Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:13
And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained [their] purpose, loosing [thence,] they sailed close by Crete.
13. the south wind blew softly ] The storm appeared to have in some degree abated, and the change of wind must have been very complete, for (see Act 27:7-8) they had previously sailed under the lee of Crete to get shelter from the north wind.
loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete ] ( R. V. “They weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore).” The word for “close in shore” is asson, and it has been by some taken for a proper name and endeavours been made to discover traces of some place so named in Crete. But though the translation “when they had loosed from Assos” is as old as the Vulgate, there can be little doubt that the Greek word is really the comparative degree of an adverb signifying “near.” So it literally means “nearer,” and is probably used to indicate that the coasting voyage now being made was one in which the coast was hugged more closely than usual. This is intended by R. V. “close in shore.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The south wind – The wind before had probably been a head-wind, blowing from the west. When it veered round to the south, and when it blew gently, though not entirely favorable, yet it was so that they supposed they could sail along the coast of Crete.
Had obtained their purpose – The object of their desire; that is, to sail safely along the coast of Crete.
Loosing thence – Setting sail from the fair havens.
Close by Crete – Near the shore. It is evident that they designed, if possible, to make the harbor of Phenice to winter there. They weighed anchor and passed around Cape Matala. The distance to this point is four or five miles; the bearing west by south. With a gentle southerly wind, the vessel would be able to weather the cape, and then the wind was fair to Phoenix or Phenice (Lutro), which was 35 miles distant from the cape, and bore from thence about west-northwest.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. When the south wind blew softly] Though this wind was not very favourable, yet, because it blew softly, they supposed they might be able to make their passage.
They sailed close by Crete.] Kept as near the coast as they could. See the track on the map.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The south wind being ordinarily most mild, and at that time not high, they sailed along the shore of Candia, not being afraid to be driven upon it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. when the south wind blew softly,supposing they had attained their purposeWith such a wind theyhad every prospect of reaching their destination in a few hours.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when the south wind blew softly,…. Or moderately, which was a good wind for them:
supposing that they, had obtained their purpose; that things would succeed according to their wish, and favour their design:
loosing thence; from the Fair Havens; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions render it, “loosing from Assos”; which could not be Assos of Troas, mentioned in Ac 20:13 which was many miles from hence; rather Asum, a town in Crete, of which Pliny r makes mention, though, according to him, it seems to be an inland town; wherefore it is best to take the word , to be an adverb, and render it “thence”, as we do; or join it with the next word, and render it,
they came near, or they sailed close by Crete; along the shore, the wind favouring them, that they were in no danger of being dashed upon it, it being a soft gentle wind.
r Nat. Hist. l. 4. c. 12.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When the south wind blew softly ( ). Genitive absolute with aorist active participle of , old verb to blow under, then to blow gently, here only in N.T. “A south wind having blown gently,” in marked contrast to the violent northwest wind that they had faced so long. They were so sure of the wisdom of their decision that they did not even draw up the small boat attached by a rope to the vessel’s stern (verse 16). It was only some forty miles to Lutro.
Their purpose ( , set before them, from ), genitive after (, perfect active infinitive in indirect discourse).
They weighed anchor (). First aorist active participle of , old verb used in technical sense with (anchors) understood as in Thucydides I. 52; II. 23, “having lifted the anchors.” Page takes it simply as “moving.”
Sailed along Crete ( ). Imperfect middle. See verse 8, “were coasting along Crete.”
Close in shore (). Comparative adverb of , near, and so “nearer” to shore. Only here in N.T.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Loosing thence [] . Lit., having taken up. It is the nautical phrase for weighing anchor. So Rev.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when the south wind blew softly,” (hupopneusantos de notou) “Then when a south wind blew gently,” softly. It was a moderate breeze from the south which would temporarily favor their northwest course, a tempting breeze, that the shipmen thought would carry them to their winter quarters in a few hours.
2) “Supposing that they had obtained their purpose,” (doksantes tes protheseos kekratekenai) “When they thought they had bided their time and obtained their purpose;” What they had purposed or planned to do, in sailing away from Fair Haven to Lutro on the south side of the island of Crete, a distance of about forty nautical miles.
3) “Loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.” (arantes asson parelegonto ten Kreten) “Lifting or raising anchor, they coasted close to the north, they sailed around to the south-southwest side of the Island, they “hugged the shore.”
