Acts:20:17-38
Seeker Overlay ON
rwp @
Acts:20:17 @{
Called to him } (\
metekalesato \).
Aorist middle (
indirect )
indicative of \
metakale \,
old verb to call from one place to another (\
meta \
for "
change "),
middle to call to oneself ,
only in Acts in the N .
T . (
7:14 ;
strkjv @
10:32 ;
strkjv @
20:17 ;
strkjv @
24:25 |).
Ephesus was some thirty miles ,
a stiff day '
s journey each way .
They would be with Paul the third day of the stay in Miletus . {
The elders of the church } (\
tous presbuterous t
s ekkl
sias \).
The very men whom Paul terms "
bishops " (\
episkopous \)
in verse 28 |
just as in strkjv @
Titus:1:5 ,
7 |
where both terms (\
presbuterous ,
ton episkopon \)
describe the same office .
The term "
elder "
applied to Christian ministers first appears in strkjv @
Acts:11:30 |
in Jerusalem and reappears in strkjv @
15:4 ,
6 ,
22 |
in connection with the apostles and the church .
The "
elders "
are not "
apostles "
but are "
bishops " (
cf .
strkjv @
Phillipians:1:1 |)
and with "
deacons "
constitute the two classes of officers in the early churches .
Ignatius shows that in the early second century the office of bishop over the elders had developed ,
but Lightfoot has shown that it was not so in the first century .
Each church ,
as in Jerusalem ,
Philippi ,
Ephesus ,
had a number of "
elders " ("
bishops ")
in the one great city church .
Hackett thinks that other ministers from the neighbourhood also came .
It was a noble group of preachers and Paul ,
the greatest preacher of the ages ,
makes a remarkable talk to preachers with all the earmarks of Pauline originality (
Spitta ,
_Apostelgeschichte_
,
p .
252 )
as shown by the characteristic Pauline words ,
phrases ,
ideas current in all his Epistles including the Pastoral (
testify ,
course ,
pure ,
take heed ,
presbyter ,
bishop ,
acquire ,
apparel ).
Luke heard this address as he may and probably did hear those in Jerusalem and Caesarea (
Acts:21-26 |).
Furneaux suggests that Luke probably took shorthand notes of the address since Galen says that his students took down his medical lectures in shorthand : "
At any rate ,
of all the speeches in the Acts this contains most of Paul and least of Luke ....
It reveals Paul as nothing else does .
The man who spoke it is no longer a man of eighteen centuries ago :
he is of yesterday ;
of today .
He speaks as we speak and feels as we feel ;
or rather as we fain would speak and feel ."
We have seen and listened to Paul speak to the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia as Luke pictures the scene ,
to the uneducated pagans at Lystra ,
to the cultured Greeks in Athens .
We shall hear him plead for his life to the Jewish mob in Jerusalem ,
to the Roman governor Felix in Caesarea ,
to the Jewish "
King "
Herod Agrippa II in Caesarea ,
and at last to the Jews in Rome .
But here Paul unbosoms himself to the ministers of the church in Ephesus where he had spent three years (
longer than with any other church )
and where he had such varied experiences of prowess and persecution .
He opens his heart to these men as he does not to the average crowd even of believers .
It is Paul '
s _Apologia
pro sua Vita_
.
He will probably not see them again and so the outlook and attitude is similar to the farewell discourse of Jesus to the disciples in the upper room (
John:13-17 |).
He warns them about future perils as Jesus had done .
Paul '
s words here will repay any preacher '
s study today .
There is the same high conception of the ministry here that Paul had already elaborated in strkjv @
2Corinthians:2:12-6:10 | (
see my _Glory
of the Ministry_
).
It is a fitting time and occasion for Paul to take stock of his ministry at the close of the third mission tour .
What wonders had God wrought already .
rwp @
Acts:20:18 @{
Ye yourselves know } (\
humeis epistasthe \).
Pronoun expressed and emphatic .
He appeals to their personal knowledge of his life in Ephesus . {
From the first day that } (\
apo pr
t
s h
meras aph '
h
s \). "
From first day from which ."
He had first "
set foot " (\
epeb
n \,
second aorist active indicative of old verb \
epibain \,
to step upon or step into )
in Ephesus four years ago in the spring of 51 or 52 ,
but had returned from Antioch that autumn .
