Paul’s Journey to Troas
August 12, 2020
Commentary
After the riot in Ephesus, Paul gathered the disciples to say farewell and to encourage them (v. 1). He then departed for Macedonia. It’s likely that this was when he evangelized the province of Illyricum, on the Adriatic Sea across from Italy (Rom. 15:19). From Macedonia, Paul traveled down to Greece, likely staying in Corinth (vv. 2-3a). It was during this time that he wrote his masterpiece, the epistle to the Romans. It seems Paul had intended to sail on a pilgrim ship from Cenchreae to Caesarea along with his fellow Jews traveling to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. But some of the Jews hatched a plot against him, forcing him to make other travel arrangements (v. 3b). Paul’s journey took him back through Macedonia to the places he had visited on his 2nd missionary journey. Paul’s traveling companions included disciples from many of the churches he had started: Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus and Secondus from Thessalonica, Gaius and Timothy from Derbe, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia (Ephesus) (v. 4). At some point, Luke joined the group aswell (likely at Philippi) (v. 5). The chief reason for Paul’s traveling with such an escort was the collection of money that he had been accumulating from his various Gentile churches for the poor in the Jerusalem church. These men undoubtedly came from the various churches that had contributed to this project.
After Paul arrived in Troas, he met with believers on Sunday to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and after that he spoke to them until midnight because he was leaving the next morning (v.7). In many churches today Paul would have been told what time to finish, but this was not the case here, and he spoke to them until midnight. The combination of the lateness of the hour, a hard day’s work beforehand, the crowd, and the atmosphere caused by the burning of many candles and lamps caused Eutychus to go to sleep and fall out a third-floor window (vv. 8-9). The fall killed him but when Paul lifted him up his life returned (v. 10). After Paul had gone back upstairs, he broke bread, and ate with the people (v. 11). He then spoke until dawn and left. Then the followers took the young man home alive and were very happy (v. 12).
Application
If my pastor this Sunday announced that the service was going to go a little longer than usual, how would that make me feel? Am I in a rush to leave after every church meeting or am I always left hungry for more? The Lord isn’t pleased with me attending church every week if my heart isn’t really in it.
Acts 20:1– 12 (NET)
1 After the disturbance had ended, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left to go to Macedonia. 2 After he had gone through those regions and spoken many words of encouragement to the believers there, he came to Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months. Because the Jews had made a plot against him as he was intending to sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4 Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These had gone on ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. 6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and within five days we came to the others in Troas, where we stayed for seven days. 7 On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul began to speak to the people, and because he intended to leave the next day, he extended his message until midnight. 8 (Now there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) 9 A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep while Paul continued to speak for a long time. Fast asleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, put his arms around him, and said, “Do not be distressed, for he is still alive!” 11 Then Paul went back upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them a long time, until dawn. Then he left. 12 They took the boy home alive and were greatly comforted.
Illustration: The Participants of Worship
After attending church one Sunday morning, a little boy knelt at his bedside that night and prayed, “Dear God, we had a good time at church today—but I wish you had been there!” (Source unknown)