Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:38
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
38. And when they had eaten enough ] Gk. “And having been satisfied with food.” When they had satisfied their present need, there was no use in trying to save more of the food which they had. So they set about lightening the ship. This is implied by the tense of the verb, and the next clause tells us the way they did it. They cast into the sea the corn which had been the first cargo of the vessel from Alexandria. No doubt this was the heaviest part of the freight, and would relieve the vessel greatly.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They lightened the ship – By casting the wheat into the sea. As they had no hope of saving the cargo, and had no further use for it, they hoped that by throwing the wheat overboard the ship would draw less water, and that thus they would be able to run the vessel on the shore.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Act 27:38-44
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship.
Food and work
What is the use of gaining strength by eating, unless we are to put our strength to some practical service? We might as well starve for lack of food as to live worthless lives while we have bread enough and to spare. It is of less importance that we have our breakfast than that we do something worth doing after breakfast. If any man will not work, neither let him eat. What if you do go to school? What if you have been to college? What if you are a great reader? What if you listen to the best sermons ever preached? What if you study the Bible week days and Sunday? What is to come of your having this full fare? When you have eaten enough, what work are you going to do on shipboard–or on shore? (H. C. Trumbull, D. D.)
The process of salvation
1. Here was a great multitude in the direst peril needing salvation. The good and the bad, the learned and the ignorant, the aristocrat and the plebeian, the rich and the poor, were all represented here, and were all alike in danger. Sin reduces all men to the same level, and annihilates all social and other distinctions. God be merciful to me a sinner, is a prayer appropriate to prince or pauper.
2. This multitude is strengthened for the impending effort by the supply of immediate wants. A great struggle was at hand, for which they would have been unequal but for that physical strength which food only can give and maintain. So the sinner convinced of his need of salvation, and without strength in himself, needs a Divinely imparted strength for all the sacrifice and effort required for the renunciation of self and sin and consecration to Christ. This is supplied by the Divine promises, and by grace for the time of need.
3. Being strengthened, as the first requirement for safety, the crew lightened the ship by throwing every superfluity overboard. The cargo was a valuable one; but in comparison with life what was it, or the whole world? So wealth, learning, social position, etc., of great value under certain circumstances, may be hindrances in the way of salvation, and must be abandoned. What things are gain to us must be counted loss for Christ and His salvation.
4. Light came and revealed the only means of safety. They knew not the land, but they saw the way of escape, and, like sensible men, they availed themselves of it (Act 27:39). What cared they for the geological formation of a certain creek? What cared they whether it were constructed according to the accepted principles of harbour architecture? If it were possible they would thrust in the ship there. And so the light of the Spirit is thrown on the Cross. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them. What has the sinner to do with their conformity to his own opinion, or the opinion of others, of what should constitute the means of salvation? As it is gloriously possible let him thrust in his ship there without asking any questions, and trust to the result.
5. Like rational creatures they availed themselves of the only means of escape at all risks. That which might have been useful elsewhere they unceremoniously abandoned, and taking up anchors, and loosing rudder bands, simply hoisted the mainsail, committed themselves to the sea, and made for shore. Let the convinced sinner thus, cutting himself off from his past, simply yield to the movements of the Spirit who not only enlightens but impels. Loose the moorings! Hoist the mainsail of faith! there is now nothing for it but that–and the Spirit who bloweth where He listeth will fill the sail.
6. The ship ran aground, and the passengers were exposed to tremendous hardship (Act 27:41). Not a few have experienced spiritually what was suffered here. Faith laying hold of Christ renders the soul safe, but the hinder part is broken by the violence of the waves. And nowhere more than just here is the malignity of Satan exhibited (Act 27:42. Cf. Christian at the Wicket Gate). But the Christian need fear not the violence of the waves of this troublesome world on his bark, nor the machinations of the adversary, for he knows that no weapon that is formed against him shall prosper.
7. Salvation, however, comes at last (Act 27:44). They lost everything but their lives, and man can afford to lose everything but his soul. (J. W. Burn.)
And when they had taken up the anchors, they hoisted the mainsail.—
Anchors and sails
Anchors are very well so long as you want to keep from going ahead; but if you want to reach the shore, one sail is worth more than four anchors. It is a great thing to know when to use anchors and when to use sails. If a young man is asked to follow evil companions in evil ways he needs anchors. If he is urged to go ahead in the path of duty and in the service of Christ, a sail is the thing for him. When the breakers of warning are sounding through the night on the rocks of error and unbelief just ahead of us, we ought to pray God that the anchors may hold. When we see by the clear light of Gods truth that the harbour of spiritual peace is open before us, we may cut loose from the anchors, and hoist all sail to the breeze of Divine grace which shall speed us to the shore. (H. C. Trumbull, D. D.)
