[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts XXVII : 9-26
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[10] Saying to them: Ye men, I see that the voyage beginneth to be with injury and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
[11] But the centurion believed the pilot and the master of the ship, more than those things which were said by Paul.
[12] And whereas it was not a commodious haven to winter in, the greatest part gave counsel to sail thence, if by any means they might reach Phenice to winter there, which is a haven of Crete, looking towards the southwest and northwest.
[13] And the south wind gently blowing, thinking that they had obtained their purpose, when they had loosed from Asson, they sailed close by Crete.
[14] But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroaquilo.
[15] And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up against the wind, giving up the ship to the winds, we were driven.
[16] And running under a certain island, that is called Cauda, we had much work to come by the boat.
[17] Which being taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship, and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, they let down the sail yard, and so were driven.
[18] And we being mightily tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.
[19] And the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship. [20] And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm lay on us, all hope of our being saved was now taken away.
[21] And after they had fasted a long time, Paul standing forth in the midst of them, said: You should indeed, O ye men, have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and have gained this harm and loss.
[22] And now I exhort you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship.
[23] For an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, stood by me this night,
[24] Saying: Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and behold, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
[25] Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God that it shall so be, as it hath been told me.
[26] And we must come unto a certain island.
[9] Multo autem tempore peracto, et cum jam non esset tuta navigatio, eo quod et jejunium jam praeteriisset, consolabatur eos Paulus, [10] dicens eis : Viri, video quoniam cum injuria et multo damno non solum oneris, et navis, sed etiam animarum nostrarum incipit esse navigatio.
[11] Centurio autem gubernatori et nauclero magis credebat, quam his quae a Paulo dicebantur. [12] Et cum aptus portus non esset ad hiemandum, plurimi statuerunt consilium navigare inde, si quomodo possent, devenientes Phoenicen, hiemare, portum Cretae respicientem ad Africum et ad Corum. [13] Aspirante autem austro, aestimantes propositum se tenere, cum sustulissent de Asson, legebant Cretam. [14] Non post multum autem misit se contra ipsam ventus typhonicus, qui vocatur Euroaquilo. [15] Cumque arrepta esset navis, et non posset conari in ventum, data nave flatibus, ferebamur.
[16] In insulam autem quamdam decurrentes, quae vocatur Cauda, potuimus vix obtinere scapham. [17] Qua sublata, adjutoriis utebantur, accingentes navem, timentes ne in Syrtim inciderent, summisso vase sic ferebantur. [18] Valida autem nobis tempestate jactatis, sequenti die jactum fecerunt : [19] et tertia die suis manibus armamenta navis projecerunt. [20] Neque autem sole, neque sideribus apparentibus per plures dies, et tempestate non exigua imminente, jam ablata erat spes omnis salutis nostrae.
[21] Et cum multa jejunatio fuisset, tunc stans Paulus in medio eorum, dixit : Oportebat quidem, o viri, audito me, non tollere a Creta, lucrique facere injuriam hanc et jacturam. [22] Et nunc suadeo vobis bono animo esse : amissio enim nullius animae erit ex vobis, praeterquam navis. [23] Astitit enim mihi hac nocte angelus Dei, cujus sum ego, et cui deservio, [24] dicens : Ne timeas Paule, Caesari te oportet assistere : et ecce donavit tibi Deus omnes qui navigant tecum. [25] Propter quod bono animo estote viri : credo enim Deo, quia sic erit, quemadmodum dictum est mihi.
[26] In insulam autem quamdam oportet nos devenire.
Notes
9. when much time was spent. This may embrace a period of a fortnight or three weeks which was spent at Good-havens while waiting for a favourable wind.
sailing. Better, “the voyage” (τοῦ πλοὸς) — i.e. to Italy. At this season violent winds from the north blew over the Ægean Sea and rendered navigation dangerous. Hesiod gives the setting of the Pleiades (circa Oct. 20) as the close of the sailing season, whereas the Romans gave the Ides of November as the last day. The ancient mariners, having no compass, could not safely sail when the stars which guided them were no longer visible.
On this subject Smith quotes Vegetius (de Re Milit., iv. 39) : “Ex. die igitur tertio Iduum Novembris, usque in diem sextum Iduum Martiarum, maria clauduntur. Nam lux minima noxque prolixa, nubium densitas, æris obscuritas ventorum, imbriuin, vel nivium, geminata sævitia” (Smith, p. 46).
