Act 20:1 ¶ And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto
[him] the disciples, and embraced [them], and departed for
to go into Macedonia.
COMMENT: Paul said goodbye to the twelve
Jewish disciples.
Act 20:2 And when he had gone over those parts, and had
given them MUCH EXHORTATION, he came into Greece,
COMMENT: He returned to encourage believers
who had been saved in previous missions.
Act 20:3 And [there] abode three months. And when
the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail
into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
COMMENT: Another persecution rose up against
him, but they also failed. Spiritual warfare is just as real
as war on a battlefield. Saint Paul is a man of extremely
sharp discernment. He would perceive a hint of hostility in his
potential persecutors and would immediately know what it meant,
where someone of less discernment would not know persecutors
were lying in wait to ambush him.
Act 20:4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea;
and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of
Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
COMMENT: Saint Paul's team for THE
THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY consisted of the above eight
from various cities he had gone to; but the twelve
Jewish disciples were left behind perhaps to continue the work
in Ephesus as hot coals that might keep the fire
alive while Paul was elsewhere doing the work of God.
Act 20:5 These going before tarried for us at Troas.
Act 20:6 And we sailed away from Philippi after
the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to
Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
COMMENT: Some of the missionary team went
ahead perhaps on foot for lack of funds
and the rendevouz was made in Troas
where they all were together there for seven days.
The distance between Ephesus and Troas appears to be somewhere
around eighty miles. In those days the people were accustomed
to walking so it is conceivable they could have done so in
four days without too much hardship.
Act 20:7 ¶ And upon the first [day] of the week,
when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul
preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and
continued his speech until midnight.
COMMENT: The disciples at Troas
came together and partook of holy communion
together on Sunday, the first day of the week and Paul, being
a Master of the faith had much to preach unto them if you
understand "disciples" to mean that group of believers at
Troas whose lives were separated unto the gospel of Jesus
Christ. In those days of so many signs and wonders and miracles,
and with such powerful preachers going about preaching in
the Spirit; it was common for new believers to
immediately commit their
lives totally unto the service of God; in the hope they too
could become empowered in Christ!
In today's world with so many technological distractions to where
the natural creation has been replaced by man's idea of living;
people rarely walk to their destinations anymore. So the concept
of walking in the Spirit faded into oblivion until the Lord
revealed it to where abundant revelations of THE ANOINTING have
been made available on this website.
Although Saint Paul rode in boats from one point to another in his
missionary journies, it would be wise to note that he could walk in
the Spirit in a ship whereas you must remain seated in buses, and
in planes and cars.
Act 20:8/9 And there were many lights in the upper chamber,
where they were gathered together.
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus,
being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching,
he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft,
and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10 And Paul went down, and fell on him,
and embracing [him] said, "Trouble not yourselves; for his
life is in him."
COMMENT: This kind of a healing is reminiscent
of Elijah falling on the child to bring him back to life, not for
any sensuality; but for maximum exposure of the Spirit that was
upon Paul. For those who are not truly the Lord's anointed
servants, falling on the dead would be of no avail whatsoever.
It is not the flesh who heals, but the person of the Holy Spirit,
Christ in the Lord's anointed; when it is his will to do so.
Act 20:11 When he therefore was come up again, and had
broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while,
even til break of day, so he departed.
COMMENT: Paul preached another six or
seven hours possibly before departing in what appears to have been
twelve or more hours of preaching so great is his zeal and knowledge
in the Lord.
Act 20:12 And they brought the young man alive,
and were not a little comforted.
COMMENT: They were greatly comforted.
Act 20:13 ¶ And we went before to ship, and sailed
unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so
had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.
COMMENT: Who is the "we" of Acts 20:13?
It is the author of the book of Acts who out of humility has
hidden his identity somewhat from us. But we are sure it is
Saint Luke, the beloved Jewish Physician who traveled with
the Apostle Prophet Saint Paul to make sure he was in the best
possible health. As you see thes pronouns "we" and "us" in the
subsequent verses, it is the author speaking.
Act 20:14 And when he met with US at Assos, we took
him in, and came to Mitylene.
Act 20:15 And WE sailed there, and came the next [day]
over against Chios; and the next [day] we arrived at Samos,
and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next [day] WE came to Miletus.
Act 20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus,
because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted,
if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day
of Pentecost.
Act 20:17 ¶ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus,
and called the elders of the Church.
COMMENT: Saint Paul is not only in command
of his team of missionaries that he has gathered from the harvest
of his own miraculous power preaching, he is clearly in command
of the Church at Ephesus.
Act 20:18 And when they were come to him, he said
unto them, "You know, from the first day that I came into
Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Acts 20:19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many
tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in
wait of the Jews:
Acts 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable
[unto you], but have showed you, and have taught you publicly,
and from house to house,
Act 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Act 20:22 And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
Act 20:23 except the Holy Ghost witnesses
in every city, saying bonds and afflictions abide me.
Act 20:24 But none of these things move me,
neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that
I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,
which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify
the gospel of the grace of God.
Act 20:25 And now, behold, I know that you all, among
whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall
see my face no more.
Act 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that
I [am] pure from the blood of all [men].
Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you
all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves,
and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has
made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he
has purchased with his own blood.
COMMENT: Paul is talking to the leadership
of the Church, the overseers.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
COMMENT: Here Saint Paul speaks as a
Prophet, telling them grievous wolves will enter in among the
Church; and this has continued to come to pass down through
the centuries even here in America where those grieveous
solves Jim Jones and David Koresh led their congregations
into early graves in their madness.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
COMMENT: Here is another problem in the
the Christian world, that although some are not wolves; they
speak perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves;
and this Kenneth Copeland and many others are doing, so they
point to their multi-million dollar jets as proof of their
holiness and closeness to God while holy Scripture clearly
teaches materialistic prosperity is not evidence of godliness.
Believers are instructed to withdraw from such who suppose
"GAIN IS GODLINESS." 1 Timothy 6:5 You are not to listen to
them. They are "DESTITUTE OF THE TRUTH."
Saint Paul went on to say to the elders of the Church at Troas:
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by
the space of three years I ceased not to warn every
one night and day with tears.
Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and
to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up,
and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
COMMENT: The word "sanctified" might be
better understood here as "among all them which are saved."
We find elsewhere in the New Testament
Saint Paul praying the Lord "sanctify them wholly" (1 Thessalonians
5:23) which points
to spiritual perfection; therefore "an inheritance among
all them which are sanctified speaks to the body of
Christ in general once we are
all Resurrected.
And the inheritance Saint Paul is speaking of the elders attaining
to, are the treasures of the divine nature the Apostle Prophet
was obviously storing up in heaven. He will have an inheritance
among all who are sanctified unto salvation.
Saint Paul went on to tell them:
Act 20:33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
COMMENT: Many have taken the role of minister
to the body of Christ in today's world coveting wealth. Here Saint
Paul makes it clear coveteousness does not belong in the heart of
a minister of the Word of God.
Act 20:34 Yea, you yourselves know, that these hands have
ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
COMMENT: Those who say they are ministers
ought to follow hard after Saint Paul's example that they too
might be able to say their hands have ministered unto their
necessities.
Act 20:35 I have showed you all things, how that so
labouring you ought to support the weak, and to remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed
to give than to receive.
Act 20:36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down,
and prayed with them all.
Act 20:37 And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck,
and kissed him,
COMMENT: There is no doubt they love Paul.
Act 20:38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke,
that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him
unto the ship.