Peer Pressure Adds to the Present Peril
July 23, 2021
Commentary
After 14 days of drifting on the Mediterranean Sea the sailors realized that they were getting near land (v. 27). In the middle of the fourteenth night of the storm, the crewmen tested the waters and discovered that they were approaching land (v. 28). So, in the darkness of the night, they dropped their anchors and waited for daylight, hoping that they might make it to the shore safely (vv. 29-30).
Under this tremendous pressure some were about to jump overboard, and Paul warned them that they would not live unless they remained with the ship (vv. 31-32). These sailors decided to try to save their own lives at all costs. Paul, faced with the defection of the ship’s officers and crew, saw at once the obvious fact that without a crew the ship would never make it to shore. So, he appealed to the centurion to not let them leave the scene. When Paul spoke the crew went back to their duties. What a picture of a man without God, without Christ, and without hope, at the mercy of forces in life that he cannot control, and wholly in the dark regarding his true position. At this point Paul encouraged them to eat something, since they had not eaten anything for two-weeks (vv. 33-36).
There were 276 people on the ship, and after everyone had eaten, they threw the cargo of wheat into the sea to make the ship lighter (vv. 37-38). When morning came the ship’s crew saw a coast and decided to try to run the ship aground on the beach (v. 39). They cut the anchors loose and let them sink into the sea (v. 40). Next, they raised the sail at the front of the ship and let the wind carry the ship toward the beach. Soon the ship ran aground and began to break into pieces (v. 41). The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners so that they could not escape, but the centurion would not permit it. Instead, it became every man for himself as they swam or rode planks to shore (v. 42). Thus, just as Paul had predicted, all were saved, but the ship and its cargo were lost. It was truly the hand of God that had been controlling over every gale of wind and every wave (vv. 43-44).
Application
If I had been on board the ship with Paul, how do I think I would have felt at this point? Have I ever been tempted to bail out of a pressure situation? How can the principles of this account help me in situations I may face in my life?
Acts 27:27– 44 (NET)
27 When the fourteenth night had come, while we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected they were approaching some land. 28 They took soundings and found the water was twenty fathoms deep; when they had sailed a little farther they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms deep. 29 Because they were afraid that we would run aground on the rocky coast, they threw out four anchors from the stern and wished for day to appear. 30 Then when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and were lowering the ship’s boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it drift away.
33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense and have gone without food; you have eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food, for this is important for your survival. For not one of you will lose a hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all, broke it, and began to eat. 36 So all of them were encouraged and took food themselves. 37 (We were in all 276 persons on the ship.) 38 When they had eaten enough to be satisfied, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.
39 When day came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 So they slipped the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the linkage that bound the steering oars together. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and steered toward the beach. 41 But they encountered a patch of crosscurrents and ran the ship aground; the bow stuck fast and could not be moved, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. 42 Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that none of them would escape by swimming away. 43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul’s life, prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest were to follow, some on planks and some on pieces of the ship. And in this way all were brought safely to land.
Illustration: Lesser Pressure Preferred
In Hillsdale, New Jersey, the superintendent of the Department of Public Works resigned, but with the understanding that he would be rehired for the job of garbage truck driver. He preferred the job with less pressure, he said. (Sunday School Times).