Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:18
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next [day] they lightened the ship;
18. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest ] Better, with R. V. “and as we laboured exceedingly with the storm.” The storm waxed in violence.
the next day they lightened the ship ] This is not as precise as the original. Read “they set about throwing the cargo overboard.” The verb is an imperfect, and the noun is used in classical Greek for “a cargo cast forth.” The ship was probably carrying corn from Alexandria to Italy, and if so the load would be a heavy one and its removal a great relief to the struggling vessel. On the African supply of corn to Italy cp. Juv. Sat. v. 118 seqq.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They lightened the ship – By throwing out a part of the cargo.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Lightened the ship] Of what, we know not; but it was probably cumbrous wares, by which the deck was thronged, and which were prejudicial to the due trim of the vessel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Casting out the merchandise or lading which was in it, that the ship, being so much lighter, might not so readily strike upon a rock, or be swallowed up of the quicksands, it drawing so much the less water.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest,…. Sometimes being lifted up as it were to the heavens, and then presently sinking down, as if they were going into the bottom of the sea; such a condition at sea is described to the life by the Psalmist, in Ps 107:25.
the next day they lightened the ship; of its burden, its lading, the goods and merchandise that were in it; as the mariners did in the ship in which Jonah was, Jon 1:5 the Ethiopic version renders it, “they cast the goods into the sea”; the Arabic version, the “merchandise”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As we laboured exceedingly with the storm ( ). Genitive absolute with present passive participle of , old verb to afflict with a tempest (, stormy weather), to toss upon the waves, here alone in N.T.
They began to throw overboard ( ). Literally, “They began to make (inchoative imperfect middle of ) a casting out” ( from , to cast out, old word, only here in N.T.). Cf. Latin jacturam facere. This to lighten the ship by throwing overboard the cargo. The grain in the ship would shift and make it list and so added to the danger.
They cast out (). Third person plural aorist active of , not as Textus Receptus.
With their own hands (). Old word (, ) but here alone in N.T. Vivid and graphic touch by Luke who, of course, watched every movement day by day.
The tackling ( ). The furniture of the ship that could be spared. It was becoming desperate.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Lightened [ ] . Lit., made a casting out. Rev., began to throw the freight overboard. Note the imperfect, began to throw. The whole cargo was not cast overboard : the wheat was reserved to the last extremity (ver. 38).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest,” (sphodos de cheimazomenon hemon) “Then as we were held exceedingly in the midst and grip of the storm,” a tempestuous typhoon. “As we labored exceedingly with the storm,” dipping water, tightening ropes to keep the ship from breaking up, stuffing leaky places in the ship, etc.
2) “The next day they lightened the ship; (te hekses ekbolen epoiounto) “On the following day they (the shipmen) made a jettisoning,” simply lightened the ship, dumping cargo into the sea, to keep the ship from sinking, perhaps inclusive of furniture of the ship, and even baggage not absolutely needed for their immediate survival; compare Jon 1:4-5 where the shipmen bearing Jonah did the same in the midst of a storm.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
DRIVEN FOR FOURTEEN DAYS BY THE WIND. Act. 27:18-27.
Act. 27:18
And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard;
Act. 27:19
and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship.
Act. 27:20
And when neither sun nor stars shone upon us for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away.
Act. 27:21
And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.
Act. 27:22
And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
Act. 27:23
For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve,
Act. 27:24
saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar: and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee.
Act. 27:25
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me.
Act. 27:26
But we must be cast upon a certain island.
Act. 27:27
But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country:
Act. 27:18-25 Following these precautions the ship was driven. For 13 days they drifted on an average of 36 miles in 24 hoursmaking a total of 468 miles.
