Acts 20:28

Take heed unto yourselves

(προσεχετε εαυτοις). The full phrase had τον νουν, hold your mind on yourselves (or other object in the dative), as often in old writers and in Job 7:17. But the ancients often used the idiom with νουν understood, but not expressed as here and Acts 5:35; Luke 12:1; Luke 17:3; Luke 21:34; 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 3:8; 1 Timothy 4:13. Επεχε is so used in 1 Timothy 4:16.To all the flock

(παντ τω ποιμνιω). Contracted form of ποιμενιον = ποιμνη (John 10:16) already in Luke 12:32 and also in Acts 20:29; 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Peter 5:3. Common in old Greek.Hath made

(εθετο). Did make, second aorist middle indicative of τιθημ, did appoint. Paul evidently believed that the Holy Spirit calls and appoints ministers.Bishops

(επισκοπους). The same men termed elders in verse Acts 20:17 which see.To shepherd

(ποιμαινειν). Present active infinitive of purpose of ποιμαινω, old verb to feed or tend the flock (ποιμνη, ποιμνιον), to act as shepherd (ποιμην). These ministers are thus in Paul's speech called elders (verse Acts 20:17), bishops (verse Acts 20:28), and shepherds (verse Acts 20:28). Jesus had used this very word to Peter (John 21:16, twice βοσκε, feed, Acts 21:15; Acts 21:17) and Peter will use it in addressing fellow-elders (1 Peter 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 1 Peter 2:25 and "the great Shepherd of the sheep" in Hebrews 13:20. Jesus called himself "the good Shepherd" in John 10:11.The church of God

(την εκκλησιαν του θεου). 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

(περιεποιησατο). First aorist middle of περιποιεω, old verb to reserve, to preserve (for or by oneself, in the middle). In the N.T. only in Luke Acts 17:33; Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:13. The substantive περιποιησιν (preservation, possession) occurs in 1 Peter 2:9 ("a peculiar people" = a people for a possession) and in Ephesians 1:14.With his own blood

(δια του αιματος του ιδιου). Through the agency of (δια) his own blood. Whose blood? If του θεου (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 Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13 where he does that very thing, besides Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:5-11.