CHAPTER XX. _Paul retires to Macedonia_, 1. _He goes into Greece, where he tarries three months and,_ _purposing to sail to Syria, he returns through Macedonia_, 2, 3. _Several persons accompany him into Asia, and then go before and_ _tarry for him at Troas_, 4, 5. _Paul and Luke sail from Phi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:2. _HE CAME INTO GREECE_] εις την ελλαδα, Into _Hellas_, Greece properly so called, the regions between Thessaly and Propontis, and the country of Achaia. He did not, however, go there immediately: he passed through Macedonia, Acts 20:1, in which he informs us, 2 Corinthians 7:5, that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:3. _ABODE THREE MONTHS_] Partly, as we may suppose, at Corinth, at Athens, and in Achaia; from which place he is supposed to have sent his epistle to the _Romans_, because he continued longer here than at any other place, and mentions several of the _Corinthians_ in his salutations to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:4. _AND THERE ACCOMPANIED HIM_] Rather, says Bishop Pearce, _there followed him as far as to Asia_; for they were not in his company till he set sail from Philippi, and came to them at Troas, in Asia, whither they had gone before, and where they tarried for him, Acts 20:5. _INTO ASIA... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:5. _TARRIED FOR US AT TROAS._] See the preceding verse. _Troas_ was a small town in Phrygia Minor, in the province called the _Troad_: see Acts 16:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:6. _DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD_] The seven days of the passover, in which they ate unleavened bread. See the account of this festival in the notes on Exodus 12:1. It is evident, from the manner in which St. Luke writes here, that he had not been with St. Paul since the time he accompanie... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:7. _UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK_] What was called κυριακη, _the Lord's day_, the Christian Sabbath, in which they commemorated the resurrection of our Lord; and which, among all Christians, afterwards took the place of the _Jewish Sabbath_. _TO BREAK BREAD_] To break [Syriac] _euca... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:8. _UPPER CHAMBER_] It was in an _upper chamber_ in the temple that the primitive disciples were accustomed to meet: on that account, they might have preferred an _upper chamber_ whenever they could meet with it. The pious Quesnel supposes that the _smoke_, issuing from the _many lamps... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:9. _THERE SAT IN A WINDOW_] This was probably an opening in the wall, to let in light and air, for there was no _glazing_ at that time; and it is likely that Eutychus fell backward through it, down to the ground, on the outside; there being nothing to prevent his falling _out_, when he... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:10. _AND PAUL - FELL ON HIM_] επεπεσεν αυτω, Stretched himself upon him, in the same manner as Elisha did on the Shunammite's son, 2 Kings 4:33-12; though the action of lying on him, in order to communicate _warmth_ to the flesh, might not have been continued so long as in the above in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:11. _HAD BROKEN BREAD_] Had taken some refreshment, in order to their journey. _AND TALKED A LONG WHILE_] ομιλησας, Having _familiarly conversed_, for this is the import of the word, which is very different from the διελεγετο, of the _seventh_ verse, and the διαλεγομενου, of the _nint... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:13. _SAILED UNTO ASSOS_] _Assos_, according to _Pausanias_, Eliac. ii. 4, and _Pliny_, Hist. Nat. xxxvi. 27, was a maritime town of Asia, in the _Troad_. _Strabo_ and _Stephanus_ place it in _Mysia._ It was also called _Apollonia_, according to _Pliny_, Ib. lib. v. 30. The passage by s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:14. _CAME TO MITYLENE._] This was a seaport town in the isle of _Lesbos_: see its place in the _map_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:15. _OVER AGAINST CHIOS_] This was a very celebrated island between _Lesbos_ and _Samos_, famous in antiquity for its extraordinary _wines_. At this island the apostle did not touch. _ARRIVED AT SAMOS_] This was another island of the _AEgean Sea_, or _Archipelago_. It does not appear... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:16. _TO SAIL BY EPHESUS_] Not to touch there at this time. _TO BE AT JERUSALEM THE DAY OF PENTECOST._] That he might have the opportunity of preaching the kingdom of God to multitudes of Jews from different places, who would come up to Jerusalem at that feast; and then he no doubt exp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:17. _HE SENT TO EPHESUS, AND CALLED THE ELDERS OF THE_ _CHURCH._] These are called επισκοποι, _bishops_, Acts 20:28. By the πρεσβυτεροι, _presbyters_ or _elders_, here, we are to understand all that were in _authority_ in the Church, whether they were επισκοποι, _bishops_ or _overseer... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:18. _AFTER WHAT MANNER I HAVE BEEN WITH YOU_] The Codex Bezae adds here, _for three years, and even more_, which reading might have been borrowed from Acts 20:31, though the time assigned by it is too long.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:19. _SERVING THE LORD WITH ALL HUMILITY_, c.] This relates not only to his zealous and faithful performance of his _apostolic_ _functions_, but also to his _private walk_ as a Christian and shows with what carefulness this apostle himself was obliged to walk, in order to have his calli... