Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 27:40
And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed [themselves] unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
40. And when they had taken up the anchors ] The verb in the original implies that they cast loose all the anchors round about the stern of the vessel where they had laid them out. So the R. V. rightly gives “And casting off the anchors.” When they had thrown overboard a load of corn, they would have no wish to encumber themselves with the weight of the anchors or to take the trouble of hauling them up.
they committed themselves unto the sea ] The italics of the A. V. shew that “themselves” is unrepresented in the original. It is far better to refer the verb to the anchors already mentioned, and render (with R. V.) “they left them in the sea.”
and loosed the rudder bands ] The original has an adverb which is feebly represented by the conjunction of the A. V. Read (as R. V.) “at the same time loosing,” &c. The rudders, of which the ancient ships had two, had been made fast, and raised out of the water, when the anchors were laid out in the stern. Now that an attempt is to be made to steer the ship toward the beach they are let down again into the water.
and hoised up the mainsail ] The Gk. Word “artemon” here used, was in old times the name given to the “foresail” of the vessel, and so it should be rendered here. Cognate words are now employed for the larger sails of vessels in the Mediterranean, but the “foresail” was all they here had left.
toward shore ] i.e. toward this beach, which seemed a suitable place where they might try to land.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Had taken up the anchors – The four anchors with which they had moored the ship, Act 27:29. See the margin. The expression may mean that they slipped or cut their cables, and that thus they left the anchors in the sea. This is the most probable interpretation.
And loosed the rudder bands – The rudder, in navigation, is that by which a ship is steered. It is that part of the helm which consists of a piece of timber, broad at the bottom, which enters the water, and is attached by hinges to the stern-post on which it turns (Webster). But what was the precise form of the rudder among the ancients is not certainly known. Sometimes a vessel might be steered by oars. Most ships appear to have had a rudder at the prow as well as at the stern. In some instances, also, they had them on the sides. The word used here in the Greek is in the plural ton pedalion, and it is evident that they had in this ship more than one rudder. The bands mentioned here were probably the cords or fastenings by which the rudder could be made secure to the sides of the ship, or could be raised up out of the water in a violent storm, to prevent its being carried away. And as, in the tempest, the rudders had become useless Act 27:15, Act 27:17, they were probably either raised out of the water, or made fast. Now that the storm was past, and they could be used again, they were loosed, and they endeavored to direct the vessel into port.
The mainsail – artemona. There have been various explanations of this word. Luther translates it as the mast. Erasmus: the yards. Grotius, who supposes that the mainmast had been cast away Act 27:17, thinks that this must mean the foremast or the bowsprit. The word usually means the mainsail. The Syriac and Arabic understand it of a small sail, that was hoisted for a temporary purpose. Mr. Smith, in his work on this voyage of Paul, supposes that it was the foresail. Others translate it a jib. The mainsail (foresail) being hoisted showed good judgment, though the distance was so small, as it would not only enable them to steer more correctly than without it, but would press the ship farther on upon the land, and thus enable them the more easily to get to the shore (Penrose).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 40. Taken up the anchors] Weighed all the anchors that they had cast out of the stern. Some think the meaning of the word is, they slipped their cables; and so left the anchors in the sea. This opinion is expressed in the margin.
Loosed the rudder bands] Or, the bands of the rudders; for large vessels in ancient times had two or more rudders, one at the side, and another at the stern, and sometimes one at the prow. The bands, , were some kind of fastenings, by which the rudders were hoisted some way out of the water; for, as they could be of no use in the storm, and, should there come fair weather, the vessel could not do without them, this was a prudent way of securing them from being broken to pieces by the agitation of the waves. These bands being loosed, the rudders would fall down into their proper places, and serve to steer the vessel into the creek which they now had in view.
Hoisted up the mainsail] is not the mainsail, (which would have been quite improper on such an occasion,) but the jib, or triangular sail which is suspended from the foremast to the bowspirit; with this they might hope both to steer and carry in the ship.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Loosed the rudder bands; rudders is in the plural number put for the singular: or rather, in those times they having two rudders, (as by several passages amongst the ancients do appear), they were both loosed, that now they might use them to direct the ship to the best advantage in making the shore, they having been tied whilst they were adrift, or at anchor.
