Eutychus raised]

eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

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.

14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

15 And we sailed thence, and came

[from the dead.

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.

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. (Q) 17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

18 And when they were come to

CHAP. XX.

(Q) Ver. 1-16. Paul goeth to Macedonia, and preaches at Troas.-This great commotion of the worshippers of the Ephesian goddess, Diana, baving subsided, Paul called a meeting of the brethren, and took an affectionate leave of them. He then, passing through Troas, from thence crossed the sea to Macedonia, where he visited the Philippians, Thessalonians, and Bereans, to whom he had before sent Timothy and Erastus, the former of whom had since returned, and remained in Ephesus. From Macedonia Paul came to Greece (or Achaia), where he abode three months, and chiefly (it should seem) at Corinth. From thence he was about to sail into Syria, with some relief for his poor brethren in Judea. Finding, however, that his design was known, and that he was waylaid by some of his old enemies, the Jews, he resolved to return through Macedonia to avoid them, and several of his brethren and coadjutors going on before, waited for him at Troas, in Phrygia, where Paul staid seven days, as it should seem, to worship with them on the following sabbath.

We have before remarked, in treating of the fourth command, that the devotion of a seventh part of our time to public worship was enjoined from the beginning, and might justly be considered as a part of the moral law. The particular day, however, seems to have been a point of minor importance, and as the injunction of the Jewish sabbath is sometimes made in reference to the deliverance from Egypt, as well as to the rest at the creation (Compare Deut. v. 15, with Gen. ii. 2), it seems so far to have been a part of the cere

monial law, and of course to have subsided with it. (See Rom. xiv. 5; Col. ii. 16.) It would, however, be very contrary to the spirit and tenor of the New Covenant, to suppose that Christians should have no stated times for divine worship; and we do in fact find that, from the time of our Lord's resurrection, there is no recognition of a seventh day sabbath in the Christian Church, especially among the Gentiles, though there are many proofs of the first day of the week being occupied in religious worship.

In this our Lord himself set the example by repeatedly appearing on that day to his disciples. (John xx. 1, 19, 26.) On that day, it is believed, fell the day of Pentecost; and, in the chapter now before us, we find the Christians, at Troas, were accustomed to meet on the same day for religious worship, and for "breaking bread," or the administration of the Lord's Supper. On this day the churches were required to make collections for their poor and afflicted brethren. (1 Cor. xvi. 2.) This day also appears to be marked by the Apostle John as the Lord's day (Rev. i. 10), which we naturally understand to mean, the day on which he arose from the dead. The first day of the week was, therefore, peculiarly honoured in apostolic times, and we know that it has been observed as the Christian sabbath ever since. (See Doddr. Lect. 198, 199.)

A question has been raised, however, on the expression (ver. 7), "When the disciples came together to break bread," which, it is agreed, might apply to those charitable meals which the first Christians held with each other, and which were cer

Ver. 13. To go afoot-Or " by land." See Note on Matt. xiv. 13. Ver. 16. To sail by Ephesus--i, c, to sail past it,

that he might not be detained there.

Ver. 17. The elders of the church-In Greek, Presbyters.

Paul's address to the]

him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

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:

20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that

[Elders of Ephesus,

bonds and afflictions abide me.

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.

25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

27. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made

tainly not held without prayer for a divine blessing; yet, as it is here stated that the special object of their meeting on the first day" was to "break bread;" and since the Lord's Supper is clearly desig nated by St. Paul as breaking bread (1 Cor. x. 16); and as we know that the sacrament just named was usually celebrated on that day, it seems most natural so to apply it in the passage now before us. (See Note on verse 7.)

We are no friends, generally speaking, to long sermons; but from such a preacher, and on such an occasion, no service could appear long or tedious. At the same time, it can be only on extraordinary occasions, wherein the Christian affections are deeply interested, that such sermons should be

tolerated; for, generally speaking, they weary more than they edify the hearers.

The melancholy incident here related of Eutychus, must not only have interrupted, but damped the pleasure of the present meeting; yet this must have been more than compensated by the pleasure received from his restoration, especially to his friends. We are far from apologizing for sleepers in public worship, nor does this instance afford either encouragement or apology for such conduct; for where would Eutychus have been if Paul had not been there? and who would willingly die sleeping under a sermon ? As, however, we know nothing of this young man, charity would lead us to hope that there might be palliative circumstances in his case.

