The Story

We have been with Paul on long journeys, when he went to far-off places to tell people about the Lord. Today we are, with him on another long journey. He was being sent as a prisoner to Rome. The Lord's power had been with him in all his journeys, and it was with him now, protecting him and helping him in wonderful ways. They went by ship from Caesarea on the coast of Palestine. The ships in those days were small and were often driven much out of their way by winds and storms; very different from the great ships that we have now, which keep straight on their course through all kinds of weather. On one of the ships that sail the Mediterranean now it would be an easy voyage of a few days. from Caesarea to Rome, but the ship in which Paul sailed was driven here and there, sailing under the shelter of some of the islands, and stopping at a number of places, and, worst of all, they were shipwrecked on the shore of Melita, which is now called Malta, a little island south of Sicily.

At one time they had found shelter in a harbor called Fair Havens. It was autumn, a season for storms, but the south winds blew softly and they left the harbor. Paul warned them not to go, for the Lord showed him that there was danger both to the cargo and to the people on the ship. And so it was, for soon a great storm struck them and the ship was driven by a northeast wind. As the storm continued they lightened the ship by throwing overboard some of the cargo, which seems to have been grain that they were carrying from Alexandria to Italy, and tackle belonging to the ship. Still the storm continued, neither sun nor stars were seen for many days, which made it hard to know which way they were going, and they lost all hope of being saved.

But now Paul spoke again to them. Before he had warned them not to leave the harbor; now he told them to be of good cheer. The ship would be lost, but all the people on board would be saved; for an angel of the Lord had stood by Paul in the night, saying, "Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee." What Paul told them before of the danger had come true, so now they were more ready to believe him, and to do some things that Paul told them to do.

Now they were drifting on a shore. They put out anchors to try to hold the ship off the rocks. But with the daylight seeing a creek or bay with a beach, they took up the anchors and spread the sail and drove the ship ashore. The bow stuck fast, and the people all got safely to the land - there were in the ship two hundred and seventy-six persons - some swimming and some on pieces of the ship. "And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land," as the angel of the Lord had told Paul it would be.

The story speaks of the people of the island as " barbarous people," for the Greeks and Romans called all people by that name who did not speak their language. They showed the shipwrecked people no little kindness, at first by building a great fire for them on the beach, and afterward by making them comfortable for three months, until there was a chance for them to continue their journey to Rome in another ship. They also saw wonderful things that the Lord gave Paul power to do. One wonderful thing happened as Paul was throwing on the fire a bundle of sticks that he had gathered. A poisonous snake, feeling the heat, sprang away from the fire and fastened itself on his hand. Those who saw it thought that his hand would swell up with the poison, or that he would quickly fall down dead. But "he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm." The Lord had once promised among signs that should follow those that believed on Him: "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them." (Mark 16:18) At another time He had said: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) The people of Malta also saw the Lord's power with Paul when he healed the father of the chief man of the island, and others who were sick. So the Lord was with His disciples wherever they went on sea and on land, protecting them from harm and giving them power to do good.

The Lord kept Paul and his companions safe and brought them to their journey's end. They landed near Naples and then went to Rome by the Appian Way. Paul was a prisoner, but was allowed to live in his own rented house and to teach the many people who came to him.

We have the interesting story of Paul's voyage from Caesarea on the coast of Palestine, where he was kept a prisoner by Festus, to Rome. He was being sent because he had appealed his case to Caesar, had claimed the right to have it decided in Rome. The story of the voyage shows us how primitive ships and sailing were in those days, reminding us of the adventures of Odysseus in these same waters. Have the little map before you, which helped us in Paul's missionary journeys, and draw as well as you can the line of the voyage.

The voyage began at Caesarea on the coast of Palestine. They sailed in a ship of Adramyttium, which was a seaport in Mysia in the northwest corner of Asia Minor. This would take them to ports where they could change to some ship going to Italy. The first stop was at Sidon. They sailed north of Cyprus, under the shelter of the island, and changed at Myra, in Lycia, to an Alexandrian ship loaded with grain for Italy. You find Cnidus at the extreme southwestern point of Asia Minor. Now look southward, for we find the ship with difficulty passing Cape Salmone at the eastern end of Crete, the modern Candia, and finding shelter at Fair Havens (still so called) at the middle of the southern shore. Sailing was now dangerous "because the fast was now already past" - the fast of atonement day, in September or October. Phenice, to which place they intended to go, was a little farther westward on the shore of Crete. Clauda is a little island to which they were carried by the northeast wind that drove them off shore. In verse 16 we read of the difficulty that they had in hoisting on board the small boat that they towed in good weather. The next verse refers to the old custom of drawing strong cables around the hull of the vessel to help hold it together. The quick-sands, which they feared, were the shoal Syrtis Major, lying off the north coast of Africa, east of Tripoli. Now they were caught by the winds and driven helpless before the storm, and ran the ship ashore on the island of Melita, today called Malta. When the voyage was resumed, after three months, in another ship, they passed up between Sicily and the toe of Italy, touching at Syracuse on one side and at Rhegium on the other, and landing at Puteoli, near Naples. They were met by friends as they went on to Rome by the famous Appian Way. There was already a Christian Church in Rome, to whom Paul's Epistles to the Romans had been written. Now, although a prisoner, he was a power in the Church. There is no certain knowledge of Paul beyond the record of Acts. There is a tradition that he was killed in a persecution of the Christians, but it is only a tradition.