Hoised up the mainsail, which they had let down, or struck, Act 27:17, and now, that they might make some use of the winds, to get nigher to the shore, they hoisted up. As God doth instruct the ploughman, Isa 28:26, so he teacheth the mariner, and every one in their calling.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
40. taken up the anchors, theycommitted themselves to the seaThe Margin is hereevidently right, “cut the anchors (away), they left them in thesea.”
loosed the rudderbandsAncient ships were steered by two large paddles, one oneach quarter. When anchored by the stern in a gale, it would benecessary to lift them out of the water and secure them by lashingsor rudder bands, and to loose these when the ship was again got underway [SMITH].
hoised up the mainsailher,”the foresail,” the best possible sail that be set in thecircumstances. How necessary must the crew have been to execute allthese movements, and how obvious the foresight which made their stayindispensable to the safety of all on board (see on Ac27:31)!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they had taken up the anchors,…. The four anchors they cast out of the stern, Ac 27:29 or “when they had cut the anchors”, as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it; that is, had cut the cables to which the anchors were fastened:
they committed themselves unto the sea; or left them, the anchors, in the sea; or committed the ship to the sea, and themselves in it, endeavouring to steer its course to the place they had in view:
and loosed the rudder bands; by which the rudder was fastened to the ship.—The rudder, in navigation, is a piece of timber turning on hinges in the stern of a ship, and which opposing sometimes one side to the water, and sometimes another, turns or directs the vessel this way or that. The rudder of a ship is a piece of timber hung on the stern posts, by four or five iron hooks, called “pintles”, serving as it were for the bridle of a ship, to turn her about at the pleasure of the steersman.—The rudder being perpendicular, and without side the ship, another piece of timber is fitted into it at right angles, which comes into the ship, by which the rudder is managed and directed: this latter is properly called the “helm” or “tiller”, and sometimes, though improperly, the rudder itself.—A narrow rudder is best for a ship’s sailing, provided she can feel it; that is, be guided and turned by it, for a broad rudder will hold much water when the helm is put over to any side; yet if a ship has a fat quarter, so that the water cannot come quick and strong to her rudder, she will require a broad rudder.—The aftmost part of the rudder is called the “rake” of the rudder. This is the account of a rudder with the moderns z: with the ancients, the parts of the rudder were these, the “clavus” or “helm”, by which the rudder was governed; the pole of it; the wings or the two breadths of it, which were as wings, and the handle: some ships had but one rudder, most had two, and some three, and some four; those that had but one, seemed to have it in the middle of the stern; and those that had two had them on the sides, not far from the middle; and there were some ships which had them not only in the stern, but also in the prow or head of the ship a: that the ancients had sometimes more rudders than one in a ship, has been abundantly proved by Bochartus and Scheherus; take only an instance or two. The Carthaginians, as b Aelianus reports, decreed two governors to every ship saying it was absurd that it should have , “two rudders”, and that he who was most useful to the sailors, and had the government of the ship, should be alone, and without successor and companion; and so Apuleius c says, the ship in which we were carried was shook by various storms and tempests, “utroque regimine amisso”, and having lost both its rudders, sunk at the precipice. Some of the Indian ships have three rudders; that of Philopator’s had four rudders: how many this ship had, in which the apostle was, cannot be said: but this is certain, that it had more than one; for the words are, “and loosed the bands of the rudders”; and since it is a clear case, that the ships of the ancients had more rudders than one to each, there is no need to suppose a figure in the text, and that the plural number is used for the singular, as Beza thinks: and “the bands” of them were those by which they were fastened; and they were “loosed”, as Schefferus conjectures, because when the anchors were cast out, they fastened the rudders higher, that they might not be broken by the dashing of the waves, especially as they were in a storm; but now having taken up the anchors, they loosed these bands: and certain it is, that not only oars but rudders were fastened with cords or ropes to the ship d: according to the notion of modern navigation, the rudder band might be thought to be the rope which is turned round the tiller, and made fast to the ship’s side, and as the tiller is moved, “surges” round the end of the tiller; and very likely might be made fast, when the ship was at anchor, on one side, to keep the ship from breaking her sheer; but now being loosed, and the helm “a midship”, and the mainsail hoisted, the ship ran to the shore before the wind.
