English · KJV

John Chrysostom

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 7,356 passages across 56 books

Commentary

2,421–2,440 of 7,356
Acts 27:33-34

And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

And how, say you, did they go without food, having taken nothing? How did they bear it? Their fear possessed them, and did not let them fall into a desire of food, being, as they were, at the point of extreme jeopardy; but they had no care for food. Moreover, the place is a trying one, for it was in the Adriatic, and then their long abstinence. They were in the midst of death. It was now the fourteenth day that they were going without food, having taken nothing.
Acts 27:35-36

And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

And he exhorts them again to take some meat, and they do as he bids them, and he takes some first, to persuade them not by word, but also by act, that the storm did them no harm, but rather was a benefit to their souls. Observe, his giving thanks after all that had happened strengthened them. For this showed an assured mind that they would be saved. "Then were they all of good cheer; and they also took some meat." And not only so, but henceforth they so cast all their care upon Paul, that they even cast out the corn, being so many.
Acts 27:37

And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

Two hundred and seventy-six souls: whence had they victuals? See how they do their part as men, and how Paul does not forbid them. They had thrown out the rest of the corn, but they trusted Paul's assurance for all.
Acts 27:40

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.

"They made towards shore," having given the rudder-handles to the wind: for oftentimes they do it not in this way. They were borne along, having loosed the rigging, that is, the sails.
Acts 27:41

And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

"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;" for when there is a strong wind, this is the consequence, the stern bearing the brunt of the storm.
Acts 27:42

And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

Again the devil tries to hinder the prophecy, and they had a mind to kill some, but the centurion suffered them not, that he might save Paul, so much was the centurion attached to him.
Acts 27:43 · 3 passages

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:

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: 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.
Again the devil tries to impede the prophecy: the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners, but the centurion prevented them in order to save Paul. The centurion had become a very dear friend.

CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 27.41-43

And so it was through themselves being saved that they learnt who Paul was. But some one may say: why did he not save the ship? That they might perceive how great a danger they had escaped: and that the whole matter depended, not on the help of man, but on God's hand saving them independently of a ship.
Acts 27:44

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.

So it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land. Do you mark what good came of the storm? Why then it was no mark of their being forsaken, that the storm came upon them. Now this that happened was in consequence of the season of the year; but the wonder is greater, that at such a season they were saved from the midst of the dangers, both he, and for his sake the rest, and this too in the Hadriatic. There were two hundred and seventy-six souls in all: no small matter this also, if indeed they believed. The voyage was at an unseasonable time. It is natural to suppose they would ask the reason why they were sailing, and would learn all. Nor was it for nothing that the voyage was so protracted; it afforded Paul an opportunity for teaching.
Acts 28:1

And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

Do you mark what good came of the storm? Why then it was no mark of their being forsaken, that the storm came upon them. Now this that happened was in consequence of the season of the year; but the wonder is greater, that at such a season they were saved from the midst of the dangers, both he, and for his sake the rest, and this too in the Hadriatic.
Acts 28:2 · 2 passages

And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

"Showed," he says, "no little kindness to us-barbarians" (as they were) "-having kindled a fire:" else it were of no use that their lives be saved, if the wintry weather must destroy them.
The Jews then, beholding all the many miracles they did, persecuted and harassed Paul; but the barbarians, who had seen none, merely on the ground of his misfortune, were kind to him. "They showed no small kindness," and yet some of them were prisoners. Let those be ashamed that say, Do not do good to those in prison: let these barbarians shame us; for they knew not who these men were, but simply because they were in misfortune they were kind: thus much they perceived, that they were human beings, and therefore they considered them to have a claim upon their humanity.
Acts 28:3

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

Then Paul having taken brushwood, laid it on the fire. See how active he is; observe how we nowhere find him doing miracles for the sake of doing them, but only upon emergency. Both during the storm when there was a cause he prophesied, not for the sake of prophesying, and here again in the first instance he lays on brushwood: nothing for vain display, but with a simple view to their being preserved, and enjoying some warmth.
Acts 28:4 · 2 passages

And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

Then a viper "fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live." Well also was this permitted, that they should both see the thing and utter the thought, in order that, when the result ensued, there might be no disbelieving the miracle. Observe their good feeling towards the distressed, in saying this not aloud, but among themselves - observe also the natural judgment clearly expressed even among barbarians, and how they do not condemn without assigning a reason.
"No doubt," say they, "this man is a murderer." They do not simply pronounce their judgment, but say, "No doubt," that is, as any one may see, "and vengeance," say they, "suffereth him not to live." Why then, they held also the doctrine of a Providence, and these barbarians were far more philosophic than the philosophers, who allow not the benefit of a Providence to extend to things "below the moon:" whereas these barbarians suppose God to be present everywhere, and that although a guilty man may escape many a danger, he will not escape in the end. And they do not assail him forthwith, but for a time respect him on account of his misfortune: nor do they openly proclaim their surmise, but speak it "among themselves: a murderer;" for the bonds led them to suspect this.
Acts 28:5

And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

And these also behold, that they may wonder the more. "And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm."
Acts 28:6 · 2 passages

Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

They expected him, it says, to fall down dead: and again, having seen that nothing of the kind happened to him, they said, He is a god. Again, as in chapter 14:11, another excess on the part of these men.
"And for a great while," it says, "they expected that he would die." But when he shook his hand, and flung off the beast, then they saw and were astonished. And the miracle did not take place suddenly, but the men went by the length of time, "after they had looked a great while," so plainly was there no deceit, no haste here.
Acts 28:7

In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

"Publius," it says, "lodged them courteously": two hundred and seventy-six persons. Consider how great the gain of his hospitality: not as of necessity, not as unwilling, but as reckoning it a gain he lodged them for three days.

All writers