AP

Studies in Acts

Farewell to Ephesus (Acts 20:13-37)

Verses 13-17

If the farewell service in Troas did indeed occur on Sunday evening, then Paul left Troas on Monday morning to go to Assos. Luke and the other seven members of their company went by ship. This was a route that took more time, certainly if there was a headwind. Paul himself would, for unknown reasons, travel by land, a trek of approximately 30 km. On the same day, he met up with the others and boarded a ship. During the summer, a north wind would often come up on the Aegean Sea between midnight and dawn. Profiting from that, the ship sailed along the western coast of what today is Turkey, to Mitylene, on the island of Lesbos. There they dropped anchor. On that day they had made about 130 km.

On Tuesday, they sailed further in a southerly direction, to anchor that evening near the island of Chios. On Wednesday morning the crossing to Samos was completed and on Thursday they arrived early in Miletus, an important port city on the mainland of Asia (cf. 2 Timothy 4:20). That the ship had not put in at Ephesus suited Paul’s plan entirely. He realized that a visit to the churches in and around Ephesus would take a lot of time, whereas he had wanted to be in Jerusalem already. The threatened attack on his life in Greece had delayed his travel plan. Therefore, he hurried to get to Jerusalem in time for Pentecost. Before all else, he wanted to deliver the collection of the Macedonian churches to Jerusalem. But because he was near Ephesus, he wanted to meet the elders of that church. Therefore, he sent someone to Ephesus with the request that they come to him in Miletus, about 50 km from Ephesus.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders, verses 18-35

When the elders learned that their beloved apostle was so close to Ephesus, they gladly listened to his request to come to Miletus. It had been about a year since the church had seen him. When they arrived, Paul reminded them first of his activity during his three-year long stay in Ephesus. Naturally he did this so that they would follow his example. For just as Christ made himself an example (John 13:15; Romans 15:5), so too his servants must be examples for the church. Paul had done this in Ephesus, and the elders would have to imitate him (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 3:17; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 5:3). You know, he said, how I have lived among you, from the first day when I was in Asia. I have served as an obedient bondservant of the Lord (that is what he often called himself; Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 1:1a).

The elders could testify that he was speaking the truth. They also knew how many tears Paul’s service in Ephesus had cost him. Not so much because of what people had done to him personally, but on account of the fanatical opposition against the gospel that he repeatedly encountered. Note carefully: there are elders in the church in Ephesus. In verse 28 these same elders are called ‘overseers’ (episkopoi, plural). Later usage that reserves the title of episkopos (bishop) for the leader of a large number of churches is called by John Calvin, “a corruption of the language of the Holy Spirit.” A church with eight elders may say that it has eight “bishops.” In order to impress upon them their great responsibility, Paul points them to the following matters.

Overseers of God’s blood-bought church

Oversight of the church begins with oversight of yourself, elders! If you want to keep others close to the Lord, you yourself must stay close to him. If you desire an exemplary church, then in your doctrine and life you yourself must be an exemplary leader (cf. 1 Timothy 4:16). “For an overseer [episkopos], as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:7-9; cf. 1 Timothy 3:2-4, 7).

Don’t forget in whose service you stand. You are appointed to be overseers by the Holy Spirit, the One who advocates for the cause of Jesus Christ. You owe him your responsible performance of duty. In all your weakness let this comfort you, that he is the one doing the real work (1 Corinthians 3:7; Ephesians 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Be deeply convinced that this is not your church, but God’s church. For he obtained the church through “the blood of his own,” that is, his beloved and only begotten Son. Therefore, the church for which you must care is of inestimable value to him. Woe to the servant who neglects the church, does not feed the church, does not guard the church, and treats the church with indifference!

You are pastors or under-shepherds of the Good Shepherd, with the task of “pasturing” his flock faithfully. This means: First, provide it with spiritual food. Second, guard the flock and protect it against wolves, which Paul saw creeping around (v. 29). Third, care for the entire flock. A good pastor looks after not only congenial and cordial members, but also after the timid sheep, the weak sheep, and the wandering sheep. Woe to the hireling, the one who refuses to bother himself about the sheep (John 10:12-13). Paul could declare that he was clean from the blood of everyone, but the elders should be able to say the same thing. They would one day have to render an account of their shepherd-like care (Hebrews 13:17).

