I'm presenting the final chapter of Acts in chapel tomorrow at WLA and have been pouring over many sources, including the NPH People's Bible on Acts (did you know they are published on Kindle and Nook now too?), trying to understand Paul's trip to Rome in chains around 62 AD. Acts 27 records that his ship of 276 people ran aground on Malta. I discovered earlier today that there is a St. Paul's Bay on Malta and that many people believe Paul's ship ran aground there near St. Paul's Island. Interestingly enough, the coat of arms of St. Paul's Bay has a snake on it and has the motto "In Christo Renati Sumus".
Then I stumbled upon a video and article from Christian Broadcasting News "Searching for Paul's Shipwreck on Malta" which purports that Paul's shipwreck was actually at St. Thomas Bay on the eastern side of Malta (for all the doubters in the crowd, I suppose). Which is true? I don't know and, truthfully, it doesn't really make any difference. All I know is that the Bible is God's Word and it is true. Whatever it says is what I believe. If it doesn't say, I don't need to know it to get to heaven. So why am I looking into where the shipwreck was? I'm just trying to understand sailing on the Mediterranean and where Paul sailed on his trip to Rome to try to gain insight into Luke's account in Acts. Plus Malta looks like a place I'd like to visit someday!
Want to really dive into the geography of Paul's Missionary Journeys? Using Google Earth, download .kml files showing Paul's Missionary Journeys from Mark de Blois or Tim Schumacher. Want the location of every location of every identifiable place in the Bible? Check out the incredible Bible Geocoding.
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