Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox
Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox
Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 20] Acts in the N.T. (7:14; 10:32; 20:17; 24:25). Ephesus was some thirty miles, a stiff day's journey each way. They would be with Paul the third day of the stay in Miletus. {The elders of the church} (\tous presbuterous t•s ekkl•sias\). The very men whom Paul terms "bishops" (\episkopous\) in verse 28 just as in Tit 1:5,7 where both terms (\presbuterous, ton episkopon\) describe the same office. The term "elder" applied to Christian ministers first appears in Ac 11:30 in Jerusalem and reappears in 15:4,6,22 in connection with the apostles and the church. The "elders" are not "apostles" but are "bishops" (cf. Php 1:1) and with "deacons" constitute the two classes of officers in the early churches. Ignatius shows that in the early second century the office of bishop over the elders had developed, but Lightfoot has shown that it was not so in the first century. Each church, as in Jerusalem, Philippi, Ephesus, had a number of "elders" ("bishops") in the one great city church. Hackett thinks that other ministers from the neighbourhood also came. It was a noble group of preachers and Paul, the greatest preacher of the ages, makes a remarkable talk to preachers with all the earmarks of Pauline originality (Spitta, _Apostelgeschichte_, p. 252) as shown by the characteristic Pauline words, phrases, ideas current in all his Epistles including the Pastoral (testify, course, pure, take heed, presbyter, bishop, acquire, apparel). Luke heard this address as he may and probably did hear those in Jerusalem and Caesarea (Ac 21-26). Furneaux suggests that Luke probably took shorthand notes of the address since Galen says that his students took down his medical lectures in shorthand: "At any rate, of all the speeches in the Acts this contains most of Paul and least of Luke. ... It reveals Paul as nothing else does. The man who spoke it is no longer a man of eighteen centuries ago: he is of yesterday; of today. He speaks as we speak and feels as we feel; or rather as we fain would speak and feel." We have seen and listened to Paul speak to the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia as Luke pictures the scene, to the uneducated pagans at Lystra, to the cultured Greeks in Athens. We shall hear him plead for his life to the Jewish mob in Jerusalem, to the Roman governor Felix in Caesarea, to the Jewish "King" Herod Agrippa II in Caesarea, and at last to the Jews in Rome. But here Paul unbosoms himself to the ministers of the church in Ephesus where he had spent three years (longer than with any other church) and where he had such varied experiences of prowess and persecution. He opens his heart to these men as he does not to the average crowd even of believers. It is Paul's _Apologia pro sua Vita_. He will probably http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC20.RWP.html (10 of 19) [28/08/2004 09:07:16 a.m.]
Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 20] not see them again and so the outlook and attitude is similar to the farewell discourse of Jesus to the disciples in the upper room (Joh 13-17). He warns them about future perils as Jesus had done. Paul's words here will repay any preacher's study today. There is the same high conception of the ministry here that Paul had already elaborated in 2Co 2:12-6:10 (see my _Glory of the Ministry_). It is a fitting time and occasion for Paul to take stock of his ministry at the close of the third mission tour. What wonders had God wrought already. 20:18 {Ye yourselves know} (\humeis epistasthe\). Pronoun expressed and emphatic. He appeals to their personal knowledge of his life in Ephesus. {From the first day that} (\apo pr•t•s h•meras aph' h•s\). "From first day from which." He had first "set foot" (\epeb•n\, second aorist active indicative of old verb \epibain•\, to step upon or step into) in Ephesus four years ago in the spring of 51 or 52, but had returned from Antioch that autumn. It is now spring of 54 or 55 so that his actual ministry in Ephesus was about two and a half years, roughly three years (verse 31). {After what manner I was with you} (\p•s meth' h–m•n egenom•n\). Literally, "How I came (from Asia and so was) with you." Cf. 1Th 1:5; 2Th 2:1-10 where Paul likewise dares to refer boldly to his life while with them "all the time" (\ton panta chronon\). Accusative of duration of time. So far as we know, Paul stuck to Ephesus the whole period. He had devoted himself consecratedly to the task in Ephesus. Each pastor is bishop of his field and has a golden opportunity to work it for Christ. One of the saddest things about the present situation is the restlessness of preachers to go elsewhere instead of devoting themselves wholly to the task where they are. 19. {Serving the Lord} (\douleu•n t•i kuri•i\). It was Paul's glory to be the \doulos\ (bond-slave) as in Ro 1:1; Php 1:1. Paul alone, save Jesus in Mt 6:24; Lu 16:13, uses \douleu•\ six times for serving God (Page). {With all lowliness of mind} (\meta pas•s tapeinophrosun•s\). Lightfoot notes that heathen writers use this word for a grovelling, abject state of mind, but Paul follows Christ in using it for humility, humble-mindedness that should mark every Christian and in particular the preacher. {With tears} (\dakru•n\). Construed with \meta\. Paul was a man of the deepest emotion along with his high intellectuality. He mentions his tears again in verse 31, tears of sorrow and of anxiety. He refers to his tears in writing the http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC20.RWP.html (11 of 19) [28/08/2004 09:07:16 a.m.]
