And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
'It may be safely asserted (says Humphry, most truly) that no historical description of a long voyage and shipwreck has come down to us from ancient times so circumstantial, accurate, and natural in its details, as that which is contained in this chapter. The transactions of the narrative require our close attention; and the style is not less deserving of careful notice, inasmuch as it shows a great familiarity not only with the technical terms in use among the Greek sailors, but with the metaphorical and poetical language special to a sea-faring life.' Of all the helps to a right exposition and felicitous illustration of this most difficult chapter, none is equal to 'The Voyage and Shipwreck of Paul (with Dissertations on the Life and Writings of Luke and the Ships and Navigation of the Ancients),' by JAMES SMITH, Esq. of Jordanhill (2nd edit. 1856). The author's early and long familiarity with yachting, the industry and skill with which he applied his classical knowledge to the study of ancient navigation, his leisurely voyaging over the track of Paul, and minute personal inspection of all the places mentioned in this chapter, even his geological attainments-in connection with the elevation or depression of land-in so far as it might affect our inferences from present to past appearances; all these have given this accomplished gentleman qualifications for elucidating this chapter possessed, perhaps, by no other-qualifications which he has employed with the highest success.
Of this work every expositor, since its publication, has largely and properly availed himself. From a careful study of the style of this chapter, Mr. Smith has arrived at the conclusion that, 'though accurate, it is unprofessional. No sailor (says he) would have written in a style so little like a sailor; no man not a sailor would have written a narrative of a sea-voyage so consistent in all its parts, unless from actual observation. This peculiarity of style is to me, in itself, a demonstration that the narrative of the voyage is an account of real events, written by an eyewitness. A similar remark may be made on the geographical details. They must have been taken from actual observation, for the geographic knowledge of the age was not such as to enable a writer to be so minutely accurate in any other way.' Dr. Howson's illustrations of this chapter constitute one of the best portions of his masterly work.
From Caesarea to Myra, in Lycia (27:1-5)
And when it was determined that we should sail into (or 'for') Italy - that is, that they should go to Rome by sea. The "we" here re-introduces the Historian as one of the company. Not that he had left the apostle from the time when he last included himself ( Acts 21:18), but by his arrest and imprisonment they were parted until now, when they met in the ship.
They delivered Paul and certain other prisoners - state-prisoners going to be tried at Rome; of which several instances are on record:
Unto one named Julius - who treats the apostle throughout with such marked courtesy ( Acts 27:3; Acts 27:43; Acts 28:16 ), that it has been conjectured (by Bengel, for example) that he had been present when Paul made his defense before Agrippa (see Acts 25:23), and was impressed with his lofty bearing.
A centurion of Augustus' band , [speirees ( G4686) Sebastees (G4575)] - 'the Augustan cohort,' an honorary title given to more than one legion of the Roman army, implying, perhaps, that they acted as a body-guard to the emperor or procurator, as occasion required.