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground.
Running aground
(Childrens sermon):–It is a sad sight to see a noble vessel stranded and going to pieces; but it is sadder far to see a soul which ought to be sailing over the sea of time to heaven stuck fast in the things of this world. If we would avoid this we must–
I. Keep a steady course. How often on a sea-bound steamer going through some intricate channel do we hear the word Steady! The pilot cannot go by any course he pleases; if he tries experiments, disregards the chart, and sails on the wrong side of the buoys, he must be prepared for running aground. A captain once left his vessel in charge of a man, whom he ordered to steer towards a certain star, while he retired for rest. Presently the mans attention was attracted by some object, and he let go the tiller. When he took it again the star was behind. By and by the captain came on deck, and seeing the position of affairs, exclaimed, Why, Jim, where are you steering her to? The star I told you to keep ahead of the mainmast is now astern! Oh, said Jim, we sailed by him an hour ago. The fact was the boat had swung round. And much in the same way we trifle with the helm, for the sake of looking at something about us, and forget to keep our eyes on the star; and many who think they have sailed past the star have simply turned their back upon it. It is common for people to think they have advanced far ahead of the Bible, their ancestral faith, etc., and before they know it they are aground.
II. Know our soundings. When the Atlantic went ashore on the coast of Nova Scotia it was because the captain, thinking he was miles from the coast, neglected to take soundings. So many a life is wrecked through ignorance of the proximity of shoals and rocks, and negligence to ascertain its position. How necessary, then, to examine ourselves, to watch for temptations, so that we may know where we stand!
III. Beware of cross currents. It was the opposite tides which did the work for Pauls ship. We all meet with cross currents in life, and how hard it is to keep out of them! We want to study, and yet to play; to serve Christ and to please ourselves; to gain heaven and yet keep earth. This is a sure way to wreck our souls.
IV. Trust our pilot. When the pilot comes aboard he takes full command, and the crew must not mind the old captain. And so when we have taken Christ as our Commander we must obey Him in everything. (W. Newton.)
And the soldiers counsel was to kill the prisoners.–
The shipwreck
I. The brutalising tendency of a military life. One might have thought that common trials would have made every heart sympathetic; but these soldiers meditated the cold-blooded murder of men who had saved their lives. Why? Because they were trained to bloody deeds. Human life to them was cheap.
II. The social value of a good man. The centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, etc. The salvation of passengers must, under God, be ascribed to Paul, and the other prisoners were saved from massacre because of him. No one but God can tell the value of one good man in a neighbourhood or nation. Ten righteous men would have saved Sodom, etc.
III. The faithfulness of the Divine word. God had said that no life should be lost, that they should be cast upon a certain island, and that the ship should be destroyed. And here is the fulfilment. Heaven and earth shall pass away, etc.
IV. The necessity of human effort. Although the safety attained had been promised by God, yet the human agency was indispensable. (D. Thomas, D. D.)
