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Julian and Paul: Passengers on a grain-laden slow-sailing ship

When we last left Paul beginning his long journey to Rome, the Apostle had boarded a small ship of Adramyttian sailing from Caesarea along the coast north of Cypress to Myra in Lycia.

There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it.

Acts of the Apostles 27:6 LSB

Now the Roman Centurion Julian boards a larger Alexandrian ship with Paul and other passengers in the Lycian port setting sail for Crete and the open Mediterranean beyond.

Roman Sailing Ships

Thus far, the Centurion Julian has sailed a little less than 500 nautical miles away from Judea with many more miles to sail across the Mediterranean. The next ship is a cargo ship designed to transport grain long distances to Rome.

Rome, with a population of about a million, required about 800 shiploads of grain each year.

The Romans built and operated a variety of cargo ships (naves onerariae, literally “ships of burden”). A typical Roman merchant vessel was a broad, sturdy sailing ship with one to three masts carrying large square sails. These ships relied almost entirely on wind power; unlike war galleys, they had no banks of oars (at most a few oars or sweeps for maneuvering in harbors).

If the wind died, crews might resort to warping – rowing a small boat out with an anchor and then hauling the ship forward by capstan – or else wait for a tow.

Ancient history sites .com Roman Cargo Ships

Acts of the Apostles 27:

And when we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; and with difficulty, we sailed past it and came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

Acts of the Apostles 27:7-8 LSB

Paul notes the headings of this ship loaded with grain still quite distant from Rome. Thus far they had sailed a mere 350 nautical miles in windless waters .

More about Roman ships

In sum, the Roman Empire,, had no interest in vertical integration of the supply chain .. its principal interest was the incorporation of private shipping activities deemed useful to the public good into the mechanisms of control exercised by the state.

By contracting out the transport of grain, the Roman Empire also ensured quality service by experienced seafaring professionals, and an avoidance of the costly maintenance, staffing costs and continual provision of suitable vessels – ancient ships, owing to their ‘shell-first’ construction were presumably more expensive to build than later ‘frame-first’ vessels.

source: Ancient Ports Antiques .com THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE GRAIN FLEETS:

Waiting for fair winds

And when considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the Day of Atonement Fast [late September or October] was already over, Paul began to advise them..

Acts of the Apostles 27:9 LSB

What’s going on here?

Julian, a Roman centurion in charge of Paul and any additional prisoners, is an ARMY man.

The Roman Army contracts professional sailors to man and navigate their ships (which could be commandeered, if required, for transport of Roman troops). These professional sailors are NOT in any sense like a unified Roman Navy.

The Centurian Julius has had plenty of time to get to know Paul – a Roman citizen.

Aristarchus (a Macedonian likely of the ruling class of Thessalonica) also accompanies this imfamous Apostle as he had recently on Paul’s third missionary jouney.

Julius had actually allowed them to briefly meet with other Christians at an earlier stop in Sidon.

In a sense, Julius is in charge, but cannot take full responsibility for this grain-hauling merchant ship.

His citizen prisoner Paul, like the grain, is manifested for Caesar in Rome. An entrepreneurial owner of this or any cargo ship would have much at stake, consequently commissioning himself (or a trusted family member) as captain of his ships.

Paul addresses the leaders of his voyage

“Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”
Acts of the Apostles 27:10b LSB

But the centurion {Julius} was being more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. And because the harbor [Fair Havens] was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to set sail from there, if somehow they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, to spend the winter there.

Acts of the Apostles 27:11-12 LSB

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.

Acts of the Apostles 27:13 NIV

Voyage of the Apostle Paul to Rome — To be continued…

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Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

September 17, 2025
Transporting Paul – Citizen Prisoner of Caesar- Acts 27
The Apostle Paul, a Jew among Jews commissioned by Christ to go into all the world of the gentiles — after taking the Gospel to the Greeks since A.D. 47 — is now a prisoner sent to Rome.
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In the year of our Lord 59:
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Roman Prisoners (Chattel of Caesar)

Make no mistake about it: ROME rules the world! Their ships have captured it since the days of Julius Caesar and although Judea claims a King, Jerusalem is no exception to Rome’s rule.

Paul – a citizen under Roman rule

In Paul’s lifetime thus far Caesar Augustus had been Emperor when he was a boy in Cilicia;Tiberius during his years studying under Gamaliel in Jerusalem and when Jesus was crucified and up until the day Christ appeared to Saul near Damascus.

Paul had begun preaching the Gospel to the gentiles near the end of the reign of Caligua, who had declared himself a god in A.D. 37.

The Emperor Claudius had made Judea a province of Rome after the death of Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 44, ruling the empire during many martyrdoms of several saints and some Apostle’s during the time of Paul’s missionary journeys.

and he set sail from Ephesus.