This was an important part of Paul’s pastoral work: providing a good example. “Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). This is foundational to every training course for church workers (cf. John 13:15; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 5:3).

Take an example from my preaching

The apostle also wanted them to imitate his proclamation of the gospel. For he had never watered down the promises, commands, and threats of the gospel to please people and escape trouble (cf. Proverbs 29:25). On the contrary, he had made known to them everything they had to know and believe for their salvation, both publicly and in the house churches (cf. Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2).

Leaders must be able to echo Paul: “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). They must come with the full Word and not with little selections from Holy Scripture from which God’s warnings are omitted, even if this would arouse opposition among some listeners. The apostle charged Timothy likewise: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

In this way Paul himself had entreated both Jews and Greeks to repent. The Jews had to break from their blind leaders and the Gentiles from their dead idols. This was required so that both could turn to the living God and base their faith on his Son, Messiah Jesus, to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life (cf. Acts 26:20).

Take an example from my readiness to suffer

As the brothers knew, Paul was then en route to Jerusalem. He was bound to this by the Holy Spirit. Just as the Spirit had earlier prevented him from travelling to Asia and Bithynia, so now he was propelling Paul to Jerusalem. Paul willingly surrendered to that leading, not yet knowing what would happen to him there. He had asked in his letter to the Romans written shortly before: pray “that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea,” the region where he was now headed (Romans 15:31). The Holy Spirit had also assured him as he went from city to city that new imprisonment and torments were awaiting him.

Later the Spirit would inform him by the prophet Agabus that the Jews in Jerusalem would deliver him to the Gentiles (Acts 21:10-14), but this prospect did not scare him off. For him, it was not his life but his apostleship that was most precious. He viewed that task as the daily proof of God’s mercy (2 Corinthians 4:1) and of his having received grace from the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 1:12). Since that time his deepest longing was that Christ would be honoured in his body, whether by life or by death (Philippians 1:20-21). He still hoped that he might complete his “race” as an apostle (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7) and be allowed to proclaim the surpassing riches of God’s grace in Christ Jesus in Rome and Spain.

Not responsible for anyone’s ruin

Paul did not yet know what was hanging over his head in Jerusalem. He was ready for the worst (Acts 21:13). But if he were to be permitted to survive this visit, he would not be returning to Asia Minor and Greece. His task in that region was finished (Romans 15:23). Therefore, he had to bid his definitive farewell to these brothers, with whom he had shared so much love and sorrow. They were moved deeply when they heard him say: “And now, behold, I know that none of you will see my face again.”

He was taking leave of the Ephesians with a clear conscience. In this connection his thoughts went to what God had said to Ezekiel: if a watchman sees danger threatening, he must blow the trumpet. But if someone hears the signal but does not pay attention to it, but perishes, then his blood is on him alone and the watchman is not culpable (Ezekiel 33:4; 3:17-19). Alluding to these passages, Paul continued: “Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.” For Paul did not neglect to proclaim God’s plan of redemption in its full breadth and depth.

If Paul had been afraid of people or had pursued his own advantage, then he would have smoothed the sharp points of his message, so that Jews and Gentiles would not stumble over them. But he knew that one day he would have to give an account to the Lord. He had courageously proclaimed God’s entire plan of salvation, God’s entire revelation in Jesus Christ, without softening or omitting any of its “offense” and “foolishness” (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:23). He brought his message in opposition to the arrogant thinking and spirit of the age. Perhaps he was here also opposing the “deeper knowledge” of the “initiated,” about which the Gnostics boasted. With this, he was pointing not only the Ephesian elders to their duty of holding fast to this undiluted message, but also all who are called to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. How many of them are guilty of the blood of their listeners, because they proclaimed not the full gospel, but a “gospel” adapted to the natural man?

We can infer from Paul’s address what belongs to the substance of Scripturally faithful preaching. It consists of everything profitable for our salvation (v. 20); the summons to faith and conversion (v. 21); the gospel of God’s grace (v. 24); the proclamation of the kingdom (v. 25); and God’s entire plan of redemption (v. 27).