Notice especially in this story how the Lord was with Paul in this dangerous journey. His providence was over all the events which led to the taking of Paul and sending him to Rome, for there was a work for Paul to do there. (Acts 23:11) And now we see His care all the way along. He gave a word of warning to Paul to speak before they left Fair Havens, and afterward words of encouragement in the storm, and made him also the means of saving the company. (Verse 31) Through it all we see the Lord's providence bringing Paul to Rome to do the work that was needed of him there. (Verse 24) The lesson of the Lord's care in the storm is very plain and important; the necessity for faithfully doing our part with all human skill, but of the Lord's overruling power, accomplishing His good purpose. We learn also of the Lord's power over the storm, in a Psalm and in the Gospels. We should remember it in a thunderstorm, and in any time of danger on a journey or at home. If we are doing our duty we need not fear; the Lord is with us to protect us; whatever happens will lead to good.

See also the power of the Lord in protecting Paul from the bite of the poisonous snake, and in healing people of the island. You have been told, too, that there are temptations which creep upon us like a snake, to bite us and destroy our spiritual life. They are the temptations to indulge the pleasures of the senses, pleasant things of sight, and taste, and touch. They creep upon us very stealthily, but they fasten themselves upon us with such power that it is almost impossible to shake them off. But the Lord gives us power to shake off these venomous beasts, to refuse to look at or taste or touch things that we know we ought not; and if we do it promptly and bravely, He protects us so that we take no harm. It will help you to be prompt in dealing with any such temptation, to know that it is a viper, a poisonous snake, coiling about you or fastening upon your hand. Shake it off.

Remember the Lord's promise for those who believed on Him: "They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them." (Mark 16:18) At another time He said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) In the story of Paul we have traced the fulfillment of the Lord's words to Ananias in Damascus, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15); and the words spoken to Paul in Jerusalem, "Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of Me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." (Acts 23:11)

1. How did the conditions of Paul's journey to Rome differ from the conditions of his other journeys?

2. Trace me the voyage on the map.

3. How was the Lord's care shown on the voyage?

4. What sign of the Lord's power with His Apostle was seen on the beach where they were shipwrecked?

5. When had such power been promised?

Deeper Study

The story shows clearly the watchful and protecting presence of the Lord in the storm, making possible a calmness and cheerfulness in the presence of danger. What we are taught about the providence of the Lord in every smallest circumstance of life and about the sphere of Divine protection that is about us, especially when we are going about our duty, should give us always this same calmness and cheerfulness. (A. 5508, 6493; M. 386)

Keep in mind the thought that we had in a previous lesson, that the promises of protection given to the Lord's disciples are in a broader sense promises of the Lord's care for the principles of Christian truth and goodness for which the disciples stood. The Lord is always with truth and goodness to protect them, to make them powerful and successful. "So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I, sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) In the Revelation one was seen upon a white horse who "went forth conquering and to conquer." "And His name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 6:2; 19:13)

Make a special study of the promise to them that believe in the Lord that they shall have power to take up serpents. Find help in God's Explanation of Bible Symbolism [originally titled The Language of Parable], pp. 150-157. All animals represent affections. Serpents represent affections which are nearest to the world, affections for pleasant things of sense and confidence in the appearance of things to the senses. These are good in their place, but the serpent is more subtle than all beasts. They creep in almost unnoticed; they charm even while they get their coils about us, and benumb us with their bite. This was the temptation that crept into Eden and led men to judge for themselves good and evil. Study especially the story of the fiery serpents that bit the children of Israel in the wilderness, and of the brazen serpent raised on a pole which healed them. (Numbers 21:5-9; John 3:14, 15) The serpent of brass raised upon the pole is the emblem of our Lord's victories over all temptations of the senses and of His power to give us victory in our temptations if we look to Him for help. We see then the meaning of the promise to them that believe (Mark 16:17, 18; Luke 10:19); and to those who are children in their innocence and trust. (Isaiah 11:8-9) Find much help in E. 581; A. 194-197; R.455.

While we have been studying the story of Paul, a question has been asked about notes in Swedenborg's Spiritual Diary which seem unfavorable to the character of Paul. They do show that Paul took with him to the other world desires for eminence and rule which are not heavenly. It is not said that this is his final state.

to next Chapter