A STUDY GUIDE ACTS 20:1-16
1. A Study Guide
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 20:1-16
a) The verses describe Paul’s return to Macedonia and Greece during his third missionary journey.
#1) Acts 20:1-3
20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. 3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
i) Paul’s double farewell. Paul gathered the disciples together to say goodbye. However after Paul’s time in Macedonia and Greece, he was able, at Miletus, to gather the elders from Ephesus for another farewell.
ii) Encouraged the disciples. Paul’s missionary work wasn't only to make disciples. Having made disciples, he tried to revisit and encourage them. Paul was not only an evangelist spreading the gospel, but an edifier building up and strengthening the converts. Paul had spent three years not travelling at all, but working in Ephesus to build up the church. Then he set about revisiting churches in Macedonia and Greece, taking not days but months, and giving many lessons.
iii) Three important ministries. Both evangelism of the world and edification of the church are ministries of great importance, and each as important as the other. A third ministry, that of benevolence, is also high on Paul’s agenda, in this case the collection for the saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:1-15).
iv) Uproars and plots. Paul’s work is also characterized by opposition from various quarters. His last days in Ephesus saw a noisy protest against him by idol worshipers, stirred up by the craftsmen who made and traded in shrines of the goddess Artemis (Acts 19:23-41). After that, in his visitations in Greece, some of the Jews were plotting against him just as they had done in Paul’s earlier work in the region. The work of the gospel is attacked not only by pagans, as we would expect, but also by people who supposedly worship the very God who sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
#2) Acts 20:4-6
4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.
i) Paul’s many companions. Paul’s missionary journeys were really a team effort. At this point Luke was travelling with Paul, and several other men were waiting to rejoin them at Troas. To us, this sounds like an easy thing. We keep in touch by mobile phone and can know in an instant where everybody is and what is happening. But Paul and his companions had no such advantage, and trying to meet up with each other in the course of their journeys could be very trying and frustrating.
Of another occasion at Troas, Paul writes, "When I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia" (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
ii) The days of unleavened bread. Luke is here referring to a high and holy season of the Jews: the time of the Passover celebrated in Jerusalem. However this isn't irrelevant to the disciples of Christ in Troas and elsewhere. Jesus died at Passover time. Although his disciples gathered often to remember the death of their Lord, the anniversary of his death would naturally make the Lord’s Supper even more poignant (Acts 20:7).
iii) Stayed in Troas seven days. Paul was able to be reunited with his companions waiting in Troas, and to meet with the disciples in that city at their gathering for the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week.
#3) Acts 20:7
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
i) First day of the week. One or two translations put "on Saturday evening" here. The assumption is that Luke is thinking in Jewish time by which the Sabbath ends at sundown and the first day of the week begins. However in the same sentence Luke uses the term "midnight" which is an expression of Roman time. This strongly suggests that Luke is thinking according to the Gentile Roman clock, not according to Jewish time. Luke is a Gentile writing to a Gentile about events in a Gentile city.
#4) Acts 20:8-12
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and [d]eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were [e]greatly comforted.
i) Many lights. Without electricity, the room was lit with oil lamps. These give off fumes and warmth. Moreover the room was crowded. Even with the window open, the air would be such as to make one drowsy. Eutychus succumbed. His body relaxed, and he fell back from the window ledge to his death below.
ii) He was dead. Luke clearly says, "he was picked up dead". Luke, as a doctor, would know the difference between seemingly dead and really dead. Therefore when Paul says, "his life is in him", Paul means that Eutychus had truly been killed by the fall, but had been brought back to life by Paul’s embrace.
iii) Broken bread. Some think this means that Paul had some food. Others think that it means he led the disciples in the Lord’s Supper. The term “breaking bread” is used for a common meal, but also for the Lord’s Supper (cf Acts 2:42,46).
#5) Acts 20:13-16
13 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
i) Intending to go by land. When Paul was in a hurry to get to the coast of Syria, and he had his travelling party all together, it is surprising that he would separate from them and go 30 km by land to another port while they went to the ship and set sail from Troas. Paul must have had something quite important to do or, someone he needed to see, or perhaps he just needed some time to himself and a good long walk to calm his mind.
ii) Jerusalem for Pentecost. There are many ideas about why Paul wanted to be in Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost. Perhaps he thought that, with the busy celebrations, and the city crowded, he would escape the notice and harassment of his Jewish enemies, while he met with the church and delivered the collection that had been gathered for the needy saints.