It is now spring of 54 or 55 so that his actual ministry in Ephesus was about two and a half years ,
roughly three years (
verse 31 |).
rwp @
Acts:20:19 @[
After what manner I was with you } (\
p
s meth '
h
m
n egenom
n \).
Literally , "
How I came (
from Asia and so was )
with you ."
Cf .
strkjv @
1Thessalonians:1:5 ;
strkjv @
2Thessalonians:2:1-10 |
where Paul likewise dares to refer boldly to his life while with them "
all the time " (\
ton panta chronon \).
Accusative of duration of time .
Songs:far as we know ,
Paul stuck to Ephesus the whole period .
He had devoted himself consecratedly to the task in Ephesus .
Each pastor is bishop of his field and has a golden opportunity to work it for Christ .
One of the saddest things about the present situation is the restlessness of preachers to go elsewhere instead of devoting themselves wholly to the task where they are .
19 |. {
Serving the Lord } (\
douleu
n t
i kuri
i \).
It was Paul '
s glory to be the \
doulos \ (
bond-slave )
as in strkjv @
Romans:1:1 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:1:1 |.
Paul alone ,
save Jesus in strkjv @
Matthew:6:24 ;
strkjv @
Luke:16:13 |,
uses \
douleu \
six times for serving God (
Page ). {
With all lowliness of mind } (\
meta pas
s tapeinophrosun
s \).
Lightfoot notes that heathen writers use this word for a grovelling ,
abject state of mind ,
but Paul follows Christ in using it for humility ,
humble-mindedness that should mark every Christian and in particular the preacher . {
With tears } (\
dakru
n \).
Construed with \
meta \.
Paul was a man of the deepest emotion along with his high intellectuality .
He mentions his tears again in verse 31 |,
tears of sorrow and of anxiety .
He refers to his tears in writing the sharp letter to the church in Corinth (
2Corinthians:2:4 |)
and in denouncing the sensual apostates in strkjv @
Phillipians:3:18 |.
Adolphe Monod has a wonderful sermon on the tears of Paul .
Consider also the tears of Jesus . {
Trials which befell me } (\
peirasm
n t
n sumbant
n moi \).
Construed also with \
meta \.
Second aorist active participle of \
sunbain \,
to walk with ,
to go with ,
to come together ,
to happen ,
to befall .
Very common in this sense in the old Greek (
cf .
strkjv @
Acts:3:10 |). {
By the plots of the Jews } (\
en tais epiboulais t
n Ioudai
n \).
Like the plot (\
epiboul \)
against him in Corinth (
20:3 |)
as well as the earlier trial before Gallio and the attacks in Thessalonica .
In strkjv @
Acts:19:9 |
Luke shows the hostile attitude of the Jews in Ephesus that drove Paul out of the synagogue to the school of Tyrannus .
He does not describe in detail these "
plots "
which may easily be imagined from Paul '
s own letters and may be even referred to in strkjv @
1Corinthians:4:10 ;
strkjv @
15:30ff .;
strkjv @
16:9 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:1:4-10 ;
strkjv @
7:5 ;
strkjv @
11:23 |.
In fact ,
one has only to dwell on the allusions in strkjv @
2Corinthians:11 |
to picture what Paul '
s life was in Ephesus during these three years .
Luke gives in strkjv @
Acts:19 |
the outbreak of Demetrius ,
but Paul had already fought with "
wild-beasts "
there .
rwp @
Acts:20:20 @{
How that I shrank not } (\
h
s ouden hupesteilamen \).
Still indirect discourse (
question )
after \
epistasthe \ (
ye know )
with \
h
s \
like \
p
s \
in verse 18 |.
First aorist middle of \
hupostell \,
old verb to draw under or back .
It was so used of drawing back or down sails on a ship and ,
as Paul had so recently been on the sea ,
that may be the metaphor here .
But it is not necessarily so as the direct middle here makes good sense and is frequent ,
to withdraw oneself ,
to cower ,
to shrink ,
to conceal ,
to dissemble as in strkjv @
Habbakkuk:2:4 | (
Hebrews:10:38 |).
Demosthenes so used it to shrink from declaring out of fear for others .
This open candour of Paul is supported by his Epistles (
1Thessalonians:2:4 ,
11 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:4:2 ;
strkjv @
Galatians:1:10 |). {
From declaring unto you } (\
tou m
anaggeilai humin \).
