Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:11
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
11. the centurion believed ( R. V. gave more heed to)] As the centurion was in charge of prisoners for the Imperial tribunal, his wish would be much regarded by both owner and sailing-master. And it was natural when they recommended the attempt to proceed that he should not listen to Paul’s advice and remain where they were.
the master ] i.e. the sailing-master. The original means “pilot,” which term must here be understood of that officer who had charge of the navigation.
the owner of the ship ] Who was probably owner of the cargo too, and if, as is most likely, this was corn, he would be sailing with it, that he might dispose of it to the best advantage when they reached Italy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The master – The person who is here meant was the helmsman, who occupied in ancient ships a conspicuous place on the stern, and steered the ship, and gave directions to the crew.
The owner of the ship – Probably a different person from the master. He had the general command of the ship as his own property, but had employed the master, or the pilot, to direct and manage it. His counsel in regard to the propriety of continuing the voyage would be likely to be followed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. The centurion believed the master] , the pilot; and owner of the ship, , the captain and proprietor. This latter had the command of the ship and the crew; the pilot had the guidance of the vessel along those dangerous coasts, under the direction of the captain; and the centurion had the power to cause them to proceed on their voyage, or to go into port, as he pleased; as he had other state prisoners on board; and probably the ship itself was freighted for government. Paul told them, if they proceeded, they would be in danger of shipwreck; the pilot and captain said there was no danger; and the centurion, believing them, commanded the vessel to proceed on her voyage. It is likely that they were now in the port called the Fair Havens.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The centurion believed those whom he thought best skilled in those things (as every one in his own art); and if he had not heard of Pauls condition and extraordinary qualification, he was doubtless the more to be excused.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. Nevertheless the centurionbelieved the master and owner . . . more than . . . PaulHewould naturally think them best able to judge, and there was much tosay for their opinion, as the bay at Fair Havens, being open tonearly one-half of the compass, could not be a good winter harbor.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship,…. Who were either one and the same person, or if two persons, the one was the owner, whose the ship was, and the other, he that was at the helm, and steered and directed it; or the one might be the captain, and the other the pilot. The , or “governor”, as he is here called with the ancients, was he who sat on an eminence in the stern of the ship, at the helm, and had the direction of it; he gave the orders, which others executed: what qualified him for his post chiefly lay in three things; in the knowledge of the constellations, and winds, of the former that he might direct the course of the ship according to them, and by them foresee future tempests, and of the latter, that he might be acquainted with the several points, from whence they blew; also in the knowledge of ports, and places to put into, and of rocks and sands, that they might be escaped; likewise in the knowledge of the use of the helm, and sails l; for one part of his business, as m Seneca observes, was to give orders after this manner; so and so move the helm, so and so let down the sails, c. in every ship there was a governor, and in larger ones sometimes there were two n Aelianus says, the Carthaginians had always two governors in a ship: the other word, , is in the glossary rendered “navicularius”, which signifies “the owner” of the ship; and so we render it; though perhaps he is the same with the “proreta”, who governed the prow or head of the ship, and was the next in dignity to the governor, and a kind of a sub-governor; and his business was to observe tempests, to explore promontories, rocks and sands, and show them to the governor o; and so Isidore p says, the owner of the ship is called Naucleros, because the ship is in his lot, “cleros” signifying lot: and as these best understood naval affairs, Julius gave more heed to what they said, and rather believed them,
than those things which were spoken by Paul; by a spirit of prophecy, which he had no notion of; for though he treated him civilly as a man, he had no regard to him as a Christian, or as one endued with the Spirit of God, which he knew nothing of.
l Scheffer. de Militia Navali Veterum, l. 4. c. 6. p. 296, 297. m Ep. 95. n Var. Hist. l. 9. c. 40. o Scheffer. ib. p. 302, 303. p Originum, l. 19. c. 1. p. 162.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Gave more heed ( ). Imperfect middle of , to yield to (with the dative case). The “Frumentarian” centurion ranked above the captain and owner. As a military officer the centurion was responsible for the soldiers, the prisoners, and the cargo of wheat. It was a government ship. Though the season was not advanced, the centurion probably feared to risk criticism in Rome for timidity when the wheat was so much needed in Rome (Knowling).
