1 And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. 2 So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. 3 And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care. 4 When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. 7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. 8 Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
Commentary
Vs. 1 “And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment.”
When the time of Paul’s departure for Rome came, he along with some other prisoners was delivered into the hand of a Roman Centurion named Julius. Now this man was of the Augustan Regiment (that is he was one of the elite centurions of Caesar Augustus). And so, starting from Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast Paul’s journey to Rome will now begin, as the Lord’s prisoner.
Vs. 2 “So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.”
Luke now recalls the ship which they journey began on, it was a cargo ship from Adramyttium, a coastal city of Mysia located the northwest corner of Asia Minor. And so, this ship was to sail along the coasts of Asia Minor making stops at various ports along the way. Luke also notes that a believer named Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was also with them at this time (he is also mentioned in Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24). In ancient times cargo ships were frequently used to not only transport goods, but also people.
Vs. 3 “And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.”
And so, from Caesarea they traveled northward up the Mediterranean Coast to the ancient coastal city of Sidon, where Julius is here noted for treating Paul kindly and granting him liberty to go to his friends and receive care. Thus, Julius the elite commander was also a just human being. For though one be an expert in the “art of war” they need not be cruel and unjust.
Vs. 4 When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
Leaving Sidon Luke briefly recalls how they had to sail under the shelter of Cyprus, that is they used it as a barrier, sailing between it and the mainland so as to avoid the heavy winds which were blowing contrary to them.
Vs. 5-6 5 And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board.
However soon they had to head out into the open sea which coasts Cilicia and Pamphylia, before arriving at Myra a coastal city of Lycia (vs. 5). And so it was there that the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy and so he put them on board it.
Vs. 7-8 7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. 8 Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
Luke now recalls their departure from Myra, that for many days their ship sailed slowly, and only with difficulty did it arrive at Cnidus, for the wind would not permit them to proceed. And so, from there they give up on the open sea and began an alternate route under the shelter of Crete off Salmone, and passing it with great difficulty, they came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
Continued in next blog entry.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
No comments:
Post a Comment