The day following the frapping of the ship they began to throw overboard the wheat so as to lighten the ship, for in spite of the frapping they had evidently sprung a leak. On the third day as much of the extra gear as could be spared was thrown in the sea. In spite of this effort they contrived to labor exceedingly with the storm. The sun could not be seen in the day nor the stars at night, All hope that they would ever be saved from a watery grave was now gone. It might have been on the fifth day or the sixth or seventh or even later, but sometime in the midst of this dreary, frightening experience Paul gathered some of the sailors about him to give the message recorded in Act. 27:21-26. First of all he was to say, I told you so. If you had harkened unto me in Fair Haven you would not now be where you are. But his main thought was one of encouragement. He said, Be of good cheer for I have a message from God concerning our safety. Not one of you shall perish. There shall be loss tis true but only of the ship. I know this for last night an angel of God stood by me and said as much. I am a servant of God and belong to Him. The words which he spoke to me were:
Fear not, Paul. You must stand before Caesar, your prayers have been heard on behalf of those on board and God hath granted them all to you.
And so Paul concluded his remarks by saying, Cheer up, for I believe that it shall be, indeed, even as He hath said. And then Paul reveals a bit more insight into the future by adding: But we must be cast upon a certain island.
988.
How far and how fast did they drift?
989.
Why throw overboard the wheat and gear?
990.
What two thoughts did Paul give in his message to the sailors?
991.
What word of the future was given by the Apostle?
992.
How did they know they were near land?
Act. 27:26-27 All this time no one had taken food, much of the provisions being gone and the tossing of the ship making it practically impossible. Lets not forget that Luke was aboard this vessel and is giving an eye-witness account of these events.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(18) The next day they lightened the ship.St. Luke uses the technical term for throwing the bulk of the cargo overboard. They effected, in this way, the relief of the ship from the imminent danger of sinking. The act shows that, in spite of the undergirding, leakage was still going on. The cargo, as coming from Alexandria, probably consisted largely of corn; but see Note on Act. 27:38.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Lightened the ship Casting over whatever could be spared, but saving the ship’s rigging and wheat cargo.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And as we laboured exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard, and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship.’
But the storm continued to tear at the ship, and in order to prevent it foundering or being torn apart, various cargoes were thrown overboard, preserving only some of the wheat as ballast, and things became so bad that this was followed by the ships tackle. All efforts were now aimed at keeping the ship together and floating.
‘We laboured exceedingly.’ Luke remembers battling against the wind and the spray, as they fought for the survival of the vessel. The change to ‘they’ possibly refers to those in authority who had to make such decisions.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 27:18-19 . ] they made a casting out, i.e. they threw overboard the cargo. [173] Dem. 926. 17; Aesch. Sept . 769; Arist. Eth. iii. 1; Pollux, i. 99; LXX. Jon 1:5 . For the lightening of the vessel in distress, in order to make it go less deep and to keep it from grounding, they got rid in the first instance of what could, in the circumstances, be most fitly dispensed with, namely, the cargo; but on the day after they laid hands even on the (Diod. Sic. xiv. 79), i.e. the ship’s apparatus , the utensils belonging to the ship, as furniture, beds, cooking vessels, and the like. The same collective idea, but expressed in the plural, occurs in Jon 1:5 . Others (Wetstein, Kypke, Rosenmller, Kuinoel) understand the baggage of the passengers , but this is at variance with ; instead of it we should expect , especially as precedes. Following the Vulgate, Erasmus, Grotius, and many others, including Olshausen and Ewald, understand the arma navis , that is, ropes, beams, and the like belonging to the equipment of the ship. But the tackling is elsewhere called , or (from ), and just amidst the danger this was most indispensable of all.
] with our own hands (Hermann, ad Soph. Ant. 1160), gives to the description a sad vividness, and does not present a contrast to the conduct of Jonah (who lay asleep , Jon 1:5 ), as Baumgarten in his morbid quest of types imagines.