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<strong>Word</strong> <strong>Pictures</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> NT [Acts: Chapter 20]<br />
Acts <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> N.T. (7:14; 10:32; 20:17; 24:25). Ephesus was some<br />
thirty miles, a stiff day's journey each way. They would be with<br />
Paul <strong>the</strong> third day of <strong>the</strong> stay <strong>in</strong> Miletus. {The elders of <strong>the</strong><br />
church} (\tous presbuterous t•s ekkl•sias\). The very men whom<br />
Paul terms "bishops" (\episkopous\) <strong>in</strong> verse 28 just as <strong>in</strong> Tit<br />
1:5,7 where both terms (\presbuterous, ton episkopon\) describe<br />
<strong>the</strong> same office. The term "elder" applied to Christian m<strong>in</strong>isters<br />
first appears <strong>in</strong> Ac 11:30 <strong>in</strong> Jerusalem and reappears <strong>in</strong><br />
15:4,6,22 <strong>in</strong> connection with <strong>the</strong> apostles and <strong>the</strong> church. The<br />
"elders" are not "apostles" but are "bishops" (cf. Php 1:1) and<br />
with "deacons" constitute <strong>the</strong> two classes of officers <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
early churches. Ignatius shows that <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early second century<br />
<strong>the</strong> office of bishop over <strong>the</strong> elders had developed, but Lightfoot<br />
has shown that it was not so <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first century. Each church,<br />
as <strong>in</strong> Jerusalem, Philippi, Ephesus, had a number of "elders"<br />
("bishops") <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> one great city church. Hackett th<strong>in</strong>ks that<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r m<strong>in</strong>isters from <strong>the</strong> neighbourhood also came. It was a noble<br />
group of preachers and Paul, <strong>the</strong> greatest preacher of <strong>the</strong> ages,<br />
makes a remarkable talk to preachers with all <strong>the</strong> earmarks of<br />
Paul<strong>in</strong>e orig<strong>in</strong>ality (Spitta, _Apostelgeschichte_, p. 252) as<br />
shown by <strong>the</strong> characteristic Paul<strong>in</strong>e words, phrases, ideas current<br />
<strong>in</strong> all his Epistles <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Pastoral (testify, course,<br />
pure, take heed, presbyter, bishop, acquire, apparel). Luke heard<br />
this address as he may and probably did hear those <strong>in</strong> Jerusalem<br />
and Caesarea (Ac 21-26). Furneaux suggests that Luke probably<br />
took shorthand notes of <strong>the</strong> address s<strong>in</strong>ce Galen says that his<br />
students took down his medical lectures <strong>in</strong> shorthand: "At any<br />
rate, of all <strong>the</strong> speeches <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Acts this conta<strong>in</strong>s most of Paul<br />
and least of Luke. ... It reveals Paul as noth<strong>in</strong>g else does. The<br />
man who spoke it is no longer a man of eighteen centuries ago: he<br />
is of yesterday; of today. He speaks as we speak and feels as we<br />
feel; or ra<strong>the</strong>r as we fa<strong>in</strong> would speak and feel." We have seen<br />
and listened to Paul speak to <strong>the</strong> Jews <strong>in</strong> Antioch <strong>in</strong> Pisidia as<br />
Luke pictures <strong>the</strong> scene, to <strong>the</strong> uneducated pagans at Lystra, to<br />
<strong>the</strong> cultured Greeks <strong>in</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ns. We shall hear him plead for his<br />
life to <strong>the</strong> Jewish mob <strong>in</strong> Jerusalem, to <strong>the</strong> Roman governor Felix<br />
<strong>in</strong> Caesarea, to <strong>the</strong> Jewish "K<strong>in</strong>g" Herod Agrippa II <strong>in</strong> Caesarea,<br />
and at last to <strong>the</strong> Jews <strong>in</strong> Rome. But here Paul unbosoms himself<br />
to <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>isters of <strong>the</strong> church <strong>in</strong> Ephesus where he had spent<br />
three years (longer than with any o<strong>the</strong>r church) and where he had<br />
such varied experiences of prowess and persecution. He opens his<br />
heart to <strong>the</strong>se men as he does not to <strong>the</strong> average crowd even of<br />
believers. It is Paul's _Apologia pro sua Vita_. He will probably<br />
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC20.RWP.html (10 of 19) [28/08/2004 09:07:16 a.m.]