A TOUCHING FAREWELL

ACTS 20:13-38

NASB

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 [a]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 [a]Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. 18 And when they had come to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in [a]Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me [a]through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and [a]from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, bound by the [a]Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

25 “And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. 26 Therefore, I [a]testify to you this day that I am [b]innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you [a]overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He [b]purchased [c]with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. 35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And [a]they began to weep aloud and [b]embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, 38[a]grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.

20:13 [a]Or on foot 20:16 [a]I.e. west coast province of Asia Minor 20:18 [a]V 16, note 1 20:19 [a]Lit by 20:20 [a]Or in the various private homes 20:22 [a]Or in spirit 20:26 [a]Or call you to witness [b]Lit pure from 20:28 [a]Or bishops [b]Lit acquired [c]Lit through 20:37 [a]Lit a considerable weeping of all occurred [b]Lit threw themselves on Paul’s neck 20:38 [a]Lit suffering pain

NLT

13 Paul went by land to Assos, where he had arranged for us to join him, while we traveled by ship. 14 He joined us there, and we sailed together to Mitylene. 15 The next day we sailed past the island of Kios. The following day we crossed to the island of Samos, and[*] a day later we arrived at Miletus.

16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.

18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike —the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit[*] to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus —the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,[*] 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock —his church, purchased with his own blood[*] —over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.[*] 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you —my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.

33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.

[20:15] Some manuscripts read and having stayed at Trogyllium. [20:22] Or by my spirit, or by an inner compulsion; Greek reads by the spirit. [20:26] Greek I am innocent of the blood of all. [20:28a] Or with the blood of his own [Son]. [20:28b] Or overseers, or bishops.

On March 11, 1942, Japanese imperial forces bore down on Corregidor Island in the Philippines. President Roosevelt recognized the brilliance of General Douglas MacArthur and the absolute necessity of having him as the Pacific Theater of War Commander, so he ordered the general to relinquish command of Corregidor, leave his troops, and relocate to Australia. In his book, Reminiscences, MacArthur describes his difficult farewell:

It was 7:15 on the evening of March 11th [1942] when I walked across the porch to my wife. “Jean,” I said gently, “it is time to go.” We drove in silence to the South Dock, where Bulkeley and PT-41 were waiting; the rest of the party was already aboard. Shelling of the waterfront had continued intermittently all day. I put Jean, [our son] Arthur, and Ah Cheu on board, and then turned slowly to look back.

On the dock I could see the men staring at me. I had lost 25 pounds living on the same diet as the soldiers, and I must have looked gaunt and ghastly standing there in my old war-stained clothes —no bemedaled commander of inspiring presence. . . .

Darkness had now fallen, and the waters were beginning to ripple from the faint night breeze. The enemy firing had ceased and a muttering silence had fallen. It was as though the dead were passing by the stench of destruction. The smell of filth thickened the night air. I raised my cap in farewell salute, and I could feel my face go white, feel a sudden, convulsive twitch in the muscles of my face. I heard someone ask, “What’s his chance, Sarge, of getting through?” and the gruff reply, “Dunno. He’s lucky. Maybe one in five.”

I stepped aboard PT-41. “You may cast off, Buck,” I said, “when you are ready.”[189]

When reporters pressed for a statement, he explained the president’s reasoning and then promised, “I came through and I shall return.”[190]

Goodbyes are never easy, especially under difficult circumstances, and they are never more difficult than when the farewell is likely to be the last. As Paul made his way back to Syria, he couldn’t bypass Ephesus without saying a final farewell. Unlike General MacArthur, however, he did not intend to return. A quick report to his sending church in Syrian Antioch, a final visit to the temple in Jerusalem, and then off to the western frontier, where he planned to serve during all his remaining years.

— 20:13-15 —

After meeting with the Troas church through the night, Paul and his team departed the city. In those days, ships usually kept land within sight for the sake of navigation and typically sailed only during daylight hours, seeking safe harbor each night. For reasons Luke doesn’t state, Paul decided to walk the 20-mile journey across the peninsula to Assos while the rest of the men boarded the ship that would carry them toward Syria. That evening, Paul came aboard and they went to Mitylene, a city on the leeward side of Lesbos Island (20:13-14).

