And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
Travel by sea in the first century brought peculiar hardship and peril, for mariners steered largely by the position of the sun and stars, and when those lights did not appear and there were signs of storm, owners feared to venture into the open sea, so that during a portion of the year safe navigation was almost impossible. Paul's voyage took place within that perilous setting to serve God's purpose, that the ship's crew and others aboard should see God's power displayed through Paul and hear the name of Jesus, so that many might believe. Through the storm and shipwreck Paul remained courageous and helpful, and though himself a prisoner he effectively directed the commander and helped preserve the lives of his fellow passengers from drowning.
After the ship ran aground where two seas met, its front stuck fast while its back was broken apart, and Paul and the other prisoners then faced a fate more terrible than shipwreck itself. The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners lest any should swim out and escape, because in the struggle to reach land they could not keep them guarded and every man would need all his strength to save himself, while those responsible would forfeit their own lives if any prisoner went missing, and Roman law sanctioned this cruel policy.
The plan would have been carried out at once except for Paul, to whom all aboard were under deep obligation because he had been instrumental in saving everyone's life, so Julius the centurion, convinced that the Lord was with Paul and fearing to do him harm, stopped the killing and ordered the prisoners spared. Julius then commanded those who could swim to cast themselves first into the sea and go to land, and the rest to follow on boards and broken pieces of the ship. In this way all escaped safe to land, and when the roll was called not one was missing.
Travel by sea in the first century brought peculiar hardship and peril, for mariners steered largely by the position of the sun and stars, and when those lights did not appear and there were signs of storm, owners feared to venture into the open sea, so that during a portion of the year safe navigation was almost impossible. Paul's voyage took place within that perilous setting to serve God's purpose, that the ship's crew and others aboard should see God's power displayed through Paul and hear the name of Jesus, so that many might believe. Through the storm and shipwreck Paul remained courageous and helpful, and though himself a prisoner he effectively directed the commander and helped preserve the lives of his fellow passengers from drowning.
After the ship ran aground where two seas met, its front stuck fast while its back was broken apart, and Paul and the other prisoners then faced a fate more terrible than shipwreck itself. The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners lest any should swim out and escape, because in the struggle to reach land they could not keep them guarded and every man would need all his strength to save himself, while those responsible would forfeit their own lives if any prisoner went missing, and Roman law sanctioned this cruel policy.
The plan would have been carried out at once except for Paul, to whom all aboard were under deep obligation because he had been instrumental in saving everyone's life, so Julius the centurion, convinced that the Lord was with Paul and fearing to do him harm, stopped the killing and ordered the prisoners spared. Julius then commanded those who could swim to cast themselves first into the sea and go to land, and the rest to follow on boards and broken pieces of the ship. In this way all escaped safe to land, and when the roll was called not one was missing.