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(13) And when the south wind blew softly.There was a change at once in the force and the direction of the wind. With a gentle and favourable breeze from the south, the pilot and the owner thought that all was smooth sailing, and the ship left the Fair Havens and made across the bay, a distance of thirty-four miles, for Phnice. They still, however, hugged the coast, as afraid to venture too far into the open sea. The Greek adverb asson, which is rightly rendered close in the Authorised version, has been mistaken, in the Vulgate and some other versions, for the accusative case of Assos, as though it were a proper name, and the words have been variously rendered when they had left Assos, or when they had made for Asses, or when they had come in sight of Assos. The island Assos, however, lay far to the north (see Note on Act. 20:13), and there is no evidence of the existence of any town of that name in Crete. Of the English versions, Wiclif and the Rhemish follow the Vulgate, when they had removed (W.), or parted (Rh.), from Assos; Tyndale and Cranmer, following Luther, they loosed unto Asson. The Geneva translation was the first to give the true meaning, and is following by the Authorised version. The tense of the Greek verb for they sailed close, implies that they were in the act of doing this when the storm burst upon them, as in the next verse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
The Euroclydon Clauda Lightening Ship the Despair , Act 27:13-20 .
13. South wind blew The temptation came at the dangerous moment. If they could only get round Cape Matala, five miles distance, this gentle south wind would send them in precisely the right direction, and Phoenix was then but thirty miles farther. (See the chart on opposite page.)
Their purpose Of securely attaining Port Phoenix. The phrase expresses full confidence up to the moment of the typhonic blast.
Close by Crete As the south wind pressed them close to the shore.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.’
At first the weather seemed to favour them, for the south wind had begun to blow gently. So they weighed anchor and, leaving Fair Havens, they sailed along the coast of Crete close in shore. This was a sign of how nervous they were. And then, just as they were beginning to congratulate themselves that all was well, and that they would safely make harbour, disaster struck.
The Storm (Act 27:14-20).
This magnificent picture of the storm sees the ship being driven slowly and helplessly as it drifts in the contrary elements, torn by the winds and battered by the waves, from Crete to Malta. All aboard are seen as helpless, savage nature is in total control, everything is jettisoned, and in the end all is seen to depend on the hand of God. It is a picture of life in the raw. And yet we know that Paul must survive for he has to appear before Caesar. Thus are we to have confidence that God is in control over the whole episode.
There are also in the passage a number of hints that we are to gather from it certain spiritual lessons. God gave His guarantee that as long as they endured all would be saved in the end (Act 27:22), ‘he who endures to the end will be saved’ (Mar 13:13). If the people were to be saved all must stay within the vessel (Act 27:31). Of those who faced the storm not a hair of their heads would perish (Act 27:34). In the midst of the storm they could partake of the blessed and broken bread (Act 27:35). And as we have already seen it is paralleled by Luke with the words to the elders of the Ephesian church as he warned them of troubles ahead.
Note the stages of the storm:
The ship is driven before the storm, bobbing like a cork on the wild sea.
As the gale shrieks around them, and the boat continually tosses and sways, and the rigging is continually torn, partial shelter from an island enables them, because of the resulting slight slackening of the wind and waves, to haul the dinghy/life boat, which was being dragged behind, into the ship.
Fearful that the wooden ship, which is being tossed to and fro on the boiling sea, and no doubt also beginning to leak and show signs of wear, will be torn apart in the howling winds and huge waves they undergird the ship, whose timbers were already probably leaking and letting in water, with ropes, in order to give it strength and hold it together.
By now nature has taken over and losing all thought of steering or sailing, they lower the sails and possibly chop down the mainmast which could make them top heavy and turn over. (They later use only a foresail). It is now a matter of waiting, praying and hanging on, hoping for survival.
But the ship continues to threaten to break apart in the storm, and recognising that fact they begin to lighten it by throwing the freight overboard, including much, although not all, of the cargo of Egyptian wheat, hoping that this will help to keep them afloat. Some had to be retained as ballast.
But still the ship flounders and the next thing to go is the ship’s tackle, apart from what is vital. Torn by the wind, drenched to the skin, hardly able to keep their feet, and finding it difficult to hold on to the ship to prevent themselves going overboard, and with each no doubt roped to some solid object, their plight now appears hopeless.
And still the storm just goes on and on, and they lose all hope, as lashed by wind and wave, without sail and unsteerable (the rudders are tied) they just wait for the end. There is nothing further that they can do. None have ever been in a storm like this before.
But there is a man of God aboard, and from the midst of the panic and chaos, there comes a cry as Paul tells them not to fear, for God intends to deliver them because of His intentions for Paul, for Paul is destined to appear before Caesar. In the midst of disaster there is a breath of hope. If they will just obey God, they may, as it were, be brought back from the dead.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Storm at Sea Act 27:13-38 gives us the account of the storm at sea.