And hoised up the main sail to the wind: which they had before struck or let down, Ac 27:17. The main sail is that which is upon the main mast. The Ethiopic version renders it, “the great sail”. The great sail was that which is called “acatius”, which is another word than is here used: so Isidore e says “acatius” is the greatest sail, and is placed in the middle of the ship; “epidromos” is the next in size, and is placed at the stern; and “dolon” is the least sail, and is fixed at the head: and both the Syriac and Arabic versions here render it, “the little sail”; and which sailors put up when they are afraid to use large sails, which would carry too much wind; but the word here used is “artemo”, which the above writer says is commended rather for the sake of directing the ship, than for swiftness. And this seems to be the use that was now made of it, namely, to guide the ship into the creek or bay.
And made toward the shore; which was in the creek, or to the haven in it.
z Chambers’s Cyclopaedia in the word “rudder”. a Scheffer. de Militia Navali Vetorum, l. 2. c. 5. p. 145, 146. b Var Hist. l. 9. c. 40. c Metamorphos. l. 2. p. 24. d Vegetus apud Scheffer. de Militia Navali Veterum, l. 2. c. 5. p. 139. e Originum, l. 19. c. 3. p. 163.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Casting off (). Second aorist active of . Literally, “Having taken away from around,” that is all four anchors from around the stern. Cf. the other verbs with in verse Acts 27:29; Acts 27:30.
They left them in the sea ( ). Imperfect active of , either descriptive or inchoative. They let the anchors go and the ropes fell down into the sea.
At the same time loosing the bands of the rudders ( ). On the use of with the participle, old Greek idiom see Robertson, Grammar, p. 1139. The second aorist active participle of , to relax, loosen up. Old verb, in N.T. Acts 16:26; Acts 27:40; Eph 6:9; Heb 13:5. Thayer notes that (bands) occurs nowhere else, but several papyri use it of yokes and waterwheels (Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary). The word for rudders () is an old one (from , the blade of an oar), but in the N.T. only here and Jas 3:4. Page notes that the ancient ships had a pair of paddle rudders like those of the early northmen, one on each quarter. The paddle rudders had been fastened while the ship was anchored.
Hoisting up the foresail to the wind ( ). Supply (breeze) after (blowing). It is not clear what “sail” is meant by “.” No other example in Greek is known, though the scholiast to Juvenal XII. 68 explains by artemone solo. Hence “foresail” is probably correct.
They made for the beach ( ). Imperfect active of , to hold down, perhaps inchoative. “They began to hold the ship steadily for the beach.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Taken up [] . Wrong. The word means to remove, and refers here to cutting the anchor – cables, or casting off, as Rev.
Committed themselves [] . Wrong. The reference is to the anchors. Rev., correctly, left them in the sea.
Rudder bands [ ] . Lit., the bands of the rudders. The larger ships had two rudders, like broad oars or paddles, joined together by a pole, and managed by one steersman. They could be pulled up and fastened with hands to the ship; as was done in this case, probably to avoid fouling the anchors when they were cast out of the stern. The bands were now loosened, in order that the ship might be driven forward.
Mainsail [] . Only here in New Testament. Probably the foresail. So Rev.
Made toward [] . Lit., held; bore down for.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when they had taken up the anchors,” (kai tas agkuras perielontes) “And when they had cast off the anchors,” taken them up and cast them overboard, or simply let the anchors drop to the bottom of the sea.
2) “They committed themselves unto the sea,” (eion eis ten thalassan) “They left them in the sea,” left the anchors at the bottom of the sea, as the last weight that was cut off that might help lighten the ship as they attempted to pull the ship to the beach.
3) “And loosed the rudder bands,” (haima anantes tas zeukterias ton pedalion) “At the same time they loosed the fastenings (bands) that had held the rudders,” they loosed the paddle rudders on each side of the ship for rowing, with which both Greek and Roman ships were supplied.
4) “And hoised up the mainsail to the wind,” (kai eparanteston artemona te pneouse) “And they raised the foresail to the breeze,” to secure all the help possible to move the ship toward the shore. The foresail was on the prow of the bowsprit, to head the nose of the ship toward shore.
5) “And made toward shore.” (kateichon eis to agialon) “They held the ship in direction toward the shore,” for a safe landing, as they bore down on the beach. They did all they could to save themselves from the long raging storm -how about you? Mar 8:34-38.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(40) And when they had taken up the anchors.Better, And when they had cleared away (or, cut off) the anchors, they let them go into the sea. It is obvious that nothing would have been gained at such a juncture by encumbering the ship, which they were anxious to lighten as much as possible, with the weight of the four anchors. The meaning given above is accordingly more in harmony with the facts of the case as well as with the Greek, which does not warrant the insertion of the pronoun in they committed themselves.