(From the third day after the Ides of November until the sixth day after the Ides of March the seas are closed. For daylight decreases, the nights are lengthened, and the darkness of the clouds, the obscurity of the atmosphere, and the severity of the winds, showers, or snow are redoubled.)
the fast was now past. The Day of Atonement was the only fast prescribed by the Mosaic Law, though the Pharisees observed various fasts of supererogation.
This solemnity fell on the tenth of Tishri, the seventh month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, and the first of their civil year. Tishri corresponds to part of our September and October. The Feast of Tabernacles fell on the fifteenth of this month, and the Rabbis held that “ no one ought to sail between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Dedication. ”
The rules for the observance of the Day of Atonement are fully given in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus. On this solemn day no devout Jew touched food for the whole twenty-four hours — from sunset to sunset.
10. Saying to them : Ye men, I see that the voyage,etc. St Paul, in his previous voyages and perils, had acquired a certain experience in navigation, for when writing to the Corinthians some time previously he referred to his having suffered shipwreck thrice, and to having been a night and a day in the deep (2 Cor. xi. 25). We cannot determine whether at this moment the apostle had been enlightened supernaturally, as when be was inspired to assure them of their ultimate safety. He knew for certain that he himself would reach Italy, for he had been assured of this in a vision (see ch. xxiii. 11).
with injury. This Greek noun is generally used with reference to a personal attack, and might be rendered ‘‘violence” or “ buffeting.” It is here employed metaphorically of a grievous disaster.
much damage. The actual injury done to the ship by the violence of the storm.
11. the centurion believed. Better, “gave more heed” (ἐπείθετο μᾶλλον). He naturally took the advice of those who were experts in nautical science.
pilot. The same word occurs in the Apocalypse (ch. xviii. 17), where it is rendered “shipmaster,” but “pilot” gives the correct sense.
master of the ship. In small vessels the owner was often the captain.
12. it was not a commodious, etc. Although Good-havens was an excellent harbour in some seasons, it was not safe in winter, “being open to nearly one-half of the compass.” It might better be described as two open roadsteads [roadstead : A stretch of water near a shore considered as a safe place for ships to ride at anchor; OED] than a harbour.
Phenice. The correct orthography is “ Phœnix.” Most commentators identify it with the modern port of Lutro, which corresponds to the description given in this verse. They did not succeed in reaching this port.
Lutro is an admirable harbour. You open it like a box ; unexpectedly, the rocks stand apart, and the town appears within . . . . We thought we had cut him off (i.e. the pirate ship they were chasing), and that we were driving him right upon the rocks. Suddenly he disappeared ; and rounding after him, like a change of scenery, the little basin, its shipping and the town, presented themselves . . . . Excepting Lutro, all the roadsteads looking to the southward are perfectly exposed to the south or east.” (Quoted in Conybeare and Howson, from a letter written by Mr Urquhart to Mr Smith, p. 641.)
looking towards the south-west arid north-west. The Greek reads lit. “looking down or against the south-west” and “north-west.” We must conclude that the harbour looked to the south-east and north-east, to which these winds blew, and not on the south-west or north-west, whence these winds blew. This explanation gives the harbour as facing the east, and such is the situation of the modern L(o)utro, though, seen from the sea, it looks towards the south-west and the north-west. The accompanying diagram shews that the harbour facing the west must have been exposed to all the fury of the north-westerly and south-westerly winds which prevailed in winter, whereas a harbour looking east was sheltered from them. The accompanying diagram illustrates this point, as at B the harbour is sheltered from the north-west and south-west wind, while the harbour on the west (A) is exposed to them.
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| The port at Loutro. |
13. the south wind gently blowing. The wind had completely veered round. So having weighed anchor, the vessel rounded Cape Matala, which was about five miles from Good -havens. So far they were bearing west by south, and had this favourable south wind continued to blow, the vessel would have reached Phoenix in three or four hours, as this harbour is only thirty-five miles from Cape Matala.
“The sailors already saw the high land above Lutro, and were proceeding in high spirits,— perhaps with fair-weather sails set, — certainly with the boat towing astern, forgetful of past difficulties, and blind to impending dangers ” (Conybeare and Howson, vol. ii.).
Asson. It is more probable that this is not a proper noun, but the comparative of the Greek adverb “near” (ἄγχι). Hence, “asson” signifies “ nearer.” By keeping very close to the shore they could better double Cape Matala, which lay south-west of Good-havens.
The A.V. renders this verse correctly : “They weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.”
close by Crete. “It is always safe to anchor under the lee of an island with a northerly wind, as it dies away gradually ; but it would be extremely dangerous with southerly winds as they almost invariably shift to a violent northerly wind ” (Capt. J. Stewart, R. N,, (quoted by Smith).
