Paul the Itinerant Pastor
Acts 20:1–16
This section briefly summarizes the Pauline mission team’s itinerary after their harrowing experiences in Ephesus, leading up to Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders in Miletus (Acts 20:17–38). Paul and his companions, including Luke (the “we” narrator, as in vv. 5–6), travel from Ephesus to Macedonia and Greece, then back to Miletus near Ephesus. Full of place names and travels, this report illustrates how heavily Paul relied on teamwork and the collaboration of new Christians from the lands that he was evangelizing. Along the way, Paul raises a young man to life at Troas, as Jesus had raised the son of a widow of Nain on his travels (Luke 7:11–16).
Journey to Macedonia and Greece (20:1–3)
1When the disturbance was over, Paul had the disciples summoned and, after encouraging them, he bade them farewell and set out on his journey to Macedonia. 2As he traveled throughout those regions, he provided many words of encouragement for them. Then he arrived in Greece, 3where he stayed for three months. But when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return by way of Macedonia.
OT: Esther 2:21–22; 1 Macc 9:60; Ps 21:12 (= 21:11 NRSV)
NT: Acts 9:24–25; 13:2–4; 16:6–7
[20:1]
Having narrowly escaped mob violence in Ephesus, Paul and his team continue their travels by sea and land. This section demonstrates Paul’s pastoral concern for the well-being of the communities he founded. Before leaving Ephesus, he summons the disciples for a pep talk after the distressing ordeal recounted in 19:23–40, encouraging them to hold fast their newfound faith in Christ. Only then does he set out on his journey to Macedonia. On his return to Asia Minor, Paul will avoid Ephesus, possibly for safety reasons, but will stop at nearby Miletus, where he will deliver his major farewell address to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17–38).
[20:2–3]
On his trip through Macedonia, Paul continues to provide many words of encouragement to the churches he founded in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Beroea. Moving southward into Greece, Paul stays there for three months, presumably bolstering the churches of Athens and Corinth. It was probably during this period, from Corinth, that Paul wrote his Letter to the Romans, in which he shared his hopes to visit Rome soon on his way to preach the gospel in Spain (Rom 15:23–24, 29).
Intending to head toward Jerusalem, Paul is about to set sail for Syria, where his journey began, but discovers that some Jews have organized a conspiracy against him. To evade their plot, Paul changes his plans and decides to travel overland by way of Macedonia, rather than going more directly by sea (see map, p. 287). Paul’s travel decisions stem not only from the Holy Spirit (see Acts 13:2–4; 16:6–7) but also from a prudential weighing of his circumstances.
Return to Troas (20:4–6)
4Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from Beroea, accompanied him, as did Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia 5who went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6We sailed from Philippi after the feast of Unleavened Bread, and rejoined them five days later in Troas, where we spent a week.
OT: Lev 23:5–6; Num 28:16–17; 2 Chron 30:13–15
NT: Rom 16:21; Eph 6:21; Col 4:7; 2 Tim 4:12, 20; Titus 3:12
[20:4]
Luke names seven of Paul’s travel companions, who come from many of the churches he recently founded. Sopater from Beroea is otherwise unknown, unless he is the Sosipater of Rom 16:21. Aristarchus was called a Macedonian in Acts 19:29; here he is more precisely identified as from Thessalonica in Macedonia, along with Secundus, who is otherwise unknown.
Luke earlier mentioned a Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Macedonians (Acts 19:29), so this Gaius from Derbe in Asia Minor is probably a different person; Gaius was a common name.
The last six names are in pairs. Gaius from Derbe is mentioned with Timothy, whom Paul first met at “Derbe and Lystra” (Acts 16:1). The last pair are Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. Trophimus reappears in Acts 21:29 as “the Ephesian,” and 2 Tim 4:20 mentions that he was left sick in Miletus. This is the only mention of Tychicus in Acts, but he appears in 2 Tim 4:12 as sent to Ephesus (also in Eph 6:21; Col 4:7; Titus 3:12).
[20:5–6]
Verse 5 begins another “we” section, which extends to 20:15. Luke reports that Paul and his seven companions went on ahead by land and waited for us in Troas. At this point, then, Luke is not with Paul but with a second group who travel by sea to meet Paul’s party. This group sails from Philippi, or its port, Neapolis, after the feast of Unleavened Bread, a weeklong feast that begins at Passover. After five days at sea, Luke’s group rejoins Paul and his party in the Asian port of Troas. The reunited companions spend a week together in Troas.
Eutychus Restored to Life (20:7–12)
7On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread, Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day, and he kept on speaking until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered, 9and a young man named Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Once overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and when he was picked up, he was dead. 10Paul went down, threw himself upon him, and said as he embraced him, “Don’t be alarmed; there is life in him.” 11Then he returned upstairs, broke the bread, and ate; after a long conversation that lasted until daybreak, he departed. 12And they took the boy away alive and were immeasurably comforted.