Those who get us into trouble will not stay to help us out
These shipmen got Paul out of Fair Havens into the storm; but as soon as the tempest dropped upon them, they wanted to go off in the small boat, caring nothing for what became of Paul and the passengers. Ah me! human nature is the same in all ages. They who tempt that young man into a life of dissipation will be the first to laugh at his imbecility, and to drop him out of decent society. Gamblers always make fun of the losses of gamblers. They who tempt you into the contest with fists, saying, I will back you, will be the first to run. Look over all the predicaments of your life, and count the names of those who have got you into those predicaments, and tell me the name of one who ever helped you out. They were glad enough to get you out from Fair Haven, but when with damaged rigging you tried to get into harbour, did they hold for you a plank or throw to you a rope? Not one. Satan has got thousands of men into trouble, but he never got one out. He led them into theft, but he would not hide the goods or bail out the defendant. The spider shows the way over the gossamer bridge into the cobweb; but it never shows the way out of the cobweb over the gossamer bridge. I think that there were plenty of fast young men to help the prodigal spend his money; but when he had wasted his substance in riotous living, they let him go to the swine pastures, while they betook themselves to some other newcomer. They who take Paul out of Fair Havens will be of no help to him when he gets into the breakers of Melita. Hear it, young man! hear it. (T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 38. They lightened the ship] They hoped that, by casting out the lading, the ship would draw less water; in consequence of which, they could get nearer the shore.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Cast out the wheat, the provision they had for their sustenance. This is the third time that they lightened the ship, being willing that all their goods should perish for them, rather than with them. Or these heathens were so far persuaded by St. Paul, that they ventured their lives upon the credit of what he had foretold them; and parted with their food, and all they had to live upon, only upon his word, that they should want them in the ship no more.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
38-40. when they had eaten enough,&c.With fresh strength after the meal, they make a third andlast effort to lighten the ship, not only by pumping, as before, butby throwing the whole cargo of wheat into the sea (see on Ac27:6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had eaten enough,….] Were satisfied, having eaten a full meal:
they lightened the ship; of its burden, that it might the better carry them to the shore, and that by the following method:
and cast out the wheat into the sea; which seems to have been part of the ship’s provision; or one part of their lading, which they brought from Egypt, and were carrying to Italy: they had cast out some of the goods of the ship before, and also the tackling of the ship, and now, last of all, the wheat; for what was eatable they reserved till last, not knowing to what extremity they might be reduced.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When they had eaten enough ( ). First aorist passive of , old verb to satisfy, to satiate, with the genitive. Literally, “Having been satisfied with food.” Here only in the N.T.
They lightened (). Inchoative imperfect active, began to lighten. Old verb from and originally to be light, but transitive to lighten, as here, from Hippocrates on.
Throwing out the wheat ( ). The cargo of wheat. The second (verse 18) or casting out and overboard which was only partially done at first.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when they had eaten enough,” (koresthentes de trophes) “Then when they had become satisfied with food,” when all had eaten enough food to satisfy them, to give them renewed strength.
2) “They lightened the ship,” (ekouphison to ploion) “They lightened (made lighter) the ship,” as follows, by following means; This is the third effort they made to lighten the ship, to make it safer for landing, which they hoped was soon at hand, Act 27:8; Act 27:19; Act 27:38. Thus, on the second, third, and fourteenth days of the storm, they spent part of each day dumping things like furniture, ship tackling, cargo, and wheat into the sea to save the ship.
3) “And cast out the wheat into the sea.”(ekballomenoi ton siton eis ten thalassan) “Throwing out the wheat (remaining) into the sea,” They not only pumped or dipped water from the ship and threw every other obstructing thing aboard overboard into the sea, but also threw containers of wheat overboard into the boiling, foaming, raging, storm whipped waters of the briny sea. It is a Divine truth that one must also cut loose from anything of life that may cause him to lose his soul, or life in hell, or become useless to God, such as the rich young ruler, or the successful barn builder, Mar 10:17-23; Luk 12:13-21. The most valued human possession may hinder either one’s salvation or his usefulness to God, unless it is put away, Mar 10:24-31.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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38. And when they had eaten enough. This circumstance doth show that they were at length moved with Paul’s words. It was not yet light, that they could know whether there were any haven near. And yet they cast out into the sea the wheat which remained, that they might lighten the ship. They would not have done this unless Paul’s authority had prevailed more with them now than before. But as all unbelievers are unstable, that persuasion did quickly vanish out of their minds. −
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(38) And when they had eaten enough . . .More accurately, when they were filled with food. The words describe a full and hearty meal. The first effect of this was seen in renewed activity for work. In spite of all that had been done before (Act. 27:18-19), the ship still needed to be lightened. The tense implies a process of some continuance. The wheat which they now cast out may have been part of the cargo which had been reserved by way of provisions. As it was clear that they could no longer continue in the ship, this was no longer required, and the one essential point was to keep her floating till they reached the shore.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
38. Eaten enough So as to have full strength for the task.
Wheat They threw over the grain, as aware that the ship must go to pieces, and that the rescue of life would be easier by lessening the weight of the ship.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.’
