Acts 20:1-6
Acts 20:1-6. PAUL JOURNEYS THROUGH MACEDONIA AND GREECE, AND RETURNS AS FAR AS TROAS... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 20:1-6. PAUL JOURNEYS THROUGH MACEDONIA AND GREECE, AND RETURNS AS FAR AS TROAS... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤΑΠΕΜΨΆΜΕΝΟΣ after ΘΌΡΥΒΟΝ with אBE, and ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛΈΣΑΣ before ἈΣΠΑΣΆΜΕΝΟΣ with AB. The _Vulg_. has ‘vocatis Paulus discipulis et exhortatus eos valedixit.’ 1. ΜΕΤᾺ ΔῈ ΤῸ ΠΑΎΣΑΣΘΑΙ ΤῸΝ ΘΌΡΥΒΟΝ, _and after the uproar was ceased_. We may suppose some little time to have passed, and public feeling to h... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΕΛΘΏΝ ΔῈ ΤᾺ ΜΈΡΗ ἘΚΕΙ͂ΝΑ, _and when he had gone over those parts_, visiting especially, of course, the Churches of Philippi, Thessalonica and Berœa, among which St Luke may have been left from the former visit, and have laboured to carry on the work which St Paul had begun. Some have judged this t... [ Continue Reading ]
ἮΛΘΕΝ ΕἸΣ ΤῊΝ ἙΛΛΆΔΑ, _he came into Greece_. There is nothing said of the places which St Paul visited in this journey, but as he was always anxious to strengthen any work which he had before begun we may feel sure that Athens and Corinth, on this account, as well as for their importance as centres... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΎΡΡΟΥ after ΣΏΠΑΤΡΟΣ with אABDE. _Vulg_. ‘Sopater Pyrrhi.’ 4. ΣΥΝΕΊΠΕΤΟ ΔῈ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι ἌΧΡΙ ΤΗ͂Σ ἈΣΊΑΣ, _and there accompanied him as far as Asia_. We find (Acts 21:29) that Trophimus went on to Jerusalem, and (Acts 27:2) that Aristarchus was with St Paul in the voyage to Rome. συνείπετο standing fir... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟὟΤΟΙ ΔῈ ΠΡΟΕΛΘΌΝΤΕΣ Κ.Τ.Λ., _but these had gone before and were waiting for us at Troas_. What the writer wants to point out is that these men before-mentioned did not stop like St Paul at Philippi, nor indeed tarry at all in Macedonia. As in this verse the change of pronoun indicates that the writ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤᾺ ΤᾺΣ ἩΜΈΡΑΣ ΤΩ͂Ν�, _after the days of unleavened bread_. Another reason why St Paul tarried at Philippi seems to have been because of the Jewish feast. As there could be no sacrifice of the Passover out of Jerusalem, the Apostle would feel no difficulty about remaining at any other form of the f... [ Continue Reading ]
ἩΙΜΩ͂Ν for τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ with אABDE. _Vulg_. ‘cum convenissemus.’ 7. ἘΝ ΔῈ ΤΗ͂Ι ΜΙΑ͂Ι ΤΩ͂Ν ΣΑΒΒΆΤΩΝ, _and upon the first day of the week_, which had now, in memory of the Resurrection, begun to be observed as a holy day by Christians. In an Epistle written before this visit to Troas (1 Corinthian... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL PREACHES AT TROAS. EUTYCHUS IS RESTORED TO LIFE... [ Continue Reading ]
ἮΜΕΝ for ἦσαν with אABDEHLP. _Vulg_. ‘eramus.’ 8. ἘΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ὙΠΕΡΏΙΩΙ, _in the upper room_. Our thoughts go back to the upper room in Jerusalem where (Acts 1:13) the first preachers of Christianity waited for the promised gift of the Holy Ghost. ΟὟ ἮΜΕΝ ΣΥΝΗΓΜΈΝΟΙ, _where we were gathered together_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘΕΖΌΜΕΝΟΣ ΔΈ … ἘΠῚ ΤΗ͂Σ ΘΥΡΊΔΟΣ, _and there was sitting in the window_. The window in that climate was only an opening in the wall, and not as in our country provided with a framework, the bars of which would have prevented the accident which is here described. The young man was sitting upon (ἐπί)... