Traveling - Acts 20:1-17

The conversion to Christianity in the city of Ephesus has been substantial in the three years that Paul has ministered there to the point that leaders of other religions are starting to notice that their money has been affected. After the “uproar” caused by the “worshippers of Diana (Artemis)” raised against Paul, he decides that it’s time for him to move on to another place. I’m confident that it wasn’t Paul saying, “oh no, I’m in danger, I better get out of here,” but the decision to move on was a decision reached after he was prompted by the Spirit that it was time.

The beginning of chapter 20 is a little bit confusing for me because it seems to me that Paul travels all over the place, but the speech that he gives at the end, he’s back in Ephesus, so I wasn’t sure how all that worked out chronologically. After reading it more carefully however, it appears that Paul leaves Ephesus and goes into Macedonia, then Greece, back to Macedonia, then Phillipi, and finally to Troas where he spent the “days of unleavened bread.” Actually, I’m a little confused exactly where Paul spent the Passover, but that’s ok.
It seems that while in Troas, “upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” I like that Luke makes an effort to state that Paul and his entourage met with the saints in Troas to partake of the sacrament. The IM says, “In celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christians partook of the sacrament on the first day of the week. This same pattern is followed in the Church today.” I love all things that tie today’s doctrine with the original gospel of the Savior.
Midnight is a late time to be preaching and while I’m sure that the believers in Troas wanted to take full advantage of the time that they had with Paul, but unfortunately, where Paul was preaching in “the upper chamber… there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.”
What an unfortunate accident during such a special time for the people. The IM says, “While Paul was preaching to the assembled disciples, a young man named Eutychus was accidentally killed, and Paul’s exercise of priesthood power restored him to life. With the raising of Eutychus from death, Paul joined with others who exercised this priesthood power- men like the Savior, Peter, Elijah, and Elisha. One of the things that helps me understand the power and expanse of the priesthood is when ordinary men perform the same acts as the Savior. Raising people from the dead is one of the most significant uses of priesthood power there is.
Paul continues to travel to many different cities with the goal “if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.” On his journey, before he gets to Jerusalem, Paul “had determined to sail by Ephesus.” This is one of those times when it’s only been a few verses since he left the city, but in actuality it had probably been at least a year, so we think “that was fast” but for the people experiencing it at the time, it was probably not fast at all. Knowing he was going to be able to stop in Ephesus, Paul “called the elders of the church” together to speak to them again, and we’ll get into what he says tomorrow.