Acts 20:34 Comentariu

In this chapter we have, I. Paul's travels up and down about Macedonia, Greece, and Asia, and his coming at length to Troas (Act 20:1-6). II. A particular account of his spending one Lord's day at Troas, and his raising Eutychus to life there (Act 20:7-12). III. His progress, or circuit, for the visiting of the churches he had planted, in his way towards Jerusalem, where he designed to be by the next feast of pentecost (Act 20:13-16). IV. The farewell sermon he preached to the presbyters at Ephesus, now that he was leaving that country (v. 17-35). V. The very sorrowful parting between him and them (Act 20:36-38). And in all these we find Paul very busy to serve Christ, and to do good to the souls of men, not only in the conversion of heathen, but in the edification of Christians.

And after the uproar was ceased,.... Which Demetrius, and the craftsmen, had raised at Ephesus, and which was put an end to by the speech of the town clerk, or register keeper of the theatre: Paul called unto him the disciples; the members of the church at Ephesus, whom he convened, either at his own lodgings, or at their usual place of meeting: and embraced them; or "saluted them"; that is, with a kiss, which was sometimes done at parting, as well as at meeting; see Act 20:37 and so the Syriac version renders it, and "kissed" them, and so took his leave of them, and bid them farewell; the Alexandrian copy, and some other copies, and the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions before this clause insert, "and exhorted, or comforted" them; that is, exhorted them to continue steadfast in the faith, and hold fast the profession of it without wavering, and comforted them under all their tribulations, and in a view of what afflictions and persecutions they must expect to endure for the sake of Christ, with the exceeding great and precious promises of the Gospel: and departed to go into Macedonia; to visit the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, and to establish them in the faith of the Gospel: he did not choose to leave Ephesus till the tumult was over, partly on his own account, that he might not bring upon himself an imputation of fear and cowardice; and partly on the account of the church at Ephesus, that he might not leave them in distress, and add to it; but now it was over, he judged it proper to take his leave of them, and visit other churches, the care of which equally lay upon him.

Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake,.... In Act 20:25 it filled them with sorrow to part with him; but this was increased, and made almost intolerable by what he said, that they should see his face no more: could they have hoped to have seen him again, it would have made their parting with him more easy; but to be told they should never see him more in this world, it cut them to the heart; which shows what a share the apostle had in their hearts and affections, and not without good reason: however, that they might have a sight of him as long as they could, they went along with him to see him take shipping, and to see the last of him. And they accompanied him unto the ship: which lay at Miletus waiting for him. Next: Acts Chapter 21

"I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel." He takes away that which is the root of evils, the love of money. "Silver, or gold," he says. He says not, I have not taken, but, not even "coveted." No great thing this, but what follows after is great. "Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me." So as to put them to shame. And see how worthily of them. For he says not, Ye ought to show yourselves superior to money, but what? "to support the weak" - not all indiscriminately.

So then, it was not in Corinth only that they did this - they that corrupted the disciples, but in Asia as well. But he nowhere casts this up as a reproach to the Ephesians, when writing to them. And why? Because he did not fall upon any subject that obliged him to speak of this. But to the Corinthians he says, "My boasting has not been stopped in the regions of Achaia." And he does not say, Ye did not give to me; but, "Silver, or gold, or apparel, I coveted not," that it might not seem to be their doing, that they had not given. And he does not say, From no man have I coveted the necessaries of life, that again it might not look like accusing them: but he covertly hints as much, seeing that he provided subsistence for others as well as himself. See how he worked with earnestness, "night and day" discoursing to others, "with tears warning each one of them." Again he puts them in fear: "I have showed you all things," he says: ye cannot take refuge in the plea of ignorance: "have shown you" by works "how that so laboring ye ought to work."

For neither ought we, for example, to preach the gospel with this object, that we may eat; but to eat with this object, that we may preach the gospel: for if we preach the gospel for this cause, that we may eat, we reckon the gospel of less value than food; and in that case our good will be in eating, but that which is necessary for us is preaching the gospel. And this the apostle also forbids, when he says it is lawful for himself even, and permitted by the Lord, that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel, that is, should have from the gospel the necessaries of this life; but yet that he has not made use of this power.

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. If the words of the Lord should be remembered, they will provide the principle: “It is better to give than to receive.” Let giving be preferred by bishops.

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. Further, … he saw himself enriched with such practical fruits, and on the other hand considered in his heart the good of meditation and weighed as it were in one scale the profit of all these labors and in the other the delights of divine contemplation. For a long time he had corrected the balance in his breast, while the vast rewards for his labors delighted him on one side, and on the other the desire for unity with and the inseparable companionship of Christ inclined him to depart this life. At last in his perplexity [Paul] cries out and says, “What I shall choose I know not. For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, for it were much better: but to abide in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes.” Though then in many ways he preferred this excellent good to all the fruits of his preaching, yet he submits himself in consideration of love, without which none can gain the Lord; and for their sakes, whom hitherto he had soothed with milk as nourishment from the breasts of the gospel, does not refuse to be parted from Christ, which is bad for himself though useful for others. For he is driven to choose this the rather by that excessive goodness of his whereby for the salvation of his brothers he is ready, were it possible, to incur even the last evil of an anathema.

