The Sign of the Alexandrian Ship
Castor and Pollux refers to the twin sons of Zeus in Greek and Roman mythology, collectively known as the Dioscuri. In the ancient world, they were revered as the patron deities of sailors, believed to protect them from shipwreck. Their representation was commonly used as the identifying sign, or figurehead, on seafaring vessels. Their brief mention in the Book of Acts confirms the historical authenticity of the Apostle Paul’s final journey to Rome.
The Historical Context in the Book of Acts
The phrase “Castor and Pollux” appears in the Book of Acts toward the end of the long and arduous sea voyage that took the Apostle Paul from Caesarea to Italy for his trial before Caesar. After surviving a terrible storm and a shipwreck on the island of Melita (Malta), Paul and his companions continued their journey on a new vessel:
“And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.” (Acts 28:11, KJV)
This simple detail provides several crucial historical markers:
- Alexandrian Grain Ship: The vessel was an Alexandrian grain ship. Alexandria, Egypt, was the primary source of grain for the city of Rome, and these large, robust merchant vessels routinely traversed the dangerous Mediterranean. This detail grounds the narrative in the necessary commerce of the Roman Empire.
- The Figurehead: The “sign” refers to the ship’s figurehead or the painted emblem on the prow of the ship. By identifying the ship by its sign, the Scripture provides the kind of specific, non-essential detail that attests to the historical eyewitness accuracy of the author, Luke.
- A Pagan Symbol: The symbol itself was a clear representation of pagan superstition. The sailors believed that having the Dioscuri—the twin protectors—on their ship would ensure their safe passage. The irony is that the true safety and protection on board was not the mythological twins, but the Apostle Paul, a servant of the living God, whose presence had already saved the lives of every person on the previous shipwrecked vessel (Acts 27:24).
The Spiritual Contrast in the New Covenant
The juxtaposition of the pagan sign of Castor and Pollux with the presence of the Apostle Paul offers a profound spiritual contrast:
- Worldly Reliance vs. Divine Providence: The ship was signed by the false gods of protection, but it was kept by the sovereign God of heaven. This highlights the futility of relying on superstitious symbols and the certainty of Divine Providence in the lives of God’s faithful.
- The Unstoppable Gospel: Paul’s presence on this ship demonstrates that the Gospel travels even on vessels marked by paganism. No matter the symbol of the worldly system, God’s message and His chosen messengers will arrive at their destined place (Rome) to fulfill the mission.