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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 27:40 - 27:40
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Casting off (perielontes). Second aorist active of periaireō. Literally, “Having taken away from around,” that is all four anchors from around the stern. Cf. the other verbs with agkuras in Act 27:29, Act 27:30.
They left them in the sea (eiōn eis tēn thalassan). Imperfect active of eaō, 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 (hama anentes tas zeuktērias tōn pēdaliōn). On the use of hama with the participle, old Greek idiom see Robertson, Grammar, p. 1139. The second aorist active participle of aniēmi, to relax, loosen up. Old verb, in N.T. Act 16:26; Act 27:40; Eph 6:9; Heb 13:5. Thayer notes that zeuktērias (bands) occurs nowhere else, but several papyri use it of yokes and waterwheels (Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary). The word for rudders (pēdalion) is an old one (from pēdon, the blade of an oar), but in the N.T. only here and Jam 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 (eparantes ton artemōna tēi pneousēi). Supply aurāi (breeze) after pneousēi (blowing). It is not clear what “sail” is meant by “artemōna.” No other example in Greek is known, though the scholiast to Juvenal XII. 68 explains velo prora suo by artemone solo. Hence “foresail” is probably correct.
They made for the beach (kateichon eis ton aigialon). Imperfect active of katechō, to hold down, perhaps inchoative. “They began to hold the ship steadily for the beach.”