Acts 20:18-38

St. Paul's Farewell Address to the Elders of the Church at Ephesus, 18-38.

In this short epitome of the discourse of the apostle on the occasion of his bidding farewell to his old Ephesian friends and fellow-workers, we have perhaps the most interesting of all the reported sermons and addresses of the ‘Acts.' Whereas these, for the greater part, are largely occupied with allusions to the burning questions of the time, such as the relation between Judaism and that new development of the old sacred Hebrew religion, Christianity; the relation, again, between Christianity and Paganism; the foundations upon which the religion of Jesus Christ were based, the argument especially used to Jewish and Gentile peoples, this famous précis of the address, or at least of part of the address, uttered at Miletus by the loving founder of the Ephesian congregation to the elder officials of that church, deals with broad and general questions connected with the duties of a pastor to his flock not only in the age of Paul, but in all times and among all peoples. The references to his own history are few, and just enough to give a living personal interest to the exhortation; but they are quickly dismissed, and the words might have been addressed by a Christian minister to his people in our own days.

It may be styled a précis of part of the original discourse, for, in its present brief form, it cannot contain anything like the variety of subjects touched upon by the apostle. Nor can it be supposed, even of that portion of the original address which it represents, to reproduce anything more than a brief abstract. Still the inspired compiler of the ‘Acts,' with rare skill, has woven into his report of Paul's words here many of the apostle's well-known phrases. We feel we are indeed reading here a resumé of one of Paul's most earnest and impassioned sermons one, too, written down by a listener on the memorable occasion, on whose mind the wondrous thoughts uttered on that morning had left an impression never to be effaced.

The address falls easily into three divisions: (1) Treats very briefly of the speaker's former connection with the Ephesian community, to whose representatives he was then speaking; to this he just adds a few words explanatory of his present hurried journey (Acts 20:18-24). (2) Contains very earnest warnings to his old flock, together with grave forebodings of their future perils (Acts 20:25-31). (3) The apostle dwells on his own self-sacrificing labours among them labours utterly unrequited, as they knew well. This is the spirit in which they, if they would be true pastors, should themselves work (Acts 20:32-35).

A Paraphrase of the Address to the Ephesian Elders.

Div. I. Acts 20:18-24. ‘For a long period of time, as you know, have I lived among you, building up the Christian brotherhood of Ephesus, all the time serving the Lord with all humility, often sorely afflicted and bitterly tempted, the afflictions and temptations both coming to me through the instrumentality of my own countrymen the Jews. But I never shrank from encountering these trials, no dread of man ever hindered me from working for the salvation of the Christian brotherhood. In my teaching you will remember how I laid as the foundation stories of a Christian life the two guiding principles of my Master's religion a change of heart and thus a return to God, joined with faith in the Lord Jesus. The dear brotherhood of Ephesus I am prevented now from personally visiting, for I am constrained by an overpowering sense of duty to go up at once to Jerusalem a visit full of grave danger to me, I know for certain, because solemn warnings from the Spirit of the Lord have been lately constantly telling me of the deadly perils which await me there. But I feel I must go; my duty to my Master calls me there, and obeying that high summons I can afford to disregard my life, which I thus put, I am well aware, in extreme peril. A soldier of Christ must be ready to risk life and everything in his Lord's service, that is, if he would finish his course with joy and win his crown.'

Div. II. Acts 20:25-31. ‘I am very urgent then in pressing home to you, the elders of those congregations to whom I have so long preached the kingdom of God, not to forget the example I have set you of brave, disinterested, devoted love, for I feel I shall never look on your faces again. Remember I have done my part, I am innocent of the blood of these men of Ephesus if the punishments denounced upon the unrepentant sinner fall on any member of our flock. Take heed lest the guilt of neglect fall on you you, the guides and pastors now. Remember how for my part I have never shrunk from declaring the purpose and the will of God.

‘This grave responsibility of warning and guiding now passes to you elders; see then that your lives are pure, and watch well over the lives of that flock whose teachers you are. A precious charge indeed are these sheep of whom you are the appointed shepherds. They belong to that Church of the Living God which He purchased O awful mystery! with the tremendous ransom of His own blood.

‘Yes, take heed and watch these poor sheep well, for I foresee, only too surely, after I am removed from the scene, teachers of a different school, more like ravening wolves than shepherds, coming from other cities, will take my place in my flock of Ephesus; and even among yourselves in after days will some arise perverse teachers who will attract many from the right way. Ay, watch well yourselves and those committed to your charge, that dear flock for which I watched with such intense solicitude with many a secret tear during three long, anxious years.'

Div. III. Acts 20:32-35. ‘Now, brothers, I commend you and your church a precious deposit indeed to God and to His Word, who is able to raise you from strength to strength, and in the glad end to give you each your share in the Redeemed One's glory.

‘ Follow my example. I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. See these toil-worn hands of mine; they have kept me; yes, and have helped many others too. How often have I told you in words and shown you by my life that God's ministers ought with their own hands ever to help the weaker! Did not the Master once say, “ Itis more blessed to give than to receive” ?'