Acts 20 · The Lantern

After the rage was ceased Paul called the disciples vnto him and toke his leave of them and departed for to goo into Macedonia.

And when he had gone over those parties and geven them large exhortacions he came into Grece

and there abode.iii. monethes. And when the Iewes layde wayte for him as he was about to sayle into Syria he purposed to returne thorowe Macedonia.

Ther acompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berrea and of Thessalonia Aristarcus and Secundus and Gayus of Derba and Timotheus: and out of Asia Tychicus and Trophimos.

These went before and taryed vs at Troas.

And we sayled awaye fro Philippos after the ester holydayes and came vnto them to Troas in five dayes where we abode seven dayes.

And on the morowe after the saboth daye the disciples came to geder for to breake breed and Paul preached vnto them (redy to departe on the morowe) and cotinued the preachynge vnto mydnyght.

But every Lord's day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned.

"And on the first day of the week, when they were assembled to break bread." On the day before his departure from Troas, Paul, continuing his speech until midnight, was teaching very earnestly and pleasantly, when it came to pass that one of the young men present, overcome by sleep, fell from the loft and was in danger of death.

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.

And there were many lyghtes in the chamber where thy were gaddered to geder

and there sate in a wyndowe a certayne yonge man named Eutichos fallen into a depe slepe. And as Paul declared he was the moare overcome with slepe and fell doune from the thyrde lofte and was taken vp deed.

And so, if it were agreed that even the blessed apostles had granted any such indulgence (to any crime) the pardon of which (comes) from God, not from man, it would be competent (for them) to have done so, not in the exercise of discipline, but of power.

Eutychus, alone, banished from the wakeful ones keeping watch, entrusted to a window with limbs sunk in heavy sleep. O rest wrongly won! O hearts always given over to sleep, unprotected by good! How great the disasters he lies open to, whom night alone guards and who never raises his troubled head to better things!

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.

Paul went doune and fell on him and embrased him and sayde: make nothinge ado for his lyfe is in him.

"And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him." He said not, "He shall come to life again, for I will raise him up:" but mark the unassuming way in which he comforts them: "for his life," says he, "is in him."

Upon whom when Paul had descended, he laid upon him. That he descended, laid upon him, embraced him, this is what he himself says: My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you. Indeed, more laborious is the resurrection of those who sin through negligence than those who sin through infirmity.

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.

When he was come vp agayne he brake breed and tasted and comened a longe whyle even tyll the mornynge and so departed.

"When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed." This thing cut short the discourse; it did no harm, however. Do you mark the frugality of the supper? Do you observe how they passed the whole night? Such were their meals, that the hearers came away sober, and fit for hearing.

Far be it from us to accept this as affirming that the apostles were accustomed to fast habitually on the Lord's day. For the day now known as the Lord's day was then called the first day of the week, as is more plainly seen in the Gospels; for the day of the Lord's resurrection is called by Matthew "first day of the week" and by the other three Evangelists "the first day of th…

And they brought the youge man a lyve and were not alytell comforted.

And we went a fore to shippe and lowsed vnto Asson there to receave Paul. For so had he apoynted and wolde him selfe goo a fote.

When he was come to vs vnto Asson we toke him in and came to Mytelenes.

And we sayled thence and came the nexte daye over agaynst Chios. And the nexte daye we aryved at Samos and taryed at Trogilion. The nexte daye we came to Myleton:

for Paul had determined to leave Ephesus as they sayled because he wolde not spende ye tyme in Asia. For he hasted to be (yf he coulde possible) at Ierusalem at the daye of pentecoste.

"For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem the day of Pentecost." Why this haste? Not for the sake of the feast, but of the multitude.

For he was hastening if it were possible to be present at the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. Indeed, it was commanded by the law that all Jews should gather in Jerusalem three times a year, that is, at the time of Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, but the Apostle, breaking the ties of the world, hastens to observe the fiftieth day, that is, the day of remission…

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.

Wherfore from Myleton he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the cogregacion.

But that Paul taught with simplicity what he knew, not only to those who were [employed] with him, but to those that heard him, he does himself make manifest.

