The Importance Of Paul's Journey To Rome

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Paul had been in continuous custody for a very long time, possibly longer than two years. Arrested in the spring of A.D. 57, he was eventually transferred to Caesarea and imprisoned there for more than two years. Having made his appeal to Caesar, he was transferred by boat to Rome in the fall of A.D. 59. He was shipwrecked along with his personal body guard Julius, a centurion, and his arrival in Rome was delayed until the spring of A.D. 60. Paul remained under “house arrest” after his arrival in Rome awaiting his appearance before the emperor. During those two years, Paul wrote three letters: Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians. Those three letters will be addressed after the “very eventful” sea and land voyage to Rome. Paul’s journey to Rome is one of the …show more content…

From early in the narrative of Acts, the centurion was known to be kind, and trusting of the Apostle Paul. One of the first ports of call on the voyage was the community of Sidon, and here Paul was allowed to visit the Christian community. Julius’s trust of Paul plays a major role in the overall narrative and voyage. During this time of year (autumn), the winds blew predominantly westerly, and the ship could not sail on open seas, but had to hug the coastline. Several of the ports were major grain importing and exporting areas, and this was what the Adramyttium vessel was built for – a grain hauler likely under the license of the Emperor. Due to the winds, the ship had to take more of a serpentine route which took extra time. The ship rounded Crete from southern Asia and set anchor in a small port named Fair Haven. Fair Haven was too small for the Adramyttium ship to spend the winter. From mid-September the Mediterranean Sea is treacherous. An immediate decision had to be made to sail on to Phoenix. Under favorable conditions, the voyage would have taken only a few