Acts 20:35, commentary and pictures

Paul's farewell charge holds up his own life as the pattern, for he labored with his hands day and night at his trade to supply his own needs while bearing heavy gospel burdens. It commands diligent, useful work so that believers provide for themselves and have means to support the weak instead of living in idleness and love of ease. It calls them to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that it is more blessed to give than to receive, a truth to be personally proved through experience. What is given for Christ enriches the giver, bringing blessing on earth, remembrance by God, and treasure laid up in heaven to be received with joy. Such giving cultivates self-denial and benevolence, purifies from selfishness, and makes givers more like Christ who became poor that others might be made rich.

Paul's Laboring Example

Acts 20:35 records Paul's farewell charge, illustrated by his own work as a tentmaker laboring with his hands day and night at Ephesus and Corinth to supply his own necessities while carrying heavy gospel responsibilities and enduring hardship for the gospel. Though exalted by Christ's revelation at his conversion and by visions of things not lawful to utter, he worked with toilworn hands so as to be chargeable to no man for his support. His labor was not lost time from ministry but part of it, giving him access to a class of people he could not otherwise have reached, showing that skill in the common arts is a gift from God and teaching that God is to be honored even in everyday toil.

Though as an apostle he had a right to support, he was willing to give up that support when accepting it might hinder his usefulness, and his example dignifies honest industry. Diligent labor was to enable people to support the weak, and giving was to be held as more blessed than receiving, and Paul practiced this by working to provide for his own needs and those of his fellow workers and to help the poor without seeking personal benefit from wealthy believers. His work to earn his own support through a trade while teaching the gospel and helping others was an act of self-sacrifice, not a pursuit of another person's wealth.

He used his earnings to support his fellow workers, sharing with Luke and helping equip Timothy, and to relieve the worthy poor, even enduring hunger himself to relieve the necessities of others. Diligent work was to be used not only to meet one's own needs but also to support the weak and help others in need, and giving to help others brings greater blessing than receiving. His joining of honest manual labor with generosity, working with his hands so he would not burden others, illustrates that labor is honorable and consistent with Christian greatness and service.

His example stands as the character of a faithful, all-round minister and a Christian gentleman of the highest type who faithfully performed his duty. Mechanical toil in any honorable line is not degrading but is consistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character, does not lessen influence or the force of eloquent appeals, and should not make a man coarse, rough, or uncourteous. Ministers are not obligated to do in all respects as Paul did, yet his pattern remains the duty of a Christian minister. That duty includes learning meekness and lowliness instead of taking ease and comfort, keeping back nothing profitable, teaching publicly and from house to house, being pure from the blood of all men by declaring all the counsel of God and taking heed to themselves and to the flock to feed the church purchased with His own blood, and laboring to support the weak while remembering that giving is more blessed than receiving, which means patient, persevering work to feed the lambs, those young in the faith, opening the Scriptures and educating them for usefulness and duty so they do not remain dwarfs exposed to temptation and deception.

He willingly did humble work when circumstances required it, while remaining ready to set it aside to meet opposition to the gospel or seize an opportunity to win people to Jesus, and his industry rebukes idleness and the desire for ease. Those whom God has not called to give themselves unreservedly to the work, with the weight and burden of the message to go out into new fields and raise up a company to keep the truth, should follow his example of working with their own hands to supply their own necessities and should not throw themselves on the church as messengers traveling from place to place or state to state or visiting from church to church. They can assist in the work and do errands for the Lord, and have a duty when ministers are absent to baptize or administer the ordinances, but when they are not on a special errand for God they should be careful of their time and labor with their hands doing the thing that is good, supplying their own necessities, enduring hardships and obtaining experience until God fits them and lays the burden on them.

Duty and Dignity of Work

The verse commands diligent, useful labor with the hands so that people can meet their own needs and have means to support the weak and give to those in need, instead of living in indolence and love of ease. Such working does not lessen a minister's dignity, for Paul's own manual labor supplied his needs and helped those with him. What is given for Christ enriches the giver, so caring for the poor and needy and giving generously for God's cause brings blessing on earth, deliverance in trouble, and remembrance by God, proving that giving brings greater blessing than receiving.

Work is a blessing that exercises the body and builds the strength needed to endure the hardships and privations of gospel service, and its lesson for young ministers is faithful work rather than idleness, since idleness is sin. Honorable mechanical toil in any line dignifies labor, is not degrading, and is consistent with true greatness and elevation of human and Christian character. It does not necessarily lessen anyone's influence or take away the force of earnest and eloquent appeals as a Christian minister, and working with the hands should not make a man coarse, rough, or uncourteous.