Act 27:13 “supposing that they had obtained their purpose” Comments – Hendrich Meyer says this phrase literally means, “to have become masters of their purpose,” and within the context of this verse, it means, “to be able safely to accomplish it.” [324]
[324] Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles, vol. 2, trans. Paton J. Gloag and William P Dickson, in Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Edinburgh, T. & T. Clark, 1877), 293.
Act 27:16 “we had much work to come by the boat” Comments – They had great difficulty in securing the small boat that was being towed behind.
Act 27:17 Comments They brought up the small boat into the larger ship in order to secure it, then used what robes or cords available on board to undergird the ship by wrapped them under the keel. Because of the fear of being stuck on sandy shoals, and the ship torn apart in the sea, the sails were hoisted down from the mast so that the waves drove the boat slower.
Act 27:18 Comments The sailors proceeded to toss overboard the cargo of the ship, anything that was not necessary for survival.
Act 27:19 Comments On the third day of the storm, everyone joined in to toss overboard additional items, perhaps meaning the ship’s equipment for sailing and navigating. We read later about the ship’s anchors (Act 27:29), the small boat (Act 27:30-32), food (Act 27:33-36), wheat (Act 27:38), and the main sail (Act 27:40) being in the ship. Thus, there were a number of items that remained on board until the end.
Act 27:20 Comments – The stars were used for navigation, so when the clouds prevented the moon and stars from appearing, the sailors had no way to identify their location at sea. They because lost at sea with no ability to navigate.
Act 27:22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
Act 27:23 Act 27:23
Act 27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Act 27:25 Act 27:25
Hab 3:17-19, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”
Act 27:25 Comments – In this passage Paul made a clear confession of faith that set his course for divine deliverance. He said that he had heard and that “I believe” and “it shall be.” He had heard from God, he believed God’s Word and he spoke God’s Word. This principle is taught in Robert Tilton’s book Decide Decree Declare. [325]
[325] Robert Tilton, Decide Decree Declare (Dallas, Texas: Robert Tilton Ministries, c1989, 1991).
Illustration – Today, as I had just listened to the international news reports of the storm and flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi, I turned to the story of Paul’s shipwreck recorded in Acts 27-28. I then understood that Paul was saved and those with him during a similar storm because he heard from God. We, too, are going to have to hear God’s voice during these difficult days leading up to the Rapture of the Church and the Great Tribulation Period. Otherwise, many Christians are going to perish are they are now. They will go to heaven, but they did not heed the voice of God about impending danger that lay ahead. (September 1, 2005)
Act 27:26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Act 27:20-26
Act 27:29 Comments – Bob Cornuke has written a book entitled The Lost Shipwreck of Paul in which he describes the discovery of large four ship anchors, which now lie in government storage on the island of Malta. The University of Malta has dated these anchors back to the time of Paul. They are believed to have come from an ancient Alexandrian grain freight ships that sailed the Mediterranean Sea during the first century. Cornuke believes that these four anchors belong to the very ship that Paul sailed upon when it wrecked on the island of Malta, making these four anchors the first biblical artifacts that have been confirmed as genuine. [326]
[326] Bob Cornuke, The Lost Shipwreck of Paul (Global Publishing Services, http://www.IndyPublish.com, 2003).
Act 27:32 Comments – The soldiers were beginning to perceive Paul as a man of great wisdom and stature. Earlier in the voyage, Paul’s words were ignored (Act 27:11).
Act 27:11, “Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Act 27:13. Loosing thence, That is, from the fair havens. Some have thought that the word rendered by, in the next clause, is a proper name; but it is used adverbially both by Homer and Herodotus.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 27:13 . But when gentler south wind had set in ( ., Arist. probl . viii. 6; Heliodor. iii. 3) this was the motive of the following . As, namely, Fair Havens , where they were, and also Phoenix farther to the west, whither they wished to go, lay on the south coast of the island, the south wind was favourable for carrying out their resolution, because it kept them near to the coast and did not allow them to drift down into the southern sea.
] to have become masters of their purpose , that is, to be able safely to accomplish it. Examples in Raphel, Polyb .
] namely, the anchor , which is understood of itself in nautical language: they weighed anchor . See Bos, Ellips. , ed. Schaefer, p. 14 f.
