Acts (Written)

Guv. Wyoming Capitol.

Friday, 17 May 2024

And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Acts 27:30

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

More exactingly, it reads, “And the sailors, seeking to flee from the ship, and having let down the skiff into the sea, a pretext, as being about to extend anchors from the prow” (CG).

In the previous verse, the crew feared they would be dashed on rocks when they came to land, so they dropped four anchors from the stern, hoping for the day to come. Now, Luke continues with, “And the sailors, seeking to flee from the ship.”

Some translations add in the word “of,” and thus it is then translated, “And of the sailors.” This would then indicate that it wasn’t all of them that were doing this. Though not in the original, this is likely the case. Some of the sailors had a plan to abandon the ship, leaving the rest to fend for themselves. Therefore, it next says, “and having let down the skiff into the sea.”

In order to make it appear that they wanted to doubly secure the ship, these sailors let down a skiff, probably the same smaller boat that had been hauled in during verses 16 & 17. However, Luke notes this was “a pretext.”

They were working cunningly to save themselves, figuring it was safer to take a small ship that could be more easily maneuvered as shore approached. Their pretext was to let down this skiff, “pretending to extend anchors from the prow.”

Here is a new word, próra. It signifies the front of the ship, thus the bow or prow. It is derived from pro, to be in front of, which is where our modern prefix is derived from. One can see the logical movement from pro to próra, the prow.

The meaning of their action is that they were going to take anchors that were aboard the main ship and carry them out from the ship a distance before dropping them in. This would allow for a greater angle on the line in relation to the ship.

However, the true intent was to take the skiff and get away from the massive hull of the larger ship which could come apart violently. In the skiff, they would find a spot that was safe to drive up to the shore saving themselves.

Life application: The actions of the sailors are a normal response by anyone who has only this life to look forward to. Even many Christians cling unnecessarily to this life, sacrificing personal dignity and respect for others in the process. It is the stuff of movies, but that is so because it is the normal human condition to want to save oneself, even at the expense of others.

However, there is another unnatural human condition that is often highlighted in books and movies: the self-sacrificing hero. The marine jumps on a grenade to save his friends, the father gives up his life for his family, or – most incredibly of all – the Creator becomes the Redeemer by uniting with His creation, sending His Son into the world to save it from the consequences of sin.

Because of Jesus, an eternal hope is given to those who believe in Him. From there, the Christian can faithfully trust that this life is not all there is. With an eternal hope, we should consider this life of far less value, so that we dismiss the thought of betraying others to save ourselves for the sake of a temporary extension of our current walk in this fallen world.

Lord God, may we not be selfish or peevish in the face of troubles or disaster. Instead, may we faithfully trust that the events of this world cannot separate us from the promise of eternal life in Christ. Therefore, may our actions reflect this and be honorable before the eyes of all. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Nice floor mat at Wyoming Capitol.

Thursday, 16 May 2024

Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. Acts 27:29

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The Greek more literally reads, “And fearing, lest perhaps we might fall into rough places, having cast four anchors out of the stern they were wishing for day to come” (CG).

In the previous verse, soundings had been taken, finding first twenty fathoms and then fifteen. Because of that, the sailors assumed land was not far off. As it was still night, it next says, “And fearing, lest perhaps we might fall into rough places.”

The word is trachus. It is used for the second and last time, having first been used in Luke 3:5. It signifies rough, rugged, or uneven. Saying “rocky” is a bit of a paraphrase, even if it is correct.

The sailors were afraid that the ship would crash onto an unfriendly reef or shore. If so, this could be disastrous for those on the ship. Therefore, they wanted to slow down the ship so that the force of such a crash would be lessened.  To do this, it next says, “having cast four anchors out of the stern.”

Another word is used for the last time, rhiptó, to cast, scatter, etc. It gives the sense of sudden motion, as if in flinging. They had four anchors which they chucked out of the stern. This would increase the drag on the ship and cause it to lumber more slowly as it approached the land.

And more, the violence of the storm necessitated this full complement of anchors to be cast in. Doing this from the stern would eliminate the danger of having the ship swing around and be brought into any rock or reef. It would also mean that it would be in the best alignment for running the ship up onto any visible beach once daylight came. Along with that, it says, “they were wishing for day to come.”

The word used can mean to either wish or pray. As praying wouldn’t make the day come any sooner, it probably is better translated as wish. However, even the sailors in Jonah’s adventure did pray out to their gods. And Joshua did pray for the moon to stand still over the valley of Aijalon during his battle, so that translation is not out of the question.

Life application: Hebrews 6, using the word agkura, or anchor, says this –

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ²⁰ where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:19, 20

If we truly possess the anchor of hope in Christ, we will never get swung around when troubles aplenty come our way. We will remain steadfast and properly directed, even in the greatest storms of life. The rocky shores may be out there, but our direction will remain unchanged, and we will have the certainty that God will direct us safely to the soft and pleasant shores of a land we have yet to see.

