Acts 27:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But the centurion and the soldiers believed. Therefore Paul says to him, "Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved." He says this to restrain them, so that the prophecy would not be made void. See how Paul teaches them philosophy, as though in the Church, and saves them in the midst of the dangers themselves. By God's dispensation, they did not believe Paul at first, so that events themselves might teach them to believe. And this is what happened.

Since, in the danger of shipwreck, the knowledge of sailors acquainted with the sea mattered more than the soldiers' weapons, they were more at peace with the loss of the boat than with the loss of the sailors.

Yet Paul's words inspired trust in him and encouragement in only a few on the ship, and least of all in the sailors. Therefore, after fourteen days of stormy sailing, signs appeared that the ship was approaching some shore.

They then wanted to escape from the ship by means of the boat. They hoped that if the ship were broken against the shore, they would not perish with the others.

Pretending that they wanted to cast anchors from the bow, they began to lower the boat into the sea. But Paul perceived their intention and told the centurion that, if the ship were left without sailors, salvation would be impossible.

Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the boat. After this it fell away and was driven by the waves from the ship.

Despair gave the sailors new strength. Yet now they were concerned chiefly for their own safety. After checking the ship with anchors, they tried deceitfully to board the lifeboat and get to shore, leaving the ship to its own unhappy fate. That fate would soon have overtaken it, had the soldiers, on the advice of the Apostle Paul, not hindered the execution of their inhuman plan.

The Apostle perceived this design of the sailors and warned the centurion, specifically the centurion and not the ship's master (v. 11). The soldiers, at the centurion's command, could forcibly stop this escape. The ship's master had no means to stop it when the sailors were in conspiracy.

"You cannot be saved": because if the sailors fled, the soldiers and passengers, inexperienced in seamanship, would not manage the ship, and it could perish.

The Apostle was sure of his own salvation, and therefore he says, "you cannot." He was also sure that no one would perish, as the angel of God had revealed to him (v. 24).

Yet human means of salvation must not be neglected in hope of God's help. Therefore the sailors had to remain at their posts. Otherwise danger could threaten.

The sailors' attempt to flee failed, but this too may be regarded as an act of God accomplished through the Apostle. He disclosed their secret intention and their hidden attempt, under the guise of lowering bow anchors into the sea, to descend into the boat and go secretly to shore.

They intended to abandon the ship to the mercy of fate. When Paul revealed this evil intention of the sailors, the centurion ordered the soldiers to cut the rope by which the boat was tied to the ship. The plot of the wicked men was destroyed.

"See," says St. John Chrysostom, "how obedient the centurion becomes. He cuts away the boat and casts it off. Here the writer shows that the sailors wanted to flee because they did not believe what had been said.