Shipwrecked by Grounding the Ship
When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart. The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.
Acts 27:39-44
The first reading of this portion gives us a clear picture of what happened as they ran the ship aground. Especially in the NLT version. Some other versions make it a little confusing. They ran the Alexandrian grain ship aground on the island of Malta. However they didn’t know at first they had arrived at Malta. Clearly it was nowhere near the main port of Malta but further south where they saw a sandy beach. They had been taking depth soundings (vs 28) the first sounding yielded 20 fathoms (40 metres) the second 15 fathoms (30 metres) so clearly they were moving into shallower water. With the beach ahead they figure they could cut the anchors free, lower the rudders, raise the foresail and make a run for the beach. If they got up enough speed with the wind behind them, they could beach the ship on the sand and all jump off on dry ground.
Notice “anchors” and “rudders”. On these ships there were four anchors, two sea anchors and two grappling anchors. They cut all four anchors it seems in an attempt to make the beach. They did not have a hinged rudder but two horizontal oar rudders on each side of the ship at the back. By lowering one or the other or both they could control the direction of the ship. By lowering both oar rudders at the same time they headed directly into the beach they had seen.
There is some confusion between the versions as to what happened next. There are several alternatives spread between the versions:
- ) they came to a place between two seas (ABP, ASV, BBE, JUB, KJV family, LITV, RV, TS 2009)
- ) they ran aground on a sandbank or shoal (CEV, ERV, GNB, GW, ISV, Murdock, NLT, TLB)
- ) they struck a reef (ESV, MSG)
- ) they encountered a place where two currents met (CJB)
The Greek reads:
εἰς τόπον διθάλασσον
{[came] to} {a place} {of two seas}
What are we to make of that? The reason for the confusion are the attempts to interpret what “a place of two seas” means. Clearly as they approached the beach two bodies of water were separated by something. A reef, a shoal or sandbar or a strong current or turbulence where two bodies of water met. It seems there were two patches of deep water either side of the reef, sandbar or currents. Those who interpret this to mean a reef are likely influenced by the rocks mentioned in verse 29. But they were hardly likely to run the ship aground on a reef some distance from shore intentionally. The most plausible conclusion is that it was a sandbar over which the waves were breaking. In fact the area has been identified as a feature now called St Paul’s Bay where there is a narrow channel between Malta and the island of Salmonette. The current through this narrow channel causes sandbars to form below the surface. The conclusion then is that the ship became stuck on a sandbar or shoal and was broken up by the heavy surf pounding it on the ocean side.
The favour found in the eyes of Julius, the Roman Commander, came to the fore and saved Paul and his companions. Another example of what I pondered in the last Gems of God’s grace that spreads to others around us. The soldiers intended to kill the prisoners lest they escape but Julius stopped them from doing that and suggested all who could swim abandon ship and swim for shore while the rest made use of the planks and debris from the ship to make it to shore. Paul had already encouraged them with the word that no lives would be lost. The water in the shoreward side of the sandbar was sufficiently deep enough to warrant them swimming or to be carried to shore by the on-shore waves on pieces of the wreckage.
Clearly all were safe. The announcement Paul had made that none would be lost was true.
Our next Gem will begin with the opening of the last chapter of the book of Acts. But we know already the story continues across the chapter boundary. Have your questions ready for the next segment.
Arrival on Malta
Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us. As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”
But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god. Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.
As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. As a result we were showered with honours, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.
Acts 28:1-10
Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.
Charles Dudley Warner
Everyone that you meet comes with baggage. Find someone who loves you enough to help you unpack yours.
Ian Vail
Or loves you enough to ensure you make it to shore.
Ian Vail
There are no luggage racks on hearses or trailers towed behind so it doesn’t matter if all your baggage doesn’t make it to shore, as long as you do.
Ian Vail