Ver. 19. Temptations.-Doddr. " trials." Ver. 22. Bound in the spirit.-Our translators, by referring in the Margin to chap. xix. 21, understood this in the sense of being firmly resolved: but Doddr., and the commentators generally, explain this, of his going under " a strong impulse" of the Spirit of God.

Ver. 23. Abide me.-Marg. "wait for me." Ver. 26. Pure from the blood of all men.-See Note on chap. xviii. 6.

Ver. 27. For I have not shunned.-Doddr. says, the proper import of the word in such a connexion (as used by Demosthenes and Lucian), is to disguise any important truth; at least to decline the publication of it."

Ibid, All the counsel of God.-There is no doubt but the original term (boulé) means both decree and advice. The former in Luke xxiii. 51; Acts ii. 2,

and elsewhere. But this cannot be the sense here, for who shall declare all the divine decrees? The latter must be understood, Luke vii. 30. In Acts xxvii. 42, 43, we read, "The soldiers' counsel (i, e. advice) was to kill the prisoners; but the centurion, willing (i, e. determined) to save Paul, kept them from their purpose '' (or will) to kill them. Here we have both senses of the word.

Ver. 28. Overseers.-Gr. Episkopous, or Bishops. The German Lutherans call their Bishops" Super. intendents."

Griesbach

Ibid. To feed the church of God. gives no less than six readings. That of our com. mon version is found in about seventeen Greek MSS., of which one, the Vatican (in the Pope's li brary), is reckoned of the 5th or 6th century. This reading is also supported by the Syriae of the 6th, and two Fathers of the close of the 4th century.

you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

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.

33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

[and final farewell.

34 Yea, ye yourselves, know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to sup port the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with

them all.

37 And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship. (R)

(R) Ver. 17-38. Paul's farewell adAress to the Elders of the Church at Epheus-Though Paul dare not trust himself o stop at Ephesus, lest he should be de ained by the kindness of his friends, his own feelings would not suffer him to pass hem unnoticed; when, therefore, he anthored off Miletus, he sent a special messenger to desire the Elders (or Presbyters) of Ephesus to meet him there. They did 30; and he addressed to them the most ender and affectionate charge that ever was delivered on such an occasion-and nferior only (if it may be called inferior) So that which his Divine Master delivered to his apostles just before his death. The charge now before us (limited as our room

is) we must not pass without some observations.

1. We have his solemn appeal to them as to his affection, fidelity, and disinterestedness, when he laboured among them, as mentioned in ch. xix. "Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you in all seasons." 2. He gives a brief summary of the doctrines which he had delivered among them, "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ;" which comprise "all the counsel of God" for man's salvation. Conviction of sin, though not the foundation of faith in Christ, is necessary previous to laying that foundation. Those who know not their

Another reading, "The church of the Lord," has the following authorities:-"Of MSS., all the most Ancient, the most valuable, and those derived from different and independent sources, viz. the Alexandrian, the Ephrem, the Cambridge, Abp. Laud's, and many others of various dates, from the 4th to the 8th centuries. Of the Versions, the two Coptic, the Armenians, the Old Italic; of Fathers, Ireneus, Eusebius, Athanasius, Chrysostom, and many others. The preponderance of evidence is thus in favour of LORD (Kurios)," which is therefore decidedly adopted by Griesbach, and approved by Dr. Pye Smith. Messiah, vol. ii. p. 493, 4.

Dr. Boothroyd, however, adopts another reading, which embraces both "Lord and God." On this he judiciously remarks, "I have preferred the last (the one just named), as supported by the greatest number of MSS. collated (viz. one ancient and 46 others], and as accounting best for the other variations. For it is more easy to omit a word in

transcribing than to insert one; and one transcriber might omit God and insert Lord, as judging the latter more accordant with what follows. The reading he admits to be singular, but finds the sentiment in John xx. 28: and the phrase "church of the Lord," occurs not in the New Testament.

Ver. 29. Grievous wolves.-Our Lord describes false prophets as " wolves in sheep's clothing;" so false teachers in the Christian church are described as not only erroneous, but rapacious" not sparing the flock."

Ver. 31. Three years.-See Chap. xix. 8, 10. After preaching three months in the synagogue, he taught two years in the school of Tyrannus; but the three years may probably include his preaching in the neighbouring towns and villages. So Doddr.

Ver. 35. More blessed, &c.-This is a saying of Christ, traditionally preserved by the apostles, and happily here recorded,

Paul's voyage]

CHAP. XXI.

