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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Acts 27:12–20. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In these verses we have,
I.The ship putting to sea again, and pursuing her voyage at first with a promising gale. Observe,
1.What induced them to leave the fair havens: it was because they thought the harbour not commodious to winter in; it was pleasant enough in summer but in the winter they lay bleak. Or perhaps it was upon some other account incommodious; provisions perhaps were scarce and dear there; and they ran upon a mischief to avoid an inconvenience, as we often do. Some of the ship's crew, or of the council that was called to advise in this matter, were for staying there, rather than venturing to sea now that the weather was so uncertain: it is better to be safe in an incommodious harbour than to be lost in a tempestuous sea. But they were outvoted when it was put to the question, and the greater part advised to depart thence also; yet they aimed not to go far, but only to another port of the same island, here called Phenice, and some think it was so called because the Phenicians frequented it much, the merchants of Tyre and Sidon. It is here described to lie towards the south-west and north-west. Probably the haven was between the two promontories or juttings-out of land into the sea, one of which pointed to the north-west and the other to the south-west, by which it was guarded against the east winds. Thus hath the wisdom of the Creator provided for the relief and safety of those who go down to the sea in ships, and do business in great waters. In vain had nature provided for us the waters to sail on, if it had not likewise provided for us natural harbours to take shelter in.
2.What encouragement they had at first to pursue their voyage. They set out with a fair wind (Act 27:13), the south wind blew softly, upon which they should gain their point, and so they sailed close by the coast of Crete and were not afraid of running upon the rocks or quicksands, because the wind blew so gently. Those who put to sea with ever so fair a gale know not what storms they may yet meet with, and therefore must not be secure, nor take it for granted that they have obtained their purpose, when so many accidents may happen to cross their purpose. Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast as though he had put it off.
II.The ship in a storm presently, a dreadful storm.
They looked at second causes, and took their measures from the favourable hints they gave, and imagined that because the south wind now blew softly it would always blow so; in confidence of this, they ventured to sea, but were soon made sensible of their folly in giving more credit to a smiling wind than to the word of God in Paul's mouth, by which they had fair warning given them of a storm. Observe,
1.What their danger and distress was, (1.). There arose against them a tempestuous wind, which was not only contrary to them, and directly in their teeth, so that they could not get forward, but a violent wind, which raised the waves, like that which was sent forth in pursuit of Jonah, though Paul was following God, and going on in his duty, and not as Jonah running away from God and his duty. This wind the sailors called Euroclydon, a north-east wind, which upon those seas perhaps was observed to be in a particular manner troublesome and dangerous. It was a sort of whirlwind, for the ship is said to be caught by it, Act 27:15. It was God that commanded this wind to rise, designing to bring glory to himself, and reputation to Paul, out of it; stormy winds being brought out of his treasuries (Psa 135:7), they fulfil his word, Psa 148:8. (2.) The ship was exceedingly tossed (Act 27:18); it was kicked like a football from wave to wave; its passengers (as it is elegantly described, Psa 107:26, Psa 107:27) mount up to the heavens, go down again to the depths, reel to and fro, stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. The ship could not possibly bear up into the wind, could not make her way in opposition to the wind; and therefore they folded up their sails, which in such a storm would endanger them rather than to them any service, and so let the ship drive, Not whither it would, but whither it was impelled by the impetuous waves - non quo voluit, sed quo rapit impetus undae. Ovid. Trist. It is probable that they were very near the heaven of Phenice when this tempest arose, and thought they should presently be in a quiet haven, and were pleasing themselves with the thought of it, and wintering there, and lo, of a sudden, they are in this distress. Let us therefore always rejoice with trembling, and never expect a perfect security, nor a perpetual security, till we come to heaven. (3.) They saw neither sun nor stars for many days. This made the tempest the more terrible, that they were all in the dark; and the use of the loadstone for the direction of sailors not being then found out (so that they had no guide at all, when they could see neither sun nor stars) made the case the more hazardous. Thus melancholy sometimes is the condition of the people of God upon a spiritual account. They walk in darkness and have no light. Neither sun nor stars appear; they cannot dwell, nay, they cannot fasten, upon any thing comfortable or encouraging; thus it may be with them, and yet light is sown for them. (4.) They had abundance of winter-weather: No small tempest - cheimōn ouk oligos, cold rain, and snow, and all the rigours of that season of the year, so that they were ready to perish for cold; and all this continued many days. See what hardships those often undergo who are much at sea, besides the hazards of life they run; and yet to get gain there are still those who make nothing of all this; and it is an instance of divine Providence that it disposes some to this employment, notwithstanding the difficulties that attend it, for the keeping up of commerce among the nations, and the isles of the Gentiles particularly; and Zebulun can as heartily rejoice in his going out as Issachar in his tents. Perhaps Christ therefore chose ministers from among seafaring men, because they had been used to endure hardness.
