CHAPTER 20

(A.D. 60)

MACEDONIA AND GREECE

¹And after the uproar was ceased (the mob had dispersed), Paul called unto him the Disciples, and embraced them (speaks of some of the Believers of the Church in Ephesus), and departed for to go into Macedonia (pertained to his care for the Churches in that region).

²And when he had gone over those parts (no doubt included Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea), and had given them much exhortation (refers to the teaching of the Word of God, as is obvious), he came into Greece (probably refers to a repeat visit to Athens, Corinth, and Cenchrea, as well as other places),

³And there abode three months (he probably spent most of this time at Corinth [I Cor. 16:6]). And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria (these were most probably Jews from the Synagogue at Corinth, who planned to kill him), he purposed to return through Macedonia (basically presents the opposite direction, actually to Philippi, from where he would then turn toward Syria).

⁴And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus (some expositors believe that some of these men where chosen by various Churches to travel with Paul, and take their offerings for the poor in Jerusalem [Acts 19:29; 27:2; Rom. 15:25-28; I Cor. 16:3; II Cor. 8:19-23]).

⁵These going before tarried for us at Troas (by the use of the pronoun us, Luke indicates that he has once again joined Paul and his party).

PAUL AT TROAS

⁶And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread (speaks of the Passover Week), and came unto them to Troas in five days (evidently portrays the length of time it took to make the voyage by ship); where we abode seven days.

⁷And upon the first day of the week (Sunday), when the Disciples came together to break bread (Sunday had become the main day of worship), Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight (proclaims him preaching possibly for several hours).

⁸And there were many lights in the upper chamber (evidently spoke of a third story room, which would seat two or three hundred people), where they were gathered together (this was the meeting place or Church in Troas).

⁹And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead (the Greek Text declares that he was a lifeless corpse; the fall had killed him).

¹⁰And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said (presents the example of Elijah in this, which is probably what Paul intended [I Ki. 17:17-21]), Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him (does not mean, as some claim, that the boy had merely been knocked unconscious, but rather that he had been dead, and that the Lord had infused life back into him; he was raised from the dead!).

¹¹When he (Paul) therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day (this all night Message was interrupted only by the raising of the boy from the dead; he had much to tell them, and there was much they needed to hear), so he departed.

¹²And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted (what a night it had been!).

PAUL

¹³And we went before to ship (refers to Luke and the men of Verse 4, but not Paul, at least at this time), and sailed unto Assos (a short distance of about forty miles around Cape Electum), there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot (by land it was about twenty miles; he would walk this distance alone, no doubt desiring to be alone with the Lord in prayer).

¹⁴And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene (presented another approximate forty miles by ship).

¹⁵And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios (presents another Island about the size of Lesbos; it lay due west of both Smyrna and Ephesus, about a hundred miles in distance); and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.

¹⁶For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus (not stop there), because he would not spend the time in Asia (tells us, I think, he did not want to tarry, having settled this thing with the Lord respecting this eventful trip): for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the Day of Pentecost (the Holy Spirit has warned him of the coming difficulties he will face on this trip, and it is almost as if he must haste, lest he draw back because of these coming difficulties).

EPHESIAN ELDERS

¹⁷And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church (it was about thirty miles to Ephesus; he wanted the Elders to come meet him at Melitus before he left).

¹⁸And when they were come to him (probably represents two or three days from the time the Messenger was originally sent), he said unto them, You know, from the first day that I came into Asia (takes them back to the very beginning of the Church at Ephesus), after what manner I have been with you at all seasons (indicates him nurturing them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ),

¹⁹Serving the Lord with all humility of mind (presents that which was the very opposite of the Judaizers and other false teachers, who were attempting to draw a following after themselves), and with many tears (Pauls emotions ran deep), and temptations (a provocation to deal with a situation outside the Ways of the Lord), which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews (the constant plots against Paul by the Jews were never ceasing):

²⁰And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you (he did not allow anything to silence his voice respecting the great Doctrine of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified), but have showed you (explained the Scriptures), and have taught you publickly, and from house to house (most Churches were then in houses),

²¹Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks (the Gospel is the same for all), repentance toward God, and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (presents the Gospel in the proverbial nutshell; Faith in Christ pertains to Faith in what He did at the Cross).