To the master ( ). Old word from , to steer, and so steersman, pilot, sailing-master. Common in this sense in the papyri. In N.T. only here and Re 18:17.
And to the owner of the ship ( ). Old word compounded of and and used for owner of the ship who acted as his own skipper or captain. The papyri examples (Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary) all have the meaning “captain” rather than “owner.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Master [] . Only here and Rev 13:17. Lit., the steersman.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Nevertheless the centurion,” (ho de hekatontarches) “Then the centurion,” however or nevertheless the centurion, perhaps not wanting to be embarrassed on arriving in Rome, if the people waited a long time after schedule, before the grain arrived on the ship.
2) “Believed the master and owner of the ship,” (to kubernete kai to nauklero mallon epeitheto) “Was persuaded or convinced by the shipmaster and the steerman (owner), rather than by Paul.” It was a custom for the owner to sail with his ship on commercial voyages. He would naturally feel them best able to judge sailing conditions.
3) “More than those things which were spoken by Paul.” (e tois hupo Paulou legomenois) “Rather than the warnings repeatedly spoken by Paul,” God’s prophet and protector on board the ship, who had warned of hurt and damage or “injury and loss,” to the people on board the ship, the ship itself, and the cargo, Act 27:10. Men must still “take heed.”
1) What they hear, Mar 4:24.
2) How they hear, Luk 8:18; Act 17:30-34.
In the latter account when Paul preached:
a) Some mocked, Act 27:32.
b) Some procrastinated, Act 27:32.
c) and some believed and clave unto him, Act 27:34.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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11. But the centurion. The centurion is not reproved because he hearkened rather to the master and governor of the ship than to Paul. For what should he have done? For though he did well like − (641) Paul’s counsel in other matters, yet he knew that he was unskillful in sailing. Therefore he suffered himself to be governed by those which were expert, which was a point of a wise and modest man. Yea, very necessity did almost compel him to do this; for the haven was not commodious to winter in. Neither did the governor give counsel to commit the ship to the main sea, but to thrust into the next haven, which was almost in view. So that, with taking a little pains, they might commodiously pass the winter. Luke reciteth this not in vain; but that we may know that Paul was from the beginning furnished with the sense of the Spirit, so that he did better see what things were profitable than did the masters. We know not whether he were taught by oracles, or whether he gave this counsel through secret inspiration. This is certain, that it served afterward to his commendation. Furthermore, in that he saith that they sailed beyond the coast of Candia, until they were caught and carried away; our friend Beza doth justly reprove the error of interpreters in this word ασσον, who make of an adverb the name of a city. −
(641) −
“
Plurimum deferret,” he had very great deference for.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) Nevertheless the centurion believed the master.Better, the pilot. The word is the same as that translated ship-master, in Rev. 18:17. The advice was, we may believe, determined by the fact that there was a better harbour but a few miles further on the coast. Could they not press on thither and be safe for the winter? It was natural that the centurion should trust to them as experts rather than to the enthusiastic Rabbi whom he had in charge as prisoner.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Centurion As responsible to the government for the safety of the citizens, Julius had the power to decide.
Master The pilot or controller of the matter of the navigation, hence properly the ship’s captain.
Owner The owner sailed in his own ship, having the master as a professional seaman, accepting his decisions in nautical questions. Julius naturally preferred the judgment of men so experienced in navigation to that of a landsman like Paul.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul.’