This doesn’t mean we won’t get there if our faith is weak. If we believe in Jesus, having received Him, we shall arrive. But think of the difference between Paul and maybe a new believer on the ship.

Paul had already been told they would be delivered. He knew it would come to pass, and there would be no question in his mind it was so. However, Sam Shipwright may have heard and believed the message of Jesus, but his hope was not yet as grounded as Paul’s.

There he would be, fearful of the coming shoreline and the trials they might face once they were cast upon it. Paul’s hope is grounded, and his anchor holds. Sam’s is not and he is still like his own little ship being cast about on the waters of uncertainty.

How grounded is your faith? Do you completely and fully trust every word of Scripture and that it will come about just as you have read? Do you even know all the promises contained there? You can’t, unless you read the Bible. And your faith can only increase through trusting the Lord with every aspect of your existence.

Have faith and read your Bible. This will be a great line that connects you to the anchor of hope that will rest your otherwise troubled soul.

Lord God, may our faith be increased from day to day as we learn to trust You and Your word. Give us the desire to know You more and more. May our anchor hold fast and may the line of our knowledge and trust be sure and sound. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Super nifty Indian memorial. Wyoming Capitol.

Wednesday, 15 May 2024

And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Acts 27:28

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

More literally, it reads, “And, having sounded, they found twenty fathoms. And having distanced a little, having sounded again, they found fifteen fathoms” (CG).

In the last verse, the sailors sensed that they were approaching land. To confirm this, it next says, “And, having sounded, they found twenty fathoms.”

Here are two words found only in this verse. Each is used twice by Luke. The first is bolizó. It is derived from bolis, a dart or a javelin. In this case, it is something like a dart that is attached to a line. When it is cast out, it sinks directly to the bottom.

The distance until it stops is then measured. That measurement is known as an orguia. This word signifies “outstretched.” HELPS Word Studies notes that it was “originally the distance between the tips of the left and right hands when outstretched; a fathom, the unit of measure (roughly) five to six feet long.”

Assuming six feet, the depth would then be about one hundred and twenty feet deep. Once that was determined, a baseline is now set to know if it is getting deeper or shallower. Thus, it next says, “And having distanced a little.”

This is a word used for the third and last time, diistémi. It signifies to set apart, make an interval, etc. It can be used for time, such as waiting for an hour to elapse, or space, such as being separated from another person. In this case, it includes both.

They waited a certain amount of time which would have meant a certain distance had been traversed. After this interval, Luke next records, “having sounded again, they found fifteen fathoms.”

The depth is now about ninety feet. By taking soundings and finding that the depth was decreasing, the logical deduction is that they were approaching land. It would be welcome to know that there was land nearby after such a long, agonizing time.

And yet, it would be a fearsome thing knowing that land was near while it was still the middle of the night. Due to Paul’s words that they would be shipwrecked on some island, some level of fear factor may have set in, even if they had been assured that all would survive.

Life application: Paul had told those on the ship what would take place. Depending on who trusted his words, there would be anything from relief at the coming end of the ordeal to mild trepidation about how it would transpire, or even to fear in some measure knowing that any type of greeting may meet them, from a sandy shore to a rocky reef or a high cliff.

Paul was an apostle of Jesus. Because of this, he was conveying words that ultimately came from the Lord. Luke, for example, may have pulled out a harmonica and started playing a song, knowing that standing on firm, dry ground was not far off.

We have the words of Paul written down. At times, they have come directly from Jesus. At other times they came while being under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Either way, they have come from God. When Paul writes that God will receive those who have died in Christ, raising them from the dead and bringing them to Himself, how do we personally take the otherwise bad news of an incurable malady or disease?

Will you be filled with terror, mild trepidation, or will you pull out a harmonica and play a tune to the Lord? The attitude you display will reflect just how much you trust the words of Scripture which reveal the promises of God.

The words of Scripture are true. Unless the rapture occurs, we are all going to die. There is no escaping this. So don’t be frustrated at the news that you or a saved loved one has come to the point where death is not far off. The Lord already has a plan for retrieving you or your loved one from that state. Without a doubt, it will come about.

Lord God Almighty, You have the days of our lives already numbered and set. You know how our departure will come about at the end of this earthly life. And You already have the moment of our resurrection set and prepared. Why should we worry when we know these things are true? Hallelujah that You have a plan. Amen.

Indian memorial. Wyoming State Capitol.

Tuesday, 14 May 2024

Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. Acts 27:27

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

A more literal rendering is, “And when the fourteenth night came, we – being carried through in the Adriatic – about the middle of the night, the sailors suspected some land to approach them” (CG).

Paul just told those on the ship that they must run aground on a certain island. Now, immediately after that, it says, “And when the fourteenth night came.” This fourteenth day is generally accepted to be from the time that they left Fair Havens. They had planned on a short trip from there to Phoenix, and yet they were quickly swept up into fourteen days of terror on the high seas.

The word translated as fourteenth is tessareskaidekatos. It is found only here and in verse 27:33. It is derived from three words, tessares (four), kai (and), and dekatos (tenth). On this fourteenth day, Luke next says, “we – being carried through in the Adriatic.”