This is seen in Paul as a faithful, all-round minister and Christian gentleman of the highest type, who though exalted by Christ's revelation at his conversion and by visions of things not lawful to utter, labored with toilworn hands as a tentmaker day and night so as to be chargeable to no man for his support. He used his earnings to support the weak, to support his fellow workers, to share with Luke and help equip Timothy, even suffering hunger himself to relieve the necessities of others. Ministers are not obligated to copy him in every detail, but his example remains the pattern.

His toil was not lost time from ministry but part of it, giving him access to a class of people he could not otherwise have reached. Skill in the common arts is a gift from God, and everyday toil is to honor God, while his toil-hardened hands took nothing from the force of his appeals. He willingly did humble work when circumstances required it, yet remained ready to set it aside to meet opposition to the gospel or to seize an opportunity to win souls, and his industry rebukes idleness and the desire for ease.

Faithfulness in work includes carefulness in the use of all God's gifts, with a duty for all who advance Christ's kingdom to be saving and economical in order to save so as to have means to give to others. Even the poor whose only capital is time and physical strength are as accountable to God for that strength as the rich are for money. By putting body and mind to useful labor, improving ability to the best account, receiving counsel with meekness where wisdom is lacking, avoiding speculations and easy schemes for gain, and training in self-denial and strict economy, they can change from receivers of charity to distributors of charity for the good of others and the advancement of God's cause and so personally realize the greater blessedness of giving.

More Blessed to Give

The saying to be remembered is the word of the Lord Jesus that giving brings greater blessing than receiving, and that greater blessedness is to be personally realized through experience. Even those whose only capital is time and physical strength are as accountable for that strength as the rich are for money, and by putting body and mind to useful labor instead of indolence and love of ease, by improving ability to the best account, by receiving counsel with meekness where wisdom is lacking, by avoiding speculations and easy schemes for gain, and by training in self-denial and strict economy, they can change from receivers of charity to distributors of charity for the good of others and the advancement of the cause. What is given for Christ enriches the giver, so that caring for the poor and needy brings blessing on earth, deliverance in trouble, and remembrance by God.

The blessing comes through self-denying effort that causes pounds, shillings, and pence to flow into the treasury so there is provision in the house and means to advance the work, which is acting in copartnership with Christ. In giving back what is His own, givers accumulate heavenly treasure to be given them when they hear the words of approval, enter into the joy of the Lord, which is the joy of seeing souls redeemed and eternally saved. Beneficence is twice blessed by a law of action and reaction, benefiting those in need while bringing an even greater blessing and rich reward to the giver. That reward is proportionate to unselfish work prompted by divine love, and such giving cultivates self-denial and benevolence, makes people co-workers in the work, and shapes them toward Christ's likeness.

Those favored with the light of truth and given great blessings have a duty to impart what they have received, and in giving to others they continue to be blessed with receiving in order to give again. Spiritual life follows the same principle, for wherever there is spiritual life there is both a receiving of light and blessing and an imparting of light and blessing. The nourishment of the Word is received and earnest work is done for souls, and that giving keeps open the channel and the way for more to be received, a truth continually kept before the people.

This experience belongs to faith which works by love and purifies the soul from all selfishness. It is learned when a covetous, self-centered person sees sin in the light of the law, repents with fitting fruit, is regarded with pleasure, and then practices self-denial. It belongs to true personal spiritual missionary work and interest in souls ready to die without the truth, and it produces self-denial and cross-bearing, thorough consecration, and unity in which members of the body do not work contrary to one another, letting light shine in sanctified character and good works that glorify God and impress unbelievers. It was proved true when the Philippian church, though poor and possessing little, held earthly possessions loosely as means to do good rather than grasping them tightly, and joined readily in giving for the poor saints at Jerusalem and urged that their bounty be accepted, feeling in their poverty called to help other churches more needy than themselves because the cause is one everywhere.