"And sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called the ancients of the church." Sending from Miletus to Ephesus, the apostle Paul summoned the bishops of the church, and there retraced for them his story with great affection, reminding them of the moderation and humility with which he had behaved among them, above all bringing to their notice the word of the Lord so that false pre…

"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.

And when they were come to him he sayde vnto the: Ye knowe fro the fyrst daye yt I came vnto Asia after what maner I have bene wt you at all ceasons

servynge the lorde with all humblenes of mynde and with many teares and temptacions which happened vnto me by the layinges awayte of the Ieues

And what is wonderful, Not for one day nor for two, says he, have I continued doing this. He wishes to cheer them for the future, that they may bravely bear all things, both the parting from him, and the trials about to take place-just as it was in the case of Moses and Joshua.

"With all humility and tears." Here he shows a character of teaching: the generous, the tireless, and the sympathetic; for he suffered for those who were perishing, for those who were being destroyed; and humility; and not simply, but, he says, with all humility; (for there are many kinds of humility, in word, in deed, toward rulers, toward those ruled;) and speaking what was b…

"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.

and how I kept backe no thinge that was profitable: but that I have shewed you and taught you openly and at home in youre houses

witnessinge bothe to the Iewes and also to the Grekes the repentaunce toward God and faith towarde oure Lorde Iesu.

And now beholde I goo bounde in the sprete vnto Ierusalem and knowe not what shall come on me there

The one who has been united to the Holy Spirit has been bound in him so that he does not separate from the Spirit in any way. The person of such a disposition is a captive of Christ whose Spirit he has. For if whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ is not of Christ, who has the Spirit, it is clear that whoever has Christ is in the Spirit.

Here, in the passage "bound," it is necessary to insert, so that either the mind be such: I am going to Jerusalem, having foreknowledge through the Spirit of the things that will be; and yet I go as a prisoner.

"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.

but that the holy goost witnesseth in every cite sayinge: yt bondes and trouble abyde me.

But none of tho thinges move me: nether is my lyfe dere vnto my selfe that I myght fulfill my course wt ioye and the ministracio which I have receaved of ye Lorde Iesu to testify the gospell of ye grace of god.

From Syria even unto Rome I fight with beasts not that I am devoured by brute beasts, for these, as ye know, by the will of God, spared Daniel, but by beasts in the shape of men, in whom the merciless wild beast himself lies hid, and pricks and wounds me day by day.

Nor do I count my life dearer than myself. He means the very life in the temporal body, which he considers as the least, who awaits eternal joy in another life.

"I fear none of these things," he says, "nor do I make my soul more precious than myself" (Acts 20:24). An excellent appraiser of things, who judges that nothing of his own should be preferred to himself. How many have preferred a small and worthless sum of money to their own salvation! Paul did not even prefer his soul.

And now beholde I am sure yt hence forth ye all (thorow who I have gone preachinge ye kyngdome of God) shall se my face no moore.

Wherfore I take you to recorde this same daye that I am pure fro the bloude of all me.

"I am clean of the blood of all." … The false teacher is guilty of the souls that receive his teaching, as if he had poured out their blood, which is our life. By saying "I am clean," he means, "I give witness that my teaching has deprived none of life everlasting but that it sets forth a heavenly kingdom.

"I am innocent," he says, "of the blood of all men," if you, being drowsy, perish because of the murderer of souls; for of the teacher, he says, For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore he who does not speak is responsible for their blood, that is, for their slaughter.

"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.

For I have kepte nothinge backe: but have shewed you all the counsell of God.

Take hede therfore vnto youre selves and to all the flocke wherof the holy goost hath made you oversears to rule the congregacion of God which he hath purchased with his bloud.

So far as I know, "we are not our own, but bought with a price; " and what kind of price? The blood of God. In hurting this flesh of ours, therefore, we hurt Him directly.

"What then," someone might say, "thinkest thou thyself so great? if thou shouldest depart, are we to die?" I say not this, he replies, that my absence causeth this: but what? That there should rise up against you certain of another sort: he says not, "because of my departing," but "after my departing:" that is, after his going on his journey.

"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.

For I am sure of this that after my departynge shall greveous wolves entre in amonge you which will not spare the flocke.

