Paul’s role fulfills the function of Old Testament prophets and his continuing mission to Gentiles.
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The second half of Acts is a whirlwind journey. Paul travels some 10,000 miles as he witnesses in Turkey, Syria, Greece, and Israel. He preaches in various cities including Lystra, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Athens, and Ephesus. What’s sometimes overlooked is an obvious reality, most of this is done on land.
Yet in Acts 27, Luke devotes 44 verses to a detailed description of Paul’s sea journey. The purpose of this long marine narrative sometimes eludes interpreters. Some think it simply recounts a change of location for Paul. But this does little to explain the narrative’s length and all the specifics Luke includes.
