20:17-38
Paul Sent For the Elders
20:17
Miletus was not far from Ephesus (30 miles), so Paul called the elders to come to him so that he could speak to them, knowing he would not likely return to them. He had spent three years with them, so he had developed deep relationships. He wanted once last word to encourage and prepare them for the future without him.
Paul’s Ministry To Them
20:18-21
Paul first reminded them of how he served them. He served with humility. (19) He did not act important or entitled. He acted as a servant, both of the Lord, and of the church.
He served with perseverance in trials, not watering down the gospel or changing it to please his detractors. He preached a message of repentance and faith in Christ. (21) It was the same message Jesus preached: “repent and believe in the gospel”. (Mark 1:15)
The word for us here is that we do not change the message of God’s word for anyone or any reason. We do not change to prevent suffering or persecution. We do not change the gospel to please those who think we are ignorant. We do not even change the gospel to please those in our own church who come up with new ideas. We hold firm to the Word, knowing “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”. (Romans 1:16)
Paul Looked Ahead
20:22-25
Paul set his mind to go to Jerusalem. (22) He was “constrained” by the Holy Spirit to do so. “Constrained” means to bind. Paul strongly believed the Holy Spirit was directing him to go to Jerusalem and he must obey. He did not know the outcome, but would obey nonetheless. What he did sense was the Holy Spirit telling him he would suffer imprisonment and affliction (23) He may have had a direct revelation of this or he may have heard this from prophets he met along the way. We will see an example of such a prophet in chapter 21.
Although Paul believed he would face unpleasant things, he was not concerned about that. He said he did not even value his life as precious. (24) He was concerned instead with finishing his course, preaching the gospel everywhere the Lord led him. It is the picture of a race that Paul wants to finish, running strong. In Romans 15:30, which Paul wrote from Corinth before he left on this trip to Jerusalem, Paul asked the Roman Christians to pray for his deliverance from the unbelievers in Judea. He knew it was likely the Jews in Jerusalem would come after him.
Paul said the Ephesian elders would never see him again. (25) He knew he would either go to prison in Jerusalem or he would travel on to Rome and then Spain as he desired. Either way, he would not be back to Ephesus and Asia.
But Paul was leaving with a clear conscience that he had declared to them the whole counsel of God. (27) Therefore, he was innocent of their blood. Since he had proclaimed the gospel to them, they were responsible for believing and persevering.
Paul’s Charge to the Elders
20:26-31
Having laid the groundwork of showing them they had what they needed to continue in the faith, Paul warned the elders to pay careful attention to themselves and the flock. First, an elder cannot take care of anyone if he does not take care of his own spiritual life. He must continue in the Word. He must be faithful in prayer. He must pay attention to his spiritual condition, not taking it for granted.
He must also pay attention to the flock. He is an overseer or shepherd of the flock that the Holy Spirit has given him. He must watch. He must know what is going on both spiritually and theologically.
Paul also charged the elders to look after the flock, to care for the church. He has used the metaphor Jesus so often used, that of believers as a flock of sheep. The elders are shepherds. They take care of the sheep entrusted to them by the Holy spirit.
There will be attacks from outside the flock. Paul called them fierce wolves. (29) Wolves were natural enemies of sheep, hunting them to kill them. It was the job of the shepherd to keep the wolves away from the sheep. In the church, this is done by teaching sound doctrine so that the sheep recognize false doctrine. It is done by pointing out the attackers. For example, an elder may need to keep someone from speaking to the church if he realizes the speaker preaches heresy. The elder should be aware of and point out ideas in the culture that are not compatible with Christianity.
In Ephesus, the elders had to resist the attacks of the Jews who tried to impose the law upon the believers. They would face those who attacked Paul and the message he had preached. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, written later from prison, defends his calling and ministry to them. (Ephesians 2) They would face those who said believers could live the same way the pagans did, something Paul also refuted in his letter. (Ephesians 4:17)
Even more concerning, Paul said the elders would face attacks from inside the church, as men arose twisting the gospel to draw away the disciples. (30) That happens constantly in our time, as men and women seek to become popular or wealthy, perverting the gospel to achieve their own ends. Peter would later write:
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words.” 2 Peter 2:1-3)
If you want to see this, just turn on your television. You will hear lots of weird stuff that has no basis in the Bible.
Elders again must know the Word well enough to spot heresy and confront it. Innocent but ignorant members must be taught and counseled. Those who knowingly seek to to mislead the block must be admonished and, if they do not repent, removed from the fellowship.
Therefore, the elders must be alert. (31) They must pay attention to what is going on in the fellowship and in the culture. Paul commended them to God and his word. That is where strength and stability reside. Elders must rely on God and stand firm on his Word. His word would build them up and empower them to persevere to the end, receiving their inheritance along with other saints. It is true for us also and for our elders. The word builds us up, makes us strong in the faith and resistant to false teachers.
Paul also set an example for them in not desiring money. He worked to support himself and even supported others. Paul extolled (praised) hard work and helping the weak who cannot work. He related that Jesus said it was more blessed to give than receive. We do not have those words written down in the gospels, so Paul must have heard that from the apostles who were with Jesus during his earthly ministry.
The Long Goodby
20:36-38
Paul ended the visit with prayer. You can tell how much the elders loved Paul. They hugged him and kissed him. They wept in sorrow of not seeing him again. They walked him to his ship.
Isn’t this moving! Paul poured himself into the Ephesians for three years. He preached and taught. He endured opposition from the Jews. He worked at his trade, but still worked to preach the gospel. And the Ephesians loved him for it. They understood his love and devotion for Jesus and for them, and they reciprocated, loving and appreciating him.
This is the way it should be.
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