Over the next three days, the ship weaved through the islands off the west coast of Asia until they arrived in Miletus, a once-important seaport at the mouth of the Meander River (20:15). Although it was still impressive in Paul’s day, the glory days of Miletus were mostly in the past. It made an ideal location for him to meet with the elders of the Ephesus church: large enough for comfort and convenience, yet isolated from the bustle and traffic of the big city.

— 20:16-17 —

Paul had missed his opportunity to reach Jerusalem by Passover (20:6). Pentecost, another major festival for Jews, was still within reach if he didn’t delay. Meeting in Miletus presented less risk of local entanglements. Luke’s description of their itinerary suggests that Paul could determine the route and ports of call, which would not be the case if they had purchased transit on a merchant ship. Apparently, they had chartered a vessel for their exclusive use.

When they arrived in Miletus, Paul sent one of the interns to Ephesus to summon the church elders. When the elders arrived, Paul gathered them for what we might call a one-day “pastors’ conference.” Of all his letters and his declarations recorded by Luke, none is more intimate or emotional than this final farewell. He looked into the faces of some of his closest friends, realizing he had to leave them to stand or fall on their own; he would no longer be available to help them.

Of course, Luke didn’t provide a transcription of Paul’s message, which probably took the form of several addresses throughout the day. Instead, he summarized the apostle’s parting words, which can be divided into three main sections:

Paul’s Ministry in Ephesus (20:18-21)
Paul’s Immediate Future (20:22-27)
The Future of the Church in Ephesus (20:28-35)

— 20:18-21 —

Paul began his address by remembering his own personal history with the people of Ephesus, especially his faithfulness regarding several tests. I observe in his words five pitfalls he avoided.

1. He overcame the test of laziness: “From the first day that I set foot in Asia . . . I was with you the whole time” (20:18). He devoted himself to proclaiming the gospel and then nurturing those who believed. He didn’t leave them to fend for themselves; he diligently taught them each day, using the scholē of Tyrannus as a meeting place.

2. He overcame the test of pride: “serving the Lord with all humility and with tears” (20:19). He wasn’t bragging; he was remembering. He didn’t say this to dote on himself but to inspire the elders. The Greek word translated “humility” (tapeinophrosunē [5012a]) carries the idea of lowliness of mind. It means he didn’t talk down to the Ephesians like they were ignorant or stupid. He spoke peer to peer, simply sharing information they lacked.

3. He overcame the test of discouragement: “and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews” (20:19). Ministers who avoid sexual immorality, greed, and pride still must struggle with unfair criticism. The Ephesians didn’t respond to the gospel as quickly as other groups Paul had preached to; the spiritual darkness covering Asia took a long time to penetrate. If that weren’t difficult enough, Paul endured personal rejection so acute his enemies wanted to see him dead. It’s hard not to take that personally, but he didn’t succumb to discouragement.

4. He overcame the test of fear: “I did not shrink from declaring to you” (20:20). The Greek word rendered “shrink” (hypostellō [5288]) means “to hold oneself back” or “to draw away.” Ministers often struggle with intimidation. Certain people —most often those who are seen as successes in the secular arena —can easily intimidate God’s servants who have left all to serve God full-time. Frankly, we’re almost always caught off guard because we find it confusing. It’s a perplexing, exasperating waste of time and energy that has no place in Christian work. Effective ministers learn not to back down.

5. He overcame the test of inefficiency: “anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house” (20:20). The word translated “profitable” (sympherō [4851]) refers to anything that helps, creates an advantage, or confers a benefit. Paul measured his every decision and action by how it would help the Ephesians. He was willing to try anything that would help them learn and grow: teaching in groups, in homes, one on one, publicly, privately —he overlooked no promising method.

While Paul ministered effectively and efficiently, avoiding any hint of favoritism, he always gave priority to sound doctrinal teaching. The basic formula “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” is the bedrock message upon which everything else in Christian theology and practice builds (20:21).

— 20:22-27 —

Paul turned from describing his personal history with the church, recounting how he had invested himself so personally in the Ephesians, to discussing his immediate plans. He became very transparent with the elders. He no longer spoke to them like pupils; he regarded them as equal partners. Having ministered to them, he made himself vulnerable and allowed them the opportunity to offer comfort and encouragement.