[173] Had the ship been loaded with ballast , and this been thrown out (Laurent), we should have expected a more precise designation ( ). The , too, would not have been included in the category of things thrown out at once on the following day, but after the ballast would have come, in the first instance, the cargo . The ship was without doubt a merchant-vessel, and doubtless had no ballast at all. Otherwise they certainly would have commenced with throwing the latter out, but would not thereupon have at once passed to the .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
Ver. 18. And being exceedingly tossed ] Seneca speaking of such as have lived long to little purpose, not improving their time and their talents, he saith that their lives are like ships in a storm, mullam iactati sunt, non navigarunt, tossed much, but have sailed nothing; or like a mill stone, that is ever moving, but removes not at all; or as when men make imperfect dashes, they are said to scribble, but do not write.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18. . . ] “The technical terms for taking cargo out of a ship, given by Julius Pollux, are , , , , . So that both here, and afterwards in Act 27:38 ( . ), St. Luke uses appropriate technical phrases.” Smith, ib.
Of what the freight consisted , we have no intimation. Perhaps not of wheat , on account of the separate statement of Act 27:38 . See ref.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:18 . . : “and as we laboured exceedingly with the storm,” R.V., Ramsay, Rendall, a regular nautical and classical term; cf. Thuc., ii., 25; iii., 69; viii., 99; Plato, Ion , 540 B. In Attic Greek usually , but cf. LXX, Jos 3:16 , Sir 13:13 , 4Ma 6:11 ; only here in N.T. Weiss thinks that it is used to express how severely they were distressed by the storm. , cf. Luk 13:32 , connected with the words which follow in R.V. and by Ramsay. For . cf. Luk 7:11 (but see W.H [417] ), Act 9:37 , and above on Act 21:1 , Act 25:17 ; nowhere else in N.T. : “they began to throw the freight overboard,” R.V., Ramsay, Felten, a technical term, so in classical Greek, for throwing out cargo to lighten a ship; Latin jactura , LXX, Jon 1:5 , with , and Julius Pollux, i., 99, who also has the phrase , cf. Act 27:38 below. The imperfect marks that they began by throwing away the cargo, probably what was on deck, so that the vessel would ship less water; and in Act 27:19 they cast out ( , aorist) the furniture of the ship, its fittings and equipment, anything movable lying on the deck upon which the passengers could lay their hands ( only here in N.T. representing the haste, Weiss). Others include under the word the actual baggage of the passengers, but we should have expected instead of , whilst others explain of beds and crockery, tables, etc., furniture in this sense (Zckler and Felten, exclusive of beds which were not in use). Breusing rejects this interpretation as “too silly,” and he thinks that the expression really means that by thus throwing overboard the poles and tackling, room was found for the crowd of passengers on the deck, as the hatchways could not be kept open, since the heavy sea would have swamped the ship, p. 186. J. Smith takes to mean the mainyard, but the word is here apparently used in a more general sense, as above, R.V., margin, “furniture of the ship”.
[417] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
exceedingly. Greek. sphodros. Only here. The usual word is sphodros as in Mat 2:10.
tossed with a tempest. Greek. cheimazomai. Only here. Compare Act 27:12
next. Greek. hexes. See Act 21:1.
lightened the ship = they began to jettison the cargo. Literally they were making a casting out. Greek. ekbole Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
18. . .] The technical terms for taking cargo out of a ship, given by Julius Pollux, are , , , , . So that both here, and afterwards in Act 27:38 ( . ), St. Luke uses appropriate technical phrases. Smith, ib.
Of what the freight consisted, we have no intimation. Perhaps not of wheat, on account of the separate statement of Act 27:38. See ref.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 27:18. ) a casting out of the merchandise.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
78. “I BELIEVE GOD”
Act 27:18-25
Here is a tried, tempest tossed believer full of comfort and comforting others. He describes the source and cause of his comfort in three words – “I believe God.” Because he believed God, Paul was confident that God would do what he said. He was full of comfort regarding his own life and destiny. And he had a word of comfort for those who were in the tempest tossed ship with him. What an example of faith the Holy Spirit here holds before us!
It is astonishing that we should need examples of faith and encouragements to believe God, but we do. Faith in our God should be, to regenerate men and women, a matter of fact. But often our hearts blush with shame because of unbelief. One of the most glaring evidences of human depravity is the fact that even men and women who are born of God struggle with unbelief. We are so fallen, so depraved, even in our regenerate state, that we dare question and doubt the living God! Some little trial comes our way, some slight ruffle, and we are out of sorts. We begin to worry, murmur, complain, and feel sorry for ourselves. How easily our hearts are troubled! We ought to trust our God completely. In all things he is true and faithful. His covenant is sure. His oath stands fast. His word cannot be broken. His promises are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus. God cannot lie. It is impossible for him to deny himself. We ought to trust him unreservedly. That which God has promised we have every reason to believe.