Ablative case of the articular first aorist active infinitive of \
anaggell \
with the redundant negative after verbs of hindering ,
etc . (
Robertson ,
_Grammar_
,
p .
1094 ). {
Anything that was profitable } (\
t
n sumpheront
n \).
Partitive genitive after \
ouden \
of the articular present active participle of \
sumpher \,
to bear together ,
be profitable . {
Publicly } (\
d
mosi
i \,
adverb ) {
and from house to house } (\
kai kat '
oikous \).
By (
according to )
houses .
It is worth noting that this greatest of preachers preached from house to house and did not make his visits merely social calls .
He was doing kingdom business all the while as in the house of Aquila and Priscilla (
1Corinthians:16:19 |).
rwp @
Acts:20:21 @{
Testifying } (\
diamarturomenos \).
As Peter did (
Acts:2:40 |)
where Luke uses this same word thoroughly Lucan and Pauline .
Songs:again in verses 23 ,
24 |.
Paul here as in strkjv @
Romans:1:16 |
includes both Jews and Greeks ,
to the Jew first . {
Repentance toward God } (\
t
n eis theon metanoian \) {
and faith toward our Lord Jesus } (\
kai pistin eis ton kurion h
m
n I
soun \).
These two elements run through the Epistle to the Romans which Paul had recently written and sent from Corinth .
These two elements appear in all Paul '
s preaching whether "
to Jews or Gentiles ,
to philosophers at Athens or to peasants at Lystra ,
he preached repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus " (
Knowling ).
rwp @
Acts:20:22 @{
Bound in the spirit } (\
dedemenos t
i pneumati \).
Perfect passive participle of \
de \,
to bind ,
with the locative case . "
Bound in my spirit "
he means ,
as in strkjv @
19:21 |,
from a high sense of duty .
The mention of "
the Holy Spirit "
specifically in verse 23 |
seems to be in contrast to his own spirit here .
His own spirit was under the control of the Holy Spirit (
Romans:8:16 |)
and the sense does not differ greatly . {
Not knowing } (\
m
eid
s \).
Second perfect active participle of \
oida \
with \
m \. {
That shall befall me } (\
ta sunant
sonta emoi \).
Articular future active participle of \
sunanta \,
to meet with (
Acts:10:25 |),
to befall (
with associative instrumental case )
and compare with \
sumbant
n \ (
befell )
in verse 19 |.
One of the rare instances of the future participle in the N .
T .
rwp @
Acts:20:23 @{
Save that } (\
pl
n hoti \).
The \
hoti \
clause is really in the ablative case after \
pl
n \,
here a preposition as in strkjv @
Phillipians:1:18 |,
this idiom \
pl
n hoti \
occasionally in ancient Greek . {
In every city } (\
kata polin \).
Singular here though plural in \
kat '
oikous \ (
verse 20 |). {
Bonds and afflictions } (\
desma kai thlipseis \).
Both together as in strkjv @
Phillipians:1:17 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:1:8 |.
Literal bonds and actual pressures . {
Abide me } (\
me menousin \).
With the accusative as in verse 5 | (\
emenon h
mas \)
and nowhere else in the N .
T .
rwp @
Acts:20:24 @{
But I hold not my life of any account } (\
all '
oudenos logou poioumai t
n psuch
n \).
Neat Greek idiom ,
accusative \
psuch
n \
and genitive \
logou \
and then Paul adds "
dear unto myself " (\
timian emaut
i \)
in apposition with \
psuch
n \ (
really a combination of two constructions ). {
Songs:that I may accomplish my course } (\
h
s telei
s
dromon mou \).
Rather , "
In order that " (
purpose ,
not result ).
Aleph and B read \
telei
s \
here (
first aorist active subjunctive )
rather than \
telei
sai \ (
first aorist active infinitive ).
It is the lone instance in the N .
T .
of \
h
s \
as a final particle (
Robertson ,
_Grammar_
,
p .
987 ).
Paul in strkjv @
Acts:13:25 |
in his sermon at Antioch in Pisidia described John as fulfilling his course and in strkjv @
2Timothy:4:7 |
he will say : "
I have finished my course " (\
ton dromon teteleka \).
He will run the race to the end . {
Which I received from the Lord Jesus } (\
h
n elabon para tou kuriou I
sou \).