Loosed the rudder bands.This was the necessary sequel to the previous operation. While the ship was anchored the two large paddle-like rudders with which ancient ships were furnished, were lifted up out of the water and lashed with ropes to the ships side. When the ship was got under way again, and the rudders were wanted, the bands had to be loosed, and the rudders fell into the water.
And hoised up the mainsail to the wind.The Greek term so rendered (artemn) is still found in Italian (artimone) and French for the largest sail of a ship. In the structure of ancient ships, however, this was the foresail, not, as with us, the mainsail. The word for wind is strictly the participle, the (breeze) that was blowing. The change of word seems to imply that there was a lull in the fury of the gale.
Made toward shore.More accurately, were making for the beach, that which had been described in Act. 27:39.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
40. Loosed the rudder bands The modern rudder, suspended by hinges, and swayed with a single handle, was unknown to the ancients. Their rudders were rather paddles, one on each side of the stern, which were bound up when they let the ship drift, and now loosed again when they purposed to steer to their point.
Mainsail The word has been a very doubtful one among scholars. But sailors say that none but the foresail, a small sail at the bow, would serve the present purpose of pulling the ship to the given point. The three performances of taking up anchors, letting down rudders, and hoisting foresail, were doubtless achieved simultaneously and rapidly.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders, and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.’
Then casting off the anchors and leaving them to the sea so as to lighten the vessel as much as possible, they loosened the ropes that had been holding the two great paddles which acted as rudders in a fixed position, with the intention of preventing their breaking or flailing about, and hoisting up a foresail to the wind, made for the beach. But in Act 27:22 we have been told that the ship would not be saved, and so it was to prove. God would give them all their lives, but nothing of ship or cargo.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 27:40. When they had taken up the anchors, When they had weighed their anchors, they committed [the ship] to the sea. Some rather choose to render this, Having cut the anchors, they left them in the sea. The original is certainly dubious, and will admit of either sense. It is said, they loosed the rudder bands. Ships in those days had commonly two rudders, one on each side; which were fastened to the ship by bands or chains; and on loosing these bands it is supposed that the rudders sunk deeper into the sea, and by their weight rendered the ship less subject to be overset by the winds. But more probably the rudders had been fastened when they let the vessel drive; and were now loosened when they had need of them to steer her into the creek. For after they had just been throwing out their corn to lighten the ship, it is not easy to suppose they should immediately contrive a method to increase the weight of it. The word ‘, seems properly to be translated main-sail. Grotius contends that it was a sail near the fore-part of the ship, answering either to what we call the foremast, or to the bowsprit; which last seems to agree best with the account which Stephens hascollected from the most considerable authorities. See his Latin Thesaurus on the word artemon. The last clause should be rendered, Hoisted up the mainsail, and were carried by the wind to the shore.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Act 27:40 . A vivid description of the stirring activity now put forth in making every effort to reach the shore. 1. They cut the (four) anchors round about ( ), and let them fall into the sea, in order neither to lose time nor to burden the ship with their weight. 2. At the same time they loosened the bands, with which they had fastened the rudders to the ship in order to secure them while the ship lay at anchor from the violence of the waves, for the purpose of now using them in moving on. 3. They spread the top-sail before the wind, and thus took their course ( ) for the beach ( ).
] is to be referred to the , which they let go by cutting, so that they fell into the sea . Arbitrarily, following the Vulgate (committebant se ), Luther, Beza, Grotius take it as “ .”
That is not to be taken for the singular, but that larger ships had two rudders (Aelian, V. H. ix. 40) managed by one steersman, see Smith, p. 9, also Scheffer, de milit. nav . ii. 5; Boeckh, Urkunden , p. 125.