In the civil administration, many measures demonstrate Claudius’s enlightened policy. He improved in detail the judicial system, and, in his dealings with the provinces, he favoured a moderate extension of Roman citizenship by individual and collective grants..

.. during a period of troubles Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome for a short time; Christians may have been involved. Elsewhere he confirmed existing Jewish rights and privileges, and in Alexandria he tried to protect the Jews without provoking Egyptian nationalism.

Source: Britannica

Claudius had ruled Rome and the world up until just five years ago, but Paul’s appeal is to a new Caesar.

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus

Up to the year 59, Nero’s biographers cite only acts of generosity and clemency on his account. His government forbade contests in the circus involving bloodshed, banned capital punishment, reduced taxes, and accorded permission to slaves to bring civil complaints against unjust masters.

Source: Britannica

The Apostle Paul is about 54 years old now. He is a Roman citizen of Tarsus, Cilicia who would have been set free by the Roman Governor (with approval of the Judean King) had the Apostle not earlier appealed to Caesar — the 22 year old Nero now ruling Rome under his mother’s tutelage.

Acts 27:

Now when it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius.

And getting aboard an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we set sail accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica.
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Doctor Luke, the historian recording the Acts of the Apostles, tells us a few details of Paul's journey to Rome as a prisoner. 
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We will proceed on this 2200 mile [3500 km] voyage taking into account the perspective of Iulius [Julius], Paul’s Roman Centurio Augustus’ responsible for all prisoners of Caesar Nero.

The Writ of Porcius Festus

Two more years and another administration – Porcius Festus

Before sailing to Rome, the Centurion representative of Caesar —Julius would have been given an official writ of Paul’s court proceedings and judgment.

Porteus Festus may have given written instructions and verbal administrative recommendations as the current Governor of Judea transferring this prisoner Paul into the direct jurisdiction of Nero.

Julius probably would not have known that Paul had been rescued from the Jews two years ago by Judea’s former governor. Antonius Felix, you may remember, had left Paul in prison in Caesarea for two years after another Centurion had rescued the Apostle from an assassination plot of the Jews.

Paul is a Jew (as one might expect of a resident of Judea). But the Governor would want this Centurion Julius to know that his prisoner being sent to Nero is a Roman citizen acquited of the Jewish charges.

BUT, Paul had appealed to Caesar and could not be released until the Emperor agreed to hear or dismiss Paul’s case.

Roman roads and shipping routes

The Centurion Julius would have to plan a route to Rome to deliver his cargo — Paul, a prisoner and Roman citizen. Caesarea Maritime is a port and administrative center of Rome’s eastern army. Like any port ships arrive and depart with cargo and supplies for Rome’s army. Some smaller ships sailed from port to port on what you might call ‘the milk run’ delivering essentials for further transport inland along the extensive Roman roads.

Julius gained passage on such a ship that sailed along the coast, first with a stop in nearby Sidon, with a terminus destination of Myra.

Stop One of a long Voyage
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486 Nautical Miles [~ 900 KM or 660 Miles]
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.. aboard an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we set sail..

The next day we put in at Sidon,

and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care.

And from there we set sail [leeward] and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus [to the south of us] because the winds were against us.

And when we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.

Finding a bigger ship in Myra

The Centurion Julius, probably knowing not only the Mediterranean ports and Roman administrators but also which ships sail further to Rome, will book passage on a larger ship capable of sailing into deeper waters to continue their long voyage.
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To be continued... 
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September 12, 2025
šā’ûl servant of the living Yeshua
Saul’s defense of himself and the Gospel

ἀπολογέομαι – apologeomai

To the Greeks the Apostle to the gentiles is Παῦλος – Paulos or Paul. And to Romans encountering this fellow Roman citizen from Tarsus certainly fluent in the Latin of their heritage, the Apostle would be called Paulus.

But to the Aramaic Jews of Jerusalem and Judea this illusive convert to Jesus of Nazareth is well-known as Sha’ul, the same name as Saul, Israel’s first king.

It is now about A.D. 59 or 60. Some thirty years ago JESUS had fore-warned the Twelve:

“Now when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say..

Gospel of Luke 12:11 LSB

Two years later the Jews had stoned Stephen to death for proclaiming the risen Christ Jesus. Saul had been a young witness to this unjust execution and a leading authority in bringing many followers of The Way to justice for five years – that is, until the Lord met him on a road to Damascus.

Saul disappears for a time and then makes his own defense to Peter and those in Jerusalem.

And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, but they were attempting to put him to death.

Acts 9:29 LSB
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All this prior to the Apostle being sent out to all the world of the gentiles on three missionary journeys for ten years. 
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So now back in Jerusalem by intention, the Apostle has already been detained by the Jews and held by the Romans.