OT: 1 Kings 17:21–23; 2 Kings 4:32–36
NT: Luke 7:11–17
Catechism: risen with Christ, 1002–4; dying with Christ, 1005–14; the breaking of bread, 1329, 1343, 1396; Sunday, the Lord’s day, 1166–67, 1193, 2191
[20:7]
This is the first mention of a Christian liturgy on Sunday, the first day of the week, which Christians celebrate as the Lord’s Day (see Rev 1:10) because it was the day Jesus was raised from the dead. They gather to break bread, an expression the early Christians often used for the Eucharist. According to the biblical pattern established already in the Old Testament (Exod 24:3–11; Neh 8:8–10) and by the example of the risen Jesus at Emmaus (Luke 24:25–32), the Church celebrates the liturgy of the Word before the liturgy of the Eucharist—first hearing the word of the Lord and then enjoying Eucharistic communion with him. So Paul first gives a prolonged homily, speaking until midnight, in view of the fact he is going to leave on the next day.
[20:8–9]
Luke relates the account of Eutychus with humor, even though his falling to his death must have been quite alarming. The text stresses the many lamps in the upstairs room: these oil-burning vessels generated both heat and smoke, which can make people drowsy. Eutychus was a young man—the Greek can refer to an older boy or young unmarried man—and his name means “Lucky.” As a youth might do, he was sitting on the window sill, and as Paul talked on and on he was sinking into a deep sleep. (Many a high school or college teacher can relate to this scene.) Finally, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third story. The not-surprising result was that when he was picked up, he was dead.
[20:10]
Paul’s reaction recalls the prophets Elijah and Elisha, who each raised a boy from the dead by lying on his dead body (1 Kings 17:21–23; 2 Kings 4:32–36). Paul threw himself upon the dead youth and embraced him, telling the group not to be alarmed because there is life in him. Whether the boy was really dead or only seemed to be dead is not clear from this statement alone. However, because it is very similar to what Jesus said about Jairus’s dead daughter, “She is not dead, but sleeping” (Luke 8:52), Luke probably expects readers to realize that the boy really died and was restored to life when Paul embraced him.
Without explicitly saying so, Luke implies that Paul’s actions included praying to God to revive the boy. This differs from Jesus’ raising of the widow’s son at Nain, in which Jesus acted directly on his own authority.
[20:11–12]
After Eutychus was revived, Paul returned upstairs, broke the bread, and ate, resuming the liturgy that was interrupted by the boy’s fall. Because miracles bear witness to the truthfulness and saving power of the gospel (Mark 16:20; Heb 2:4), the boy’s resurrection provides an unforgettable testimony to the authenticity of Paul’s preaching. Luke concludes the episode by saying that they took the boy away alive. The RSV translation of the next phrase better fits Luke’s propensity for understatement: they “were not a little comforted.”
Journey to Miletus (20:13–16)
13We went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos where we were to take Paul on board, as he had arranged, since he was going overland. 14When he met us in Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15We sailed away from there on the next day and reached a point off Chios, and a day later we reached Samos, and on the following day we arrived at Miletus. 16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus in order not to lose time in the province of Asia, for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if at all possible, for the day of Pentecost.
OT: Tob 2:1; 2 Macc 12:32
NT: Acts 2:1; 1 Cor 16:8
[20:13–15]
Luke continues to distinguish carefully between when he is present with Paul, signaled by the first-person “we,” and when he is not. Again, as in verses 4–6, Luke is with a group that departs by sea while Paul travels overland. At Assos they take Paul on board, as he had arranged, and sail onward. From there to Miletus the whole group travels by sea, sailing from port to port in one-day trips.
[20:16]
To save time Paul decides to sail past Ephesus because he is hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if at all possible, for the day of Pentecost. Pentecost is fifty days after Passover, and already at least two weeks have passed since that feast (see v. 6), so they only have a few weeks to make it to Jerusalem. However, Paul will wait in Miletus for the Ephesian elders to come and meet him (v. 17). Paul may have feared that in Ephesus he would be swamped by people wanting to see him, like popular preachers today, or that he risked provoking another riot if he returned to the city so soon.
Reflection and Application (20:1–16)
In these incidents Paul models several practices that are useful for spreading the good news. First, he exhibits flexibility in his travel and mission plans. When he is rejected or unexpectedly finds doors either closed or opened for evangelization, he adjusts. The riot was his cue that it was time to leave Ephesus. But first he met with and encouraged the Christian disciples there, placing the needs of his flock ahead of his own safety.
Paul illustrates the importance of teamwork by recruiting coworkers wherever he evangelizes. Pope Benedict XVI, in an address at a Roman parish, called for a “change of mentality” regarding laypeople. The laity are not to be regarded merely as “collaborators with the clergy” but are truly “‘co-responsible’ for the being and action of the Church.” Paul is no lone ranger. His example is a salutary reminder of the value of cooperating with others.
Paul also sets an example of nourishing the people of God by both word and sacrament, first fortifying his converts with substantial teaching (no five-minute homily here!) and then celebrating the Eucharist with them. Then as now, the vitality of the Church requires that at Sunday Mass people receive substantive nourishment for the mind, heart, and will through the one table of God’s word and Christ’s body.
Although rejection or even persecution may be the result of our often-difficult efforts to bear witness to Jesus, we too can rely on God’s power. If the dead can be raised, then surely hardened hearts can be moved and peoples’ lives can be transformed by God’s power working through us. Paul provides a wonderful example of letting nothing dismay us as we persistently pursue our God-given mission.