Of that fact he never had a doubt and it was a proud boast (
Gal strkjv @
1:1 ;
strkjv @
Romans:11:13 |). {
The gospel of the grace of God } (\
to euaggelion t
s charitos tou theou \).
To Paul the gospel consisted in the grace of God .
See this word "
grace " (\
charis \)
in Romans and his other Epistles .
rwp @
Acts:20:25 @{
And now ,
behold } (\
kai nun ,
idou \).
Second time and solemn reminder as in verse 22 |. {
I know } (\
eg
oida \).
Emphasis on \
eg \
which is expressed . {
Ye all } (\
humeis pantes \).
In very emphatic position after the verb \
opsesthe \ (
shall see )
and the object (
my face ).
Twice Paul will write from Rome (
Phillipians:2:24 ;
strkjv @
Philemon:1:22 |)
the hope of coming east again ;
but that is in the future ,
and here Paul is expressing his personal conviction and his fears .
The Pastoral Epistles show Paul did come to Ephesus again (
1Timothy:1:3 ;
strkjv @
3:14 ;
strkjv @
4:13 |)
and Troas (
2Timothy:4:13 |)
and Miletus (
2Timothy:4:20 |).
There need be no surprise that Paul '
s fears turned out otherwise .
He had reason enough for them . {
Among whom I went about } (\
en hois di
lthon \).
Apparently Paul here has in mind others beside the ministers .
They represented the church in Ephesus and the whole region where Paul laboured .
rwp @
Acts:20:26 @{
I testify } (\
marturomai \).
Elsewhere in the N .
T .
only in Paul '
s Epistles (
Galatians:5:3 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:4:17 ;
strkjv @
1Thessalonians:2:12 |).
It means "
I call to witness "
while \
marture \
means "
I bear witness ." {
This day } (\
en t
i s
meron h
mer
i \).
The today day ,
the last day with you ,
our parting day . {
I am pure from the blood of all men } (\
katharos eimi apo tou haimatos pant
n \).
Paul was sensitive on this point as in Corinth (
Acts:18:6 |).
It is much for any preacher to claim and it ought to be true of all .
The papyri also give this use of \
apo \
with the ablative rather than the mere ablative after \
katharos \.
rwp @
Acts:20:27 @
Paul here repeats the very words and idioms used in verse 20 |,
adding "
the whole counsel of God " (\
p
san t
n boul
n tou theou \).
All the counsel of God that concerned Paul '
s work and nothing inconsistent with the purpose of God of redemption through Christ Jesus (
Page ).
rwp @
Acts:20:28 @{
Take heed unto yourselves } (\
prosechete heautois \).
The full phrase had \
ton noun \,
hold your mind on yourselves (
or other object in the dative ),
as often in old writers and in strkjv @
Job:7:17 |.
But the ancients often used the idiom with \
noun \
understood ,
but not expressed as here and strkjv @
Acts:5:35 ;
strkjv @
Luke:12:1 ;
strkjv @
17:3 ;
strkjv @
21:34 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:1:4 ;
strkjv @
3:8 ;
strkjv @
4:13 |. \
Epeche \
is so used in strkjv @
1Timothy:4:16 |. {
To all the flock } (\
panti t
i poimni
i \).
Contracted form of \
poimenion =
poimn \ (
John:10:16 |)
already in strkjv @
Luke:12:32 |
and also in strkjv @
Acts:20:29 ;
strkjv @
1Peter:5:2 ,
3 |.
Common in old Greek . {
Hath made } (\
etheto \).
Did make ,
second aorist middle indicative of \
tith
mi \,
did appoint .
Paul evidently believed that the Holy Spirit calls and appoints ministers . {
Bishops } (\
episkopous \).
The same men termed elders in verse 17 |
which see . {
To shepherd } (\
poimainein \).
Present active infinitive of purpose of \
poimain \,
old verb to feed or tend the flock (\
poimn ,
poimnion \),
to act as shepherd (\
poim
n \).
These ministers are thus in Paul '
s speech called elders (
verse 17 |),
bishops (
verse 28 |),
and shepherds (
verse 28 |).
Jesus had used this very word to Peter (
John:21:16 |,
twice \
boske \,
feed ,
strkjv @
21:15 ,
17 |)
and Peter will use it in addressing fellow-elders (
1Peter:5:2 |)
with memories ,
no doubt of the words of Jesus to him .
The "
elders "
were to watch over as "
bishops "
and "
tend and feed as shepherds "
the flock .