Most Excellent Felix – Tertullus for the Prosecution

And when the governor [Felix] had nodded for him to speak, Paul answered:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make G626 [apologeomai] my defense G626

Acts of the Apostles 24

Two more years and another administration – Porcius Festus

“.. while Paul said G626 in G626 his own defense G626 [to Festus {who is also present here}], “I have committed no sin either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”

Acts of the Apostles 25

Saul’s third apologeomai before Herod Agrippa

Agrippa said to Sha’ul,
“You may speak for yourself.”

Then Sha’ul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
Acts of the Apostles 26:1 Hebrew Names Bible

Saul addressing King Herod Agrippa –

Jew to fellow Jew
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continuing in his complimentary introduction: 
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Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

Acts 26:3 KJV
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Remember, Paul is speaking of events beginning some twenty years ago. 
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My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Acts 26:4-7 KJV
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Paul addresses the "Jewish" king caught in the middle of controversaries between the Saduccees, Pharasees and pagan Romans not part of the promise of the One God to Abraham. 
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Testimony of the Resurrection

The Apostle now confronts Herod Agrippa with the politically divisive question concerning the Messiah Jesus.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Acts of the Apostles 26:8 KJV

“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.

And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Acts 26:9-11 NKJV

What’s Paul doing here?

The Apostle is confessing that as a leading Pharisee he was one of them – agreed with them – as zealous to put to death these blasphemers of Yahweh as now they seek to have Paul killed for his witness of the risen Messiah Yeshua.

Herod Agrippa knows the Jesus controversy well. And Paul’s defense now presents evidence of why he has turned from his former disbelief (in the resurrection of the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth). So šā’ûl of Tarsus recounts his journey to Damascus and life-changing encounter with the risen Lord Jesus, the crucified Messiah.

Saul sent out as the Apostle Paul
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Luke has previously recorded Paul's account (Acts 9:1–19; 22:6–16).
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- I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
- At midday I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun,
- We all fell to the ground
- I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew dialect:
‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

Acts 26:14b Hebrew Names Version

Herod Agrippa would understand the significance of the Voice from heaven Who communicates with Paul in Hebrew. Sha’ul asks what any man might ask of an unknown person speaking:

Τίς εἶ κύριε

(tis ei Kyrios) Who are you, Lord?

And He said (in the Greek of Luke’s account of Acts of the Apostles)

egō eimi iēsous
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Or in the Hebrew šā'ûl likely heard from the Lord: 
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ănî yᵊhôšûaʿ

“He said,

‘I am Yeshua, whom you are persecuting.

Acts 26:15 b Hebrew Names Version

Yeshua, the risen Son of God, commissions Paul
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As Paul knows, Herod Agrippa II, with his Roman and Jewish cultural upbringing, will full-well know and understand the implication of what he is about to say. (And note that this Voice from heaven commands Saul as a King (like Herod Agrippa) would command any subject. 
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And He said,

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

But rise and stand on your feet;

for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.

Acts 26:14-15 NKJV
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Remember, Paul has already been witnessing Christ crucified and risen on three missionary journeys since about AD 47 (more than ten years after Christ's crucifixion in Jerusaalem) until now (~AD 59) for some twelve years.
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‘I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Acts 26:17-18 NKJV – account to Agrippa of the commissioning of Paul by the risen Christ Jesus

It is significant that in sending Saul to the Gentiles that the Lord mentions their redemption – Gospel Good News!

The Lord Jesus also points to our deliverance from original sin and Satan.

And do not overlook His mention of holiness and how Jew and Gentile will now receive sanctification.

Sanctification
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Just a reminder of God's HOLINESS and that of CHRIST JESUS
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ἁγιάζω – hagiazō –
- to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow
- to separate from profane things and dedicate to God
  - consecrate things to God
  - dedicate people to God
- to purify
From hagos G40 (an awful thing) – sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):—(most) holy (one, thing), saint.

Source: Lexicon :: Strong’s G37 – hagiazō – BlueLetterBible.org

21st century Common Era christians tend to overlook Jesus’ role in sanctification of the redeemed saints of Christ, therefore missing the mark of showing ourselves saved from the sin so common in all of us.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

OPEN YOUR EYES – SEE the implication of what the Lord says to Saul of Tarsus that changed him for all eternity:

to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God,

that they may receive forgiveness of sins

and a place among

those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Acts 26:18 RSV

Are YOU, like Saul, a SAINT — a most HOLY thing —

by FAITH in the LORD CHRIST JESUS?

Paul asks the Lord’s question of Agrippa and of Portus Festus.

The Apostle asks JESUS’ question of you who seek forgiveness of your sins somewhere else than by faith in the Person of Him – the risen Christ Jesus.

Next: Agrippa and Festus reject Christ

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
July 24, 2025