55 to 70 min Analyze the significance of the first-day-of-the-week gathering and the raising of Eutychus at Troas. Examine Paul's apostolic integrity and clear conscience in proclaiming the whole counsel of God. Deconstruct Paul's solemn pastoral charge to the Ephesian elders regarding their shepherd duties and false teachers. Evaluate the christological foundation of the church purchased with God's own blood. Acts 20 chronicles the final leg of Paul's Third Missionary Journey and his determined progression toward Jerusalem. Fulfilling his pastoral oversight across Macedonia and Achaia, Paul collects the financial relief offering for the impoverished Jerusalem church (1 Corinthians 16:1-4; Romans 15:25-27). At Troas, Luke provides the earliest explicit description of Christian Sunday worship centered on breaking bread and preaching. Bypassing Ephesus to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost, Paul summons the Ephesian elders to meet him thirty miles south at the coastal port of Miletus. His farewell address to these elders is the only speech in the book of Acts delivered exclusively to a Christian audience, providing a premier pastoral testament of faithful ministry. A faithful shepherd proclaims the whole counsel of God without compromise, guards the flock purchased with Christ's blood, and commits believers to God and the word of his grace. 20:1-6: Travels through Macedonia and Greece When the uproar in Ephesus ends, Paul sends for the disciples and, after encouraging them, says goodbye and sets out for Macedonia. He travels through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrives in Greece (Achaia), where he stays three months. Just as he is about to sail for Syria, a plot is hatched against him by the Jews; so he decides to return through Macedonia. He is accompanied by seven delegates representing Gentile churches: Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men travel ahead and wait for Paul and Luke at Troas. After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, Paul and Luke sail from Philippi and five days later join them at Troas, where they stay seven days. 20:7-12: The Lord's Day Assembly at Troas and the Raising of Eutychus On the first day of the week, they come together to break bread (the Lord's Supper). Paul speaks to the people and, because he intends to leave the next day, keeps on talking until midnight. There are many lamps in the upstairs room where they are meeting. Seated in a window is a young man named Eutychus, who is sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talks on and on. Overcome by sleep, he falls from the third story to the ground and is picked up dead. Paul goes down, throws himself on the young man and puts his arms around him: 'Don't be alarmed,' he says. 'He's alive!' Then he goes back upstairs, breaks bread, and eats. After talking until daylight, he leaves. The believers take the young man home alive and are greatly comforted. 20:13-24: The Journey to Miletus and Paul's Unflinching Integrity Paul travels by foot from Troas to Assos, then sails aboard ship past Chios, Samos, and lands at Miletus. Paul decides to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, hurrying to reach Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost if possible. From Miletus, Paul sends to Ephesus for the elders (presbyteroi) of the church. When they arrive, he reminds them of his lifestyle among them: 'You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of Jewish opponents. I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.' Paul states that he is now compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, warned by the Holy Spirit in every city that prison and hardships await him: 'However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.' 20:25-31: The Whole Counsel of God and Warning of Savage Wolves Paul declares solemnly: 'I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole counsel of God (pasan tēn boulēn tou theou).' He then delivers his urgent pastoral charge: 'Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (episkopoi). Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.' He warns of impending dangers: 'I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.' 20:32-38: Commendation to Grace and the Weeping Farewell Paul concludes with a benediction and personal example: 'Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.' He reminds them that he coveted no one's silver, gold, or clothing, working with his own hands to supply his needs and those of his companions. He reminds them of the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' When Paul finishes speaking, he kneels down with all of them and prays. They all weep loudly as they embrace him and kiss him. What grieves them most is his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompany him to the ship. The Whole Counsel of God (Pasa Boule) The comprehensive biblical revelation of God's redemptive plan, which a faithful preacher must proclaim without trimming, diluting, or selecting only popular themes. Elders and Overseers (Presbyteroi / Episkopoi) Interchangeable New Testament terms for pastoral leaders; presbyteroi denotes their spiritual maturity and office, while episkopoi describes their oversight function. Church Bought with God's Blood A profound theological affirmation in Acts 20:28 attributing the shedding of blood on the cross to the divine person of Jesus Christ, affirming his deity. Agraphon A saying of Jesus not recorded in the four canonical Gospels but preserved elsewhere in the New Testament, such as 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' in Acts 20:35. Commit to studying and teaching the whole counsel of Scripture, refusing to avoid difficult doctrines or challenging ethical