2.What means they used for their own relief: they betook themselves to all the poor shifts (for I can call them no better) that sailors in distress have recourse to.
(1.)When they could not make head against the wind, they let the ship run adrift, finding it was to no purpose to ply either the oar or the sail. When it is fruitless to struggle, it is wisdom to yield.
(2.)They nevertheless did what they could to avoid the present danger; there was a little island called Clauda, and when they were near that, though they could not pursue their voyage, they took care to prevent their shipwreck, and therefore so ordered their matters that they did not run against the island, but quietly ran under it, Act 27:16.
(3.)When they were afraid they should scarcely save the ship, they were busy to save the boat, which they did with much ado. They had much work to come by the boat (Act 27:16), but at last they took it up, Act 27:17. This might be of use in any exigence, and therefore they made hard shift to get it into the ship to them.
(4.)They used means which were proper enough in those times, when the art of navigation was far short of the perfection it is now come to; they undergirded the ship, Act 27:17. They bound the ship under the bottom of it with strong cables, to keep it from bulging in the extremity of the tempest.
(5.)For fear of falling into the quicksands they struck sail, and then let the ship go as it would. It is strange how a ship will live at sea (so they express it), even in very stormy weather, if it have but sea-room; and, when the sailors cannot make the shore, it is their interest to keep as far off it as they can.
(6.)The next day they lightened the ship of its cargo, threw the goods and the merchandises overboard (as Jonah's mariners did, Jon 1:5), being willing rather to be poor without them than to perish with them. Skin for skin, and all that a man has, will he give for his life. See what the wealth of this world is; how much soever it is courted as a blessing, the time may come when it will be a burden, not only too heavy to be carried safe of itself, but heavy enough to sink him that has it. Riches are often kept by the owners thereof to their hurt (Ecc 5:13); and parted with to their good. But see the folly of the children of this world, they can be thus prodigal of their goods when it is for the saving of their lives, and yet how sparing of them in works of piety and charity, and in suffering for Christ, though they are told by eternal Truth itself that those shall be recompensed more than a thousand fold in the resurrection of the just. Those went upon a principle of faith who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance, Heb 10:34. Any man will rather make shipwreck of his goods than of his life; but many will rather make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience than of their goods.
(7.)The third day they cast out the tacklings of the ship - the utensils of it, Armamenta (so some render it), as if it were a ship of force. With us it is common to heave the guns over-board in the extremity of a storm; but what heavy artillery they had then which it was necessary to lighten the ship of I do not know; and I question whether it was not then a vulgar error among seamen thus to throw every thing into the sea, even that which would be of great use in a storm, and no great weight.
3.The despair which at last they were brought to (Act 27:20): All hope that we should be saved was then taken away. The storm continued, and they saw no symptoms of its abatement; we have known very blustering weather to continue for some weeks. The means they had used were ineffectual, so that they were at their wits' end; and such was the consternation that this melancholy prospect put them into that they had no heart either to eat or drink. They had provision enough on board (Act 27:38), but such bondage were they under, through fear of death, that they could not admit the supports of life. Why did not Paul, by the power of Christ, and in his name, lay this storm? Why did he not say to the winds and waves, Peace, be still, as his Master had done? Surely it was because the apostles wrought miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine, not for the serving of a turn for themselves or their friends.
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Mark then the providential ordering of the events: first indeed, "when the south wind blew softly, supposing they had obtained their purpose," they loosed the vessel, and came forth; then when the wind bore down upon them, they gave way to it driving them, and were with difficulty saved.
And when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, etc. Another Translation more clearly states: And when the ship was caught, they could not face the wind, and yielded the ship to the wind, and began to gather the sails. Then we ran under an island which is called Clauda, which they could not reach, but lifeboats were sent to help the ship, girding it. They also lowered anchors, fearing they might run aground in the Syrtes. This shows that ropes from the middle of the side of the ship were lowered on both sides around its front parts, attached to anchors that were towed. Similarly, in our, that is, the British sea, they are accustomed to place millstones under the ship's stern to slow it down. They did this to retard the ship's progress, so that it might not rush into the Syrtes, terrifying even to hear about, which draw everything to them. Hence Sallustius says they were named from the dragging.