] not elsewhere occurring in Greek writers as part of a ship, is most probably explained of the top-gallant-sail placed high on the mast. See especially Scheffer, de milit. nav . ii. 5; Forcellini, Thes . I. p. 231. Labeo in Jabolen. Dig. lib. 1. tit. 16, leg. 242, points to this view: “Malum navis esse partem, artemonem autem non esse, Labeo ait,” in which words he objects to the confounding of the artemon with the mast: the mast constituted an integral part of the ship, but the artemon did not, because it was fastened to the mast. Luther’s translation: “ mast ” [Segelbaum], is therefore certainly incorrect. Grotius, Heumann, Rosenmller, and others, including Smith, explain it of “ the small sail at the prow of the ship .” In this they assume that the mast had already been lowered; but this is entirely arbitrary, as Luke, although he relates every particular so expressly, has never mentioned this (comp. on Act 27:17 ). Besides, we cannot see why this sail should not have been called by its technical name , Polyb. xvi. 15. 2; Diod. xx. 61; Pollux, i. 91; Liv. xxxvi. 44, xxxvii. 30; Isidor. Orig . Act 19:3 ; Procop. Bell. Vandal . i. 17. Hadrianus, Junius, Alberti, Wolf, and de Wette understand the mizzen-sail at the stern, which indeed bears that name in the present day (Italian, artimone ; French, voile d’artimon ; see Baysius, de re nav . p. 121), but for this , Pollux i. 91, is well known to be the old technical name.
] sc . , has raised itself quite to the position of a substantive. See examples in Bos, Ell. , ed. Schaefer, pp. 32, 40. The dative indicates the reference; they hoisted up the sail for the breeze , so that the wind now swelled it from behind. For examples of , for hoisting up and thereby expanding the sail, and for , to steer towards , see Kypke, II. p. 144.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
Ver. 40. Hoised up the mainsail ] Which before they had struck by reason of the violence of the storm. If God afflict, we must carry our sail accordingly, Rth 1:20 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
40. ] (1) They cut away all four anchors (the may allude to the cutting round each cable in order to sever it, or to the going round and cutting all four), and left them in the sea ( . . ‘in the sea, into which they had been cast’). This they did to save time, and not to encumber the waterlogged ship with their additional weight. (2) They let loose the ropes which tied up the rudders. “Ancient ships were steered by two large paddles, one on each quarter. When anchored by the stern in a gale, it would be necessary to lift them out of the water, and secure them by lashings or rudder bands, and to loose these bands when the ship was again got under way.” Smith, p. 101. (3) They raised ( , ‘ to raise up ,’ contrary to , ‘ to haul down ,’ a sail) their to the wind. It would be impossible in the limits of a note to give any abstract of the long and careful reasoning by which Mr. Smith has made it appear that the ‘artemon’ was the foresail of the ancient ships. I will only notice from him, that the rendering ‘ mainsail ’ in our E. V. was probably a mistaken translation from Bayfius or De Baif, the earliest of the modern writers ‘de re navali,’ and perhaps the only one extant when the translation was made: he says, “est autem artemon velum majus navis, ut in Actis Apost. xxvii etenim etiam nunc nomen Veneti vulgo retinent et artemon vocant.” These words, ‘velum majus,’ they rendered by mainsail ; whereas the largest sail of the Venetian ships at the time was the foresail . The French ‘artimon,’ even now in use, means the sail at the stern (mizen). But this is no clue to the ancient meaning, any more than is our word mizen to the meaning of the French misaine , which is the foresail.
The usual technical name of the foresail was , that of the mizen, . See on the whole question, Smith’s Dissertation on the Ships of the Ancients, appended to his Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul. Mr. Pusey informs me that Syr. translates by ‘ armnon parvum ’ ( armnon being its word for , Act 27:17 ), and syr. in a note says that is “a small armnon at the ship’s head.”
] scil. . Dat. commodi; for the wind (to fill); or (according to Meyer and De Wette) of direction, to the wind , (4) They made for the beach. The expression, ( or ) for “to steer to land,” is not uncommon in the classics: cf. examples in Wetst. It seems to get this meaning by a pregnant construction, “to keep the ship (or, to keep one’s course in the ship) in hand (and direct it) towards.”