However the shipmaster and the captain (or the captain and the owner if it was a contracted ship) were for pushing on. They had risked a last, late trip, and wanted to be in a place where, once the new sailing season began, they could be first in Italy. And the centurion quite naturally took their advice as against Paul’s. Luke, however, appears to be hinting that he might have done better to recognise that Paul possibly had a better Source of advice.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
Ver. 11. Nevertheless the centurion ] Profane persons, trusting more to their own carnal wisdom than to God’s word, cast themselves wilfully into the greatest dangers. Believe the prophets, and ye shall prosper. The wicked pass on and are punished, Pro 22:3 . We cannot get men to believe, till they feel, as Pharaoh.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11. . ] the owner of the ship . Wetst. cites from Plutarch, , . So Hesych [156] : , . , and Xen. con. viii. 12: , . (Kuin.)
[156] Hesychius of Jerusalem, cent y . vi.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:11 . .: the centurion evidently presides at the Council as the superior officer, see Ramsay, St. Paul , pp. 324, 325, but, as Wendt notes (and so Blass), the majority decide, not the centurion alone. . .: “to the master and to the owner of the ship,” A. and R.V., better “to the pilot and the captain”; was not the owner, although the word might denote ownership as well as command of the ship, for the ship if it was a corn ship would belong to the imperial service, and would form a vessel of the Alexandrian fleet. In Breusing’s view, p. 160, is owner of the ship, but is better rendered, he thinks, “captain” than “pilot,” cf. Plut., Mor. , 807 [410] (Wetstein and Blass). .: “locutio Lucana,” cf. Act 28:24 , the centurion’s conduct was natural enough; what would be said of him in Rome, where provision ships for the winter were so eagerly expected, if out of timidity he, though a soldier, had hindered the captain from continuing his voyage? Breusing, pp. 161, 162, and quotations from Suet., Claudius , 18, as to the compensation offered by the emperor to merchants for losses in winter and storm. Goerne points out that it may have been also to their interest to proceed on the voyage, rather than to incur the responsibility of providing for the keep of the large crew during a long stay at Fair Havens.
[410] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Nevertheless = But.
centurion. He was in authority, being on imperial service.
believed. Greek. peitho. App-150.
master. Literally steersman. Greek. kubernetes. Only here, and Rev 18:17.
owner, &c. = shipowner. Greek. naukleros. Only here.
spoken = said. Greek. lego.
by. Greek. hupo. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11. . ] the owner of the ship. Wetst. cites from Plutarch, , . So Hesych[156]: , . ,-and Xen. con. viii. 12: , . (Kuin.)
[156] Hesychius of Jerusalem, centy. vi.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Paul had advised the captain not to set sail for a while,
Act 27:11-13. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things, which were spoken by Paul. And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
He is very unwise who trusts the winds, and equally so is he who sets his confidence upon any earthly thing, for fickle as the wind that blows are all things beneath the moon,
Act 27:14-15. But not long after there arose against a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
You may have a calm at one moment, and a storm at the next, and unless your protection it from above, and your confidence in something more stable than can be found in this world, woe betide you. Sometime, it is well to yield to the stress of circumstances. If you have struggled hard, and can do no more, it is well to leave the result with God.
Act 27:16-21. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksand, strake sail, and so were driven. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; and the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship; and when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence
They had not the time or the heart to eat, and perhaps scarcely thought of doing so while they were in such imminent peril of their lives.
Act 27:21. Paul stood forth in the midst of them,
A prisoner, but the freest man there; despised, and yet the most honoured among them; the bravest heart of all that company of soldiers and sailors.
Act 27:21-24. And said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any mans life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Oh, what a privilege it would be if God would say the same to us! If, in the night of trouble, when you are tossed to and fro, mother, father, the Lord should say to you, Fear not, I have given you your whole family they shall all be saved, you would not mind how fiercely the storm might rage if you could be sure of that. And how happy would my heart be if all that sail in this big vessel were given to me! I should not be satisfied even then; I should want a great many more than that; but, still, what a blessed thing it would be to have every soul that sails with us saved!
Act 27:25-27. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
They could hear the roar of the breakers.
Act 27:28. And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
They found that the water was shallowing very quickly, so they knew that they were getting near the shore.
Act 27:29. Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
Then they wished for the day, and how often the Christian throws his great anchor out, and wishes for the day, waiting till the day break, and the shadows flee away. Well, it will not be long. If night lasts through the whole of this life, the morning cometh, the everlasting morning.
