Matthew Henry Commentary Acts 27:30-38

"And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you. And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food. And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea." — Acts 27:30-38 (ASV)

God, who appointed the end that they should be saved, also appointed the means by which they would be saved—through the help of these sailors. Duty is ours; events are God's. We do not trust God, but rather tempt Him, when we claim to put ourselves under His protection yet fail to use the proper means for our safety that are within our power. But how selfish people are in general, often even ready to seek their own safety by the destruction of others!

Happy are those who have someone like Paul in their company, who not only had communion with Heaven but was also an enlivening spirit to those around him. The sorrow of the world leads to death, while joy in God is life and peace even in the greatest distresses and dangers. The comfort of God's promises can only be ours through believing dependence on Him to fulfill His word to us; and the salvation He reveals must be awaited by using the means He appoints.

If God has chosen us for salvation, He has also appointed that we are to obtain it by repentance, faith, prayer, and persevering obedience; it is fatal presumption to expect it in any other way. It is an encouragement to people to commit themselves to Christ as their Savior when those who invite them clearly show that they do so themselves.