Acts 27:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how the thanksgiving he offered to God for what had happened not only strengthened them, but also encouraged them.

"And taking bread, he gave thanks to God before all, and breaking it, began to eat." Paul saw that those present had obeyed him out of necessity, and that now was not the time to preach Christ to them, because they had lost heart and were in danger.

For the time being, he teaches them piety separately: not to break bread before giving thanks to the one God, and only then to eat. He teaches us the same.

It appears that the order of thanksgiving should be this: "We thank Thee, O God, that Thou hast allowed us to live to this time without bread. Therefore, sending up glory to Thee, we break bread in order to be strengthened."

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.

Giving an example to all, after prayer he began to eat, and everyone followed him, encouraged. Having been strengthened by food, they again set to work lightening the ship.

They did this so that they could bring it as close as possible to the supposed shore. This was all the more necessary because they now had no boat in which to approach the shore if the ship remained somewhat away, beyond the shallows.

"Throwing the wheat into the sea": probably not provisions, but cargo, although the Greek word is also used in the sense of provisions. "Two hundred seventy souls": cf. Acts 27:6.

Paul's example in eating bread stirred others to do the same. Before eating, the Apostle gave thanks aloud to God for granting the possibility of eating. Then, having broken the bread, he ate.

"See," says St. John Chrysostom, "how the thanksgiving which Paul offered to God for what had happened not only strengthened them, but also encouraged them. 'And we were in all,' he says, 'two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship.'

How was it known that so many people were sailing? Probably they were questioned about why each was sailing, and they learned everything. One had to possess complete certainty in order to say that they would be saved.