AND it came to pass, that after we

were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:

2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

4 And finding disciples, we tarried

[toward Jerusalem,

there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.

7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

8 And the next day we that were

need of such a Redeemer cannot value him as such; but when they know and feel this, faith in Christ provides them with righteousness, both for justification and a holy life. We add, 3. That Paul taught "both publicly and from house to house." The labours of the pulpit are far from being the whole of ministerial duty in domestic preaching "from house to house," it is much more difficult to be faithful, and still more arduous is the task to exhibit in the life all the precepts taught. Of Paul, indeed, it might well be said,"His preaching much, but more his practice wrought,

(A living sermon on the truths he taught!)
For this by rules severe his life he squar'd,
That all might see the doctrines which they heard!"
Dryden.

4. We remark that Paul's labours, both public and private, severe as they might be, formed but a part only of his duty. He had not only to labour, but also to suffer. "The Holy Ghost witnesseth (said he), in every city, that bonds and amictions abide (or wait for) me;" watching, as it were, for my arrival-as his history

abundantly evinces. 5. That no labours, no dangers, no sufferings, daunted or discouraged him in his work! God, his Saviour, had purchased the Church "with his own blood ;" and he "counted not his life," his blood, dear to himself, so that he might be instrumental in edifying that church;-so that he might "finish his course with joy," and receive from his Master that divine plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" 6. He closes all with earnest prayer, commending them to God and to the word of his grace: exhorting them to "support the weak" and relieve the necessitous; and reminding them particularly of an unrecorded saying of our Lord Jesus, that "it is more blessed to give than to receive.". The concluding verses are inimitably beautiful and pathetic. They require no comment, and they admit no paraphrase. "And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him; sorrowing most of all for the words that he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship."

CHAP. XXI. Ver. 1. Gotten from them.-Ham. mond, plucked or snatched." Wesley, "torn away from them." It implies a reluctancy on both sides to part.

Ver. 2. And finding a ship, &c.-This was the second vessel, the first carried them only to Patara. -Set forth-i. e. set sail.

Ver. 4. And finding disciples, &c.-Doddr. "We continued there seven days, finding disciples, who told Paul, by the Spirit, not to go," &c.

Ver. 6. We took ship.-This was the third vessel; the second stopped at Tyre; the third carried them on to Ptolemais. Here they left this vessel, and travelled by land to Cesarea, and so on to Jerusalem.

Ver, 7. Ptolemais-An ancient city called Accho (Judg. i. 31), but rebuilt by Ptolemy, who gave it his name, and now known as Acra.

Ver. 8. Philip the Evangelist.-See chap, vi. 3; viii, 26, &c.

And meeting there]

of Paul's company departed, and came unto Cesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14 And when he would not be per

[with the Apostles.

suaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: (S)

CHAP. XXI.

(S) Ver. 1-20. Paul resolutely pursues his journey to Jerusalem, notwithstanding the predicted consequences.-After all, it seems that it was with no small difficulty that St. Paul "got" from the brethren. The original implies that he was obliged to tear or wrest himself from them, to pursue his voyage. He next landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unlade her freight; there finding disciples endowed with gifts of prophecy, they warned him, by the Spirit, that he had better not go up to Jerusalem. So Beza explains the passage: "They, understanding by the revelation of the Spirit, what dangers awaited Paul, out of affection, and not by any special divine command, intreated him not to go up to Jerusalem, being ignorant of what the same Spirit had commanded Paul." The warning was afterwards repeated at

Cesarea by Agabus, who predicted by a sign, in the manner of the old prophets, that he should be there imprisoned. "And when we heard these things (saith Luke), both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem." At this it is evident Paul's mind was stirred and agitated, and he broke out into this impassioned exclamation—“What, mean ye to weep and to break my heart? for I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to DIE at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus." Thus "none of these things moved him;" and therefore, adds the inspired historian, when (we found) he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done!

It would afford but little edification to our readers to examine the progress of Paul's journies (which is best done upon the map), we shall only remark the gene

Ver. 13. What mean ye?-Compare chap. xx. 24. Ver. 16. Brought with them one Mnason-(Pronounced Nason). Doddr. (following Sir Norton Knatchbull), "Brought (us) to one Muason."

Ver. 20. How many thousands.-Doddr. "My

riads" (so the Greek); but he thinks the word may here rather be taken for a large, than a precise number; perhaps, he says, twenty or thirty thousand were present at Jerusalem to keep the feast; but we believe there were often many more.