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤΑΒᾺΣ ΔΈ Ὁ ΠΑΥ͂ΛΟΣ ἘΠΈΠΕΣΕΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι, _and Paul went down and fell on him_. The access to Eastern houses was by a staircase on the outside, so that the way down would be at hand. The action of the Apostle recalls that of Elijah (1 Kings 17:21) and of Elisha (2 Kings 4:34). No doubt the Apostle, lik... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΝΑΒᾺΣ ΔΈ, _and when he was gone up_. The Apostle’s calmness, as well as his words, was not without effect on the congregation. He returns to the upper room, and the unfinished act of worship is completed. ΚΑῚ ΚΛΆΣΑΣ ΤῸΝ ἌΡΤΟΝ, _and had broken the bread_, i.e. the bread of the Eucharistic service.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἬΓΑΓΟΝ ΔΈ ΤῸΝ ΠΑΙ͂ΔΑ ΖΩ͂ΝΤΑ, _and they brought the lad alive_. It would seem as though those who had had the care of him brought him, before the congregation broke up, perhaps even before the Apostle’s departure, back again into the upper room.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἩΜΕΙ͂Σ ΔΈ ΠΡΟΕΛΘΌΝΤΕΣ ἘΠῚ ΤῸ ΠΛΟΙ͂ΟΝ, _but we going before to the ship_. St Luke now describes what he and the rest, without St Paul, did next. They started from Troas before St Paul’s departure, and coasted along while the Apostle went by land. ἈΝΉΧΘΗΜΕΝ ἘΠῚ ΤῊΝ ἌΣΣΟΝ, _and set sail for Assos_. ἀν... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL GOES ON FOOT TO ASSOS, THEN BY SEA TO MILETUS... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΜΙΤΥΛΉΝΗΝ, _to Mitylene_. The voyage was a coasting voyage, the nights being each spent in some harbour. Mitylene was the capital of Lesbos, to which place they went from Assos, probably because it had a better anchorage. There could have been little time for anything on St Paul’s land journey l... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ μείναντες ἐν Τρωγυλλίῳ omitted with אABCE. Not represented in _Vulg_. 15. ΤΗ͂Ι ἘΠΙΟΎΣΗΙ ΚΑΤΗΝΤΉΣΑΜΕΝ ἌΝΤΙΚΡΥΣ ΧΊΟΥ, _on the following day we came over against Chios_. The island of Chios is about five miles distant from the mainland. It was in the shelter of the roadstead that the Apostle and h... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΕΚΡΊΚΕΙ for ἕκρινε with אABCDE. _Vulg_. ‘proposuerat.’ 16. ΚΕΚΡΊΚΕΙ ΓᾺΡ Ὁ ΠΑΥ͂ΛΟΣ, _for Paul had determined_. In the midst of a large Christian congregation, such as we know to have existed by this time in Ephesus, there would have arisen many causes of delay which the Apostle in this rapid journe... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠῸ ΔῈ ΤΗ͂Σ ΜΙΛΉΤΟΥ, _and from Miletus_. At Miletus the Apostle and his party must have tarried more than one day. It would take quite that time to send his messenger and summon those whom he wished to see. If they came to him on the next day, that would be consumed in their conference and leavetaki... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL SENDS FOR THE ELDERS FROM EPHESUS, GIVES THEM HIS PARTING CHARGE, AND LEAVES MILETUS... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΠΕΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ, _he said to them_. This is the only speech recorded in the Acts of the Apostles which we can be sure that the writer heard St Paul make. This is probably the reason why we have it somewhat in detail, and why it is so marked, as we shall see it is, with expressions that are to be foun... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΟΛΛΩ͂Ν before δακρύων omitted with אABDE. Not represented in _Vulg_. 19. ΔΟΥΛΕΎΩΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ΚΥΡΊΩΙ ΜΕΤᾺ ΠΆΣΗΣ ΤΑΠΕΙΝΟΦΡΟΣΎΝΗΣ, _serving the Lord with all humility of mind_. The verb is interesting when we remember how often St Paul calls himself in his Epistles δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Cf. Romans 1:1; Phi... [ Continue Reading ]