Jesus is termed "
the shepherd and bishop of your souls "
in strkjv @
1Peter:2:25 |
and "
the great Shepherd of the sheep "
in strkjv @
Hebrews:13:20 |.
Jesus called himself "
the good Shepherd "
in strkjv @
John:10:11 |. {
The church of God } (\
t
n ekkl
sian tou theou \).
The correct text ,
not "
the church of the Lord "
or "
the church of the Lord and God " (
Robertson ,
_Introduction
to Textual Criticism of the N .
T .
_
,
p .
189 ). {
He purchased } (\
periepoi
sato \).
First aorist middle of \
peripoie \,
old verb to reserve ,
to preserve (
for or by oneself ,
in the middle ).
In the N .
T .
only in Luke strkjv @
17:33 ;
strkjv @
Acts:20:28 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:3:13 |.
The substantive \
peripoi
sin \ (
preservation ,
possession )
occurs in strkjv @
1Peter:2:9 | ("
a peculiar people " =
a people for a possession )
and in strkjv @
Ephesians:1:14 |. {
With his own blood } (\
dia tou haimatos tou idiou \).
Through the agency of (\
dia \)
his own blood .
Whose blood ?
If \
tou theou \ (
Aleph B Vulg .)
is correct ,
as it is ,
then Jesus is here called "
God "
who shed his own blood for the flock .
It will not do to say that Paul did not call Jesus God ,
for we have strkjv @
Romans:9:5 ;
strkjv @
Colossians:2:9 ;
strkjv @
Titus:2:13 |
where he does that very thing ,
besides strkjv @
Colossians:1:15-20 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:2:5-11 |.
rwp @
Acts:20:29 @{
After my departing } (\
meta t
n aphixin mou \).
Not his death ,
but his departure from them .
From \
aphikneomai \
and usually meant arrival ,
but departure in Herodotus IX .
17 ,
76 as here . {
Grievous wolves } (\
lukoi bareis \). \
Bareis \
is heavy ,
rapacious ,
harsh .
Jesus had already so described false teachers who would raven the fold (
John:10:12 |).
Whether Paul had in mind the Judaizers who had given him so much trouble in Antioch ,
Jerusalem ,
Galatia ,
Corinth or the Gnostics the shadow of whose coming he already foresaw is not perfectly clear .
But it will not be many years before Epaphras will come to Rome from Colossae with news of the new peril there (
Epistle to the Colossians ).
In writing to Timothy (
1Timothy:1:20 |)
Paul will warn him against some who have already made shipwreck of their faith .
In strkjv @
Revelation:2:2 |
John will represent Jesus as describing false apostles in Ephesus . {
Not sparing the flock } (\
m
pheidomenoi tou poimniou \).
Litotes again as so often in Acts .
Sparing the flock was not the fashion of wolves .
Jesus sent the seventy as lambs in the midst of wolves (
Luke:10:3 |).
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had pictured the false prophets who would come as ravening wolves in sheep '
s clothing (
Matthew:7:15 |).
rwp @
Acts:20:30 @{
From among your own selves } (\
ex hum
n aut
n \).
In sheep '
s clothing just as Jesus had foretold .
The outcome fully justified Paul '
s apprehensions as we see in Colossians ,
Ephesians ,
I and II Timothy ,
Revelation .
False philosophy ,
immorality ,
asceticism will lead some astray (
Colossians:2:8 ,
18 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:4:14 ;
strkjv @
5:6 |).
John will picture "
antichrists "
who went out from us because they were not of us (
1John:2:18f .|).
There is a false optimism that is complacently blind as well as a despondent pessimism that gives up the fight . {
Perverse things } (\
diestrammena \).
Perfect passive participle of \
diastreph \,
old verb to turn aside ,
twist ,
distort as in strkjv @
Acts:13:8 ,
10 |. {
To draw away } (\
tou aposp
in \).
Articular genitive present active participle of purpose from \
apospa \,
old verb used to draw the sword (
Matthew:26:51 |),
to separate (
Luke:22:41 ;
strkjv @
Acts:21:1 |).
The pity of it is that such leaders of dissension can always gain a certain following .
Paul '
s long residence in Ephesus enabled him to judge clearly of conditions there .
rwp @
Acts:20:31 @{
Wherefore watch ye } (\
dio gr
goreite \).