MEDITATE UPON PAUL’S STATEMENT IN THE CONTEXT IN WHICH IT IS FOUND. As you read Acts 27, you cannot avoid the fact that the primary theme of the narrative is not the journey, or even the storm at sea, but the faith of a man who believed God. That is the context in which we find these words – “I believe God.”
Paul’s faith was based upon God’s revelation. He said, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Act 27:25). God had told him something, and he believed it. His faith was based upon the Word of God. Granted, it was a special revelation. An angel of God told him what God would do. But we do not need to envy the source of Paul’s revelation. We have the written, complete Word of God, which is a more sure word of prophecy than anything else could be (2Pe 1:16-21). It is far better to have God’s written Word than to have a vision, a mountaintop experience, or even an angelic visitation (Heb 1:1-3).
Paul’s faith in God involved a conviction of the absolute certainty that God would do all that he said. “It shall be even as it was told me.” He did not say, “It may be,” or “I hope it shall be,” or “God wants it to be.” He said, “It shall be!” What God has spoken shall be. What God has caused to be written in his Word shall come to pass. When the book of history is complete and God stamps “The End” upon it, it will in all things tally with that which God has spoken in his Word (1Pe 1:24-25; Isa 40:8; Luk 16:17).
Paul’s faith gave him hope when all hope was gone. He said, “I believe God,” when, to all outward appearance, “all hope that (they) should be saved was taken away” (Act 27:20). It is one thing to believe God when everything is going in the direction of God’s promise; but it is something else to believe God in a sinking ship when everything appears to contradict God’s promise. That requires faith. Faith does not trust God because providence is smooth. And faith does not distrust God because providence is contrary. Faith trust God’s Revelation, God’s Word, even when everything appears to contradict it. Paul had nothing upon which to hang his faith but the Word of God; and the same is true of us. God hung the world upon nothing but his word. Shall we not hang our faith upon that which God has hung the world!
Because he believed God, Paul very plainly and boldly confessed his faith before men. He was in a ship full of convicted felons, guarded by Roman soldiers and rugged seamen. These were not nice, church going, religious people, but rugged men of notoriously vile character. Yet, Paul spoke out plainly for the glory of God and confessed his faith in him. Indeed, all who believe God confess their faith in him. They do so by believer’s baptism (Rom 6:4-6), by being his witnesses to the world around them (Act 1:8), and in the teeth of opposition (Act 4:10-12). We should make everyone around us conscious of our conviction that God is true and that he is to be trusted.
Paul confessed his faith, but more importantly, he acted like a man who believed God. When others were hysterical, Paul was calm. Why? He believed God. His faith was real. For most people religion is nothing but pious fiction. They look upon the promises of God as pretty, sentimental things to talk about. They view divine providence as a nice, theological idea. Not Paul! He acted like a man who believed God. Trusting God, he rested himself upon the purpose, promise, and providence of his heavenly Father.
THIS STATEMENT, “I BELIEVE GOD,” APPLIES TO ALL MATTERS OF DOCTRINE, ALL AREAS OF A BELIEVER’S LIFE AND EXPERIENCE, AND TO ALL THAT CONCERNS OUR HOPE REGARDING THE WORLD TO COME. It is qualified and limited only by the Word of God itself (2Co 1:20). Take down the Book of God from its place on your shelf and search out its promises. If you meet the character of the one described in the promise, believe it and apply it to yourself: PROMISES TO SINNERS (Isa 55:6-7; Mat 11:28-30; Mar 16:16; Joh 3:14-18; 1Jn 1:9), PROMISES TO SINNING SAINTS (1Jn 2:1-2; 1Co 10:13; Psa 89:19-36; 2Ch 7:14), PROMISES TO HIS AFFLICTED CHILDREN (Isa 41:10-11; Isa 43:1-5; Act 18:10; 2Co 12:9; Rom 8:28; Heb 13:5), PROMISES TO HIS CHURCH (1Co 15:58; Isa 55:11; Ecc 11:1; Psa 126:5-6), PROMISES TO HIS NEEDY PEOPLE (Php 4:19; Mat 6:25-34), PROMISES TO THEM THAT HONOR HIM (1Sa 2:30; Mal 3:10; Mat 6:33; Luk 6:38), PROMISES TO THEM THAT LOOK FOR CHRIST’S COMING (Jas 1:12; 1Th 4:13-18; 2Ti 1:12).
