is forced off course and Paul tells everyone on board that they will not perish.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please help me to know when I am taking steps away from You if I unconsciously let the enemy take a tiny piece away from my progress as a believer. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Precept Austin was accessed on 2/13/2025 to review commentary for Acts 27:9-13.