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 27:40 . . : “and casting off the anchors,” R.V., cf. Act 27:20 for the same verb, so that the meaning cannot be as A.V., following Vulgate, “having taken up”; in fact it is the very reverse. The sailors loosed the cables of the anchors which were fastened within the ship, that they might fall off into the sea (Blass); Breusing and Vars compare Xen., Hell. , xvi., 21, = . : “they left them (the anchors) in the sea,” R.V., relinquebant , Blass; so Breusing, Vars, Goerne, as against A.V., and Vulgate, committebant se , or Luther’s rendering (Beza and Grotius), . Grimm-Thayer renders “they let down into the sea,” i.e. , abandoned, which gives better the force of than regarding it simply as = . : “at the same time,” R.V., “simul laxantes,” Vulgate, “loosing withal,” Rhem., but in no other E.V [422] ( Speaker’s Commentary ). . : the bands of the rudders, the fastenings of the rudders, i.e. , the two paddle-rudders with which Greek and Roman ships were supplied, one on each quarter, C. and H. and J. Smith, p. 183, 4th edition, these rudders had been lifted from the water and lashed up while the ship was anchored by the stern (see Breusing’s description, p. 98, cf. Eur., Hel. , 1536: ), but the rudders were wanted when the ship again got under weigh. , sc. . : technical word for spreading out the sail, opposite to . .: “they made for the beach,” R.V., in order to land, cf. Xen., Hell. , ii., 1, 29; others take it as meaning to check the ship’s headway, but better, to hold or head the ship, Herod., vii. 59, 188, so Grimm-Thayer, sub v., sc. , whilst others take the verb intransitively as above in R.V. : “the foresail,” R.V., Ramsay, J. Smith. The word has been interpreted by various writers as meaning nearly every sail which a vessel carries. If the interpretation of Act 27:17 is correct, it could not mean the mainsail as A.V. Others apply it to the stern-sail, which bears the name to-day (Italian, artimone ; French, voile d’artimon ), but to set this sail would have been the most foolish thing they could have done, so Vars, Breusing. The word is found only here for the foresail, and its meaning is fixed by the fact that no other sail could be so well used by sailors under the circumstances, see Breusing, p. 79, J. Smith, pp. 141 and 193 ff., 4th edit. In his edition, 1899, Wendt thinks it probable that the sail here meant is otherwise called , but see J. Smith, p. 200, 4th edit. In his former edition he preferred to interpret it of the topsail (Meyer, Weiss, Zckler, Baumgarten), but Breusing, p. xii., points out that only in the sixteenth century were topsails introduced; see also Vars, p. 93.
[422] English Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
taken up. Greek. periaireo. Same as in Act 27:20.
committed. Greek. eao. Same as “let”, Act 27:32.
themselves = them, i.e. the anchors. They “slipped” the anchors.
loosed. Greek. aniemi, as in Act 16:26. Eph 6:9. Heb 13:5.
rudder bands = lashings of the rudders.
rudder. Greek. pidalion. Only here and Jam 3:4. There were two great paddles, one on either side, used for steering.
bands. Greek. zeukteria. The tackle by which the paddles were lashed to the hull when the ship was at anchor. Only here.
hoised = hoisted. Greek. epairo. Generally take up, or lift up. Act 1:9; Act 2:14, &c.
mainsail = foresail. Greek. artemon. Only here. The mainsail had been thrown overboard (Act 27:19).
wind. Literally the blowing. Greek. pneo. Elsewhere, Mat 7:25, Mat 7:27. Luk 12:55. Joh 3:8; Joh 6:18. Rev 7:1.
made = were holding on. Gr. katecho. See 2Th 2:6.
toward = for. Greek. eis. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
40.] (1) They cut away all four anchors (the may allude to the cutting round each cable in order to sever it, or to the going round and cutting all four), and left them in the sea ( . . in the sea, into which they had been cast). This they did to save time, and not to encumber the waterlogged ship with their additional weight. (2) They let loose the ropes which tied up the rudders. Ancient ships were steered by two large paddles, one on each quarter. When anchored by the stern in a gale, it would be necessary to lift them out of the water, and secure them by lashings or rudder bands, and to loose these bands when the ship was again got under way. Smith, p. 101. (3) They raised (, to raise up, contrary to , to haul down, a sail) their to the wind. It would be impossible in the limits of a note to give any abstract of the long and careful reasoning by which Mr. Smith has made it appear that the artemon was the foresail of the ancient ships. I will only notice from him, that the rendering mainsail in our E. V. was probably a mistaken translation from Bayfius or De Baif, the earliest of the modern writers de re navali, and perhaps the only one extant when the translation was made: he says, est autem artemon velum majus navis, ut in Actis Apost. xxvii etenim etiam nunc nomen Veneti vulgo retinent et artemon vocant. These words, velum majus, they rendered by mainsail; whereas the largest sail of the Venetian ships at the time was the foresail. The French artimon, even now in use, means the sail at the stern (mizen). But this is no clue to the ancient meaning, any more than is our word mizen to the meaning of the French misaine, which is the foresail.
