Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:26
Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
26. upon a certain island ] Hence it appears that in the vision some details of the manner of their preservation had been made known to St Paul by the divine messenger.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Howbeit – Nevertheless.
Upon a certain island – Malta. See Act 28:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. We must be cast upon a certain island.] The angel which gave him this information did not tell him the name of the island. It turned out to be Melita, on which, by the violence of the storm, they were wrecked some days after.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This was given by Paul as a sign unto them of the truth of what he had said, which, when it came to pass, might induce them to believe the rest; which probably it did, and saved Paul from being killed by the soldiers, Act 27:42. Thus God preserves his people, and delivers Paul, and brings all his safely off at the last, but it is by tempests and storms. It may be they must suffer shipwreck of all they have in this world first. Augusta per angusta. Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God, as St. Paul had taught others, Act 14:22, the experienced to be true himself. There was no truth more experimented than this.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island. This circumstance is foretold, that when the whole affair should come to pass, it might be manifest that it was not a casual thing, a fortuitous event, a business of chance, but was predetermined by God, made known to the apostle, and predicted by him. This island was Melita; and the fulfilment of this part of the prediction is related in Ac 28:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
We must be cast ( ). It is necessary for us to fall out (, second aorist active infinitive of ). It was not revealed to Paul what island it would be.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Howbeit we must be cast,” (de dei hemas ekpesein) “Yet, it behooves (comes to) us to fall off,” off the sinking ship. Note storms and shipwrecks are as important in maturity of Christian character as the sunshine and balmy days of life when children of God learn, like Paul, “whatsoever state or condition they are in therewith to be content,” Heb 13:5; Php_4:11. Soldiers, sailors, and great leaders, are not made without hard discipline, even for God, 2Ti 2:3.
2) “Upon a certain island.” (eis neson tina) “Onto a certain island,” which came to be Melita, Act 28:1; Paul had had this revealed to him; but he did not know what island it was or would be. God reveals His will to men for their lives, a little at a time, (after His call) saying, follow my will, the light I give you, one day at a time, and each day will be a day of communion with, and useful service to me, Luk 9:23; Jas 4:13-15. Discipleship and stewardship for Jesus Christ, is progressive, because the call of the gospel and the Great Commission are to salvation and progressive service for and toward our Lord and Master, Gal 6:9; 1Co 15:58.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(26) We must be cast upon a certain island.This had clearly formed part of the special revelation that had been granted to the Apostle. It was more than a conjecture, and the must was emphasised as by a prophetic insight into the future.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Certain island The two discriminations are carefully stated. They were not to sail prosperously, but to lose their ship; they were not to reach Italy, but strand on some island. The fulfilment of these signs would be proof of the fulfilment of the promise of preservation of lives. So may lesser lead to greater faith.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But we must be cast on a certain island.”
However it will ‘be necessary’ for them to be cast onto an unknown but determined island. In other words God has not just promised deliverance, He has filled in some of the detail. And He has a purpose for their landing on that island. Malta was awaiting the Good News. The calm assurance that in this wild and uncontrolled storm God had fixed on a particular island where He wanted to fulfil His purposes shines out through the narrative. Thus when the landing happens as God has described they will be able to know that it was the hand of God that has taken them there.
The Shipwreck (Act 27:27-44)
In what follows we are given certain lessons for success in life, and which equally applied to the Ephesian elders. If they, and we, are to survive the storms there are certain principles that must be followed.
The first was obedience to what God told them to do. If the centurion had not obeyed God’s voice through Paul there would have been great loss of life (Act 27:31).
The second was to cut away the one hope that they seemed to have, the life boat. They must trust in nothing else but God and look to Him alone for deliverance.
The third was to trust Him and take food. This would strengthen them for their final ordeal. Christians would see in this the food of eternal life offered through the death of Christ. They would recognise that under every circumstance of life it is by partaking of Him that men can be saved and can endure.
And fourthly it was necessary to be observant and follow His instruction. He had said that they would be cast on a certain island. They had to look for that island and plan accordingly when it arrived.
And the guarantee was that all those who thus trusted Him would be saved. That this was to be seen as a parable as well as a reality comes out in the promise that not a hair of their head would perish (Act 27:34 compare Luk 21:18-19), that they were to eat bread as illustrated by Paul in such a way as to suggest the partaking of bread at the Lord’s Supper (Act 27:35), and by the numbering of the saved (Act 27:37).
There is no better picture of ‘he who will endure to the end will be saved’. These men were helpless and in a hopeless situation. Their endurance arose out of the necessities of the situation. But they did endure, for it was an essential part of their nature to fight for survival. They clung on and fought for life, even though they seemed to be all alone. But as they endured they discovered that God was with them, planning all that took place, keeping each one safe, and the result was that in the end all were saved. We too must sometimes hold on with gritted teeth, knowing that behind all is God, and if we are His He will see us safe through to the end. And those who are His will do so. It has become their nature.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 27:26 . But ( , leading over to the mode of the promised deliverance) we must be cast ( , see on Act 27:17 ) on some island . This assurance, made to Paul probably through the appearance just narrated, is verified Act 27:41 ff. But it is lightly, and without reason assigned, conjectured by Zeller that Act 27:21-26 contain a vaticinium post eventum on the part of the author.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Ver. 26. We must be cast ] Where our ship being broke, we shall be brought safe to land by an all-powerful hand of God, who delights to help at a dead lift. And this is here foretold, that it may not be thought to happen by hap-hazard.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. ] Spoken prophetically, as also Act 27:31 ; not perhaps from actual revelation imparted in the vision, but by a power imparted to Paul himself of penetrating the future at this crisis, and announcing the Divine counsel.
Mr. Humphry compares and contrasts the speech of Csar to the pilot under similar circumstances: . , , , , Plut. de Fortun. Rom. p. 518.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:26 . . . .: the words do not form part of the message of the angel as they stand, but they may be considered as forming part of the contents of that message, and the Apostle may himself be regarded as speaking . With Jngst’s question “How could Paul know anything of an island?” and his dismissal of the statement here as a vaticinium ex eventu, cf. Weizscker, u. s. , see Act 27:21 ; in the section, Act 27:33-36 , which Jngst defends and refers to his source A, the element of prophecy is equally present, Act 27:34 , as in the verse before us. , cf. Act 27:17 , and further instances in Wetstein, see also Act 27:29 ; Act 27:32 , below.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Howbeit = but
cast Greek. ekpipto. Sam as “fall” (Act 27:17).
island Greek. nesos. Elsewhere Act 13:6; Act 28:1, Act 28:7, Act 28:9, Act 28:11. Rev 1:9; Rev 6:14; Rev 16:20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
26. ] Spoken prophetically, as also Act 27:31; not perhaps from actual revelation imparted in the vision, but by a power imparted to Paul himself of penetrating the future at this crisis, and announcing the Divine counsel.
Mr. Humphry compares and contrasts the speech of Csar to the pilot under similar circumstances: . , , , , Plut. de Fortun. Rom. p. 518.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 27:26. , upon an island) This took place presently, Act 27:27.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
a certain: Act 28:1
Reciprocal: Act 27:41 – they ran
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Act 27:26. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island. Prophetic prescience does not imply that everything is clear (see Act 20:22-23).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 21
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
26. In my travels we stopped about half a day at the island of Malta, the Melita here mentioned.