. . .] they sailed closer (than could previously, Act 27:8 , be done) along the coast of Crete . , nearer , the comparative of , is not only found in poetry from the time of Homer, but also in prose; Herod, iii. 52, iv. 5; Joseph. Antt. i. 20. 1, al . The Vulgate, which Erasmus follows, has: cum sustulissent de Asson , so that thus is connected with and regarded as the name of a city of Crete ( in Steph. Byz., Asus in Plin. H. N. iv. 12); hence also Elz., Mill., Scholz have (as a proper name). But as this translation is at variance with the words as they stand, Luther, Castalio, Calovius, and several older expositors have taken as the accusative of direction: cum sustulissent Assum . But, even if the little town had really been situated on the coast (which does not agree with Plin. l.c. ), the expression would have been extremely harsh, as does not express the notion of direction; and not only so, but also the mere accusative of direction without a preposition is only poetical (Khner, II. p. 204), and is foreign to the N.T.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence , they sailed close by Crete.
Ver. 13. Supposing that they had, &c. ] God maketh many times the strongest sinew of the arm of flesh to crack.
” Fallitur augurio spes bona saepe suo. “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13. ] as E. V., softly blowing , compare . The S. wind was favourable for them in sailing from Fair Havens to Phnice.
. . . .] imagining that they had (as good as) accomplished their purpose ; i.e. that it would now be a very easy matter to reach Phnice.
“may be translated either ‘ weighed ,’ or ‘ set sail ;’ for ancient authors supply sometimes , and sometimes . Julius Pollux, however, like St. Luke, supplies neither, which is certainly the most nautical way of expressing it: he says, , lib. i. 103.” Smith, p. 55.
.] They crept close along the land till they passed Cape Matala. “A ship which could not lie nearer to the wind than seven points, would just weather that point which bears W. by S. from the entrance of Fair Havens. We see therefore the propriety of the expression ., ‘they sailed close by Crete,’ which the author uses to describe the first part of their passage.” Smith, p. 56.
The Vulg. has: ‘quum sustulissent de Asson,’ connecting with , and understanding the latter as the name of a Cretan town. There is an Asus mentioned by Pliny (iv. 12), but it is ‘in Mediterraneo,’ not on the coast, and the construction would be inadmissible. Erasmus, Luther, &c., have taken as the accusative of direction, ‘when they had weighed for Assus.’ But besides the local objection, this construction also would be most harsh, as does not indicate the progress of their voyage, but only the setting out. Heinsius took = , ch. Act 21:3 , ‘postquam Asos attollere se visa est’ (Meyer). But there can be little doubt that all of these are mistakes, and that is the adverb.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:13 . : leniter afflante, aspirante, Cf. , , a moderate breeze from the south arose which would favour their westerly course. cf. Luk 12:55 , not in LXX or Apocrypha, but see Heliod., iii., 3 (Wetstein). , Act 12:9 , . : their purpose, i.e. , of starting from Fair Havens for the more desirable anchorage of Lutro some forty miles distant. , cf. Act 11:23 ; in N.T. only in Luke and Paul in this sense; cf. Mal 3:8Mal 3:8 . .: only here in this sense in N.T., cf. Diod. Sic., xvi. 20, (Grimm-Thayer, Page), and for instances of the same collocation of words in Galen, and in Polyb. ( ), see Wetstein and Blass, in loco. Breusing, p. 164, takes the phrase to refer here to their purpose of continuing their voyage to the end (so too Goerne). : “they weighed anchor,” R.V. So Ramsay, J. Smith, pp. 65, 97; only here in N.T. in this sense, sc. , cf. Thuc., i., 52, and ii., 23, but the word may imply simply profecti , of movement, whether by sea or by land, of armies or ships; so Breusing takes it intransitively, no need of any noun, Thuc., iv., 129; vii., 26 (p. 164): see also Act 27:17 . For aorist participle of an action antecedent in time to that of the principal verb cf. Act 14:19 : Burton, pp. 63, 64. . .: “sailed along Crete, close in-shore,” R.V., i.e. , as they rounded Cape Matala, about six miles west of Fair Havens; the statement so emphatically introduced by St. Luke seems to imply that their ability to weather the point was for some time doubtful, Ramsay, St. Paul , p. 326. : “if the wind went round a point towards the west they would fail; and the anxious hour has left its record in the single word of Act 27:13 , ‘ ,’ ” Ramsay, u. s. See critical note, and above on Act 27:8 . , an adverb comparative of ; the comparative degree makes it more emphatic (see above), as they had been coasting for weeks, and they now went “closer” in shore (see R.V.); Wendt (1899) takes it, however, not as a comparative with reference to Act 27:8 (so Meyer, Weiss), but as a superlative, cf. Act 24:22 , Act 25:10 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Acts
TEMPEST AND TRUST
Act 27:13 – Act 27:26
Luke’s minute account of the shipwreck implies that he was not a Jew. His interest in the sea and familiarity with sailors’ terms are quite unlike a persistent Jewish characteristic which still continues. We have a Jew’s description of a storm at sea in the Book of Jonah, which is as evidently the work of a landsman as Luke’s is of one who, though not a sailor, was well up in maritime matters. His narrative lays hold of the essential points, and is as accurate as it is vivid. This section has two parts: the account of the storm, and the grand example of calm trust and cheery encouragement given in Paul’s words.