14. not long after, — i.e. after they had passed Crete.
against it. Against, the island of Crete.
Captain Spratt, in a letter to Mr Smith, records a similar experience : “We left Fair Havens with alight southerly wind and clear sky, everything indicative of a fine day until we rounded the cape to haul up for the head of the bay. Then we saw Mount Ida covered with a dense cloud and met a strong northerly breeze (one of the summer gales, in fact, so frequent in the Levant, but which in general are accompanied by terrific gusts and squalls from those high mountains), the wind blowing direct from Mount Ida” (quoted by Conybeare and Howson).
a tempestuous wind. Lit. “ a typhonic wind ” (ἄνεμος τυφωνικὸς). This whirlwind caused by the sudden change in the direction of the wind descended “ from the lofty hills in heavy spirls and eddies,” and prevented the pilots from accomplishing their aim of keeping close to the shore.
called Euro-aquilo. The Greeks called this north-east wind Cœcias. The reading “ Euro-aquilo” is found in Codices א, A, R, and in the Sahidic and Vulgate Versions. Another reading given in H, L, and P is “ Euro-clydon ” (Εὖρος, the east, wind; κλύδον a wave). This word, as the name of a wind, is not found in classical writers.
Smith accepts the reading “Euro-aquilo,” and gives three arguments in favour of the ship having been driven out of its course by a wind blowing from E.N.E. : —
1. The etymology of the word.2. The fact that the vessel was driven from its position west of Capo Matala to Cauda.3. The apprehension of the sailors that the ship would be driven into the Syrtis.
15. the ship was caught. The wind seized the ship and whirled it out of its course.
could not bear up. Lit. “could not face or eye the wind ” (ἀντοφθαλμεῖν τῷ ἀνέμῳ). The anccient ships had a large eye painted on each side of the prow.
giving up the ship to the winds. The vessel was now scudding before the gale in a south-westerly direction.
16. running under, — i.e. under the lee or sheltered side of Cauda, where the waters would be a little calmer, and this respite enabled the seamen to hoist up the boat which was towed astern, and to prepare for the storm.
Cauda. The orthography varies considerably, e.g. Claudos, Clauda, Cauden, etc. The modern name is Gozzo. The island lies about twenty miles south of Crete.
much work. Lit. “with difficiilty,” as in verses 7 and 8. The sea was high, and the boat must have been completely swamped. It is always a difficult task to hoist up a boat during a gale.
17. being taken up. Better, “ when they had hoisted her up.”
they used helps. “ Stays and braces to keep the ship together.”
under-girding the ship. This consisted in passing cables round the framework of the ship and tightening them by means of pulleys and levers, in order to prevent the planks from ‘‘starting” under the great strain. Ancient ships often foundered, owing to leakages arising from the uneven distribution of pressure, which was very great upon the hull of the vessel on account of the large mainmast.
Ships are rarely undergirded now, as they are more strongly built, but a few examples of this practice are given by James, and by Conybeare and Howson ; thus a Canadian timber-vessel arrived undergirded (or “ flapped ” ) at Aberdeen in 1846. The captain of the ship “St Stephen,” which sailed from New Brunswick to Kingston in Jamaica, describes a similar case: “I found it necessary, for the preservation of the crew and vessel, and the balance of deck load, to secure top of ship ; took a coil of four-inch Manilla rope, commenced forward, passing it round and round the vessel, after which cut up some spars, made heavers, and hove the warp as tight as possible. Fearing the warp would chafe off and part, took one of the chains, passed it round and before with tackles and heavers, and secured the top of the vessel, so that the leak in the waterways was partially stopped. In this state I reached Port Royal, when I took off the warp and chain, and arrived at Kingston on January 12, 1838. Had I not taken the means I did, I am of opinion the vessel could not have been got into port.”
the quicksands. This refers to the Greater Syrtis, a dangerous bay, full of rocks and shoals, on the north coast of Africa, between Tunis and Tripoli. This bay, “the Goodwin Sands of the Mediterranean,” was much dreaded by navigators.
they let down the sail yard. The R.V. reads, “ they lowered the gear,” which renders the Greek more correctly. In classical Greek, the word which is here rendered “ gear,” when applied to ships, signifies all the tackling, such as sails, ropes, yards, anchors, pulleys, etc. In this case they probably brought down the heavy top-hamper of the mast, and took all necessary precautions for facing the storm.
The A.V. reads here they “ strake sail,” but this is a mistranslation ; had they furled all their sails, they would have been inevitably driven on the quicksands of Syrtis.