²²And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem (speaks of the Holy Spirit, and the desire of the Spirit that Paul take this trip, irrespective of the coming difficulties), not knowing the things that shall befall me there (the Holy Spirit tells him to go to Jerusalem and that there will be great problems, but doesnt tell him exactly what they will be):

²³Save that the Holy Spirit witnesses in every city (tells us that such happened, but gave no information about the actual events), saying that bonds and afflictions abide me (the Holy Spirit didnt tell Paul exactly how these things would come about).

²⁴But none of these things move me (proclaims Paul putting himself entirely in the hands of the Lord), neither count I my life dear unto myself (his life belonged to the Lord, and the Lord could do with it as He so desired), so that I might finish my course with joy (and that he ultimately did), and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God (proclaims basically what this course actually is; his Message was Jesus Christ and Him Crucified).

²⁵And now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God (he had faithfully preached the Message to these Ephesians), shall see my face no more (he knew this would be the last time he would see them, and therefore, the reason he had sent for them).

²⁶Wherefore I take you to record this day (the Heavenly record will show), that I am pure from the blood of all men (means that he had delivered the Gospel to everyone who heard him preach, exactly as it was given to him by the Lord).

²⁷For I have not shunned to declare unto you (refers to the fact that the temptation was always there to trim the Message) all the Counsel of God (all the Word of God, holding back nothing).

²⁸Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the Flock (this word is directed to the Pastors who had come from Ephesus to meet him), over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (Elders, Bishops, Overseers, Shepherds, and Presbyters all mean the same thing, Pastor), to feed the Church of God (to tend as a Shepherd), which He has purchased with His Own Blood (Christ bought us at a great price).

²⁹For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock (presents a perfect description of those who merchandise the Body of Christ, and in whatever way).

³⁰Also of your own selves shall men arise (will not come from the outside, but from the inside), speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them (not to Christ, but to themselves).

³¹Therefore watch (be spiritually vigilant), and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears (Paul not only preached the Truth of the Word, but warned of and pointed out false doctrine and false apostles as well).

³²And now, Brethren, I commend you to God (he has planted enough of the Gospel in them that they will not turn from the Lord), and to the Word of His Grace (that Word is the Cross), which is able to build you up (the Gospel of Grace alone can build one up), and to give you an inheritance among all them which are Sanctified (the Believer is Sanctified only by making the Cross the Object of His Faith, which gives the Holy Spirit the latitude to carry out this work within our hearts and lives; the Believer cannot Sanctify himself).

³³I have coveted no mans silver, or gold, or apparel (he was not after their money as were these grievous wolves of Verse 29).

³⁴Yes, you yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them who were with me (refers to Paul repairing tents to support himself [Acts 18:3]).

³⁵I have showed you all things (means that this particular aspect of unselfishness is to serve as an example), how that so labouring you ought to support the weak (everything the Believer does is to set a spiritual example), and to remember the Words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (these words are not recorded in the Gospels; however, we know that only a tiny part of what He said and did is recorded; Peter, or one of the other Apostles who were with Jesus, evidently related this to Paul).

³⁶And when he had thus spoken (represented the last time they would ever hear him speak to them), he kneeled down, and prayed with them all (as well, concerns the last time he will pray with them, even though he will continue to pray for them).

³⁷And they all wept sore (concerns their great love for the Apostle), and fell on Pauls neck, and kissed him (his Message had brought them from death to life),

³⁸Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they should see his face no more (so far as is known, these Ephesians never saw the Apostle again until they saw him in Glory). And they accompanied him unto the ship (this was at the port of Melitus).