Ver. 1. It was determined] First by God, Acts 23:11, and then by the ordinary magistrate guided by God.
Ver. 2. One Aristarchus, &c.] St Paul’s fellow traveller first, and then fellow prisoner too, yea, fellow worker unto the kingdom of God, and a great comfort to him, Colossians 4:10,11 Ac 19:29 20:4, Optimum solatium, sodalitium. The best comfort was his co-workers. Therefore David so bewails the loss of Jonathan. St Paul counts it a singular mercy to him that Epaphroditus recovered, Philippians 2:27. And St John found himself furthered and quickened by the graces of the elect lady, 2 John 12.
Ver. 3. Liberty to go to his friend] A great favour: there is no small comfort in the communion of saints. This heathen persecutors knew, and therefore banished and confined the Christians to isles and mines, where they could not have access one to another. (Cyprian.)
Ver. 4. Because the winds, &c.] The Straits of Magellan is such a place, that which way soever a man bendeth his course (saith one) he shall be sure to have the wind against him.
Ver. 5. And when we had sailed] These things are therefore particularly set down, that we may see Paul’s perils by sea no less than by land; and say with Solomon, “No man knoweth either love or hatred” by all that befalleth him, Ecclesiastes 9:1. [See Trapp on “Ec 9:1”]
Ver. 6. Sailing into Italy] To show that they had a terrible tempestuous time of it all along, from Sidon to Malta. So have the saints of God here, for the most part, ab utero ad urnam, from the womb to the tomb, from the birth to the burial. This made Solomon prefer his coffin before his cradle, Ecclesiastes 7:1, yea, before his crown; as Queen Elizabeth also did; for indeed, this life is pestered with so many miseries and molestations, satanical and secular, that it were to be accounted little better than hell were it not for the hopes of heaven, that sweetest harbour and haven of happiness. (Bernard.)
Ver. 7. Salmone] A high cliff of Crete. See Strabo, lib. ii., and the use of geography and other sciences, to the better understanding of the Scriptures.
Ver. 8. Called The fair havens] Which name it retains also at this day, Calos Limenas: for better cause, I believe, than the sea called Pacific, or calm, which Sir Francis Drake ever found rough and troublous above measure.
Ver. 9. Now when much time was spent] Not spilt; for that Paul was not idle all that while, see Titus 1:5, and Beza’s annotations thereupon. Nolite tempus in nugis conterere, Do not waste time on trifles, saith one. Time is a precious commodity. Of all other possessions a man may have two at once; but two moments of time together no man could ever have. Therefore Cato held, that a wise man should be able tam otii quam negotii rationem reddere, to give an account of his leisure as well as of his labour. (Cic. de Senectute.) Nullus mihi per otium dies exit, saith Seneca, I spend no day idly. And Pliny said to his nephew when he saw him walk out some hours without studying, Poteras has horas non perdere, You might have better bestowed your time. The common complaint is, we lack time; but the truth is, we do not so much lack it as waste it; Non parum habemus temporis, sed multum perdimus. (Sen.) Because the fast was now past] The Jews’ yearly fast, Leviticus 23:27, which occured in the seventh month, that answereth to our October, when navigation is dangerous. This yearly fast (or feast of expiation, as it is called) was instituted, that they that had committed heinous offences worthy of death, and could not by offering up particular sacrifices for them, and confessing them, but hazard the loss of their lives, might have this day of expiation for all their sins whatsoever; God of his goodness so providing for the worst of his people.
Ver. 10. But also of our lives] Which every creature, from the highest angel to the lowest worm, maketh much of. Why is living man sorrowful? Lamentations 3:39. As if the prophet should say, He hath cause to rejoice that he is yet alive amidst all his sorrows. A living dog is better than a dead lion. “Joseph is yet alive.” This was more worth to Jacob than all Joseph’s honour. It is the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed. Skin for skin, &c. It should not be grievous to any man to sacrifice his estate to the service of his life.
Ver. 11. Nevertheless the centurion] Profane persons, trusting more to their own carnal wisdom than to God’s word, cast themselves wilfully into the greatest dangers. Believe the prophets, and ye shall prosper. The wicked pass on and are punished, Proverbs 22:3. We cannot get men to believe, till they feel, as Pharaoh.
Ver. 12. And lieth toward the south-west] It is a just complaint that a modern writer maketh of many men’s spirits among us today; that they lie like this haven, toward the south-west and north-west, two opposite points. (Mr Burroughs, Heart Div.) Methinks it should lie heavy upon those men’s spirits that first divided us, by publishing and pressing their new fangled fancies.