Luke’s detailed account of the shipwreck leaves us in no
doubt that he was one of those on board. As he writes, the memory is so vivid
that he is able to record many minor details of the story but the outstanding
features are the conduct of Paul and the overriding protection of God.
Unusually for him, Luke doesn’t tell us of the fear of his shipmates, nor of
their amazement at their final escape, but we can well imagine the sheer terror
of the centurion and the soldiers, let alone the prisoners, as the storm lashed
their fragile craft and put their lives in severe danger. Two interesting
things didn’t happen. Firstly Paul didn’t warn of the perils of the journey
before they left, so it was as if God allowed them to get into this situation
to show his power, and help those involved to trust him afterwards. Might this
be a reason he similarly allows us to get into a ‘storm’ now and again?
Secondly, Paul might have reasoned, ‘Jesus calmed the storm; is that what he
wants me to do here?’ but he didn’t. Instead he waited for God’s solution, and
it came. Then Paul was resolute, daring to tell the centurion and his men what
to do. Such was his authority that they trusted him, without questioning the
story about the angel, and in doing so they were saved, although all Paul had
to look forward to was being tried in front of Caesar. Some reward! Death by
drowning might have been preferable, but his resolve, reminiscent of Jesus
setting his face towards Jerusalem
(member of the PCC)