Then when all had eaten sufficient, they lightened the ship by throwing all the grain that was left into the sea. The lighter the ship, the more likely to reach land
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 27:38 . Now, seeing that for some time (and in quite a brief period must the fate of those on board be decided) further victuals were unnecessary now they ventured on the last means of lightening the ship (which, with the decreasing depth, Act 27:28 , was urgently required for the purpose of driving it on to the land), and cast the provisions overboard, which, considering the multitude of men and the previous , was certainly still a considerable weight. Chrysostom aptly remarks: , . may denote either corn , or also, as here and often with Greek writers, provisions particularly prepared from corn (meal, bread, etc.). Others (Erasmus, Luther, Beza, et al. , including Baumgarten, Smith, Hackett) have explained it as the corn with which, namely, the ship had been freighted . But against this it may be urged, first, that this freighting is not indicated; secondly, that . corresponds to the throwing out of the provisions , and not of the freight ; and thirdly, that the throwing out of the freight had already taken place, Act 27:18 , as this indeed was most natural, because the freight was the heaviest.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
Ver. 38. Cast out the wheat ] Fastidientes divinum verbum, et damnum et dedecus pall oportet. “Behold! they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?” Jer 8:9 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
38. . . ] See above on Act 27:18 .
This wheat was either the remainder of the cargo, part of which had been disposed of in Act 27:18 or was the store for their sustenance , the cargo having consisted of some other merchandise. And this latter is much the more likely, for two reasons: (1) that is mentioned here and not in Act 27:18 , which it would have been in all probability, had the material cast out there been the same as here; and (2) that the fact is related immediately after we are assured that they were satisfied with food : from whence we may infer almost with certainty that is the ship’s provision , of part of which they had been partaking. It is a sufficient answer to Mr. Smith’s objection to this (“to suppose that they had remaining such a quantity as would lighten the ship is quite inconsistent with the previous abstinence,” p. 99), that the ship was provisioned for the voyage to Italy for 276 persons, and that for the last fourteen days hardly any food had been touched . This would leave surely enough to be of consequence in a ship ready to sink from hour to hour.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:38 . ., 1Co 4:8 , nowhere else in N.T., with genitive of the thing with which one is filled, as in classical Greek. Alford refers to LXX, Deu 31:20 , but see Hatch and Redpath, sub v. : de nave , Polyb., i., 60, 8; LXX, Jon 1:5 . : “the wheat,” A. and R.V., Vulgate, triticum ; so Ramsay, Breusing, Vars, J. Smith, Page, and so too Erasmus, Bengel, etc., i.e. , the cargo, cf. Act 27:6 . Blass thinks that the word used is decisive in favour of this interpretation; otherwise we should have had or if merely food had been meant; not only was the cargo of sufficient weight really to lighten the ship, but there was need for the ship being as clear as possible for the operations in Act 27:40 . Wendt 1899 appears also to favour this view, cf. his comments with those in 1888 edition, where he adopts the view of Meyer and Weiss, that the word means provisions of food, as at first sight the context seems to indicate. But the latter would not have made much appreciable difference in weight, nor would those on board have been likely to throw them away, since they could not tell on, what shore they might be cast, whether hospitable or not, or how long they would be dependent on the food which they had in the ship. In Act 27:18 the reference may be to the cargo on deck, or at all events only to a part of the cargo (Holtzmann). Naber conjectured , but no such emendation is required (Wendt).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
when, &c. Having been satisfied (Greek. korennumi. Only here and 1Co 4:8) with food (Greek. trophe, as in Act 27:33).
lightened. Greek. kouphizo. Only here.
and cast out = casting out.
wheat. Greek. sitos.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
38. . . ] See above on Act 27:18.
This wheat was either the remainder of the cargo, part of which had been disposed of in Act 27:18-or was the store for their sustenance, the cargo having consisted of some other merchandise. And this latter is much the more likely, for two reasons: (1) that is mentioned here and not in Act 27:18, which it would have been in all probability, had the material cast out there been the same as here; and (2) that the fact is related immediately after we are assured that they were satisfied with food: from whence we may infer almost with certainty that is the ships provision, of part of which they had been partaking. It is a sufficient answer to Mr. Smiths objection to this (to suppose that they had remaining such a quantity as would lighten the ship is quite inconsistent with the previous abstinence, p. 99), that the ship was provisioned for the voyage to Italy for 276 persons, and that for the last fourteen days hardly any food had been touched. This would leave surely enough to be of consequence in a ship ready to sink from hour to hour.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 27:38. , the corn) having a sure hope of getting to land.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
they lightened: Act 27:18, Act 27:19, Job 2:4, Jon 1:5, Mat 6:25, Mat 16:26, Heb 12:1
The wheat: The Romans imported corn from Egypt, by way of Alexandria, to which this ship belonged; for a curious account of which see Bryant’s treatise on the Euroclydon.
