Acts - episode 5

I am ready to die for Jesus

In the present post we recount Apostle Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 18,23-21,16), that started, as usual, from Antioch of Syria. Paul «departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples». «Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately. When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ». Some Bible scholars think that Apollos is the author of the Letter to the Hebrews.
In Ephesus Paul preaches for three months in the synagogue and then for two years is «reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus». «God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the evil spirits went out». Many people convert to the Christian Faith, renouncing magical practices and idols; this is perceived as a danger to the trade by persons like «a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen»: there is a riot against the Church. When the situation gets better, Paul decides to leave for Macedonia and Greece, where «a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria»; Paul then arrives in Troas. Here the Acts report a miracle that the apostle makes during the Sunday Eucharist. «On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight. There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered together. A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead. Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” [see the similar miracles by Elijah and Elisha].



When he had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed. They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted».
The journey continues: Assos, Chios, Samos and Miletus. Here Paul meets the elders whom he called from Ephesus (he does not want to be delayed by visiting that city, probably considering the past riot against the Christians); to them he pronounces a touching speech in which we can recognize his personal comprehension of the apostolic ministry and his recommendations to the ones who are “shepherds” of a community. «You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus. Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. But I make my life an account of nothing precious to myself, so that I may finish my race, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. [...] Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears. Now I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver, or gold, or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ [this saying by Jesus appears only here in the Acts and not in the gospels]».
When Paul arrives at Caesarea, after some halfway stages (see Acts 21,1-7), he one more time listens to persecution prophecies about his arrival in Jerusalem. «As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea [see Acts 11,28]. Coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.”».
Follow in the next post, with Paul’s last journey and the conclusion of the Acts of the Apostles.