Page 95 - Acts Student Textbook

one another and as we begin journeys, so God will care for us. The whole group then wept freely, the
elders falling on Paul’s neck and kissing him. They were especially sorrowful for his assurances that
they would see him no more. So, they accompanied him to the ship.

The accounts of Paul’s suffering and teaching are so factual that sometimes we lose sight of the
emotions that must be accompanied by such work. Here we are given a rare insight into the
emotions of these leaders. Bible men are not robots with no feelings. They are human. They wept
and rejoiced just as people do today. We are deeply moved by the picture of these aged men, who
had been through so much in God’s kingdom, weeping in their care for one another. Crying and
embracing are not unmanly acts.

However, emotions must not determine what we believe and teach. That must be determined by
God’s will. Nor should emotions be artificially aroused by externals. The proper role of emotions is
that they should follow naturally when we serve God (cf. v19 & 31; cf. Rom. 12:15). Christians should
care for one another deeply. When we part, sorrow is not shameful. Nothing in the Scriptures
requires us to be always smiling. The joy we have as Christians underlies all we do, but it does not
eliminate sorrow and grief. Paul’s parting was a time of sorrow and these men did not hide it.

Summary of the movements of Paul on the completion of his Third Missionary journey

Paul goes twice through Macedonia and Greece; Macedonia (20:1-2): writes 2 Corinthians
(September-October A.D. 56). Planned in 19:21; meets Titus in Macedonia and receives good news
about the church in Corinth (2 Cor 2:12-13; 7:5-16); he winters in Greece (20:3): writes Romans
(November A.D. 56-end February 57). Hosted by Gaius in Corinth (Rom 16:23; cf. 1 Cor. 1:14) = Titius
Justus (Acts 18:7)? He travels with the churches’ representatives through Macedonia to Troas (20:4-
6). He gets accompanied by six representatives of the Jerusalem collection (20:4). Philippi to Troas
after the feast of unleavened bread: April 7-14 A.D. 57 in Philippi; April 19- 25 (sailed five days later)
in Troas (seven days there) (20:6). Second “we-section” in 20:5-21:18: Philippi to Jerusalem. He gets
Eutychus raised from the dead at Troas (20:7-12). From Troas, he passes through Assos and Mitylene
by foot, then on a coasting vessel by the islands of Chios and Samos. Paul gives farewell address to
the Ephesian elders at Miletus (20:13-38). From Miletus, he passes through Cos, Rhodes, Patara,
Phoenician ship to Tyre. Gets to Caesarea, and finally to Jerusalem (Acts 20:1-21:17).

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