Paul has concluded his defence of himself and his warning .
Now he exhorts on the basis of it (\
dio \)
because of which thing .
The very command of Jesus concerning the perils before his return as in strkjv @
Mark:13:35 | (\
gr
goreite \),
the very form (
late present imperative from the second perfect \
egr
gora \
of \
egeir \,
to arouse ).
Stay awake . {
I ceased not to admonish } (\
ouk epausam
n nouthet
n \).
Participle describes Paul ,
I did not cease admonishing ,
night and day (\
nukta kai h
meran \,
accusative of extent of time ,
for three years \
trietian \,
accusative of extent of time also ). \
Nouthet
n \
is from \
nouthete \,
to put sense into one .
Songs:Paul kept it up with tears (
verse 19 |)
if so be he could save the Ephesians from the impending perils .
Forewarned is to be forearmed .
Paul did his duty by them .
rwp @
Acts:20:32 @{
And now } (\
kai ta nun \).
Same phrase as in verses 22 ,
25 |
save that \
idou \ (
behold )
is wanting and the article \
ta \
occurs before \
nun \,
accusative of general reference .
And as to the present things (
or situation )
as in strkjv @
4:29 |. {
I commend } (\
paratithemai \).
Present middle indicative of \
paratith
mi \,
old verb to place beside ,
middle ,
to deposit with one ,
to interest as in strkjv @
1Timothy:1:18 ;
strkjv @
2Timothy:2:2 |.
Paul can now only do this ,
but he does it hopefully .
Cf .
strkjv @
1Peter:4:19 |. {
The word of his grace } (\
t
i log
i t
s charitos autou \).
The instrumentality through preaching and the Holy Spirit employed by God .
Cf .
strkjv @
Colossians:4:6 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:4:29 |. {
Which is able to build up } (\
t
i dunamen
i oikodom
sai \).
God works through the word of his grace and so it is able to build up (
edify );
a favourite Pauline word (
1Corinthians:3:10-14 ;
strkjv @
3:9 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:5:1 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:2:20-22 ;
strkjv @
2Timothy:3:15 |;
etc .),
and strkjv @
James:1:21 |.
The very words "
build "
and "
inheritance among the sanctified "
will occur in strkjv @
Ephesians:1:11 ;
strkjv @
2:30 ;
strkjv @
3:18 |
and which some may recall on reading .
Cf .
strkjv @
Colossians:1:12 |.
Stephen in strkjv @
Acts:7:5 |
used the word "
inheritance " (\
kl
ronomian \),
nowhere else in Acts ,
but in strkjv @
Ephesians:1:14 ,
18 ;
strkjv @
5:5 |.
In strkjv @
Ephesians:1:18 |
the very expression occurs "
his inheritance among the saints " (\
t
n kl
ronomian autou en tois hagiois \).
rwp @
Acts:20:33 @{
No man '
s silver or gold or apparel } (\
arguriou
chrusiou
himatismou oudenos \).
Genitive case after \
epethum
sa \.
One of the slanders against Paul was that he was raising this collection ,
ostensibly for the poor ,
really for himself (
2Corinthians:12:17f .|).
He includes "
apparel "
because oriental wealth consisted largely in fine apparel (
not old worn out clothes ).
See strkjv @
Genesis:24:53 ;
strkjv @
2Kings:5:5 ;
strkjv @
Psalms:45:13f .;
strkjv @
Matthew:6:19 |.
Paul did not preach just for money .
rwp @
Acts:20:34 @{
Ye yourselves } (\
autoi \).
Intensive pronoun .
Certainly they knew that the church in Ephesus had not supported Paul while there . {
These hands } (\
hai cheires hautai \).
Paul was not above manual labour .
He pointed to his hands with pride as proof that he toiled at his trade of tent-making as at Thessalonica and Corinth for his own needs (\
chreiais \)
and for those with him (
probably Aquila and Priscilla )
with whom he lived and probably Timothy because of his often infirmities (
1Timothy:5:23 |). {
Ministered } (\
hup
ret
san \).
First aorist active of \
hup
rete \,
to act as under rower ,
old verb ,
but in the N .
T .
only in strkjv @
Acts:13:36 ;
strkjv @
20:34 ;
strkjv @
24:23 |.