ὩΣ ΟΥ̓ΔῈΝ ὙΠΕΣΤΕΙΛΆΜΗΝ ΤΩ͂Ν ΣΥΜΦΕΡΌΤΩΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΜἨ�, _how that I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable_. For the form of the sentence, cf. Acts 20:27 below. ὑποστέλλω is applied to the wrapping up of anything to keep it out of sight or to stow it away. For example, it is applie... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΑΜΑΡΤΥΡΌΜΕΝΟΣ, _testifying_, i.e. proclaiming to them their need of. Here Chrysostom says: οὐχὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, φησί, μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς Ἕλληνας. ἐνταῦθα ἡ παῤῥησία. καὶ ὅτι κἃν μηδὲν ὠφελῶμεν λέγειν δεῖ. τὸ γὰρ διαμαρτύρασθαι τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅταν πρὸς τοὺς μὴ προσέχοντας λέγωμεν.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΝΥ͂Ν ἸΔΟῪ ΔΕΔΕΜΈΝΟΣ ἘΓῺ Κ.Τ.Λ., _and now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem_. In these words the Apostle refers to his own spirit, the constraint which in his own mind was laid upon him. Some therefore to make this plain would render ‘in _my_ spirit.’ The verb implies that he felt... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΛῊΝ ὍΤΙ … ΔΙΑΜΑΡΤΎΡΕΤΑΊ ΜΟΙ, _save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth unto me in every city_. The Holy Ghost had called him to the work (Acts 13:2) and moved the disciples (Acts 21:4) and Agabus (Acts 21:11) to warn him of the sufferings which were at hand. We may suppose too that such warnings came mo... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΛΛ' ΟΥ̓ΔΕΝῸΣ ΛΌΓΟΥ ΠΟΙΟΥ͂ΜΑΙ ΤῊΝ ΨΥΧῊΝ ΤΙΜΊΑΝ ἘΜΑΎΤΩΙ with אBCD. _Vulg_. has ‘Sed nihil horum vereor, nee facio animam meam pretiosiorem quam me.’ μετὰ χαρᾶς omitted with אABD. Not represented in _Vulg_. 24. ἈΛΛ' ΟΥ̓ΔΕΝῸΣ ΛΌΓΟΥ ΠΟΙΟΥ͂ΜΑΙ ΤῊΝ ΨΥΧῊΝ ΤΙΜΊΑΝ ἘΜΑΤΩ͂Ι, _but I hold not my life of any acc... [ Continue Reading ]
τοῦ θεοῦ omitted with אABC. _Vulg_. has ‘Dei.’ 25. ΟΥ̓ΚΈΤΙ ὌΨΕΣΘΕ Κ.Τ.Λ., _ye all shall no more see_. We cannot be sure that the Apostle never again came to Ephesus. For we learn from Philemon 1:22 that, toward the close of his imprisonment at Rome, he had hopes and the intention of visiting Philemo... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘΑΡΌΣ ΕἸΜΙ with אBCDE. _Vulg_. has ‘mundus sum.’ 26. ΔΙᾺ ΜΑΡΤΎΡΟΜΑΙ ὙΜΙ͂Ν, _wherefore I take you to record_. St Paul testifies unto his hearers, but he also challenges them to confirm or refute what he says. ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ΣΉΜΕΡΟΝ ἩΜΈΡΑΙ, _this day_. For this redundant expression, cf. LXX. Joshua 22:29... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΜΙ͂Ν placed after ΘΕΟΥ͂ with אBCD. _Vulg_. ‘Dei vobis.’ 27. ΟΥ̓ ΓᾺΡ ὙΠΕΣΤΕΙΛΆΝΗΝ Κ.Τ.Λ., _for I shrank not from declaring_, &c. See above on Acts 20:20. By πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ θεοῦ is meant the whole plan of salvation, what God offers and what he asks from men. This includes ‘repentance and faith’ ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΥΡΊΟΥ for θεοῦ with ACDE. _Vulg_. has ‘Dei.’ 28. ΠΡΟΣΈΧΕΤΕ ἙΑΥΤΟΙ͂Σ, _take heed to yourselves_. On the construction see on chap. Acts 5:35; Acts 8:6. The Apostle now resigns into their hands a charge which before had been his own, and the form of his language would remind them that the discharge o... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΏ ΟἾΔΑ with אABCD. _Vulg_. ‘ego scio.’ 29. ΜΕΤᾺ ΤῊΝ ἌΦΙΞΊΝ ΜΟΥ, _after my departing_. This noun is only found here in N.T. In classical Greek it most frequently means ‘arrival,’ but not always. But as the person who _arrives_ at one place must have _departed_ from some other, it is only a change... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἘΞ ὙΜΩ͂Ν ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν, _and from among your own selves_. This gives an idea of the greater nearness of the apostasy which the Apostle predicts. Not some who may come _of_ those to whom he speaks, but even out of the present existing Christian body. We know from St Paul’s own experience that he learnt... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙῸ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΕΙ͂ΤΕ, _therefore watch_. And the sort of watching indicated is that unsleeping alertness which can never be taken by surprise. ΜΝΗΜΟΝΕΎΟΝΤΕΣ Κ.Τ.Λ., _remembering that by the space of three years_. St Paul enforces watchfulness by appealing to his own example. Be ye watchful, bearing in m... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀδελφοί omitted with אABD. Not represented in _Vulg_. ὑμῖν omitted with אABDE. Not represented in _Vulg_. 32. ΚΑῚ ΤᾺ ΝΥ͂Ν ΠΑΡΑΤΊΘΕΜΑΙ ὙΜΑ͂Σ, _and now I commend you_. It is as if he said: I am to leave you, but I leave you to the care of One who will help you as He has helped me, and who will not l... [ Continue Reading ]
ἹΜΑΤΙΣΜΟΥ͂, _apparel_. In which Oriental wealth largely consisted. Hence Naaman brings ‘changes of raiment’ as well as money among the rewards which he expects to give for his cure (2 Kings 5:5), and the value attached to changes of raiment may be noticed in many other parts of the Scripture history... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟῚ ΓΙΝΏΣΚΕΤΕ, _ye yourselves know_. The working in company with Aquila and Priscilla, which the Apostle began in Corinth, was probably continued when they came together to Ephesus, and so the Apostle’s trade and his steady pursuit of it would be well known to many of the listeners. It has been s... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΆΝΤΑ ὙΠΈΔΕΙΞΑ ὙΜΙ͂Ν, _in all things I gave you an example_. Cf. John 13:15, ὑπόδειγμα γὰρ ἔδωκα ὑμῖν. ὍΤΙ ΟὝΤΩΣ ΚΟΠΙΩ͂ΝΤΑΣ, _how that thus labouring_, i.e. as I myself laboured and you beheld and knew. The verb implies ‘wearying toil.’ He had spared for no fatigue. He speaks of this toil (2 Corint... [ Continue Reading ]
ΘΕῚΣ ΤᾺ ΓΌΝΑΤΑ, _having knelt down_. The kneeling posture marks the special character and solemnity of the prayer. We find the Apostle doing the same in his parting from the brethren at Tyre (Acts 21:5). On the usual custom of standing in prayer, cf. Mark 11:25 and the account of the Pharisee and pu... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤΕΦΊΛΟΥΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΝ, _they kissed him_. The verb expresses earnest and sorrowful salutations.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠῚ ΤΩ͂Ι ΛΌΓΩΙ ὮΙ ΕἸΡΉΚΕΙ, _for the word which he had spoken_. On the attraction of the relative cf. Acts 1:1. ΤῸ ΠΡΌΣΩΠΟΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΩΡΕΙ͂Ν, _to behold his face_. The Apostle in Acts 20:25 uses only ὁράω, the ordinary word. Here in θεωρεῖν is expressed the earnest reverent gaze, with which we can f... [ Continue Reading ]