I. The consultation between the captain of the vessel and the centurion, at which Paul assisted, strikes us, with our modern notions of a captain’s despotic power on his own deck, and single responsibility, as unnatural.
The ship was lying in a port which gave scanty protection against the winter weather, and it was clearly wise to reach a more secure harbour if possible. So when a gentle southerly breeze sprang up, which would enable them to make such a port, westward from their then position, they made the attempt. For a time it looked as if they would succeed, but they had a great headland jutting out in front which they must get round, and their ability to do this was doubtful. So they kept close in shore and weathered the point. But before they had made their harbour the wind suddenly chopped round, as is frequent of that coast, and the gentle southerly breeze turned into a fierce squall from the north-east or thereabouts, sweeping down from the Cretan mountains. That began their troubles. To make the port was impossible. The unwieldy vessel could not ‘face the wind,’ and so they had to run before it. It would carry them in a south-westerly direction, and towards a small island, under the lee of which they might hope for some shelter. Here they had a little breathing time, and could make things rather more ship-shape than they had been able to do when suddenly caught by the squall. Their boat had been towing behind them, and had to be hoisted on deck somehow.
A more important, and probably more difficult, task was to get strong hawsers under the keel and round the sides, so as to help to hold the timbers together. The third thing was the most important of all, and has been misunderstood by commentators who knew more about Greek lexicons than ships. The most likely explanation of ‘lowering the gear’ Rev. Ver. is that it means ‘leaving up just enough of sail to keep the ship’s head to the wind, and bringing down everything else that could be got down’ Ramsay, St. Paul , p. 329.
Note that Luke says ‘we’ about hauling in the boat, and ‘they’ about the other tasks. He and the other passengers could lend a hand in the former, but not in the latter, which required more skilled labour. The reason for bringing down all needless top-hamper, and leaving up a little sail, was to keep the vessel from driving on to the great quicksands off the African coast, to which they would certainly have been carried if the wind held.
As soon as they had drifted out from the lee of the friendly little island they were caught again in the storm. They were in danger of going down. As they drifted they had their ‘starboard’ broadside to the force of the wild sea, and it was a question how long the vessel’s sides would last before they were stove in by the hammering of the waves, or how long she would be buoyant enough to ship seas without foundering. The only chance was to lighten her, so first the crew ‘jettisoned’ the cargo, and next day, as that did not give relief enough,’they,’ or, according to some authorities, ‘we’-that is passengers and all-threw everything possible overboard.
That was the last attempt to save themselves, and after it there was nothing to do but to wait the apparently inevitable hour when they would all go down together. Idleness feeds despair, and despair nourishes idleness. Food was scarce, cooking it was impossible, appetite there was none. The doomed men spent the long idle days- which were scarcely day, so thick was the air with mist and foam and tempest-crouching anywhere for shelter, wet, tired, hungry, and hopeless. So they drifted ‘for many days,’ almost losing count of the length of time they had been thus. It was a gloomy company, but there was one man there in whom the lamp of hope burned when it had gone out in all others. Sun and stars were hidden, but Paul saw a better light, and his sky was clear and calm.
II. A common danger makes short work of distinctions of rank.
Three points are conspicuous in his strong tonic words. First, there is the confident assurance of safety. A less noble nature would have said more in vindication of the wisdom of his former advice. It is very pleasant to small minds to say, ‘Did I not tell you so? You see how right I was.’ But the Apostle did not care for petty triumphs of that sort. A smaller man might have sulked because his advice had not been taken, and have said to himself, ‘They would not listen to me before, I will hold my tongue now.’ But the Apostle only refers to his former counsel and its confirmation in order to induce acceptance of his present words.
It is easy to ‘bid’ men ‘be of good cheer,’ but futile unless some reason for good cheer is given. Paul gave good reason. No man’s life was to be lost though the ship was to go. He had previously predicted that life, as well as ship and lading, would be lost if they put to sea. That opinion was the result of his own calculation of probabilities, as he lets us understand by saying that he ‘perceived’ it Act 27:10. Now he speaks with authority, not from his perception, but from God’s assurance. The bold words might well seem folly to the despairing crew as they caught them amidst the roar of tempest and looked at their battered hulk. So Paul goes at once to tell the ground of his confidence-the assurance of the angel of God.