And the south wind blowing softly, they thought they had obtained their purpose, etc., we could scarcely retain the boat. We wrote in the first book, following Isidore, that the boat was a light vessel, woven from wicker and covered with rawhide; but subsequently, upon perusing the writings of others, we found that boats are also called small vessels hollowed out of a single tree, which the Greeks call monoxylas.
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Summary
Acts 27:15 vividly describes a critical moment in Paul's perilous sea voyage to Rome, where the ship, caught by the powerful Euroclydon storm, became utterly unmanageable. Despite the crew's experience, the vessel could no longer withstand the wind's force, compelling them to abandon all attempts at navigation and surrender to the storm's overwhelming power, allowing the ship to be driven wherever the tempest carried it. This verse encapsulates the crew's complete loss of control and the raw, unyielding force of nature.
Context
Literary Context
Acts 27:15 is situated within the dramatic narrative of Paul's journey as a prisoner to Rome, a journey fraught with divine intervention and human peril. The immediate preceding verses establish the setting: Paul and his companions had sailed from Fair Havens, Crete, against Paul's explicit warning (Acts 27:9-10), only to be overtaken by a violent northeasterly tempest, the "Euroclydon" (Acts 27:14). This verse marks the point of no return for the ship's navigability, following the initial struggle against the storm and the desperate measures taken to secure the ship (Acts 27:16-17). It sets the stage for the subsequent days of despair and Paul's divinely inspired reassurance (Acts 27:21-26), leading ultimately to the shipwreck and miraculous survival of all on board (Acts 27:41-44).
Historical & Cultural Context
The voyage described in Acts 27 takes place in the dangerous autumn sailing season (after the Day of Atonement, typically September/October), when Mediterranean storms were common and severe. Roman ships of this era were large cargo vessels, often carrying hundreds of people and substantial freight, but they were still vulnerable to extreme weather, lacking modern navigational aids or powerful engines. The "Euroclydon" (or "Euraquilo") was a notorious cyclonic storm from the northeast, capable of driving ships helplessly before it. The crew's actions—first attempting to "bear up into the wind" and then "letting her drive"—reflect standard ancient seafaring responses to an unmanageable storm: either trying to head into the wind to maintain control or, failing that, running before it with minimal sail to avoid capsizing, hoping to ride out the gale. Paul's status as a prisoner, yet his eventual spiritual authority over the ship's company, adds a unique dimension to this historical account.
Key Themes
Acts 27:15 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Acts and the broader biblical narrative. It powerfully illustrates human helplessness in the face of overwhelming natural forces, contrasting sharply with the sovereignty of God who ultimately controls the elements and human destiny. The crew's surrender to the storm ("we let her drive") underscores the theme of desperate surrender when human effort is exhausted, foreshadowing the divine intervention that will preserve Paul and all aboard. This event also highlights the theme of divine providence in Paul's life, as God's plan to bring Paul to Rome to testify before Caesar (Acts 23:11) remains steadfast, even amidst extreme peril. The storm, therefore, serves not as an obstacle to God's plan, but as a dramatic backdrop against which His faithfulness is demonstrated, ultimately leading to the safe arrival of Paul and his companions, as promised in Acts 27:22-26.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "to snatch together, i.e. seize." This word conveys a sudden, forceful, and inescapable capture of the ship by the wind, indicating that the vessel was violently overpowered without any means of resistance or escape.
Meaning "to face." In a nautical context, this signifies the inability of the ship to head into the wind, to resist its direct force, or to make any headway against it. The ship could not "look the wind in the face" or stand against its might.
And G5342. G1929 (epidídōmi) means "to give over (by hand or surrender)," and G5342 (phérō) means "to 'bear' or carry (in a very wide application, literally and figuratively, as follows):--be, bear, bring (forth), carry, come, + let her drive, be driven, endure, go on, lay, lead, move, reach, rushing, uphold." The combination indicates a complete abandonment of active navigation, a passive yielding to the storm's overwhelming force, allowing the ship to be carried wherever the wind pushed it, having surrendered all control.
Verse Breakdown
"And when the ship was caught"
This phrase immediately establishes the ship's predicament. The Greek verb synarpázō (caught) emphasizes the suddenness and violence of the wind's seizure of the vessel. It was not a gentle nudge but a forceful, overwhelming grip, rendering the ship helpless and at the mercy of the storm. This signifies the point where human control was decisively lost.
"and could not bear up into the wind"
This clause further elaborates on the ship's inability to maneuver. The phrase antophthalméō (bear up into) literally means "to face" or "to look in the eye," implying that the ship could not face the wind's direct force. It was impossible to steer against the gale or maintain any course, indicating a complete loss of directional control and the futility of any further attempts at navigation.