If you touch "what is seized by a wild beast," you will be unclean. Which wild beast? Is it a lion or a wolf that ravishes persons or animals? I believe that beast is the one about whom the apostle Peter says, "your adversary, the devil, goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour.

"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." Again he engages them from another quarter, from the things which should come after: as when he says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood. After my departing," he says, "grievous wolves shall enter in among you" (Eph. vi.

A twofold misfortune: on the one hand, that he will not be there, and on the other, that certain people will attack, and moreover — what is especially bitter — "from among your own selves." It is grievous when civil war breaks out.

Moreover of youre awne selves shall men aryse speakinge perverse thinges to drawe disciples after the.

From these men also come the Menandrianists, and the Marcionists, and the Carpocratians, and the Valentinians, and the Basilidians, and the Saturnilians. Each of these leaders in his own private and distinct capacity brought in his own private opinion.

And from among yourselves will arise men speaking perverse things. Concerning these, John also says: They went out from us, but they were not of us (1 John II).

"To draw away disciples after themselves." The goal of heretics is to try to attract people not to the Lord, but to themselves, in order to flatter their own vanity, so that those attracted by them would bear the name of one heretic or another, as, for example, from Manes — the Manichaeans, from Arius — the Arians. This is what "to draw away disciples after themselves" means.

Therfore awake and remember that by the space of.iii. yeares I ceased not to warne every one of you both nyght and daye with teares.

"How then? what comfort shall there be?" "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." See how many strong expressions are here: "with tears," and "night and day," and "every one." For it was not that if he saw many, then he came in (to the work), but even were it for a single soul, he was capable of d…

But because [Paul] said, "Night and day for three years I gave these teachings for your salvation," an allegory is revealed by this reckoning [of his]: he who utters three doctrines of the church rather often brings forth the historical and allegorical Book, proclaiming [also] a moral [sense].

For three years, night and day, I did not cease to admonish each one of you with tears. This is beautifully and succinctly explained by Arator: He who sings of the Church's three doctrines, often produces a Historical, moral-sounding, and typological volume; Hence Judea, lying empty, is called the barren tree, Which, after three years, did not produce the expected fruit.

And now brethren I comende you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to bylde further and to geve you an inheritaunce amoge all them which are sanctified.

He demonstrates obscurely and secretly that the Father, who is God, and his Son Jesus, the God-Word, are one. He does not speak in the plural "to those capable," but with a unifying name he indicates the singular being of both by saying "to the one capable." Thus we know, from what Paul says in preparing the churches of Asia, that there is one being of both Father and Son and t…

What he does when writing in an Epistle, this he does also when speaking in council: from exhorting, he ends with prayer: for since he had much alarmed them by saying, "Grievous wolves shall enter in among you," therefore, not to overpower them, and make them lose all self-possession, observe the consolation he gives.

The exhortation ends with a prayer. Since he had greatly frightened them, so as not to strike them down completely, here is the consolation. "And now," he says, "I commend you… to God and to the word of His grace," that is, to His very grace itself.

I have desyred no mas silver golde or vesture.

Ye knowe well yt these hondes have ministred vnto my necessities and to them that were wt me.

These words are spoken to the leaders of the church so that, in addition to the other things, they might judge themselves imitators of Paul by refusing to accept money. This is quite obvious from the words that follow: "I have given you example in all things that those who toil must come to the help of the weak" and provide for them.

And although for this there were great rewards for his merits prepared, yet [Paul's] mind, however holy and sublime it might be, could not help being sometimes drawn away from that heavenly contemplation by its attention to earthly labors.

And he spoke even more loftily further on: "You yourselves know that these hands of mine served my needs and the needs of those who were with me." Yes, true almsgiving consists in giving from one's own labors. But pay attention to the fact that this was a man who labored while constantly conversing: both day and night.

I have shewed you all thinges how that so laborynge ye ought to receave the weake and to remember the wordes of the Lorde Iesu howe that he sayde: It is more blessed to geve then to receave.

When he had thus spoken he kneled doune and prayed with them all.

And they wept all aboundantly and fell on Pauls necke and kissed him

sorowinge most of all for the wordes which he spake that they shuld se his face no moore. And they acompanyed him vnto the shyppe.

Acts20