What a contrast between the furious gale, the almost foundering ship, the despair in the hearts of the sleeping company, and the bright vision that came to Paul! Peter in prison, Paul in Caesarea and now in the storm, see the angel form calm and radiant. God’s messengers are wont to come into the darkest of our hours and the wildest of our tempests.
Paul’s designation of the heavenly messenger as ‘an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve,’ recalls Jonah’s confession of faith, but far surpasses it, in the sense of belonging to God, and in the ardour of submission and of active obedience, expressed in it. What Paul said to the Corinthians 1Co 6:19 he realised for himself: ‘Ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price.’ To recognise that we are God’s, joyfully to yield ourselves to Him, and with all the forces of our natures to serve Him, is to bring His angel to our sides in every hour of tempest and peril, and to receive assurance that nothing shall by any means harm us. To yield ourselves to be God’s is to make God ours. It was because Paul owned that he belonged to God, and served Him, that the angel came to him, and he explains the vision to his hearers by his relation to God. Anything was possible rather than that his God should leave him unhelped at such an hour of need.
The angel’s message must have included particulars unnoticed in Luke’s summary; as, for instance, the wreck on ‘a certain island.’ But the two salient points in it are the certainty of Paul’s own preservation, that the divine purpose of his appearing before Caesar might be fulfilled, and the escape of all the ship’s company. As to the former, we may learn how Paul’s life, like every man’s, is shaped according to a divine plan, and how we are ‘immortal till our work is done,’ and till God has done His work in and on and by us. As to the latter point, we may gather from the word ‘has given’ the certainty that Paul had been praying for the lives of all that sailed with him, and may learn, not only that the prayers of God’s servants are a real element in determining God’s dealings with men, but that a true servant of God’s will ever reach out his desires and widen his prayers to embrace those with whom he is brought into contact, be they heathens, persecutors, rough and careless, or fellow-believers. If Christian people more faithfully discharged the duty of intercession, they would more frequently receive in answer the lives of ‘all them that sail with’ them over the stormy ocean of life.
The third point in the Apostle’s encouraging speech is the example of his own faith, which is likewise an exhortation to the hearers to exercise the same. If God speaks by His angel with such firm promises, man’s plain wisdom is to grasp the divine assurance with a firm hand. We must build rock upon rock. ‘I believe God,’ that surely is a credence demanded by common sense and warranted by the sanest reason. If we do so believe, and take His word as the infallible authority revealing present duty and future blessings, then, however lowering the sky, and wild the water, and battered the vessel, and empty of earthly succour the gloomy horizon, and heavy our hearts, we shall ‘be of good cheer,’ and in due time the event will warrant our faith in God and His promise, even though all around us seems to make our faith folly and our hope a mockery.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act 27:13-20
13When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore. 14But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; 15and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. 16Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. 18The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; 19and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.
Act 27:14
NASB, NRSV”a violent wind”
NKJV”a tempestuous wind”
TEV”a very strong wind”
NJB”a hurricane”
This Greek word is tuphn (typhoon) + ikos (like). This was a sudden, very violent wind. It was probably intensified by the 7,000 foot mountains on Crete.
NASB”Euraquico”
NKJV”Euroclydon”
NRSV, TEV”the northeaster”
NJB”the north-easter”
This was a special name the sailors had given for this type of wind during this season. It is made up of (1) a Greek term, “east wind” (euros) and (2) a Latin term “north wind” (aquilo). It was a strong, sudden northeast wind.
Because this became a technical nautical term (eukakuln), it was misunderstood by later scribes who altered it in several ways to try to make the context make sense.
Act 27:15 “could not face the wind” Ancient ships had eyes painted on each side of the bow. Later human or animal figures were placed on the bow (cf. Act 28:11). Even today we personify ships as females. This phrase is literally “against” (anti) plus “eye” (ophthalmos). They could not head the ship into the wind.
Act 27:16 “Clauda” This small island is about fifty miles off the southern coast of Crete. They were now helpless in the face of a strong northeastern wind. They took advantage of the brief shelter from the wind to do what they could to prepare the ship for rough seas.
There are several Greek manuscript variants as to the name of this island.
1. Kauda, MSS P74, cf8 i2, B
2. Klauda, MSS *, A
3. Klaudn, MSS H, L, P, and many later minuscule manuscripts
4. Gaudn, the Greek text used by Jerome
5. Klaudion, some minuscule manuscripts
UBS3 and UBS4 give #1 a “B” rating (almost certain). The first two options may be the Greek form and the Latin form of the name.