We discovered earlier that Paul had wanted to be in Jerusalem for Passover; then, after a change of plans, he hoped to reach the city in time for Pentecost. Somewhere along his journey, Paul learned that his own desire was, in fact, a prompting by the Holy Spirit (20:22). A desire became a need; the need grew into a passion; now the passion had become an obsession. (I mean “obsession” in the best way. People who have experienced a clear call of the Spirit experience His leading as a single-minded compulsion to do as He directs.) He openly discussed the dilemma the Lord’s leading presented him. In each city along the way, Paul had been given the same message: “Bonds and afflictions await” (20:23). Paul usually sidestepped danger. He didn’t shrink from threats, but he wisely avoided suffering when possible. In this case, however, the Spirit directed him to walk toward affliction rather than turn away from it.

Paul had been told earlier that his ministry would include suffering. Jesus said, “He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (9:15-16). Perhaps Paul thought he had suffered enough during his three missionary journeys! As he got closer to Jerusalem, it became clear that more affliction awaited him, although he couldn’t anticipate specifically what would happen. Even so, he couldn’t shrink from his duty.

Although he didn’t know what would happen to him in Jerusalem, Paul followed two convictions that had been with him from the beginning. First, he had deserved to die on the road to Damascus, but the Lord extended mercy; each day he lived after that was a gift of grace. Second, he had to preach Christ with every day given to him. Very little mattered to Paul beyond those two convictions. If the path before him led to his death, he could follow it no less enthusiastically.

He acknowledged that, in all likelihood, they would not see him again, either because he would die or because he would be somewhere in Gallia or Hispania.

Paul’s declaration of innocence is curious, like the confession of a dying man (20:26). He was, of course, guilty of persecuting the innocent Christians, which led to their arrest and sometimes execution, before his encounter with Christ (7:58; 8:1, 3; 9:1; 1 Cor. 15:9). Nevertheless, he was “innocent of the blood of all men” in two respects. First, his crimes had been erased from his account by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Second, wherever he went, he proclaimed the same opportunity to everyone within earshot; any who died in their sins could not blame Paul. No one in the cities he visited could claim ignorance as an excuse, and that included Ephesus. Even in the face of certain danger, Paul didn’t “shrink.”

— 20:28-30 —

In the last section of his address (20:28-35), Paul looked to the future of the church in Ephesus, warning them of three specific dangers (20:28-30) that form a basis for his final admonition to them (20:31-35).

First, he warned them of the danger of personal compromise (20:28). Paul admonished the leaders to “be on guard.” The Greek word for this, prosechō [4337], could be used to give a similar charge to a soldier or sentry, whose first responsibility was to stay awake; if he failed at that, all would be lost. If he remained awake, he had to continually scan his area for intruders in order to protect himself and others. If a trespasser overwhelmed the guard, the entire stronghold would become compromised. Paul reminded them that as leaders, God had entrusted them with a priceless treasure, and like sentries at their posts, they must be vigilant and diligent.

The Greek word translated “overseers” (episkopos [1985]) means literally “over-seers,” that is, protective “watchers.” Athenians used the term for state officials, those who watched over an institution or a territory. Athens called its state officials episkopoi, the plural form of the word. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), an episkopos was one who served as judge, as treasurer, or as supervisor of the priests and the Levites serving in the temple. Elsewhere in the New Testament, Peter calls Jesus the episkopos of our souls (1 Pet. 2:25). In this sense, the church official designated by this term is someone charged to “shepherd” (poimainō [4165]) the church, to serve as an undershepherd to the Lord, leading His flock on His behalf and under His authority. Paul listed the qualifications of an “overseer” in his letter to Timothy, who was serving in Ephesus at the time (1 Tim. 3:2-7).

Second, Paul prepared them for the danger of external attack by false teachers (20:29). He warned the elders with a palpable image of wolves among sheep. Ephesus had become famous for its schools of philosophy, some of which would eventually mingle their ideas with Christianity and even adopt Christian vocabulary and then corrupt the gospel while sounding orthodox. So-called teachers from other cities would arrive in Ephesus, announcing themselves as emissaries of the apostles, looking for occasions to address the church members. Paul saw them as wolves slinking among the sheep, looking for opportunities to carry the weaker ones off to their deaths.