Character Transformed by Giving

Giving to those in need blesses both receiver and giver, with the greater blessing falling on the giver, and God calls people to give and serve so that they may grow in self-denial and benevolence. Helping the poor and advancing God's cause cultivates these qualities and makes people more like Christ, who became poor for their sake, building true riches. Giving and self-sacrifice develop Christlike traits that oppose selfishness, enrich and ennoble character, and draw people closer to one another and to God. Even small, quiet acts of kindness contribute to life's happiness, and self-denial for others, though humble and unnoticed on earth, is recognized in heaven as evidence of union with Christ, who became poor for humanity's sake.

Christlike love expresses itself in unselfish service and doing good for others, for the joy of the Lord came through toil and suffering for others. People find true happiness by following His example rather than living for themselves, since lasting happiness comes from doing good for others and making them happy. True happiness is found only in a life of service, for Christ gives every person his work and His plan is acknowledged by hearty cooperation with Him. A useless, selfish life brings misery and dissatisfaction with self and others, while true, unselfish, consecrated workers gladly use their highest gifts even in the lowliest service, seeing and performing the duties that God points out.

Doing good by giving practical help benefits both giver and receiver, for self-forgetful service relieves others' burdens and supports the giver's health of soul and body. Living by the principle that giving is more blessed than receiving brings deep satisfaction in dealings with others, while living selfishly leaves people unsatisfied. The greatest good and satisfaction in life comes from living to give to others in everyday connections and dealings, receiving in order to give, and giving is a good and holy work of bringing brightness and blessing into the lives of others. Those who live for themselves remain in want and are never satisfied, and shutting sympathies up in a selfish heart has no Christianity in it. Those favored are chosen as channels through which God lets flow His goodness, mercy, and truth, working together with Jesus Christ in sharing practical wisdom and benevolence with others. The unselfish worker, whether minister or layman, is made happy himself in his efforts to bless others, with true reformers finding the sweetest happiness known to mortals in close connection with Christ, who for our sakes became poor that through His poverty we might be made rich and who gave His life for a ruined world, leaving an example to follow in His footsteps.

Active labor to help others, especially by bringing them to Jesus and the truth, also blesses and strengthens the one who serves. Personal effort for others can awaken and build spiritual strength even when the work feels difficult or those being helped refuse to listen. Spiritual health and growth require giving as well as receiving, for a healthy, growing Christian cannot remain a passive recipient but must exercise spiritual muscle and strength by active work in improving opportunities to do good. Graces are increased by exercise, and the Christian work of giving sympathies, encouragements, and instructions to those who need them, with self-restraint, love, patience, and forbearance, creates in the giver faith, obedience, hope, and love to God, so that the more faithful in the discharge of Christian duties, the more spiritual soundness is developed. The Lord will surely bless all who seek to bless others, and applied to missionary effort as the highest training, teachers and students continually increase in power through faithful use of the talents God has given them, and constantly increase in wisdom and knowledge by faithfully putting into practical use what they have learned. Living and laboring by the principles of the Bible and consecrating all God-given abilities to God, who has the first right to them, makes precious everything worthy of attention, and doing the greatest amount of good to others calls for improving the gift of speaking, educating the mind, learning to speak familiarly upon Bible subjects and teaching the Word, being on hand at prayer meetings and faithful to duty, and encouraging life, zeal and devotion in religious services, so that the church is living by working.

By laboring believers ought to support the weak and remember that giving is more blessed than receiving. The strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not please themselves, but let every one please his neighbor for his good to edification, for even Christ pleased not himself. This calls each person to turn over a new leaf and labor earnestly for those around them, whose souls are just as precious in God's sight as their own, and many may be converted by those who are laborers together with God. Heavenly intelligences stand close beside every soul who is earnestly laboring to win souls to Christ, that these souls may in their turn glorify God, and when souls are converted both the laborer and those labored for glorify God, and it rejoices God's heart of love that the heavenly intelligences have found channels through which they can communicate the riches of Christ's mercy and grace. Charity — love shown in giving — is true blessedness, and sharing advantages with others, especially with brethren laboring under greater disadvantages in foreign fields, brings spiritual blessing in proportion to self-denying work. Even those not called to labor personally in foreign fields are required to do all they possibly can to help those working there, including sharing means and advantages to build up school work, and in thus cooperating with Christ in the person of His saints, givers receive His presence and grace.

Practical Ways to Give

Supporting the weak means practical, cheerful help to friends, neighbors, and strangers in need with food, clothing, and other material necessities, not merely telling those who lack such things to be warmed and clothed. The care of the Samaritan for the wounded traveler shows this moral duty to help, and to neglect it breaks God's law whatever the profession of piety. Giving in this way brings greater blessing than receiving, including benefit to the giver's own heart and life.

