Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. The “uproar” (thorubos - mob commotion (Mk 5:38) or riot (Mk 14:2) finally fizzled out by itself (“ceased” aor. mid. inf. - pauō, cf. 1Co 13:7).

2. Paul sent for the disciples to give them a final exhortation and give an affectionate farewell. Then Paul continued to exhort churches and take collections from all of them to be given to the Jerusalem church.

3. Luke condensed what was probably a year’s length of ministry in Macedonia. It began in Troas where Paul had ministry opportunity (2Co 2:12) and where Paul looked for Titus, whom he had sent to Corinth (2Co 2:13; 7:5-7).

4. Much of this ministry however, had been spent dealing with the troubled church at Corinth. It would end with a comprehensive total of three visits and four letters to the Corinthians.

5. Paul first visited Corinth on his second missionary journey (Ac 18:1). By the time he was in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, Paul had written two letters to Corinth. The first was was lost (1Co 5:9, 11) while the second one is known as 1 Corinthians. It was written from Ephesus dealing with problems (divisions - 1Co 1:10-12; immorality - 1Co 5:1; spiritual gifts - 1Co 12-14) and answering certain questions (1Co 7:1; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1). At some point during his Ephesian ministry, Paul made a quick and “painful visit” to Corinth (2Co 2:1). He returned to Ephesus and wrote a “severe letter” which also was lost (2Co 2:4; 7:5-8). (Some however, suggest that the “severe letter” was actually 1Corinthians or was included in 2Corinthians). After leaving Ephesus and going through Macedonia (Ac 20:1-2; perhaps Philippi), Paul wrote still another letter (2Corinthians) defending his apostleship and announcing his third visit (2Co 12:14; 13:1).

B. Corinthian Departure (3)

1. Paul had spent three months in Greece and most likely, the majority of time was spent in Corinth.

2. It was there in Corinth that Paul received persecution from the Jews. These Jews, no doubt, were the same ones who had a bad experience with Paul before. Paul had shaken out his garments against the Jews (Ac 18:6), Crispus the Synagogue leader came to Christ (Ac 18:8); Gallio dismissed the case against Paul (Ac 18:14-16), and Sosthenes, the new synagogue leader, was beaten by the angry Jews (Ac 18:17).

3. They came up with a plot against Paul, which most likely involved killing him by throwing him overboard on the ship to Syria.

4. When Paul learned of this plot, he decided to travel back through Macedonia.

C. Church Delegates (4-5)

1. A group of men accompanied Paul along with the collections for Jerusalem. These were most likely delegates from each of the churches who had made large donations.

2. They were from Berea (Sopater), Thessalonica (Aristarchus - Ac 19:29, and Secundus), Derbe (Gaius - Ac 19:29; Ro 16:23), and Asia (Timothy (Lystra), and Tychicus - Ep 6:21, and Trophimus “the Ephesian” - Ac 21:29).

3. Paul (and Luke, “us”) had sent them ahead and would rendezvous with them at Troas.

D. Course Back to Troas (6)

1. Though a Christian, Paul was also a Jew and observed the feasts though he protested against Gentiles doing so (Gal 4:10; Col 2:16).

2. When Paul crossed the Aegean Sea on his second missionary journey in Ac 16:11, it only took two days. On this trip, it took five days most likely because of adverse winds.

II. EUTYCHUS AND EXPOSITION (Ac 20:7-12)

A. Extended Exposition at Troas (7)

1. This is the clearest verse in NT showing that the early church worshipped on the first day of the week. The early church, particularly Gentile believers (1Co 16:1), worshipped on the day that Christ rose from dead (Mt 28:1). The Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Ex 31:16-17). The NT does not require Christians to meet on the Sabbath (Saturday) nor warn them against breaking the Sabbath.

2. They had “gathered together” (sunagō, Ac 4:31; 15:6, not episunagōgên for regular meetings, Heb 10:25) for a formal service which included the “breaking of bread,” probably a meal (Agape Feast) and Lord’s Table (1Co 11:22-23).

3. The service included Paul’s preaching, which was “prolonged” (parateinō - to stretch out or extend, cf. 2Sa 2:29; Ps 36:10) until midnight (3-6 hrs.).

B. Emittance of Fumes (8)

1. Luke added that the upper room in which they met was dark and needed oil lamps to illuminate the service.

2. With medical preciseness, the doctor (Luke) revealed that fumes given off by the lamps, the lateness of night, and the lengthy message proved too much for Eutychus.

C. Eutychus Fell and Died (9)

1. Eutychus (“fortunate”) was a young man probably between the ages of seven and fourteen (cf. Jdg 16:26).

2. Paul not only gave an extended message but he “continued speaking” (pres. mid. part. - dialegomai, discourse or reasoning) or as the NIV says, Paul “talked on and on.”

3. Eutychus was sitting on the window sill and sank into a “deep sleep” (hupnos - deep sleep, Eng. hypnotic). The construction literally reads, “Being carried away by deep sleep”… and… “having been carried away by sleep,” or “becoming very sleepy, he became sound asleep.

4. As a result, he fell out the window of a three-story house and died. Some have suggested that the young man was merely winded until Paul came to him. However, the account had been written by Dr. Luke who witnessed the event (Ac 20:7 “we”) and concurred that the young man was “dead” (nekros).

D. Eutychus Raised from the Dead (10)

1. The apostle Paul fell upon the young man in the same fashion as the prophets Elijah (1Ki 17:21 - widow’s son) and Elisha (2Ki 4:34-35 - Shunammite’s son).

2. In an authoritative and prophetic manner, Paul pronounced the boy’s life restored. Like the prophets who raised people from the dead, it confirmed that they were God’s spokesmen (Jesus raised Lazarus - Jn 11:41; Peter raised Dorcas - Ac 9:36), Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, giving even more claim to his apostolic office.

E. Exposition Resumed (11)

1. After breaking bread (eat and/or communion) with them, Paul resumed speaking until daybreak. However, it is doubtful after all the evening’s events that anyone else fell asleep.

2. Afterwards Paul departed from Troas.

F. Encouragement for the Church (12)

1. The church was greatly encouraged both by Paul’s dedication to detailed teaching and by that fact that Eutychus was alive.

III. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Paul’s Exhortations to Corinth - Paul was persistent in dealing with the most carnal and troubled church of the NT. He utilized instruction, reproof, rebuke, discipline, encouragement, humility, forgiveness, and above all love to strengthen the church at Corinth (1Co 13:4-8).

B. Paul’s Expositional Teaching - Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was successful because of the teaching of the Word. His teaching was the same whether he had three years or ten hours. Though we do not know the content of Paul’s message, we might speculate that he reasoned from the Scriptures concerning doctrine and instruction for the church (2Ti 3:16-17). What is the appropriate length of a sermon? The answer is, “when it’s done!

C. Paul’s Exceptional Office - Though many applications could be drawn from raising Eutychus from the dead, Paul’s apostolic authority continued to be confirmed by miracles, power of the Spirit, and a Spirit-filled teaching ministry.

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516