rwp - sailors

rwp@Acts:27:12 @{Because the haven was not commodious to winter in} (\aneuthetou tou limenos huparchontos pros paracheimasian\). Genitive absolute again present tense of \huparch\: "The harbour being unfit (\aneuthetou\, this compound not yet found elsewhere, simplex in strkjv@Luke:9:62; strkjv@14:35; strkjv@Hebrews:6:7|) for wintering" (\paracheimasia\, only here in N.T., but in Polybius and Diodorus, in an inscription A.D. 48, from \paracheimaz\). {The more part advised} (\hoi pleiones ethento bouln\). Second aorist middle indicative of \tithmi\, ancient idiom with \bouln\, to take counsel, give counsel. Lysias held a council of the officers of the ship on the issue raised by Paul. {If by any means they could reach Phoenix and winter there} (\ei ps dunainto katantsantes eis Phoinika paracheimasai\). The optative \dunainto\ (present middle of \dunamai\) here with \ei\ is a condition of the fourth class with the notion of purpose implied and indirect discourse (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1021). "We vote for going on the chance that we may be able" (Page). Phoenix is the town of palms (John:12:13|), the modern Lutro, the only town in Crete on the southern coast with a harbour fit for wintering, though Wordsworth and Page argue for Phineka which suits Luke's description better. The verb \paracheimaz\, to winter, is from \para\ and \cheimn\ (see also strkjv@28:11|). Used in several _Koin_ writers. {Looking northeast and southeast} (\bleponta kata liba kai kata chron\). There are two ways of interpreting this language. \Lips\ means the southwest wind and \chros\ the northwest wind. But what is the effect of \kata\ with these words? Does it mean "facing" the wind? If so, we must read "looking southwest and northwest." But \kata\ can mean down the line of the wind (the way the wind is blowing)...Lutro, and suggests that sailors describe...(the subjectivity of the sailors) and that Luke so speaks and means Lutro which faces northeast and southeast. On the whole Lutro has the best of the argument.

rwp@Acts:27:15 @{When the ship was caught} (\sunarpasthentos tou ploiou\). Genitive absolute again with first aorist passive of \sunarpaz\, old word, in N.T. only strkjv@Luke:8:29; strkjv@Acts:6:12; strkjv@19:29|, and here. Graphic picture as if the ship was seized by a great monster. {Face the wind} (\antophthalmein ti anemi\). Dative case with the vivid infinitive of \antophthalme\ from \antophthalmos\, looking in the eye, or eye to eye (\anti\, facing and \opthalmos\, eye)...get to Phoenix. Modern sailors talk..._Koin_ verb used by Polybius. Some MSS. have it in strkjv@Acts:6:11|, but only here in N.T. In Wisdom of Sol. strkjv@12:14 it is used of a prince who cannot look God in the face. Clement of Rome 34 uses it of an idle workman not able to look his employer in the face (Milligan and Moulton's _Vocabulary_). {We gave way} (\epidontes\). Second aorist active participle of \epididmi\, giving way to the wind. {Were driven} (\epherometha\). Imperfect passive of \pher\, "we were being borne along." We "scudded before the gale" (Page). "The suddenness of the hurricane gave no time to furl the great mainsail" (Furneaux).

rwp@Acts:27:27 @{As we were driven to and fro} (\diapheromenn hmn\). Genitive absolute with present passive participle of \diapher\, old verb to bear different ways (\dia=duo\, two), this way and that. Continued to be tossed to and fro in the rough seas. It would seem so to those on board. It does not necessarily mean that the wind had changed. The fourteenth night is reckoned from the time they left Fair Havens. {In the sea of Adria} (\en ti Hadrii\). Not the Adriatic Sea as we now call the sea between Italy and the mainland of Illyricum, but all the lower Mediterranean between Italy and Greece. Luke's usage is like that of Strabo. {Surmised} (\hupenooun\). Imperfect active indicative of \huponoe\, inchoative, began to suspect. {That they were drawing near to some country} (\prosagein tina autois chran\). Infinitive with accusative of general reference in indirect assertion. \Prosag\ is here used intransitively and Luke writes from the sailor's standpoint that a certain land was drawing near to them (\autois\, dative). The sailors heard the sound of breakers and grew uneasy.

rwp@Acts:27:31 @{Except these abide in the ship} (\Ean m houtoi meinsin en ti ploii\). Condition of the third class (undetermined, but with hope, etc.). Paul has no hesitancy in saying this in spite of his strong language in verse 24|...it all. Without the sailors the...

rwp@Acts:27:32 @{The ropes} (\ta schoinia\). Diminutive of \schoinos\, old word, but in N.T. only here and strkjv@John:2:15|. Paul is now saviour of the ship and the soldiers quickly cut loose the skiff and "let her fall off" (\eiasan autn ekpesein\)...dastardly scheme of the sailors would...

rwp@Acts:28:11 @{Which had wintered} (\parakecheimakoti\). Perfect active participle of \paracheimaz\, to pass the winter. Old verb, in N.T. only strkjv@27:12; strkjv@28:11; strkjv@1Corinthians:16:6; strkjv@Titus:3:12|. The locative case agreeing with \ploii\. Navigation in the Mediterranean usually opened up in February (always by March), spring beginning on Feb. 9 (Page). {Whose sign was the Twin Brothers} (\parasmi Dioskourois\). The word \parasmi\ can be either a substantive (as Revised Version has it) or an adjective "marked by the sign," examples of both uses common in ancient Greek. \Dioskourois\ is in apposition with \parasmi\. The word means the twin sons (\kouros\ or \koros\) of Zeus (\Dios\, genitive of \Zeus\) and Leda, viz., Castor and Pollux. The Attic used the dual, \t Dioskor\...the tutelary deities of sailors whose...

rwp@Luke:8:23 @{He fell asleep} (\aphupnsen\). First aorist (ingressive) active indicative of \aphupno\, to put to sleep, to fall off to sleep, a late verb for which the older Greek used \kathupno\. Originally \aphupno\ meant to waken from sleep, then to fall off to sleep (possibly a medical use). This is the only passage which speaks of the sleep of Jesus. Here only in the N.T. {Came down} (\kateb\). Second aorist active indicative of \katabain\, common verb. It was literally true. These wind storms (\lailaps\. Songs:also strkjv@Mark:4:37|) rushed from Hermon down through the Jordan gorge upon the Sea of Galilee and shook it like a tempest (Matthew:8:24|). Mark's (Mark:4:37|) vivid use of the dramatic present \ginetai\ (ariseth) is not so precise as Luke's "came down." See on ¯Matthew:8:24|. These sudden squalls were dangerous on this small lake. {They were filling} (\suneplrounto\). Imperfect passive. It was the boat that was being filled (Mark:4:37|)...to the navigators as sailors sometimes...(8:23; strkjv@9:51; strkjv@Acts:2:1|). {Were in jeopardy} (\ekinduneuon\). Imperfect active, vivid description. Old verb, but in the N.T. only here, strkjv@Acts:19:27; strkjv@1Corinthians:15:30|.

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