While in Ephesus Paul wrote to Corinth : "
We toil ,
working with our own hands " (
1Corinthians:4:12 |). "
As he held them up ,
they saw a tongue of truth in every seam that marked them " (
Furneaux ).
rwp @
Acts:20:35 @{
I gave you an example } (\
hupedeixa \).
First aorist active indicative of \
hupodeiknumi \,
old verb to show under one '
s eyes ,
to give object lesson ,
by deed as well as by word (
Luke:6:47 |). \
Hupodeigma \
means example (
John:13:15 ;
strkjv @
James:5:10 |).
Songs:Paul appeals to his example in strkjv @
1Corinthians:11:1 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:3:17 |. \
Panta \
is accusative plural of general reference (
in all things ). {
Songs:labouring ye ought to help } (\
hout
s kopi
ntas dei antilambanesthai \).
So ,
as I did .
Necessity (\
dei \).
Toiling (\
kopi
ntas \)
not just for ourselves ,
but to help (\
antilambanesthai \),
to take hold yourselves (
middle voice )
at the other end (\
anti \).
This verb common in the old Greek ,
but in the N .
T .
only in strkjv @
Luke:1:54 ;
strkjv @
Acts:20:35 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:6:2 |.
This noble plea to help the weak is the very spirit of Christ (
1Thessalonians:5:14 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:12:28 ;
strkjv @
Romans:5:6 ;
strkjv @
14:1 |).
In strkjv @
1Thessalonians:5:14 | \
antechesthe t
n asthenount
n \
we have Paul '
s very idea again .
Every Community Chest appeal today re-echoes Paul '
s plea . {
He himself said } (\
autos eipen \).
Not in the Gospels ,
one of the sayings of Jesus in current use that Paul had received and treasured .
Various other _Agrapha_
of Jesus have been preserved in ancient writers and some in recently discovered papyri which may be genuine or not .
We are grateful that Paul treasured this one .
This Beatitude (
on \
makarion \
see on strkjv @
Matthew:5:3-11 |)
is illustrated by the whole life of Jesus with the Cross as the culmination .
Aristotle (
Eth .
IV .
I )
has a saying somewhat like this ,
but assigns the feeling of superiority as the reason (
Page ),
an utterly different idea from that here .
This quotation raises the question of how much Paul personally knew of the life and sayings of Jesus .
rwp @
Acts:20:36 @{
He kneeled down } (\
theis ta gonata autou \).
Second aorist active participle of \
tith
mi \,
to place .
The very idiom used in strkjv @
7:60 |
of Stephen .
Not in ancient writers and only six times in the N .
T . (
Mark:15:19 ;
strkjv @
Luke:22:41 ;
strkjv @
Acts:7:60 ;
strkjv @
9:40 ;
strkjv @
20:36 ;
strkjv @
21:5 |).
Certainly kneeling in prayer is a fitting attitude (
cf .
Jesus ,
strkjv @
Luke:22:41 |),
though not the only proper one (
Matthew:6:5 |).
Paul apparently prayed aloud (\
pros
uxato \).
rwp @
Acts:20:37 @{
They all wept sore } (\
hikanos klauthmos egeneto pant
n \).
Literally ,
There came considerable weeping of all (
on the part of all ,
genitive case ). {
Kissed him } (\
katephiloun auton \).
Imperfect active of \
kataphile \,
old verb ,
intensive with \
kata \
and repetition shown also by the tense :
They kept on kissing or kissed repeatedly ,
probably one after the other falling on his neck .
Cf .
also strkjv @
Matthew:26:49 |.
rwp @
Acts:20:38 @{
Sorrowing } (\
odun
menoi \).
Present middle participle of \
oduna \,
old verb to cause intense pain ,
to torment (
Luke:16:24 |),
middle to distress oneself (
Luke:2:48 ;
strkjv @
Acts:20:38 |).
Nowhere else in N .
T . {
Which he had spoken } (\
h
i eir
kei \).
Relative attracted to the case of the antecedent \
log
i \ (
word ).
Past perfect indicative of \
eipon \. {
They brought him on his way } (\
proepempon auton \).
Imperfect active of \
propemp \,
old verb to send forward ,
to accompany as in strkjv @
Acts:15:3 ;
strkjv @
20:38 ;
strkjv @
21:5 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:16:6 ,
11 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:1:16 ;
strkjv @
Titus:3:13 ;
strkjv @
3John:1:6 |.
Graphic picture of Paul '
s departure from this group of ministers .