"we let [her] drive"
This final clause describes the crew's desperate and involuntary response to their utter helplessness. Having exhausted all means of resistance and realizing the impossibility of maintaining control, they surrendered the ship to the storm's power. The phrase epidídōmi pherō (let her drive) conveys the passive act of yielding, allowing the ship to be carried along by the wind without any active steering, a stark admission of defeat and a profound moment of despair.
Literary Devices
Acts 27:15 employs several literary devices to convey the drama and desperation of the scene. The entire verse functions as a powerful Metaphor for human helplessness in the face of overwhelming forces, whether natural or spiritual. The ship represents human agency and control, while the wind symbolizes an irresistible, chaotic power. The phrase "could not bear up into the wind" uses Personification, subtly attributing an active, confrontational will to the wind that the ship is unable to "face." The concise, declarative sentences create a sense of Pacing that mirrors the suddenness and relentlessness of the storm, building tension. Furthermore, the progression from being "caught" to "could not bear up" to "let her drive" illustrates a narrative arc of increasing desperation and ultimate Surrender, highlighting the futility of human resistance against a superior force.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Acts 27:15, though describing a physical storm, carries profound theological implications. It serves as a vivid illustration of human limitations and the necessity of surrendering to a higher power when faced with circumstances beyond our control. The crew's inability to "bear up into the wind" and their subsequent decision to "let her drive" powerfully portray the futility of human strength and ingenuity when confronted with the overwhelming forces of nature—or, by extension, the overwhelming trials of life. This moment of utter helplessness sets the stage for God's divine intervention through Paul, emphasizing that even when all seems lost, God's sovereign plan prevails. It reminds us that our ultimate security and direction do not rest in our ability to control circumstances, but in God's unwavering providence, which guides us even through the most turbulent seas.
Reflection and Application
Acts 27:15 offers a timeless metaphor for the storms of life that inevitably come upon us. There are moments when, despite our best efforts, planning, and skill, we find ourselves "caught" by overwhelming circumstances—a sudden illness, a financial crisis, a relational breakdown, or a profound loss. Like the ship, we may find we "cannot bear up into the wind," meaning our usual strategies, our strength, or our will are insufficient to overcome the force bearing down on us. In such moments, the verse prompts us to consider the wisdom of "letting her drive"—not as an act of passive resignation, but as a recognition of our limits and an invitation to surrender control to God. This surrender is not weakness; it is an act of profound trust, acknowledging that there are forces greater than ourselves and a God who is sovereign over all. It encourages us to release our grip on what we cannot control, allowing God to steer us through the tempest, even if the path is not what we would have chosen. This often leads to a deeper reliance on His providence and a discovery of His faithfulness in ways we might never have experienced had we remained in control.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "could not bear up into the wind" mean for the ship?
In nautical terms, "could not bear up into the wind" means the ship was unable to head into the wind, to resist its direct force, or to make any headway against it. The wind was so powerful that the crew could not steer the ship to face the wind's direction or to move against it. This signifies a complete loss of directional control, rendering the ship at the mercy of the storm's force.
Why did the crew "let her drive" instead of continuing to fight the storm?
The phrase "we let her drive" indicates a desperate and involuntary surrender. Having exhausted all means of resistance and realizing the futility of their efforts to navigate or control the ship against the overwhelming force of the Euroclydon, the sailors were forced to abandon their attempts. "Letting her drive" meant allowing the ship to be carried wherever the storm dictated, often with minimal sail to prevent capsizing. This was a last resort, an admission that the ship was unmanageable and their only option was to ride out the storm passively, hoping for survival. This act underscores their profound despair and the limits of human power in the face of such a tempest.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Acts 27:15, though a narrative of human helplessness in a literal storm, powerfully foreshadows and illuminates the Christian's experience of life's spiritual tempests and the ultimate sovereignty of Christ. Just as the ship was "caught" and "could not bear up into the wind," so too are believers often overwhelmed by the "winds" of sin, suffering, and worldly pressures, finding their own strength insufficient to navigate. The crew's desperate surrender to "let her drive" finds its spiritual parallel in the call to surrender our lives and our control to Jesus Christ. He is not merely a passive observer but the Lord who commands the winds and the waves (as seen in Mark 4:35-41). In Christ, our "letting go" is not a surrender to chaos, but a surrender to the One who holds all things together (Colossians 1:16-17). He is our anchor in the storm, our pilot through the darkest waters, and the ultimate fulfillment of God's providential care. Even when we feel utterly adrift, the presence of Christ in our lives ensures that our ultimate destination, like Paul's, is secure in God's eternal purpose, for He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).