Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Acts 27:39 - 27:44
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The escape from the ship:
v. 39. And when it was day, they knew not the land; but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
v. 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.
v. 41. And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
v. 42. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out and escape.
v. 43. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land,
v. 44. and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land.
When it was day, when it became light enough to distinguish objects plainly, the sailors tried to get their bearings, but they did not recognize the land. They may have been at the island before, but this particular section on the northeastern shore was not familiar to them. From where they were anchored, near a rocky point, they perceived, or noticed, a small bay or inlet with a sandy beach, which looked much more inviting than the reefs farther out. Into this small bay, therefore, they wished, if possible, to drive the ship; they wanted to run her ashore on the beach. Having therefore loosed the anchors by slipping the cables which held them inside the vessel, they left them, they abandoned them in the sea. At the same time they unlashed the bands, the fastening of the rudders, of the two paddle-rudders with which the ships of those days were supplied, for they now needed them to steer the ship. And finally, they hoisted the foresail, spread its full extent to the breeze, and made for the, flat beach. But as the vessel entered into the channel, it suddenly struck a submerged bank, ridge, shoal, or reef, the bow cutting deeply into the mud or sand and jamming fast, while the stern began to break up from the force of the waves. It was an extremely dangerous situation and one which almost caused the soldiers to lose their self-control and common sense. For their plan now was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them escape by swimming. Just as though there had been much danger of that. In the rocky island! But here Julius, the centurion, again showed his good will. He wanted to bring Paul through safely, and therefore hindered them in their plan, put a stop to their intention. He gave the command that all those that were able to swim should jump overboard first and thus reach the land. And afterwards, when the sea about the hulk was clear of the swimmers, the rest, some on planks and some on pieces of wreckage, were to do the same thing. It was no easy task, with a heavy sea rolling and the waves sweeping high up on the shore, to reach a place beyond danger; but finally all the men that had been on the vessel, crew, soldiers, passengers, prisoners, came through in safety, according to the prediction of Paul. It was a miraculous escape. If only they had all acknowledged that it was due to the God of the Christians to whom they owed life and all blessings!
Summary.The Voyage to Rome is begun at Caesarea in an Adramyttine ship, continued at Myra on an Alexandrine vessel, through the southern Aegean Sea and along the south side of Crete, where a terrible storm overtakes the ship and drives it westward to be wrecked on the island of Melita.