“to get the ship’s boat under control” This refers to a smaller boat in tow (cf. Act 27:30; Act 27:32). This trailing boat formed a drag which made it difficult to steer the larger ship.
Act 27:17 “used supporting cables in undergirding the ship” This refers to wrapping special ropes around the hull to help hold it together in storms (cf. Aristotle, Rhetoric 2.5.18).
“the shallows of Syrtis” These are moving sand bars off the coast of northern Africa. They were called Syrtis Major and Syrtis Minor (cf. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 5.4,27). They were the graveyard of many a sailing ship. To avoid the Syrtis Major the sailors steered the ship sideways, so as to drift slowly southward.
“sea anchor” The key to properly interpreting this context is the term “lowered.” What did they lower: (1) a sea anchor or (2) part of the sail? The purpose was to slow the ship down, but at the same time allow some control.
A sea anchor is not an anchor that gripped the bottom, but a parachute-like sheet which used the weight of the water it contained to slow down the ship from drifting southward (cf. old Latin text and NASB, NRSV, and NJB).
There are several English translations which translate this as “lower the sail” (cf. NKJV, TEV, NJB, and Peshitta in English). The Greek term literally means “a thing” (cf. Louw & Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, vol. 2, p. 223) and must be interpreted in light of a specific context. There are several specific papyrii texts which use it for a sail (cf. Moulton & Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 577). If so, they lower part of the sails but not all of them. They had to retain some control and attempt to travel sideways as slowly as possible.
Act 27:18-19 This shows how violent and dangerous this storm seemed to these seasoned sailors (cf. Acts 20).
Act 27:18 “jettison the cargo” This act shows that these sailors were truly afraid for their lives.
Act 27:19 “the ship’s tackle” Exactly to what this refers is unknown, possibly the main sail and its rigging. The term is ambiguous. This very same term refers to the sea-anchor, or part of the sails, in Act 27:17.
Act 27:20 “neither sun nor stars appeared for many days” This phrase apparently reveals that they had no clue as to where they were. They were afraid of the coast of north Africa, but they could not tell how close they were (cf. Act 27:29). Without stars or the sun they could not navigate or discern their position.
“from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned” This sets the stage for Paul’s encouragement based on his previous vision (cf. Act 27:21-26). Their resources were gone!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
blew softly. Greek. hupopneo. Only here.
Purpose. See Act 11:23.
loosing. Greek. airo, to raise. Here it means to weigh anchor.
sailed . . . by. Same as “pass”, Act 27:8.
close. Greek. asson. Comp. of anchi, near. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13. ] as E. V., softly blowing, compare . The S. wind was favourable for them in sailing from Fair Havens to Phnice.
. . . .] imagining that they had (as good as) accomplished their purpose; i.e. that it would now be a very easy matter to reach Phnice.
may be translated either weighed, or set sail; for ancient authors supply sometimes , and sometimes . Julius Pollux, however, like St. Luke, supplies neither, which is certainly the most nautical way of expressing it: he says, , lib. i. 103. Smith, p. 55.
.] They crept close along the land till they passed Cape Matala. A ship which could not lie nearer to the wind than seven points, would just weather that point which bears W. by S. from the entrance of Fair Havens. We see therefore the propriety of the expression ., they sailed close by Crete, which the author uses to describe the first part of their passage. Smith, p. 56.
The Vulg. has: quum sustulissent de Asson, connecting with , and understanding the latter as the name of a Cretan town. There is an Asus mentioned by Pliny (iv. 12), but it is in Mediterraneo, not on the coast,-and the construction would be inadmissible. Erasmus, Luther, &c., have taken as the accusative of direction, when they had weighed for Assus. But besides the local objection, this construction also would be most harsh, as does not indicate the progress of their voyage, but only the setting out. Heinsius took = , ch. Act 21:3,-postquam Asos attollere se visa est (Meyer). But there can be little doubt that all of these are mistakes, and that is the adverb.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 27:13. , having supposed) as the south wind blew in their favour.-) having moved. Where there is motion, there the mass is raised from the support beneath on which it rests. Thence , to move, by a Metonymy of the consequent for the antecedent.-) nearer. The comparative contracted from , which Herodotus also uses everywhere, and Josephus, l. i. Ant. c. 20. See Beza, E. Schmidt, and Raphelius. It is not in this place the name of a town, otherwise unknown, that they were seeking [as if were a town]; for it was Phenice which they had sought.[151]
[151] Rec. Text accents it, . Vulg. makes it a town: cum sustulissent de Asso.-E. and T.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the south: Job 37:17, Psa 78:26, Son 4:16, Luk 12:55
loosing: Act 27:21
Reciprocal: Ecc 1:6 – The wind Jon 1:4 – the Lord Mat 8:5 – a centurion Act 13:13 – loosed Act 27:7 – we sailed Act 28:13 – the south
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
Act 27:13. South wind blew softly. Such a wind seemed favorable, both as to direction and intensity. It would gently press them north and west along Crete.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Sudden and Violent Storm from the East-north-eastThe Ship undergirded and laid to under the Lee of Clauda, 13-17.
