The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 2 — Section 291

o.nehoris de,tinnb~t ne fh1t1tib11s moverctur" o 1iair for an hair, A.V.: rerish for fall, (Cllll!&r, • De Bell. Civ.,' i. 25). From the A. V. and T.R. Te.ke ; here m the R. T. µ<• 11tem. Anohoni are n1m&lly dropped from the -m;,.a,B,w instood of 1rpo,r>,..a.fJiw of the T.R. bow, but under certtl.in ciroumstanoes ships Your safety; or, health; i.e. for tho preser- anchor from the stem. The British navy vation of your lives in the impending FO o.nohored at the battles of the Nile, struggle. Not a hair perish; or, accor<ling Algieni, and CopP-nhagen, &nd it is a com- to the T.R., fall. It is unoerte.in whether mon practioo of the Levsntine caiques e.t l..ro,.Ei-ra, (R.1r.) or 'lrf<TE<'rCI (T.R.) is the the prePent clay ; e.nd &n ancient picturo of a right reading. The Hebrew proverb, a.e Ehip (at Hercule.nenm) distinctly represents contained in l Sam. xiv. 45; 2 Sam. xiv. 11; " hawse-holes aft to fit them for anchoring l Kings i. 52, is, "fall to the earth" or by the stern." They did so in the prel!tlnt "ground:" El 1r<tr<i'-ra1 -rp1x&s ( or, l,,,,-b -rijs Cll8e, to obvi&te the danger of the ship swing- -rp,x&s, or.,.,;;., .-p,xtiiv) .-ijs K•,Po>..ijs 11b.-ou , ...1 ing round e.nd getting into breakers, and rl,v ">'71" (LXX.). In Luke ni. 18, it ia e.lso that she might be in the best position 0pl{ IK -rijs KEt/)aAijs oµwv o.J µ~ a,,ro"11Tal for running on to the beach a.e soon a.e day- (comp. Luke xii. 7). Absolute e.nd com- light ea.me. plete safety is meant. He still speo.ks 311 e. Ver. 80.-Saibs for shipmen, A.V.; seek- prophet. ing for about, A.V.; and had 'lowered for Ver. 85.-Said this for thtLS spoken, A.V.; when they had l.et down, A.V.; 1.ay out for and had taken for he tool,, A.V.; he gave for hau cast, A.V.; frt,m for out of, A.V. Had and gave, A.V.; the presence of all for pre- lowered (xaAdtrav-r<s, see ver. 17, note). The sence of them all, A.V.; he brake for when sailors thought the only chance of safety he had broken, A.V.; and began for he began, wu to get into the boe.t and rnn ashore on A.V. Had taken bread, etc. The conour- the bee.eh. They pretended, therefore, that rence of the words 1'.a/J~v lip-rov, .,,l.xapltr-r'f/tr•, they wished to let down more anchoni from K1'.c/.,ras, which e.ll occur in the institution of the bow; e.nd let down the bont, as if with the Holy Eucharist (Luke nil. 19), ill that intention, being prepared to jnmp in certainly, e.s Bishop Wordsworth says, re- and make for the shore, leaving the ship to markable. But there is the same similnrity be wrecked, with all on board her. What a of phrase ( except that <u1'.6'Y'f/tr< is used for contrast to the conduct of our English crews, 7111xap/a-.,..,,,,.in the first passage) in Matt. xiv. who are al ways the last to quit e. sinking 19 e.nd xv. 86, and therefore the conclusion vessel! to be drawn is that St. Paul's action e.nd Ver. 31.-Pe.ul 88id. It is remarkable words were the same e.s those of our Lord, as what ascendency Paul he.d gained during far as the breaking bread and giving thC1nks this terrible fortnight. He now penetrated e.nd eating, went, which were common to in a moment the design of the Eelfish sailors, both occasions; but in the institution of the e.nd, with his wonted decision, told the cen- sacrament the words "This is my body" turion, who wa.e in command of the whole were additional, and represented an ad- party (ver. 11), and who, it is likely, he.d ditional and sacramental truth. Observe, his soldiers on deck to preserve order e.nd again, the devout confeBBion of the living diEcipline, Exoept these a.bide in the ship, ye God in the presence of unbelieving men ce.nnot be nved. The uµ,<is is emphatic, (vers. 23, 24). you yoursefoes. Ver. 86.-Themselves also took food for Ver. 32.-Cut away for cut off, A. V. Fall they also took some meat, A.V. Of good off UK1r<triiv, vers. 17, note, 26, e.nd 29). The cheer ( .~6uµ.o1) ; see nbove, vers. 22, 25, action of the soldiers in cutting the rope notes. e.nd letting the boat loose was very prompt, Ver. 87.-We were in all, eto. From the but rather re.eh, e.s the boat might have been number of persons, two hundred e.nd seventy- useful in landing those on board. But it six, on board the ship it is co.lculo.ted that she showed their implicit confidence in Paul's was of more than five hundred tons burden. word. The ship in which Josephus wo.s wrecked Ver. 83.-Some food for -m.eat, A.V.; wait on his way to Rome, under the procurator- and, continue for hau tarried and, continued, ship of Felix (ICetTa µetrov .,-bv 'Alip(11r,), carried A. V. All; including the tree.cherous sailors six hundred souls (' Life,' sect. S). The whose plot he he.d just defeated. Having ship of Alexandria. described by Lucian is taken nothing ; not meaning that they he.d calculated to have been of above e. thouse.nd literally been fourteen days without tasting tons. Thementionofthenumber brings before food, which is impossible; but that they had us 11, striking picture of so many perijons at no regular meals, only snatching e. mouth- St. Pe.ul"s bidding, in the midst of so greo.t a ful now and then in the midst of their danger, taking a cheerful e.nd leisurely meal 1ncell!&nt toil. together, in dependence UJ?On 0. speedy 1 Ver. 84.-Beseech for prffU, A. V.; food delivere.nad,Liromised to them m Gods Ne.me. for ,-,,eat, A. V.; ,ajetr, for healtk, A. V.; It e.llo e.nother vivid touch to. the OR, XXVII, 1-44,] THl~ ACTS OJ!' 'l'HE APOSTLES. 29')