Reciprocal: Ecc 3:6 – and a time to cast Mar 13:15 – General Luk 12:23 – General Phi 3:7 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Act 27:38. After satisfying their hunger, they decided to ease the strain on the boat further by casting the wheat into the sea.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 27:38. They lightened the ship. This would require great and active labour; and the food they had taken was an essential condition of their doing it effectually. The cargo was now of no use, as it was known that the ship would be lost; and there were two reasons why it was important to throw it overboardthe ship was to be run aground, and it was desirable to make it draw as little water as possible. But, moreover, the ship having been for many days on the starboard tack, it is probable that the cargo had shifted, and that the vessel was heeling over to the port side. In cargoes of grain, unless the grain is packed in sacks, such displacement is very liable to take place. This very subject has been brought under public attention lately in the English newspapers.
Cast out the wheat into the sea. In the late Professor Blunts Undesigned Coincidences (p. 326) are some remarks on this subject, which present so good an example of this kind of argument that it is worth while to quote them at length: In the fifth verse we are informed that the vessel into which the centurion removed Paul and the other prisoners at Myra belonged to Alexandria, and was sailing into Italy. From the tenth verse we learn that it was a merchant vessel, for mention is made of its lading, but the nature of the lading is not directly stated. In this verse, at a distance of some thirty verses from the last, we find, by the merest chance, of what its cargo consisted. The freight was naturally enough kept till it could be kept no longer, and then we discover for the first time that it was wheat, the very article which such vessels were accustomed to carry from Egypt to Italy. These notices, so detached from each other, tell a continuous story, but it is not perceived till they are brought together. The circumstances drop out one by one in the course of the narrative, unarranged, unpremeditated, thoroughly accidental; so that the chapter might be read twenty times, and their agreement with one another and with contemporary history be still overlooked.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Here observe, 1. How willing men in distress are to part with all things for the preservation of life; these sea-faring men are here found three times lightening their ship of her lading and burden; first the merchandise was cast overboard, Act 27:18 next all the ship’s furniture was heaved over, Act 27:19 and now Act 27:38 goes over the very wheat, which they had provided for their daily bread; future provision is cast away to save life at present: life is the most precious treasure, the most excellent thing in nature; a man will part with all the comforts and supports of life, rather than with life itself.
Observe, 2. What a wonderful work of God was here upon the hearts of these poor Pagans, thus to venture their lives by parting with their food which they had to live upon, barely upon St. Paul’s word, that they should want wheat no more in the ship. Such an influence has God upon the hearts and minds of men, when he pleases to make use of it.
Observe, 3. How God’s delivering power is most gloriously manifest in the most deplorable extremities of his people.
Now, when the ship was fallen into a place where two seas met, when she ran aground, and was broken with the violence of the waves, this extremity was God’s opportunity; and this strait was the season of his succour.
Observe, 4. What horrid and cruel ingratitude was found with these wretched soldiers towards the apostle: they design to take away his life, who had taken such care of them, and for whose sake all their lives were preserved!
It is no new thing for an unkind world to return evil for good, and hatred for good-will; but to do good and to suffer evil is the Christian’s exercise at present. They consulted to kill the prisoners, (of whom the apostle was chief,) lest any of them should swim out and escape.
Observe, 5. How God put it into the centurion’s heart to defeat their barbarity and bloody counsel, and to save the apostle, for whose sake the centurion and all in the ship were saved.
Many are the wicked devices in the heart of man, but the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.
Observe, 6. How God performed his promise to the apostle to a very tittle: they were all saved, not a man drowned, no not any one of the bloody soldiers who gave counsel to kill Paul.
O how good is God to the unthankful and unholy! his tender mercies are over all his works; and how well do sinners fare sometimes for the saints’ sake.
Thus, after a long and dangerous voyage, the providence of God brought St. Paul, with the rest of the passengers at last safe to shore.
O how punctual is God to what he promises! What he foretells he will fulfil. He had foretold by Paul, that they should suffer shipwreck, and at last be cast upon a certain island: and accordingly here they escaped to an island called Melita; where what signal instances of humanity they received from the hands of barbarous heathens, the following chapter fully informs us.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
See notes on verse 37
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
38. And being regaled with the food, they continued to lighten the ship, casting out their wheat into the sea. It was absolutely necessary to make the ship as light as possible so they could run it near enough to the shore for them to make their escape. Hence it was impossible to save the wheat or anything else on board. Paul has no trouble with them. The immediate presence of death, fourteen days and nights, has so wrought upon them that they are glad to let everything perish, at the same time unutterably delighted with dear life.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
It was necessary to lighten the ship so it would ride high into shallow water when the sailors beached it.