Atos 20
Theophylact of Ohrid
Atos 20:1
Paul instructed the disciples, because after the turmoil they were in need of great consolation. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:7
Then it was the feast of Pentecost and a Sunday. And even at night Paul did not rest, but conversed then all the more, since it was a time of leisure. See how long he spoke even after supper. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:9
Having weighed down the listener with sleep, the devil disrupted the feast. The young man was sitting on the window at night — so great was his desire to listen. And it is worthy of admiration that, being a young man, he was not careless, and, weighed down by sleep, he did not leave, nor was he even frightened that he might be pushed off, because he fell asleep not from inattentiveness, but by the demand of nature. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:10
He did not say "he will rise, for I will raise him," but rather "his life is in him." Note his humility and his desire to comfort. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:13
He himself went on foot, giving them what was easier, while choosing for himself what was harder, and at the same time teaching them much and accustoming them to being separated from him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:16
You see, even with desire and effort Paul often did not achieve what he wanted, so that we would not think he was above human nature. The saints and great men were of one nature with us, but not of one will, and therefore they also had much grace. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:17
"He called the elders of the church." Many are unaware of the custom of Scripture, especially of the New Testament, of calling bishops elders and elders bishops; yet this is evident both from this passage and from the Epistle to Titus, as well as from the Epistle to the Philippians. We could also learn whether the same thing should not be inferred, albeit by conclusion, from the First Epistle to Timothy as well. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:19
"With all humility of mind." Not simply with humility of mind, but with "all," because there are many kinds of humility: in word, in deed, toward superiors, toward subordinates. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:20
"I did not hold back anything profitable, which I would not have preached to you." There was, then, also that which it was not necessary to know. Just as concealing something is a sign of envy, so disclosing everything is a sign of imprudence. Therefore he added "nothing profitable." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:22
"I am bound by the Spirit." The word "bound" should be separated by a comma, so that the following meaning emerges: I go to Jerusalem, being bound, not having learned beforehand from the Spirit what will happen to me. It is remarkable that the prophets do not know everything, but only what the Holy Spirit reveals to them. Here too Paul, having foretold as a prophet everything that was to happen to him, and that among the Ephesians there would be bad believers and heretics, said that one thing he does not know — what the end of all this will be, because, having revealed everything to him, the Lord concealed from him this one thing, namely: what will happen to him after the bonds and sorrows. This was so that, knowing precisely what he must pursue, and becoming proud, he would not fall through pride. The Holy Spirit left him in doubt, so that, fearing the weakness of the flesh, he would pray to God for deliverance from temptations. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:23
"Bonds and afflictions await me." That afflictions await me, this I know, but what kind of afflictions, that I do not know, because this was harder. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:24
Why then do you go, if "bonds and afflictions" await you? In order to be a prisoner for Christ, in order to die for Him. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:26-27
"Clean," he says, "am I from the blood of all," if you are weighed down by sleep and die at the hands of the murderer of souls, because I have fulfilled the duty of a teacher, "for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole will of God." This means: whoever does not declare the whole will of God is guilty of blood, that is, of murder. While seemingly justifying himself, he nevertheless makes them be on their guard. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:28
"Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock," because salvific benefit consists not only in correcting others — I fear, says the apostle, "lest, having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27) — but also not only in caring for oneself, because such a person is a self-lover, seeks only his own advantage, and is like the one who buried his talent in the ground. "Take heed to yourselves." Not because the salvation of oneself is preferable to the salvation of the flock, but because when we take heed to ourselves, then the flock also benefits. "The Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church." You received, he says, ordination from the Spirit. And upon you lies the obligation to watch over the rational flocks of the Church, to watch that no one grows weak in faith, whether anyone is languishing from hunger or thirst, whether anyone is in need of some admonition or reproof, as Paul himself commands: "reprove, rebuke, exhort" (2 Tim. 4:2). "Which He purchased with His own Blood." No small things were in danger if the Lord did not spare even His own Blood. Yes, to reconcile enemies, He shed even His own Blood; yet you can hold on to them now that they have already become friends. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:29
A twofold misfortune: on the one hand, that he will not be there, and on the other, that certain people will attack, and moreover — what is especially bitter — "from among your own selves." It is grievous when civil war breaks out. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:30
"To draw away disciples after themselves." The goal of heretics is to try to attract people not to the Lord, but to themselves, in order to flatter their own vanity, so that those attracted by them would bear the name of one heretic or another, as, for example, from Manes — the Manichaeans, from Arius — the Arians. This is what "to draw away disciples after themselves" means. Therefore, tempering their zeal even earlier, Paul both reproaches and forgives those who said: "I am of Paul"; "I am of Apollos" (1 Cor. 1:12). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:32
The exhortation ends with a prayer. Since he had greatly frightened them, so as not to strike them down completely, here is the consolation. "And now," he says, "I commend you… to God and to the word of His grace," that is, to His very grace itself. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:33
He did not say "I took neither silver, nor gold, nor clothing," but even "I did not desire them." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:34
And he spoke even more loftily further on: "You yourselves know that these hands of mine served my needs and the needs of those who were with me." Yes, true almsgiving consists in giving from one's own labors. But pay attention to the fact that this was a man who labored while constantly conversing: both day and night. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:35
You cannot hide behind ignorance. I have shown you by my own actions that it is necessary to labor and to remember this word of the Lord Jesus. But where did the Lord say this? Perhaps the apostles transmitted this orally, or it is clear by inference. One degree is to renounce everything, another is to provide for oneself the necessities, a third is to provide not only for oneself but also for others, and a fourth is not to take even when you are preaching and have the ability to take. It is not said, however, that taking is a bad thing, but rather that it is better not to take. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:36
It should be noted that the one who is departing ought to kneel and pray with all those present, and only then depart. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 20:37
It should be noted that the one who is departing ought to kneel and pray with all those present, and only then depart. The strength of their affection for Paul, as they embraced him for the last time and felt deep love and friendship from his final conversation, is evident in the words: "falling on Paul's neck." — Commentary on Acts