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The Book of Acts
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BIBLE STUDY ACTS 20:1-38 REVIEW: Chapter 19 was about Paul’s ministry in Ephesus during his third missionary journey – which was for about two and a half years. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul came upon some disciples in Ephesus who had been baptized “into John’s baptism”. Upon being baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus”, they then received the Holy Spirit. As Pastor Josh mentioned, John’s baptism was one of repentance (an “emptying”). That is certainly important, but it is not complete. Christian baptism also involves a “filling” with the Holy Spirit. During Paul’s stay in Ephesus, his ministry turned into a regional movement so that “all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” Many miracles and deeds of power were done through Paul – including the casting out of evil spirits. Because of his ministry, many believers who had formerly practiced magic renounced their practices and burned their books – thus giving public witness to the power and authority of the name of Jesus. Luke then tells of Paul’s travel plans to go to Jerusalem and then to Rome. As Pastor Josh mentioned, although Luke does not give a reason for Paul’s intention to go Jerusalem, Paul himself in several of his letters writes about his effort to collect money from the Gentile churches in order to delver an offering to the Jerusalem church. Finally, Luke writes about a riot instigated against Paul by followers of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus. CHAPTER 20:1-6 “Setting Out for Jerusalem” “After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples; and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given the believers much encouragement, he came to Greece, where he stayed for three months. He was about to set sail for Syria when a plot was made against him by the Jews, and so he decided to return through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. They went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas; but we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we joined them in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.” Luke here resumes his narrative about Paul’s travel plans outlined in 19:21-22. These few words summarize what must have been about an entire year of journey and adventure. To me (Pastor George) it is interesting to note what Luke does not deal with in this narrative. Nothing is said, for example, of the trouble that was brewing in Corinth and which weighed heavily upon Paul’s mind and heart. Nothing is said about the fact that one of the major reasons Paul was traveling from city to city was to collect money for the less privileged Christians in Jerusalem. Luke does not even mention the city in Greece where Paul stayed for three months – which was almost certainly Corinth (see 1 Cor. 16:5-9) – and that during his stay there he wrote his letter to the Romans (see Rom. 15:25-29). The reasons for Luke’s silence on these things is unknown – except that his main overall purpose seems to be to present Paul as a prophet and evangelist – and not get “bogged down” in administrative and day-to-day details of his ministry. Luke now wants to “fast forward” his story to Paul’s coming arrest and imprisonment. The nature of the plot made against Paul by fanatical Jewish opponents is not stated, but it certainly would have been easy for them to arrange for his murder aboard a pilgrim ship – which would explain why Paul then decide to journey by land instead. The list of Paul’s companions are probably those who were appointed by the various churches to accompany him in delivering the offering gathered for the church in Jerusalem. The churches through these persons were not only sending money, but also sharing of themselves through their representatives – thereby providing a visible demonstration of the unity of the church. Luke apparently personally joins the group in Troas after sailing from Philippi, because the travel account suddenly shifts into the first person “we” narrative for the first time since 16:11-16. Luke apparently accompanies Paul until he arrives in Jerusalem in chapter 21. CHAPTER 20:7-12 “Paul and Eutychus” “On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted.” This story is clearly an eyewitness account of a typical early church fellowship gathering and sharing the Lord’s Supper on “the first day of the week” (Sunday). Unknown, however, is why Luke decided to highlight it as a part of his narrative. Luke Timothy Johnson in his commentary on Acts speculates that that one of Luke’s overall purposes is to portray Paul as following in the prophetic ministry of Jesus (in the same way that he had earlier portrayed Peter and Stephen). Perhaps Luke chooses to emphasize details such as “the first day of the week” (Lk. 24:1); that it occurs in an “upper room” (Lk. 22:12; Acts 1:13); or that the disciples are gathered to “break bread” (Lk. 24:30-35) to remind his readers of Jesus’ resurrection and the experience of Jesus’ risen presence by the first disciples. If this is so, the point is that these details are continuing to be “re-enacted” in Paul’s ministry. CHAPTER 20:13-16 "Travel Details" “We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there; for he had made this arrangement, intending to go by land himself. When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. We sailed from there, and on the following day we arrived opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos, and the day after we came to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia; he was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.” Now that Luke is with Paul, we can follow the journey almost day by day and stage by stage. Note, however, how Luke “highlights” some aspects while “downplaying” others. Supposedly, Paul decides to sail past Ephesus so that he could be in Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost. Pentecost, of course, was one of the three major Jewish festivals – and his desire to be there provides yet another indication that Paul highly valued his Jewish heritage. On the other hand, Luke’s portrayal of Paul’s haste to travel to Jerusalem by Pentecost seems to be contradicted by the passage immediately following this – in which he sends a message from Miletus to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. As a commentator in The Interpreter’s Bible asks: even to send a message to Ephesus and bring the elders to Miletus would take at least three days – and supposedly Paul did not have that much time. The most probable explanation is that Luke is simply employing an “editor’s discretion” to highlight two different themes. The first one, of course, is Paul’s desire to be at Jerusalem for the great festival (shown by his decision to sail past Ephesus). The second theme is that Paul will give a “farewell discourse” to his disciples in the same way that Jesus did before his arrest and death. CHAPTER 20:17-38 “Paul’s Farewell Message to the Ephesian Church Elders” “From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. When they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace. And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. I coveted not one’s silver or gold or clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.” This entire discourse serves to remind the reader that Paul is a prophet like Jesus. Here Paul encourages his listeners to consider the conduct of his life and ministry as a model for them to imitate. Paul’s assertion about “imprisonment and persecutions” waiting for him in Jerusalem seem to echo Jesus’ passion predictions. Paul’s predictions of “savage wolves” coming in among the church and those from their own group “distorting the truth” echo a similar prophecy made by Moses in Deut. 31:16 – 32:47. Paul is also shown as having a deep love for his listeners – and they for him – in a way that seems to recall the love Jesus had for his disciples. Finally, Luke’s detail about Paul’s kneeling to pray with the elders perhaps is meant to help us recall that Jesus did the same in the garden at the Mount of Olives before his betrayal and arrest (Lk. 22:39-46). -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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