The cause of God is advanced by self-denying effort of money and strength that causes pounds, shillings, and pence to flow into the treasury so there is provision for His house and means to carry forward His work. Such giving is acting in copartnership with Christ, giving back to the Lord His own and accumulating heavenly treasure to be received with the approval expressed as well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord, which is the joy of seeing souls redeemed and eternally saved. Wealth is to be used for God's glory and to uplift others and to help others and advance His cause, not for self-indulgence, self-glorification, or selfish pleasure, and the wealthy need to learn the blessedness and joy of giving and of working with God. Gifts large or small, given according to ability to help brethren who cannot carry a burden alone, bring blessing to both recipients and givers.

Profits and facilities are trusts from God to be shared with those in greater need rather than used for self-centered profit. Authors should personally use some of their profits to relieve the greatest needs, and in doing so will be greatly blessed. Publishing houses established as missionary agencies by the gifts of God's people ought to print books for needy enterprises without profit, give publishers' profits and royalties to lighten the burdens of schools and to advance the work among the ignorant and oppressed colored people of the Southern States, make personal sacrifices, donate books and labor on editions when the mission is in special need, and encourage and help laborers instead of taking all they can get to add to their own profits. Those who have given freely to needy fields in the past have been blessed in so doing, and those who give in this way meet the approval of God and are abundantly blessed.

General collections give everyone opportunity to share in the blessing of giving by supplying means to support those working for the colored people in the South. Everyone should give what can be given, whether small gifts or larger offerings, and children can share their pennies, nickels, and dimes, and such willing giving helps laborers do a work of mercy. Giving the entrusted means to support His work and help others reflects a spirit of liberality, and as people give, God supplies them with means so they can give again. When a large promised donation causes others to withhold the means they should give, they lose the blessing they would have received in giving, and such a donation tests character by leading to withheld giving.

Giving should be more about giving out than taking in, beginning in the home and especially in families with children where deeper piety and the sanctifying grace of Christ in the home are lacking. This calls for the love and fear of God to fill every household, for children and youth to be instructed, for conversation to be educational, and for all to feel accountable to use intellect and heart in the work assigned, with children cooperating with parents in dedicating time and talents to the service of God. Lived this way, giving out does not outrun what is received, and Christian activity and growth in personal piety become balanced and proportionate. Children experience greater happiness and usefulness when trained to consecrate all powers of body, mind, and soul to God, to share spiritual and physical burdens with their parents instead of being hindrances, to dress economically, and to save and place offerings for the Lord in a little money box kept in sight at home, learning to be helpers in the Lord's work as younger members of the Lord's family, a training for God that is a grand work for time and for eternity. Believers are also to teach children the joy of giving through willing, generous gifts, including offerings that advance God's work.

Laboring to support the weak includes patient, persevering work to feed the lambs, those young in the faith, by keeping back nothing profitable, teaching publicly and from house to house, opening the Scriptures and educating them for usefulness and duty so they do not remain dwarfs exposed to temptation and deception. The strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not please themselves, but let everyone please his neighbor for good to edification, for even Christ pleased not himself. This calls each person to turn over a new leaf and labor earnestly for those around them, whose souls are just as precious in God's sight as their own, and many may be converted by those who are laborers together with God. Heavenly intelligences stand close beside every soul earnestly laboring to win souls to Christ, that these souls may in their turn glorify God, and when souls are converted both the laborer and those labored for glorify God, and it rejoices God's heart of love that the heavenly intelligences have found channels through which they can communicate the riches of Christ's mercy and grace.

Those favored with truth serve as channels of God's goodness, mercy, and truth, bringing brightness and blessing into everyday dealings by sharing practical wisdom, benevolence, sympathy, encouragement, and instruction. Receiving creates a duty to give, and institutions as well as individuals should use their resources to help those in greater need rather than becoming self-centered, which expresses unselfish, self-sacrificing love and shows sincere loyalty to God and Christ. Those who receive in order to give find the greatest satisfaction, while people who live for themselves remain dissatisfied. The blessing is shown in the joy and satisfaction of becoming a giver who helps fellow people and advances God's cause through useful, persevering labor, with more room in life for serving others. This calls people to use their strength to help others, offering love and sympathy to those who suffer rather than drawing all attention and care to themselves, and helping others brings a blessing to the giver as well as the receiver.