The sheep attacked by wolves

Paul foresaw hard times not only for himself, but also for the elders (v. 29). Wolves will be ruthless and attack the flock to devour it if possible (Matthew 7:15; 10:16). In this connection, think especially of the two eternal enemies of the church: Judaizers and Gnostics—enemies that have afflicted the church of Christ down through the ages and under all kinds of names and forms.

As far as the Judaizers are concerned, Paul had fiercely opposed these fanatics in his letter to the Galatians (Galatians 1:8). According to the apostle, this was an accursed error.

As far as Gnosticism was concerned, this wolf has mauled the flock of the Lord Jesus just as terribly until the present day. Paul called it a “spreading gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:17), “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1), “irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6:20). John called them “antichrists” (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3).

During the mob riot in the theatre in Ephesus, the church had been threatened from the outside, but according to Paul, the danger of false teaching would come from within: people will arise from within your own group who will take the words of the gospel upon their lips, but who will twist the meaning of these words. Gnostics like Hymenaeus and Philetus were claiming that we do not have to believe in a literal resurrection, but a resurrection that happened within us. With this they had caused the faith of some to waver (1 Timothy 1:3, 19-20; 6:20-21; cf. 2 Timothy 2:16-18). Therefore, the apostle bound upon the hearts of the elders both then and now: Be on your guard!

Commended to the Lord     

Meanwhile Paul was not forgetting that all of them were only God’s fellow workers. Gathering and preserving churches is divine work. For that God does enlist people, but he does the real work through his Spirit and Word (1 Corinthians 3:7-9). Therefore, the apostle commended the elders and church of Ephesus to God and to the Word of his grace. For the gospel is divine power (Romans 1:16) whereby he is able, despite all opposition, to build up leaders and churches in the faith, so that they can discern between truth and lies and receive the promised inheritance: eternal life on the new earth. Twenty centuries of church history shows that Paul was right to call them to watchfulness. Throughout all the centuries, Christianity has been attacked by wolves in sheep’s clothing. But the Lord had continually, graciously preserved a holy remnant by the power of his Word, through loyalty to the apostolic teaching.

Take an example from my selflessness

Paul ended by pointing to the selflessness with which he had fulfilled his task. The elders could testify that he had never abused his apostleship to enrich himself materially. He could truthfully declare, I have desired no one’s silver, gold, or clothing. From this as well, the brothers had to take an example for their own conduct: “An overseer must not be a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:2-3). Preachers of the gospel may certainly live from the gospel. The Lord himself had established this rule (Matthew 10:10; 1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Timothy 5:18). But to prevent the slur that he had lived well off the gospel, Paul had not made use of his right to compensation. He had recently reminded the Corinthians extensively about that (1 Corinthians 9:1-18; cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8). Nor had he accepted any compensation from the Ephesians. As he lifted his hands, scarred by the heavy labour of tentmaking, he declared that those hands had provided for all his needs. Indeed, even the needs of his fellow workers! With their help he had proclaimed the gospel from Ephesus throughout the entire province of Asia. With this far-reaching selflessness, the apostle put himself forth as an example. Believers must work zealously to be able to help the socially and physically weak. In this connection they have to keep constantly in mind the saying of the Lord Jesus (not recorded in the Gospels): “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

A touching farewell Verses 36-38

When Paul had finished speaking, he led them in prayer. In a deep consciousness of their smallness and dependence on the Lord God, the apostle fell to his knees, with the others following suit. In this humble manner, he called on the name of the Lord to lift up before him the elders and the church in Ephesus (v. 32) and to beseech him for his help for them. He would have done this in the same spirit as in Ephesians 1:15-23, Philippians 1:3-11, Colossians 1:3-14, 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 3:11-13, and 5:23-24.

At that point, everyone burst into weeping. Paul was embraced by all the elders, kissed again and again. They could hardly let go of him. As fiercely as his enemies hated him, so intimately his friends loved him. What pained them the most was that according to Paul’s statement, they would never see him again. Deeply saddened, they all accompanied him to the harbour of Miletus and brought him to the ship. Then he sailed away.

Questions:

Do church leaders view their office, along with all the difficulty that comes with it, as a grace of God?

What are some of the texts that contemporary preachers avoid preaching on in an effort not to offend?

What are the advantages for the local church of a plurality of elders?

Can today’s bishops in episcopal churches truly be shepherds of the flock?

– Alida Sewell