Chapter Twenty
Acts 20:1–6. After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples, gave them instructions, and having taken leave of them, departed and went to Macedonia. And when he had gone through those regions and had given the believers abundant instruction, he came to Greece. There he stayed three months. And when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. He was accompanied as far as Asia by Sopater the son of Pyrrhus, a Berean, and by the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and the Asians Tychicus and Trophimus. These, going ahead, were waiting for us at Troas. But we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days arrived to join them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
Paul instructed the disciples, because after the turmoil they were in need of great consolation.
Acts 20:7–8. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lamps in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Then it was the feast of Pentecost and a Sunday. And even at night Paul did not rest, but conversed then all the more, since it was a time of leisure. See how long he spoke even after supper.
Acts 20:9. During Paul's prolonged conversation, a certain young man named Eutychus, sitting on the window, sank into a deep sleep and, having lost his balance, fell down asleep from the third story, and was taken up dead.
Having weighed down the listener with sleep, the devil disrupted the feast. The young man was sitting on the window at night — so great was his desire to listen. And it is worthy of admiration that, being a young man, he was not careless, and, weighed down by sleep, he did not leave, nor was he even frightened that he might be pushed off, because he fell asleep not from inattentiveness, but by the demand of nature.
Acts 20:10–13. Paul, going down, fell on him and, embracing him, said: do not be troubled, for his soul is in him. And going up and breaking bread and eating, he conversed a good while, even until dawn, and then departed. Meanwhile they brought the young man in alive, and were not a little comforted. We went ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, intending to take Paul on board from there.
He did not say "he will rise, for I will raise him," but rather "his life is in him." Note his humility and his desire to comfort.
Acts 20:13–15. For he had so commanded us, intending himself to go on foot. And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in and came to Mitylene. And sailing from there, the next day we stopped opposite Chios, and the next day we arrived at Samos, and having stopped at Trogyllium, the following day we came to Miletus.
He himself went on foot, giving them what was easier, while choosing for himself what was harder, and at the same time teaching them much and accustoming them to being separated from him.
Acts 20:16. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so as not to be delayed in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
You see, even with desire and effort Paul often did not achieve what he wanted, so that we would not think he was above human nature. The saints and great men were of one nature with us, but not of one will, and therefore they also had much grace.
Acts 20:17–21. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them: Ye know, how I from the first day that I came into Asia, was with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and amid temptations, which befell me by the plots of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was profitable, and have not shunned to declare unto you, and to teach you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
"With all humility of mind." Not simply with humility of mind, but with "all," because there are many kinds of humility: in word, in deed, toward superiors, toward subordinates.
"He called the elders of the church." Many are unaware of the custom of Scripture, especially of the New Testament, of calling bishops elders and elders bishops; yet this is evident both from this passage and from the Epistle to Titus, as well as from the Epistle to the Philippians. We could also learn whether the same thing should not be inferred, albeit by conclusion, from the First Epistle to Timothy as well.
"I did not hold back anything profitable, which I would not have preached to you." There was, then, also that which it was not necessary to know. Just as concealing something is a sign of envy, so disclosing everything is a sign of imprudence. Therefore he added "nothing profitable."
Acts 20:22–24. And now, behold, I, bound in the Spirit, am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. Only the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and afflictions await me. But I count none of these things, nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God.
"I am bound by the Spirit." The word "bound" should be separated by a comma, so that the following meaning emerges: I go to Jerusalem, being bound, not having learned beforehand from the Spirit what will happen to me. It is remarkable that the prophets do not know everything, but only what the Holy Spirit reveals to them. Here too Paul, having foretold as a prophet everything that was to happen to him, and that among the Ephesians there would be bad believers and heretics, said that one thing he does not know — what the end of all this will be, because, having revealed everything to him, the Lord concealed from him this one thing, namely: what will happen to him after the bonds and sorrows. This was so that, knowing precisely what he must pursue, and becoming proud, he would not fall through pride. The Holy Spirit left him in doubt, so that, fearing the weakness of the flesh, he would pray to God for deliverance from temptations.
"Bonds and afflictions await me." That afflictions await me, this I know, but what kind of afflictions, that I do not know, because this was harder. Why then do you go, if "bonds and afflictions" await you? In order to be a prisoner for Christ, in order to die for Him.
Acts 20:25–27. And now, behold, I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face anymore. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
"Clean," he says, "am I from the blood of all," if you are weighed down by sleep and die at the hands of the murderer of souls, because I have fulfilled the duty of a teacher, "for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole will of God."
This means: whoever does not declare the whole will of God is guilty of blood, that is, of murder. While seemingly justifying himself, he nevertheless makes them be on their guard.
Acts 20:28. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of the Lord and God, which He acquired for Himself with His own Blood.
"Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock," because salvific benefit consists not only in correcting others — I fear, says the apostle, "lest, having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27) — but also not only in caring for oneself, because such a person is a self-lover, seeks only his own advantage, and is like the one who buried his talent in the ground.