Acts 27:26

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) We must be cast upon a certain island.—This had clearly formed part of the special revelation that had been granted to the Apostle. It was more than a conjecture, and the “must” was emphasised as by a prophetic insight into the future.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:21-29 They did not hearken to the apostle when he warned them of their danger; yet if they acknowledge their folly, and repent of it, he will speak comfort and relief to them when in danger. Most people bring themselves into trouble, because they do not know when they are well off; they come to harm and loss by aiming to mend their condition, often against advice. Observe the solemn profession Paul made of relation to God. No storms or tempests can hinder God's favour to his people, for he is a Help always at hand. It is a comfort to the faithful servants of God when in difficulties, that as long as the Lord has any work for them to do, their lives shall be prolonged. If Paul had thrust himself needlessly into bad company, he might justly have been cast away with them; but God calling him into it, they are preserved with him. They are given thee; there is no greater satisfaction to a good man than to know he is a public blessing. He comforts them with the same comforts wherewith he himself was comforted. God is ever faithful, therefore let all who have an interest in his promises be ever cheerful. As, with God, saying and doing are not two things, believing and enjoying should not be so with us. Hope is an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast, entering into that within the veil. Let those who are in spiritual darkness hold fast by that, and think not of putting to sea again, but abide by Christ, and wait till the day break, and the shadows flee away.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Howbeit - Nevertheless.

Upon a certain island - Malta. See Acts 28:1.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

24. saying, Fear not, Paul: thou must be brought before Cæsar and, lo, God hath given thee all … that sail with thee—While the crew were toiling at the pumps, Paul was wrestling in prayer, not for himself only and the cause in which he was going a prisoner to Rome, but with true magnanimity of soul for all his shipmates; and God heard him, "giving him" (remarkable expression!) all that sailed with him. "When the cheerless day came he gathered the sailors (and passengers) around him on the deck of the laboring vessel, and raising his voice above the storm" [Howson], reported the divine communication he had received; adding with a noble simplicity, "for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me," and encouraging all on board to "be of good cheer" in the same confidence. What a contrast to this is the speech of Cæsar in similar circumstances to his pilot, bidding him keep up his spirit because he carried Cæsar and Cæsar's fortune! [Plutarch]. The Roman general knew no better name for the Divine Providence, by which he had been so often preserved, than Cæsar's fortune [Humphry]. From the explicit particulars—that the ship would be lost, but not one that sailed in it, and that they "must be cast on a certain island"—one would conclude a visional representation of a total wreck, a mass of human beings struggling with the angry elements, and one and all of those whose figures and countenances had daily met his eye on deck, standing on some unknown island shore. From what follows, it would seem that Paul from this time was regarded with a deference akin to awe.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This was given by Paul as a sign unto them of the truth of what he had said, which, when it came to pass, might induce them to believe the rest; which probably it did, and saved Paul from being killed by the soldiers, Acts 27:42. Thus God preserves his people, and delivers Paul, and brings all his safely off at the last, but it is by tempests and storms. It may be they must suffer shipwreck of all they have in this world first. Augusta per angusta. Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God, as St. Paul had taught others, Acts 14:22, the experienced to be true himself. There was no truth more experimented than this.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Howbeit, we must be cast upon a certain island. This circumstance is foretold, that when the whole affair should come to pass, it might be manifest that it was not a casual thing, a fortuitous event, a business of chance, but was predetermined by God, made known to the apostle, and predicted by him. This island was Melita; and the fulfilment of this part of the prediction is related in Acts 28:1.

Geneva Study Bible

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Acts 27:26. But (δέ, leading over to the mode of the promised deliverance) we must be cast (ἐκπεσεῖν, see on Acts 27:17) on some island. This assurance, made to Paul probably through the appearance just narrated, is verified Acts 27:41 ff. But it is lightly, and without reason assigned, conjectured by Zeller that Acts 27:21-26 contain a vaticinium post eventum on the part of the author.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 27:26. εἰς νῆσον δὲ κ.τ.λ.: the words do not form part of the message of the angel as they stand, but they may be considered as forming part of the contents of that message, and the Apostle may himself be regarded as speaking μαντικῶς. With Jüngst’s question “How could Paul know anything of an island?” and his dismissal of the statement here as a vaticinium ex eventu, cf. Weizsäcker, u. s., see Acts 27:21; in the section, Acts 27:33-36, which Jüngst defends and refers to his source A, the element of prophecy is equally present, Acts 27:34, as in the verse before us.—ἐκπεσεῖν, cf. Acts 27:17, and further instances in Wetstein, see also Acts 27:29; Acts 27:32, below.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. upon a certain island] Hence it appears that in the vision some details of the manner of their preservation had been made known to St Paul by the divine messenger.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 27:26. Εἰς νῆσον, upon an island) This took place presently, Acts 27:27.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 26. - We must be east, etc. (ἐκπεσεῖν, ver. 17, note). Here St. Paul speaks distinctly by revelation, probably what was told him by the angel. We can see the same purpose here as in all miracles and prophetic utterances, viz. to give God's credentials to his ambassador as speaking in his Name and by his authority (John 20:31). Acts 27:26