The Adriatic Sea, or in Greek, “the Adria,” which is found only here in the New Testament, indicates an area larger than it now does. Today, the Adriatic Sea is the sea which is to the east of Italy, with Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania on the other shore.

However, the term here indicates the whole sea between Greece and Italy which included Sicily. Josephus wrote of his own shipwreck in the Adria, and he uses the area in the same sense as Luke does here. While being tossed about in this great, open body of water, it next says, “about the middle of the night.”

It is an approximation of the time, but the point of Luke’s words is that the sailors on the ship were busy doing their regular duties, even though the ship was being driven by the wind and waves. One of those regular duties was taking soundings and observing the way the waves and tides were moving. While so engaged, it next says, “the sailors suspected some land to approach them.”

Here, Luke introduces a new word, nautés. It signifies a sailor or shipman. It will be seen again in verse 27:30 and once in Revelation 18:17. It comes from naus, a ship or vessel. That will be seen only in verse 27:41.

The sailors were trained to know the changes in the environment around them, including what was going on around and under them. While being tossed back and forth in this larger area at midnight on their fourteenth day, they could tell land was close by.

This was possibly because of hearing breakers or being able to determine the way the sea moves and appears closer to land. The wording is more nautical than many English translations which place the movement on the part of the ship as it approaches the land. Instead, the Greek puts the movement on the land as it approaches the ship.

Life application: The sailors were trained to tell what was going on around them in relation to the sea. An inexperienced person would not notice these subtle changes. This is true with any job.

A wastewater operator can tell by observing a sample of a million-gallon tank if the contents are healthy or not by simply checking the amount of dissolved oxygen that is in the tank and through a quick microscopic check of the types of bacteria that are thriving.

These things take experience and constant attention to what the job entails. The Bible is a manual for man to understand his surroundings, to get a comprehension of what is going on in relation to sin, to God’s prophetic timeline, and so forth. One cannot rightly pay attention to these things if he is not aware of what the manual says.

And more, one cannot tell what is his state, the state of his family, the state of his church, and even of the world around him if he is not carefully observing these things based on the knowledge the Bible provides. If constantly checking microorganisms in a sample of a tank of wastewater is important, how much more important is it for that same person to continuously check the state of his relationship with the Lord?

Let us pay heed and give the necessary time it takes each day to learn more about this most important of all issues.

Lord God, may our lives be filled with pursuing the knowledge of You more and more. May we never fail to check with the Bible on issues relating to the things it teaches, becoming attuned to the state of things around us at all times. It is a sure way to keep from the harms that are bound to arise in this fallen world. Thank You for Your word, O God. Amen.

Capitol Plaque. Pretty snazzy.

Monday, 13 May 2024

“However, we must run aground on a certain island.” Acts 27:26

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

A literal rendering of the Greek is, “But we must fall onto a certain island” (CG).

Paul had just provided encouraging words to those gathered on the ship, noting that he was certain that what he was told by the messenger would come to pass. With that good news stated, he prepares them for a challenge ahead, saying, “But we must fall onto a certain island.”

His words are given as confirmation that his story about the angel will be proven true. Not only was he spoken to and given assurances concerning the saving of the people and the loss of the ship, but he was also given a specific revelation to bolster his words.

He notes that they “must’ fall upon a certain island. The word is dei. HELPS Word Studies notes that it indicates what must happen. It is that which is inevitable by “absolute necessity.”

Paul is speaking as the ambassador of God. If Paul’s God is the true God, then His credentials will be verified when these things come to pass. The idea of what is occurring in this verse is the same as that found in John 20:31 where John says, “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Life application: How much proof do you need that what God says will come to pass will actually occur? We have the word recorded. It spoke of the coming Christ, and He came. The things prophesied about His first coming have been fulfilled.

It is true that this could all be an elaborate plan by a group of men to make events match their writings by making up the details of Jesus’ life. But there are so many things in the New Testament that intricately work into the writings that this hardly seems possible. There are many types of patterns that were never known about for centuries after the books were written.

And yet, people still question if the word is true. But suddenly, the Jewish people started to be called back to the land of Israel. They were then reestablished as a nation. The prophecies about these things occurring are found in both testaments.

The word is again proving itself true. However, even people within the church say that the Israel of today is merely an aberration or that these are not the true Jews who belong in the land. Imagine that! People who are supposed to accept the prophetic words in Scripture as a point of it validating itself deny what the word proclaimed!

How much evidence do you need to say, “This is the word of God, and I will trust it.”? Don’t be a doubting Thomas. Read the word, think about what it says, and see if what it proclaims matches what is going on in the world around you. If you are honest, you will find that it does so in a thousand different ways. No! Even more. Have faith. We have a sure word.

Lord God, may our hard hearts soften with the evidence that we see in Scripture. If we just read it and compare it with how things are in the world, we can clearly see that it is from You, and it is given to lead us back to You. May we carefully and thoughtfully consider this precious word all the days of our lives. Amen.