Act 27:30. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out the foreship
These cowardly sailors meant to get away, and leave the prisoners and passengers and soldiers to perish.
Act 27:31. Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Yet God had said that they should be, so that it is quite consistent to believe in divine predestination and yet to see the utility, nay, the necessity, of the use of means: Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Act 27:32. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
So that the sailors could not get away.
Act 27:33-34. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat; for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
What a grand speech this is! It is the utterance of faith. Talk of eloquence! This is real eloquence, for Paul to be addressing the people in a storm-tossed ship as calmly as if he were safely on shore.
Act 27:35. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
He would not eat without giving thanks to God. There are some who do, even as the swine do; but the Christian finds it good at all times, before he eats, to bless the God that gave the food to him. It is a Christian habit which should not be given up. Paul gave thanks when it was most inconvenient to do so, when a great storm was raging, and when there were only two or three on board who sympathized with him.
Act 27:36. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
Courage is contagious, as well as timidity. The holy bravery of one good man may make many others brave.
Act 27:37-39. And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible to thrust in the ship.
They wanted to let it go ashore, and break up, and so save their lives.
Act 27:40-42. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. And the soldiers counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
The soldiers were responsible for them. It would be required at their hands if a prisoner escaped; so, with that cruelty, and yet that obedience to law which was characteristic of the Roman legions, the soldiers counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
Act 27:43-44. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
So God had said, and so it came to pass.
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Act 27:11. , the master) who was in command of the ship.-, the owner of the ship) to whom the ship belonged. He too was under the control of the centurion.- , had more regard to) The artificer is not always to be trusted in his own art. Often the believing Christian, at the time when there is the greatest need, speaks more seasonable advice; but he is less regarded: Ecc 9:15. Perhaps Julius was afraid of the indignation of his superiors.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
believed: Act 27:21, Exo 9:20, Exo 9:21, 2Ki 6:10, Pro 27:12, Eze 3:17, Eze 3:18, Eze 33:4, Heb 11:7
Reciprocal: Isa 7:9 – If ye Act 27:1 – a centurion Act 27:25 – I believe Act 27:31 – said Act 27:43 – willing
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Act 27:11. It was natural to prefer the judgment of these men to that of Paul since they were experienced seamen, and should have been in position to judge.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 27:11. The master and the owner. The former had to do with the steering and working of the vessel, the latter with the proprietorship of the vessel or cargo, or both. Looking at the matter as they did from different points of view, their united opinion must have been felt to be very weighty; and it is true to nature that the centurion should have yielded to their persuasion () more than to those things that were spoken of Paul It is evident from the form of and , that there was a prolonged and somewhat evenly-balanced discussion. The centurion, too, as was natural, had a great part in settling the question, though not, as we see from the next verse, an absolutely decisive part.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 9
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
11. Julius thinks the pilot and captain certainly understood navigation better than a preacher utterly ignorant of nautical science. Therefore, he followed their advice rather than the prophetic warnings of Paul, the pilot and captain suffering utter bankruptcy in the wrecking of the ship, and miraculously escaping with their lives.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
27:11 {3} Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
(3) Men cast themselves willingly into an infinite amount of dangers, when they choose to follow their own wisdom, rather than God, when he speaks by the mouth of his servants.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The centurion had the final word. Grain ships of this kind were part of a fleet that was under the control of the Roman government even though private individuals owned the ships. [Note: Bruce, Commentary on . . ., p. 507.] The pilot (captain) and the owner (rather than captain) carried more influence with the centurion than Paul did. Fair Havens was suitable for wintering but not as desirable as Phoenix (modern Phineka, or possible Lutro [Note: Robertson, 3:462-63.] ), which stood about 45 miles farther to the west along the Cretan coastline.
It is doubtful that Paul had the time or opportunity to plant a church on Crete during this visit. He or others may have planted the church there at another time. He probably visited Crete with Titus after his release from Rome (Tit 1:5).