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:20. _I KEPT BACK NOTHING_] Notwithstanding the dangers to which he was exposed, and the temptations he must have had to suppress those truths that were less acceptable to the unrenewed nature of man, or to the particular prejudices of the _Jews_ and the _Gentiles_, he fully and faithf... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:21. _TESTIFY BOTH TO - JEWS AND - GREEKS_] He always _began_ with the _Jews_; and, in this case, he had preached to them alone for three months, Acts 19:8, and only left their synagogues when he found, through their obstinacy, he could do them no good. _REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD_, c.] As... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:22. _I GO BOUND IN THE SPIRIT_] Δεδεμενος τῳ πνευματι - Either meaning the _strong influence_ of the _Divine Spirit_ upon his mind, or the _strong propensity_ in his own _will, wish_, and _desire_, to visit Jerusalem; and in this sense δεειν, _to bind_, is sometimes used. But it appe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:24. _NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME_] Ουδενος λογον ποιουμαι; I consider them as nothing; I value them not a straw; they weigh not with me. _NEITHER COUNT I MY LIFE DEAR_] I am not my own; my life and being are the Lord's; he requires me to employ them in his service; I act under his di... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:25. _YE ALL - SHALL SEE MY FACE NO MORE._] This probably refers simply to the _persons who were now present_; concerning whom he might have had a Divine intimation, that they should not be found in life when he should come that way again. Or it may refer only to _Ephesus_ and _Miletus... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:26. _I_ AM _PURE FROM THE BLOOD OF ALL_] If any man, _Jew_ or _Gentile_, perish in his sins, his blood shall be upon him; he, alone, shall be accessary to his own perdition. I am blameless, because I have fully shown to both the way to escape from every evil.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:27. _I HAVE NOT SHUNNED TO DECLARE_] ου υπεστιλαμην, _I have_ _not suppressed_ or _concealed_ any thing, through _fear_ or _favour,_ that might be beneficial to your souls. This is properly the meaning of the original word. Acts 20:20. _ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD._] All that God has _det... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:28. _MADE YOU OVERSEERS_] εθετο επισκοπους, _Appointed you_ _bishops_; for so we translate the original word in most places where it occurs: but _overseers_, or _inspectors_, is much more proper, from επι, _over_, and σκεπτομαι, _I look_. The persons who examine into the spiritual sta... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _AFTER MY DEPARTING_] Referring, most likely, to his _death_; for few of these evils took place during his life. _GRIEVOUS WOLVES_] Persons professing to be _teachers_; Judaizing Christians, who, instead of feeding the flock, would feed themselves, even to the oppression and ruin of the C... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _ALSO OF YOUR OWN SELVES_, c.] From out of your own assembly _shall men arise, speaking perverse things_, teaching for truth what is erroneous in itself, and perversive of the genuine doctrine of Christ crucified. _TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES_] To make _schisms_ or _rents_ in the Church, in or... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _THEREFORE WATCH, AND REMEMBER_] The only way to abide in the truth is to _watch_ against evil, and for good; and to _keep_ _in mind_ the heavenly doctrines originally received. _Unwatchfulness_ and _forgetfulness_ are two grand inlets to apostasy. _BY THE SPACE OF THREE YEARS_] τριετιαν.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _I COMMEND YOU TO GOD_] Instead of τῳ Θεῳ, _to GOD_, several MSS. have τῳ Κυριῳ, _to the LORD_; neither reading makes any difference in the sense. _AND TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE_] The doctrine of salvation by Christ Jesus. _WHICH IS ABLE TO BUILD YOU UP_] The _foundation_ is Jesus Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _I HAVE COVETED NO MAN'S SILVER_, c.] And from this circumstance they would be able to discover the grievous wolves, and the perverters for these had nothing but their _own interests_ in view; whereas the genuine disciples of Christ neither coveted nor had worldly possessions. St. Paul's a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _THESE HANDS HAVE MINISTERED_, c.] 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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _I HAVE SHOWED YOU ALL THINGS_] The preposition κατα is to be understood before παντα; and the clause should be read thus-_I have showed you IN all things_, c. _IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE._] That is, the giver is more _happy_ than the _receiver_. _Where_, or on _what occa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:36. _HE KNEELED DOWN AND PRAYED_] Kneeling is the proper posture of a supplicant, it argues at once both _humility_ and _submission_; and he who prays to God should endeavour to feel the utmost measures of both.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:37. _FELL ON PAUL'S NECK_] Leaned their heads against his shoulders, and kissed his neck. This was not an unusual custom in the east.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Acts 20:38. _THAT THEY SHOULD SEE HIS FACE NO MORE_] This was a most solemn meeting, and a most affecting parting. The man who had first pointed out to them the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom they had been brought into so glorious a state of salvation, is now going away, in all likelihood, to be s... [ Continue Reading ]