Acts 20:19, commentary and pictures

Paul was giving the Ephesian elders a true account of his manner of life and labor from the first day he came into Asia, describing a concluding season at Ephesus of incessant labor and deep anguish at all seasons. Serving with all humility of mind meant pushing the gospel forward with untiring zeal amid opposition, guarding the interests of a church yet young in the faith and bearing a heavy burden for all the churches, while remaining steadfast and not submitting to human ruling power. Serving with many tears meant teaching publicly and from house to house with inward grief and warning, and the trials by the lying in wait of the Jews meant continual opposition in which unbelieving Jews stirred up hostility, mob attack, insult, abuse, and even a plot against his life to undo his work. That humble, suffering service was joined to keeping back nothing profitable but testifying to Jews and Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ, calling attention to guilt under the broken law and the way back to loyalty, and declaring all the counsel of God so as to be pure from the blood of all men and charging overseers to feed the flock purchased with His own blood. This stands as the outline and standard of a faithful minister for gospel workers to take to heart and follow, in public preaching followed by personal house-to-house labor and canvassing, in honorable self-supporting toil as Paul labored as a tentmaker day and night without burdening others, and in loving, converted, Christlike humility of thought, word, and action that trusts wholly in His merits to save souls.

Paul's Ministry in Asia

This is Paul's own true account of his manner of life and labor from the first day he came into Asia, at all seasons, given when he called the Ephesian elders together. The concluding season at Ephesus which he describes was one of incessant labor, of many trials, and of deep anguish. While teaching the Scriptures publicly and from house to house he at the same time labored with his hands as a tentmaker for his support, proving that manual work does not lower the work of the ministry, and workers following his example move forward humbly dependent on God.

Serving the Lord with all humility of mind meant battling against opposition while pushing forward the gospel work with untiring zeal. It meant guarding the interests of a church yet young in the faith. It meant bearing upon the soul a heavy burden for all the churches. It also means being steadfast and not submitting to human ruling power.

Serving with many tears meant teaching the people in public and from house to house, instructing and warning them with tears. That ministry involved inward grief and hardship from opposition, and deep anguish. It included enduring a plot against his life because of his preaching.

The temptations and trials that befell him by the lying in wait of the Jews meant continual opposition in which the Jews lost no opportunity to stir up popular feeling and hostility against him. Unbelieving Jews stirred up hostility in efforts to undo his work, and at Ephesus he faced mob attacks, insults, and abuse. Hardships were caused by plots against him by the Jews.

That humble, suffering service was joined to keeping back nothing profitable but showing and teaching publicly and from house to house. It was joined to testifying to both Jews and Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ, going from house to house to teach what was profitable and urge people to turn to God and trust in Jesus. His manner of teaching was to call attention to the broken law and show where hearers were guilty, instructing them as a schoolmaster instructs scholars and showing them the way back to loyalty to God. He did not shun to declare all the counsel of God so as to be pure from the blood of all men, and he charged overseers to feed the flock of God purchased with His own blood. This is the standard for preaching the truth as it is in Jesus, rightly dividing the Word of truth, and speaking not as pleasing men but God.

Pattern for Gospel Workers

Acts 20:17-35 is the outline of a faithful Christian minister who did his duty, and Paul stands in it as an all-round minister and Christian gentleman of the highest type. His serving the Lord from the first day he came into Asia, at all seasons, with all humility of mind and with many tears and trials by the lying in wait of the Jews, joined to keeping back nothing profitable but showing and teaching publicly and from house to house and testifying to both Jews and Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ, is the loving voice of God from His Word to be taken home to the heart and carried out in life so that hearers become not merely readers but believers and doers and become far better than they are. Ministers are to learn from it the meekness and lowliness of Christ and faithfully follow His example of humble service, examining themselves rather than taking ease and comfort and merely copying another minister without half understanding their responsibilities, though they are not required to copy Paul in every detail. This is home missionary work and the pattern ministers are to strive faithfully to follow.

Going from house to house to teach what is profitable is apostolic work done in the same manner as canvassing to carry truth to the people. Even the eloquent Paul, to whom God manifested Himself in a wonderful manner, labored in this humble, tearful, tried way from house to house from his first days in Asia, showing that such personal ministry was worthy work for an apostle and was not beneath him. Therefore it does not belittle a minister of the gospel to engage in canvassing, and ministers who canvass do the very work Paul did and obtain a varied experience in most precious ministry. His humble, difficult service included going from house to house to teach and share the truth, showing that such personal ministry is fitting work for a gospel minister.

Following that home missionary work means not only preaching sermons in the house of God, which alone cannot accomplish what is essential for the well-being of God's people. It means becoming acquainted with the different families in the church, whether converted or still without God and without hope, and following public discourses with personal labor by visiting people in their homes and speaking helpful, encouraging words that will be far more effective than preaching alone. Paul taught the Scriptures publicly and from house to house while at the same time laboring with his hands as a tentmaker for his support, proving that manual work is not shameful or fearful for a minister and does not lower the work of the ministry. He worked day and night to avoid burdening his brethren and to avoid being chargeable to any man for support, at times suffering hunger himself to relieve the necessities of others and to support his fellow workers, and his toilworn hands took nothing from the force of his appeals. Such honorable toil cannot be degrading and is not inconsistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character, does not necessarily lessen anyone's influence, and need not make a man coarse and rough and discourteous, and in this setting his service is the example of self-supporting missionary work by which workers following him move forward humbly dependent on God.

Serving with all humility of mind means loving God and being thoroughly converted, so that men and women become effective agencies through whom God can achieve His object of winning precious souls, and those of discernment and keen foresight who direct this soul-saving work are to exercise good judgment in employing only persons of this humble character. It means imitating Christ with pure, unselfish principles, purposes, words, and deeds that display truth, goodness, usefulness, and Christ's righteousness to all men, holding the holy ambition Christ revealed to make the world better for having lived in it rather than counting pretense and show as greatness, knowing worth with God is revealed by action and not by outside elegance, and bringing solid good sense into practical life with God's help to bless, purify, and sanctify every action. It means walking in humility of mind in thought, word, and action without grieving the Saviour or misrepresenting His character, trusting wholly in His spotless merits rather than in self, which Christ's grace enables. Feelings must not rule, but the Lord's servants are to work unselfishly to save souls and trust Jesus to guide them and direct their work.

What Paul describes is also the pattern for all who actively work for God by following Jesus, exposing Satan's deceptions, and presenting Christ to others, who may face humility and many tears and temptations, severe trials, conflict, and attacks and can share Paul's testimony. Such service brings conflict with Satan, who attacks Christ's followers and can distress people and cause agony, but he cannot force the will, control anyone, or make a person sin, and resisting him leaves the soul undefiled. Christ endured temptation, resisted every temptation, and won, and His victories make it possible for His followers to overcome, for He gives strength to those who seek it.