THE TRIUNE GOD, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, MADE CERTAIN PROMISES TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE EVERLASTING COVENANT OF GRACE, WHICH MUST AND SHALL BE FULFILLED (2Sa 23:5; Jer 31:31-34; Jer 32:38-40). The Son of God promised to redeem, justify, and save all God’s elect (Heb 10:5-10; Joh 10:16). God the Father promised his Son all his elect to be the reward of his soul’s travail (Isa 53:9-12; Psa 2:8; Psa 22:30). God the Holy Spirit promised to regenerate, call, seal, and preserve every chosen, redeemed sinner by almighty, irresistible grace (Eph 1:13-14; 2Th 2:13-14).
GOD HAS MADE CERTAIN PROMISES IN HIS WORD REGARDING THE FUTURE. With regard to the future, every believer ought to say with Paul, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” He will yet hear and answer the prayers of his people (1Jn 5:14-15). God will yet preserve every believer unto his heavenly kingdom (Php 1:6). God will yet send his Son to this earth in his glorious second advent to make all things new and bring his elect into everlasting glory (Rev 21:1-5; Joh 14:1-3).
Happy is that person who can speak with honesty and say, “I believe God.” Blessed are they who believe the doctrine of his Word, the rule of his providence, and the promises of his grace. Forever blessed are those sinners upon the earth who believe the record God has given concerning his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (1Jn 5:10-13). Do you believe God?
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
being: Psa 107:27
the next: Act 27:19, Act 27:38, Jon 1:5, Mat 16:26, Luk 16:8, Phi 3:7, Phi 3:8, Heb 12:1
Reciprocal: Job 2:4 – all that Isa 54:11 – tossed Mar 13:15 – General Luk 12:23 – General Act 27:27 – the fourteenth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
Act 27:18. Lightened the ship means they threw overboard some of the goods, thereby easing the weight the ship was compelled to carry in the storm.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Long-continued Severity of the GaleSt. Pauls Address to the People on board, in the midst of the Storm, 18-26.
Act 27:18. The next day they lightened the ship. This is said in general terms to have been done under the pressure of the storm; but there is little doubt that there was a more specific reason, that the danger which had been apprehended had occurredin fact, that, in spite of the undergirding, the ship had sprung a leak, and that already the water was gaining in the hold. What particular things were thrown overboard on this day we cannot tell; but, of course, they would be such heavy things as could most easily be spared. Compare Jon 1:5.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
18-20. (18) “And being exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day we lightened the vessel, (19) and on the third day, with our own hands we cast out the tackling of the ship. (20) And as neither the sun nor the stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, at last all hope that we should be saved was taken away.” The sailors now began to realize the truth of Paul’s prediction about the character of the voyage, and they were prepared to listen to him with more respect when he addressed to them the following speech:
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
18. And we being violently tossed by the tempest, forthwith they were making the casting-out,
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 18
They lightened the ship,–by throwing overboard a part of the cargo.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
27:18 {4} And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next [day] they lightened the ship;
(4) The result proves that none provide worse for themselves than those who commit themselves to be governed only by their own wisdom.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Evidently the ship was taking on so much water that the captain decided to jettison the wheat on board as well as other cargo and all but the most essential tackle (cf. Jon 1:5). He kept some wheat on board probably for ballast as well as for food (Act 27:38).