The usual technical name of the foresail was , that of the mizen, . See on the whole question, Smiths Dissertation on the Ships of the Ancients, appended to his Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul. Mr. Pusey informs me that Syr. translates by armnon parvum (armnon being its word for , Act 27:17), and syr. in a note says that is a small armnon at the ships head.
] scil. . Dat. commodi;-for the wind (to fill);-or (according to Meyer and De Wette) of direction,-to the wind, (4) They made for the beach. The expression, ( or ) for to steer to land, is not uncommon in the classics: cf. examples in Wetst. It seems to get this meaning by a pregnant construction, to keep the ship (or, to keep ones course in the ship) in hand (and direct it) towards.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 27:40. , they committed, let go) viz. the ship, and themselves with it.- ) The rudders are attached to the ship by certain bands. When these are loosened, then the rudders go down much into the waters, and by their weight keep back the ship, so as not to be upset by the winds.-Grotius.- ) The artemon is that smaller sail which is wont to be attached to larger sails, whence also it takes its name [Th. , I hang to, fasten to].-Gyrald. de Navig., T. I. Op., f. 604, where he refutes many errors concerning the artemon.- ) viz. . This is construed in the Ablative with the verb , as the old Engl. Vers. [but authorised Engl. Vers., They hoised up the mainsail to the wind] and Heinsius. It was by the sail, not by the oars, that they were now aiming to reach the shore.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
taken up
Or, cut the anchors, they left them in the sea, etc.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
taken up: etc. or, cut the anchors, they left them in the sea, etc. Act 27:29, Act 27:30
the rudder bands: Or, “the bands of the rudders;” for large vessels in ancient times had two or more rudders, which were fastened to the ship by means of bands, or chains, by which they were hoisted out of the water when incapable of being used. These bands being loosed, the rudders would fall into their proper places, and serve to steer the vessel into the creek, which they had in view, and hoisted. Isa 33:23
Reciprocal: Heb 6:19 – as an
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
0
Act 27:40. Had taken up all comes from one Greek word which Thayer defines, “to cast loose.” The italicized word themselves refers to the anchors which they abandoned in order to relieve the ship of the weight. The rudders were large oars used to steer the ship. While at anchor they would be hoisted out of the water and held by bands or ropes; these were now cut loose. They next raised the mainsail and started toward the “bay” mentioned in the preceding verse.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 27:40. When they had taken up the anchors. This was the first essential step. These anchors were, as we have seen (Act 27:29), cast out of the stern. When this was done, the ship was free for the full action of the wind, which was blowing towards the shore. The translation, however, is not quite accurate. They did not take up the anchors, but cut the ropes which connected the ship with them. This is the meaning of ; and it is evident from what follows, which, correctly rendered, is, They committed them (i.e. the anchors) to the sea, these anchors were of no further use, for it was known that the ship would be destroyed.
And loosed the rudder bands. This phrase, for more reasons than one, demands careful attention. In the first place, the little word is not noticed in the Authorised Version. What was done here was done simultaneously with the cutting away of the anchors. In the next place, the cutting away of the anchors was quite necessary for what was being done here. The true translation is the bands of the rudders, the word rudders being in the plural. See the Excursus at the end of this chapter. The rudders were now absolutely necessary in order to steer the ship precisely, so that she might take the ground at the right point. Moreover, the ropes which connected the snip with the anchors might possibly have been an impediment to the free action of the paddle-rudders. The anchors themselves could now be of no further use, the destruction of the ship being inevitable.
Raised up the mainsail to the wind. The sail which would have been the most useful for the purpose in hand would have been the foresail; and it is probable that this sail is meant. The Greek word () which is employed here by St. Luke, is found in no other Greek author; but it is a familiar word in the more modern seafaring language of the Mediterranean. The Venetians gave this name to the largest sail, and this may have led to the use of the term mainsail here; but in Venetian ships the foresail was the largest sail. See the Excursus. Dr. Humphry very appositely here refers to the familiar passage in Juvenal (xii. 68):
Et quod superaverat unum,
Velo prora suo
quoting the note of the Scholiast, Id est arte-mone solo velificaverunt.
Toward shore. Toward that particular beach ( ) which had been observed.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 39
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
40. Knocking off the anchors they left them in the sea; at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders and raising up the main sail for the wind, they made toward the shore.