Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Acts 27:39

τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἐπεγ.: “they did not recognise the land,” Ramsay; the sailors probably knew Malta, since, Acts 28:11, there was evidently nothing unusual in eastern ships touching at the island on their way to Rome. But they did not know St. Paul's Bay, which is remote from the great harbour, and was not distinguished by any marked features to secure recognition, Ramsay, J. Smith; see also note on Acts 28:1. C. and H. lay stress on the imperfect, “they tried to recognise …, but could not”; but in Acts 28:1 we have the aorist indicating that the land was recognised immediately on landing. κατενόουν : “perceived,” R.V., cf. Matthew 7:3; Luke 6:41; Luke 20:23. κόλπον τινα : a sort of bay or creek, “a bay,” R.V., the word means a bay either small or large, and St. Paul's Bay may be described as a small bay or creek (Rendall); ἔχοντα αἰγιαλόν “with a sandy beach,” Ramsay, with a beach, R.V., i.e., smooth and fit for a vessel's landing-place, cf. Acts 21:5; Matthew 13:2; Matthew 13:48; John 21:4; cf. Xen., Anab., vi., 4, 4 (see Page's note); in LXX, Judges 5:17 A, Sir 24:14, al [421] J. Smith adds that St. Luke here again employs the correct hydrographical term, frequently used by Arrian in this sense. The traditional St. Paul's Bay may certainly well have been the place meant (so Wendt, 1899, and Blass). On the smooth, sandy beach see Hackett, note, p. 334,) who has also visited the spot, and confirmed Smith's view, although both admit that the former sandy beach has been worn away by the action of the sea; Smith, p. 247, 4th edition, and see also Ramsay, St. Paul, p. 341. ἐξῶσαι τὸ πλοῖον : “to drive the ship upon it,” R.V., i.e., the beach, so Ramsay, Rendall, Breusing, Vars, Goerne, J. Smith (4th edit., p. 142); the object was not to save the ship from being destroyed, but the crew from perishing; under like circumstances the same would be done today (so Breusing, Vars), cf. Arrian, Peripl. Pont. Eux., 6. ἐξῶσαι : so in Thuc., ii., 90; viii., 104 (and see Wetstein); see also critical note on ἐκσῶσαι εἰ δύναιντο, and Burton, p. 106, and Grimm-Thayer, sub εἰ, i., 7, c., with optative, where the condition represents the mind and judgment of others …, as if the sailors had said amongst themselves ἐξώσομεν εἰ δυνάμεθα, cf. Acts 24:19.

[421] Alford's Greek Testament.

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Acts 27:39

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