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.

Paul retires to Macedonia, Act 20:1. He goes into Greece, where he tarries three months and, purposing to sail to Syria, he returns through Macedonia, Act 20:2, Act 20:3. Several persons accompany him into Asia, and then go before and tarry for him at Troas, Act 20:4, Act 20:5. Paul and Luke sail from Philippi, and in five days reach Troas, where they meet their brethren from Asia, and abide there seven days, Act 20:6. On the first day of the week, the disciples coming together to break bread, Paul preaching to them, and continuing his speech till midnight, a young man of the name of Eutychus, being in a deep sleep, fell from the third loft and was killed, Act 20:7-9. Paul restores him to life, resumes his discourse, and continuing it till daybreak, then departs, Act 20:10-12. Luke and his companions come to Assos, whither Paul comes by land, Act 20:13. He embarks with them at Assos, comes to Mitylene, Act 20:14. Sails thence, and passes by Chios, arrives at Samos, tarries at Trogyllium, and comes to Miletus, Act 20:15. Purposing to get as soon as possible to Jerusalem, he sends from Miletus, and calls the elders of the Church of Ephesus, to whom he preaches a most directing sermon, gives them the most solemn exhortations, kneels down and prays with them, takes a very affecting leave of them, and sets sail for Caesarea, in order to go to Jerusalem, vv. 16-38.

These hands have ministered, etc. - It was neither "sin nor discredit" for the apostle to work to maintain himself, when the circumstances of the Church were such that it could not support him. Still many eminent ministers of God are obliged to support themselves and their families, at least in part, in the same way, while indefatigably testifying the Gospel of the grace of God. Whatever it may be to the people, it is no cause of reproach to the minister, to be obliged thus to employ himself.

PAUL FULFILS HIS PURPOSE OF PROCEEDING AGAIN TO MACEDONIA AND GREECE--RETURNING THENCE, ON HIS ROUTE FOR JERUSALEM, HE REVISITS PHILIPPI AND TROAS--HIS MINISTRATIONS AT TROAS. (Act 20:1-12) departed--after Pentecost (Co1 16:8). to go into Macedonia--in pursuance of the first part of his plan (Act 19:21). From his Epistles we learn; (1) That, as might have been expected from its position on the coast, he revisited Troas (Co2 2:12; see on Act 16:8). (2) That while on his former visit he appears to have done no missionary work there, he now went expressly "to preach Christ's Gospel," and found "a door opened unto him of the Lord" there, which he entered so effectually as to lay the foundation of a church there (Act 20:6-7). (3) That he would have remained longer there but for his uneasiness at the non-arrival of Titus, whom he had despatched to Corinth to finish the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem (Co1 16:1-2; Co2 8:6), but still more, that he might bring him word what effect his first Epistle to that church had produced. (He had probably arranged that they should meet at Troas). (4) That in this state of mind, afraid of something wrong, he "took leave" of the brethren at Troas, and went from thence into Macedonia. It was, no doubt, the city of PHILIPPI that he came to (landing at Nicopolis, its seaport, see on Act 16:11-12), as appears by comparing Co2 11:9, where "Macedonia" is named, with Phi 4:15, where it appears that Philippi is meant. Here he found the brethren, whom he had left on his former visit in circumstances of such deep interest, a consolidated and thriving church, generous and warmly attached to their father in Christ; under the superintendence, probably, of our historian, "the beloved physician" (see on Act 16:40). All that is said by our historian of this Macedonian visit is that "he went over those parts and gave them much exhortation." (5) Titus not having reached Philippi as soon as the apostle, "his flesh had no rest, but he was troubled on every side: without were fightings, within were fears" (Co2 7:5). (6) At length Titus arrived, to the joy of the apostle, the bearer of better tidings from Corinth than he had dared to expect (Co2 7:6-7, Co2 7:13), but checkered by painful intelligence of the efforts of a hostile party to undermine his apostolic reputation there (2Co. 10:1-18). (7) Under the mixed feelings which this produced, he wrote--from Macedonia, and probably Philippi--his SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS (see Introduction to Second Corinthians); despatching Titus with it, and along with him two other unnamed deputies, expressly chosen to take up and bring their collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem, and to whom he bears the beautiful testimony, that they were "the glory of Christ" (Co2 8:22-23). (8) It must have been at this time that he penetrated as far as to the confines of "Illyricum," lying along the shores of the Adriatic (Rom 15:19). He would naturally wish that his second Letter to the Corinthians should have some time to produce its proper effect ere he revisited them, and this would appear a convenient opportunity for a northwestern circuit, which would enable him to pay a passing visit to the churches at Thessalonica and Berea, though of this we have no record. On his way southward to Greece, he would preach the Gospel in the intermediate regions of Epirus, Thessaly, and Boeotia (see Rom 15:19), though of this we have no record.

these hands--doubtless holding them up, as before Agrippa in chains (Act 26:29). have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me--See Act 18:3; Co1 4:12; Co1 9:6, written from Ephesus; also Th1 2:9.