Act 27:13. Supposing that they had attained their purpose. The phrase expresses the utmost confidence. And this was natural. In two respects an encouraging change of weather took placethe wind was no longer violent; and it blew from the south. It appeared that they could very easily accomplish their intention. A vessel that could sail within seven points of the wind would have no difficulty in rounding Cape Matala, which was a few miles off, west by south. And thence to Phoenix, within three hours sail, the wind, if it remained the same, would be as favourable as possible. In this confidence they were coasting close by Crete, and, as we find afterwards (Act 27:16), with so little fear that the boat was towing behind.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Troubles Seas
When a soft, south wind began to blow, it was assumed they could easily reach Phoenix within a day, so they set sail. Apparently, they made good headway as they travelled along close to shore. However, a northeaster blew up and ended all hope of reaching a safe harbor as they had to let the ship be driven by the will of the wind. When the ship reached the shelter of an island called Clauda, the sailors, with the help of Luke and some other passengers, secured the skiff which had likely been allowed to trail the ship because they planned to use it to go ashore at Phoenix. The sailors passed cables under the ship to strengthen it against the stormy sea and let the ship drift without aid of sail for fear of being shipwrecked on the shoal west of Cyrene, which was called Syrtis.
The violent seas continued the next day, so the sailors began to throw the cargo overboard. The following day, they threw the tackle overboard as well. Since they could not see the sun or stars, navigation was impossible and crew and passengers gave up hope of living. At this point, Paul reminded them of his earlier warning, possibly to give more credibility to his next words, and then began to reassure them. He said the ship would be lost but God, through an angel, had promised to answer his prayers by saving every life on board. He did tell them they would run aground on an island.
On the fourteenth night, as they were tossed about in the Adriatic Sea, the sailors sensed they were coming close to land. They took soundings and, realizing they might hit the rocks, cast four anchors off the stern and prayed for daylight. The sailors let down the skiff as they pretended to put out more anchors. However, Paul warned Julius that he could not be saved without the sailors on board, so the centurion commanded his soldiers to cut away the ropes to the skiff and let it fall away. Just before dawn, Paul urged all on board to eat and reassured them not one hair on their heads would be harmed. While they all watched, he took some bread, prayed and began to eat. They were encouraged and all 276 on board likewise ate. They then cast the rest of the grain overboard ( Act 27:13-38 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Act 27:13-15. And when the south wind blew softly Ordinarily a wind very mild, and at that time not high; supposing they had obtained their purpose And would soon arrive at the harbour they wished to reach; loosing, they sailed close by Crete That is, sailed along the shore of the island, not being afraid to be driven upon it by that side wind. But not long after there arose against it Against the ship; a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon This expression comes from and , an eastern storm, as the word signifies. A kind of tempest this which is called by those who now frequent those seas, a Levanter. It was a kind of hurricane, not carrying them any one way, but tossing them backward and forward: for these furious winds blow in all directions, from the north-east to the south-east. And when the ship was caught , was violently hurried away; and would not bear up against the wind Or face it, as the word signifies; we let her drive Gave her up to the wind, to be driven before it.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13. The harbor called Fair Havens lay on the east side of Cape Matala, which they would have to round in order to reach Phoenix; but it could not be rounded in the face of a north-west wind, hence they had to wait for the wind to change. (13) “Now when the south wind blew moderately, thinking they had gained their purpose, they weighed anchor, and sailed close by the shore of Crete.” They felt that all was secure, and even had their boat swinging astern, as they tacked slowly along the smooth sea under a gentle southern breeze. It was deceitful lull, the prelude to unexpected disasters.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
13. Therefore, awaiting their opportunity, when the south wind was blowing, thus to leave the dangerous shore and get out into the deep, raising sails and anchor, they continued to sail along near Crete.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
"Euroquilo" means northeastern. The wind changed from a mild southerly breeze to a violent northeasterly gale. This wind drove Paul’s ship southwest away from Crete and the harbor at Phoenix.
"Ancient ships could not tack or face heavy seas . . ." [Note: Marshall, The Acts . . ., p. 408.]