Acts 27:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I think the fast spoken of here is the Jewish fast. For they sailed long after Pentecost, and therefore could have reached Crete near the very onset of winter. See his modesty. So that they would not think he was prophesying, but only making an estimate, he says, “I perceive.” For they would not have accepted it at once if he had spoken as a prophet. Earlier he foretells and says, “the God Whom I serve” (Acts 26:23), leading them in. How would this have happened with loss of souls? It would have happened so, had God not saved them.

“And the Fast was already past.” I think he is speaking here of the Jewish fast, since Paul had departed long after Pentecost. Thus he arrived in the region of Crete almost at winter.

When the ship stopped in the bay of Fair Havens, the season was already late. The fast of the Day of Atonement had already passed, on the tenth day of the month Tishri, in the second half of September. The winter months, dangerous for navigation, had arrived. Paul had gained considerable experience in sea journeys during his apostolic travels. He advised them to spend the winter in Fair Havens. But this bay was unsuitable for wintering. Therefore the centurion, trusting the helmsman and the ship's master more, agreed to the advice of others. They wished, if possible, to reach the harbor of Phoenix for the winter. It lay on the same shore of Crete, but capes jutting into the sea protected it better from the southwest and northwest winds.

It was already late autumn, and the time for navigation was drawing to a close. Therefore, when the ship, struggling against contrary winds, barely reached the so-called Fair Havens on the southern coast of Crete, near the city of Lasea, the Apostle Paul advised them to winter there. Even in the sorrowful condition of a prisoner, he had succeeded in gaining the respect of those around him. He rightly warned against further sailing at such a stormy season.

A considerable time had passed since the beginning of the voyage, that is, since the departure from Caesarea. The Fast was already over. This undoubtedly refers to the most important fast, that of the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the month Tishri, in the second half of September. This means it was already after the autumn equinox, when sea travel is dangerous, especially in those regions. He advised them, saying, and so forth: the Apostle of Christ had experienced much during his sea journeys; 2 Cor 11:25. He was sufficiently practiced to foresee a disastrous voyage and to advise the sailors to refrain for a time from continuing the journey.

The travelers spent a very long time circling around Crete. Among other places, they entered the so-called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea, on the southern shore of Crete. The time was drawing near the stormy days after the autumn equinox, in the second half of September, Tishri, when the days of cleansing end. The Apostle Paul, well acquainted with the terrors of sea travel; see 2 Cor 11:25, advised stopping the further voyage over the Mediterranean Sea. He foresaw danger for the cargo and the people. But they did not heed him, since he was not a sailor. See, says Saint John Chrysostom, how free Paul is from pride. So that it would not be evident that he was prophesying, but would seem to speak by conjecture, he said, I perceive.