Third, he cautioned the Ephesian church about the danger of internal corruption by apostasy (20:30). Theological corruption could creep in from the outside in the form of false teachers, or it could arise from within as leaders drifted from the teaching of the apostles and Scripture. The term rendered “perverse” (diastrephō [1294]) means “deformed,” “distorted,” “perverted,” or “corrupted.” Church leaders must keep one another accountable so that when one begins to teach doctrines that do not conform to the Bible, his or her friends can gently correct the errors (see Gal. 6:1-2).

— 20:31-35 —

“Therefore” introduces these verses and marks Paul’s admonition to “be on the alert” as the needed response to the three dangers he highlighted. To make the concept more concrete, Paul used himself as an example of how the elders should guard their churches from personal compromise, false teachers, and apostasy. He noted his tireless devotion to teaching, using every opportunity —“night and day” —for three years to help the Ephesian Christians become mature believers (20:31). He had carried the burden faithfully and now he transferred the responsibility of leadership to the elders (20:32).

Paul also highlighted the selfless nature of his service, which he considered a major factor in remaining alert. He worked around many rich people in Ephesus; some were high-ranking officials who would have delighted to give Paul money, clothes, a large home —anything he wished. But he accepted no bribes, no perks —nothing (20:33). His reference to “these hands” suggests he used his trade or some other means of earning income to pay his own expenses (20:34). Paul again turned his example into a solemn charge to care for the sheep rather than expect the flock to support the shepherd (20:35).

To summarize his argument, Paul quoted Jesus, although these words do not appear in any of the Gospels. Obviously, the apostles —the men who were with Jesus and had followed Him from the beginning —saw and heard much more than could be documented in the Gospel accounts (John 21:25). Paul had spent time with more than one apostle and remembered this statement, which he applied this way: The blessings of ministry must never be taken from the flock; the Lord will reward the giver with a greater measure of blessing than he or she surrenders.

— 20:36-38 —

Paul undoubtedly spent the entire day with the Ephesian elders, developing and applying each point, answering questions, discussing specific situations, and anticipating future scenarios and how to handle them. Then at the end of his time, he knelt and prayed for them (20:36). Imagine the impact of hearing this faithful apostle interceding for you just before departing for the last time. “They began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him” (20:37). They were “grieving” (20:38; odunaō [3600]), suffering mental pain and distress, over their mentor —the man who had guided them out of darkness and into a life of freedom and hope —who was departing to certain suffering and potential death. This caused them deep anguish, and they did not attempt to hide it.

This scene follows Paul to the ship, where he and his entourage set sail.

APPLICATION: ACTS 20:13-38

How to Look Back Before Moving Forward

When Paul stopped off in Miletus, he could have used the time to relax, collect his thoughts, and enjoy some much-needed solitude. He could have regarded the absence of a church there as an opportunity to prepare himself for what lay ahead. Instead, he decided to call the Ephesus church leaders together to engage them in an exercise that can benefit anyone on the threshold of a significant transition. He knew that it’s often helpful to take a lingering look backward before moving forward. This would prepare them for the transition to carrying on the work of ministry without his help.

Paul’s daylong address offers two principles worth remembering when we prepare to leave one ministry and begin another.

First, reflecting on the past calls for honesty. Few lies do more damage than the ones we tell ourselves. Ignoring past failures won’t make them any less embarrassing, only more likely to occur again. So, to eliminate the threat of repeating our failures, we must embrace them as teachers, learn from them what we can, make them our friends, and keep them close. But we need not dwell on faults and foibles exclusively. An honest assessment of the past includes not only remembering our regrets but also celebrating successes and analyzing what we did right so we can determine how to establish a pattern of triumphs.

Second, enjoying success demands a constant awareness of peril. All of us would do well to remember that success today offers no guarantee of success tomorrow. The blessings we enjoy right now can be maintained only as we remain aware of potential threats and then prepare to meet them. That doesn’t mean we let paranoia steal our joy. In fact, we must take care not to fixate on dangers that might never occur; our focus must remain on Christ and His promise that nothing —not even the fearsome powers of hell —will defeat His church. Nevertheless, maintaining a realistic awareness of the perils looming in the darkness will help safeguard the flock.