commands. Prioritize the spiritual health of your own soul before attempting to shepherd or lead others in the church ('Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock'). Embrace a generous posture of giving and sacrificial service, remembering Jesus' affirmation that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Evaluate your personal spiritual intake over the past six months. Are you reading through all of Scripture or only favorite passages? Set a plan to read an unfamiliar book of the Bible this month. Lord Jesus Christ, Great Shepherd of the sheep, You purchased Your church with Your own precious blood. Forgive us when we avoid difficult truths or seek popularity over faithfulness. Grant our church leaders wisdom, vigilance, and tears to guard the flock against deceptive wolves. Build us up by the word of Your grace, and teach our hearts the surpassing blessedness of giving rather than receiving. Keep our eyes fixed on finishing our race with joy. In Your holy name, Amen. What happened to the young man Eutychus during Paul's late-night sermon at Troas? He was arrested by Roman soldiers He fell asleep, fell from a third-story window, died, and was raised back to life by Paul He was baptized in the harbor at midnight He prophesied that Paul would be chained in Jerusalem He fell asleep, fell from a third-story window, died, and was raised back to life by Paul Acts 20:9-12 records Eutychus falling into a deep sleep, dropping from the third story, being picked up dead, and restored to life through Paul. Why did Paul claim he was 'innocent of the blood of any of you' before the Ephesian elders? He had never engaged in physical violence He had not hesitated to proclaim to them the whole counsel of God He had offered animal sacrifices in Jerusalem He had paid for all their travel expenses He had not hesitated to proclaim to them the whole counsel of God Acts 20:26-27 echoes Ezekiel 33, explaining that his clear conscience stemmed from boldly proclaiming the whole counsel of God without withholding anything. According to Acts 20:28, with what did God purchase the church? With silver and gold from the temple treasury With his own blood With the tithes of the faithful believers With the sacrifices of the apostles With his own blood Acts 20:28 contains the remarkable theological statement: 'Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.' Which saying of the Lord Jesus, not found in the four Gospels, did Paul quote to the Ephesian elders? The truth shall set you free It is more blessed to give than to receive Blessed are the poor in spirit Take up your cross daily and follow me It is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20:35 records this unique dominical saying (agraphon) cited by Paul: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Acts 20:1-38 1 Timothy 3:1-13 1 Peter 5:1-11 Pastoral Theology Analysis: Paul's Miletus Farewell Address Write 700 to 900 words analyzing the pastoral leadership theology presented in Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders at Miletus in Acts 20. Examine Paul's pastoral self-defense regarding humility, financial disinterestedness, and public instruction. Analyze the responsibilities of elders as overseers (episkopoi) guarding against false teachers from within and without. Explain the theological significance of the church in [Ephesus](/bible/explorer/place/ephesus) being purchased with divine blood. Discuss how the words of [Paul](/bible/explorer/person/paul) provide an enduring model for pastoral ministry and finishing the race. Demonstrate solid grasp of pastoral theology, ecclesiology, textual exposition of Acts 20, avoid prohibited compound hyphens, and meet the word count range. Does Acts 20:28 prove the deity of Jesus Christ? Yes. In the phrase 'the church of God, which he bought with his own blood' (dia tou haimatos tou idiou), the blood of Jesus shed on the cross is directly identified as the blood of God, powerfully affirming Christ's full divinity. Why did Paul say they would never see his face again if he was later released from Rome? Paul was expressing his human expectation based on his planned itinerary (Jerusalem to Rome to Spain, Romans 15:24) and prophetic warnings of prison. Whether he ever revisited Asia after his first Roman imprisonment does not diminish his prophetic sincerity at Miletus. F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts (NICNT), Eerdmans, 1988, pp. 385-402. Steve Walton, Leadership and Lifestyle: The Portrait of Paul in the Miletus Speech and 1 Thessalonians, Cambridge University Press, 2000. Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles, Eerdmans, 1998. Bruce, F. F. The Book of the Acts. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988. Walton, Steve. Leadership and Lifestyle. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Bock, Darrell L. Acts. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007. What does it mean practically for a church leader to 'keep watch over yourself' before shepherding others? Why is declaring 'the whole counsel of God' often difficult and counter-cultural in contemporary preaching? How can modern believers cultivate the deep, affectionate, tearful Christian fellowship seen between Paul and the elders? Emphasize that this is the only speech in Acts given directly to Christian leaders. Walk through the three sections: Paul's past ministry (vv. 18-21), Paul's present dilemma (vv. 22-27), Paul's future charge (vv. 28-35). Lead a time of prayer for church pastors, elders, and ministry leaders facing burnout and cultural pressures. Alexander Strauch, Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership, Lewis & Roth, 1995. Craig S. Keener, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, Vol. 3, Baker Academic, 2014.