Morning Bible Study: Acts 27:30-38

30  In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 

31  Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." 

32  So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away. 

33  Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he said, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food-you haven't eaten anything. 

34  Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head." 

35  After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 

36  They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 

37  Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 

38  When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary -- www.christianity.com)

"Commentary on Acts 27:30-38

God, who appointed the end, that they should be saved, appointed the means, that they should be saved by the help of these shipmen. Duty is ours, events are God's; we do not trust God, but tempt him, when we say we put ourselves under his protection, if we do not use proper means, such as are within our power, for our safety. But how selfish are men in general, often even ready to seek their own safety by the destruction of others! Happy those who have such a one as Paul in their company, who not only had intercourse with Heaven, but was of an enlivening spirit to those about him. The sorrow of the world works death, while joy in God is life and peace in the greatest distresses and dangers. The comfort of God's promises can only be ours by believing dependence on him, to fulfil his word to us; and the salvation he reveals must be waited for in use of the means he appoints. If God has chosen us to salvation, he has also appointed that we shall 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 Saviour, when those who invite them, clearly show that they do so themselves."