18. we being mightily tossed. The storm steadily increased.
they lightened the ship. Lit. “ they made a casting overboard ” (ἐκβολὴν ἐποιοῦντο). St Luke employs the technical term for unlading. They set about lightening the ship by throwing part of the cargo overboard. Evidently, in spite of the undergirding, the vessel was leaking.
19. the third day, — i.e. of the storm.
they cast out. Some MSS. read “ we cast out,” but this reading is not so well supported as the one given by the Vulgate.
the tackling of the ship. Commentators are not agreed as to the meaning of this. Some understand that they threw ‘‘ the huge main- yard ” overboard, others are of opinion that they threw all the movable furniture into the sea. “As σκεῦος (the gear), in verse 17, seems to mean all that could be spared from aloft, so here it appears to signify all that could be removed from the deck or hull of the vessel.”
20. neither sun nor stars appeared. Consequently they were unable to ascertain their position. We need not suppose that they were in total darkness during the day, but that the mist and spray prevented them from sighting land.
“ No one who has never been in a leaking ship in a continued gale can know what is suffered under such circumstances. The strain botlh of mind and body— the incessant demand for the labour of all the crew— the terror of the passengers— the hopeless working at the pumps— the labouring of the ship’s frame and cordage— the driving of the storm — the benumbing effect of the cold and wet, make up a scene of no ordinary confusion anxiety, and fatigue ” (Conybeare and Howson, vol. ii.).
21. after they had fasted. There was certainly sufficient food on board, but as the violence of the storm gave them no respite, it was impossible to prepare meals. Add to this the anxiety, nausea, and exhaustion inevitable under the circumstances, and the “much abstinence” is readily understood.
Paul standing forth. He came forward as God’s messenger to raise their courage and revive, their hope. While the crew were toiling, he had been praying for them, and now his confidence in God inspires them with fresh energy.
You should indeed, etc. He had advised them to winter in Good-havens, but they had rejected his advice.
“ After so great a storm he does not speak insultingly to them, but simply wishes to be believed in future ” (St John Chrys., Hom., liii.).
have gained, — i.e. to have been spared. In both Greek and Latin idiomatic language, “to gain a loss” is to avoid experiencing it.
harm and loss. “Harm” refers to the persons, “loss” to their property.
22. there shall be no loss, etc. St Paul knows this by revelation, and he delivers his message of mercy precisely when the crew and passengers are in the greatest dejection at the thought of facing death. On this occasion, as ever, “man’s necessity is God’s opportunity.”
23. an Angel of God. This is the only apparition of an angel to St Paul that is recorded in the Acts. For apparitions to St Peter and others see i. 10, v. 19, viii. 26, x. 3, xii. 7.
whose I am, etc. These words are characteristic of St Paul’s style, and they recall his address in the Areopagus and various passages in his epistles, e.g. For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit (Rom. i. 9).
whom I serve. The Greek verb here used expresses the act of adoration or worship (λατρεύω).
stood by me. It was a vision, not a dream,
24. thou must he brought. This is the second recorded revelation concerning St Paul's mission in Rome. Hence be knew that his life would be spared until he had stood before Cesar.
It is generally believed that St Paul actually stood before Nero himself, when he was imprisoned a second time in Rome. This view is based on the following passage : At my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me : may it not he laid to their charge. But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching may he accomplished, and that all the Gentiles may hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion (2 Tim. iv. 16-17). By “ the lion” Jerome understands Nero.
God hath given thee, etc. The safety of the crew and passengers was evidently due to St Paul’s prayers. ‘‘This is not spoken boastfully, but in the wish to win those who were sailing in the ship, for he spoke thus not that they might feel themselves obliged to him, but that they might believe what be was saying” (St John Cbrys., Hom., liii. 2). The assurance of safety, however, did not dispense the sailors from exerting themselves.
25. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer. These consoling, inspiriting words, uttered so confidently in the midst of danger, were well calculated to rekindle hope in their breasts.
I believe God. “ Note how the servant of God has the light of hope and trust in the darkest night of danger and suffering.”
as it hath been told me. To St Paul, as to our Blessed Lady, the words might have been addressed : Blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall he accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord (St Luke i. 45). This blessing is reserved for all who trust God implicitly.
26. we must come, etc. The angel had revealed this to the apostle.
In this, as in other miracles and revelations, we see that the chief object was to give authority to the words of God’s minister, to serve as credentials confirming their divine commission.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum tutus semper sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum tutus semper sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam
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