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 20:1-16
a) The verses describe Paul’s return to Macedonia and Greece during his third missionary journey.
20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those districts and had given them much exhortation, he came to Greece. 3 And there he spent three months, and when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
i) Paul’s double farewell. Paul gathered the disciples together to say goodbye. However after Paul’s time in Macedonia and Greece, he was able, at Miletus, to gather the elders from Ephesus for another farewell.
iii) Three important ministries. Both evangelism of the world and edification of the church are ministries of great importance, and each as important as the other. A third ministry, that of benevolence, is also high on Paul’s agenda, in this case the collection for the saints in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:1-15).
iv) Uproars and plots. Paul’s work is also characterized by opposition from various quarters. His last days in Ephesus saw a noisy protest against him by idol worshipers, stirred up by the craftsmen who made and traded in shrines of the goddess Artemis (Acts 19:23-41). After that, in his visitations in Greece, some of the Jews were plotting against him just as they had done in Paul’s earlier work in the region. The work of the gospel is attacked not only by pagans, as we would expect, but also by people who supposedly worship the very God who sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
#2) Acts 20:4-6
4 And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas within five days; and there we stayed seven days.
i) Paul’s many companions. Paul’s missionary journeys were really a team effort. At this point Luke was travelling with Paul, and several other men were waiting to rejoin them at Troas. To us, this sounds like an easy thing. We keep in touch by mobile phone and can know in an instant where everybody is and what is happening. But Paul and his companions had no such advantage, and trying to meet up with each other in the course of their journeys could be very trying and frustrating.
Of another occasion at Troas, Paul writes, "When I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia" (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
ii) The days of unleavened bread. Luke is here referring to a high and holy season of the Jews: the time of the Passover celebrated in Jerusalem. However this isn't irrelevant to the disciples of Christ in Troas and elsewhere. Jesus died at Passover time. Although his disciples gathered often to remember the death of their Lord, the anniversary of his death would naturally make the Lord’s Supper even more poignant (Acts 20:7).
iii) Stayed in Troas seven days. Paul was able to be reunited with his companions waiting in Troas, and to meet with the disciples in that city at their gathering for the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week.
#3) Acts 20:7
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
i) First day of the week. One or two translations put "on Saturday evening" here. The assumption is that Luke is thinking in Jewish time by which the Sabbath ends at sundown and the first day of the week begins. However in the same sentence Luke uses the term "midnight" which is an expression of Roman time. This strongly suggests that Luke is thinking according to the Gentile Roman clock, not according to Jewish time. Luke is a Gentile writing to a Gentile about events in a Gentile city.
#4) Acts 20:8-128 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and [d]eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were [e]greatly comforted.
i) Many lights. Without electricity, the room was lit with oil lamps. These give off fumes and warmth. Moreover the room was crowded. Even with the window open, the air would be such as to make one drowsy. Eutychus succumbed. His body relaxed, and he fell back from the window ledge to his death below.
ii) He was dead. Luke clearly says, "he was picked up dead". Luke, as a doctor, would know the difference between seemingly dead and really dead. Therefore when Paul says, "his life is in him", Paul means that Eutychus had truly been killed by the fall, but had been brought back to life by Paul’s embrace.
iii) Broken bread. Some think this means that Paul had some food. Others think that it means he led the disciples in the Lord’s Supper. The term “breaking bread” is used for a common meal, but also for the Lord’s Supper (cf Acts 2:42,46).
#5) Acts 20:13-1613 But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day following we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
i) Intending to go by land. When Paul was in a hurry to get to the coast of Syria, and he had his travelling party all together, it is surprising that he would separate from them and go 30 km by land to another port while they went to the ship and set sail from Troas. Paul must have had something quite important to do or, someone he needed to see, or perhaps he just needed some time to himself and a good long walk to calm his mind.
ii) Jerusalem for Pentecost. There are many ideas about why Paul wanted to be in Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost. Perhaps he thought that, with the busy celebrations, and the city crowded, he would escape the notice and harassment of his Jewish enemies, while he met with the church and delivered the collection that had been gathered for the needy saints.
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