Acts 20:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He says this to encourage their mind and to teach them not only not to flee from dangers, but to endure them courageously. Therefore he calls his work a course and a ministry. By course he indicates its brightness, and by ministry its obligation.

“I am a minister,” he says, “and nothing more.” Having consoled them, so that they would not grieve over his sufferings, he says that he endures them with joy. After showing the fruits that come from them, he then expresses the sorrowful thought. He does this so as not to weigh down their mind too heavily.

For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:22-27).

May God grant that every Christian, when departing from the world and taking leave of his neighbors, may look upon his lot in the life beyond the grave with such calm and such joy.

Here, in the heavy moment of separation, the holy apostle clearly foretold future quarrels and schisms in the Christian Church generally, and in the Church of Ephesus in particular. Therefore he exhorted the Ephesian presbyters with special force to be attentive, vigilant, and strict with themselves beforehand. Otherwise, while preaching attentiveness and strictness of morals to others, they might provoke in others inattention and contempt toward themselves.

Yet this could not frighten the apostle, who served the Lord with complete self-sacrifice. He says, in effect, “I regard nothing, and I do not count even my life precious, if I must sacrifice it to the glory of God. I ask only to complete the ministry of preaching the gospel with joy until the end of my life.”

This is the joy of knowing that he fulfilled his calling precisely to the end of his life. He did not retreat before obstacles. He did not lose heart before the difficulty of struggles. He did not grow weak in zeal.

It is the joy of knowing that, to the end of life, no obstacle held back or bound the word of God, the preaching of the gospel of God’s grace. “And now, behold, I know that all you believers in Asia, among whom I went preaching the Kingdom of God, will see my face no more.”

It is clear that, in saying this, the apostle also showed the presbyters of the Church how highly they must regard their sacred ministry. They must never give themselves over to despondency, for their work is the preaching of the gospel. This is the joyful news of salvation through the merciful gift to men of the grace of forgiveness and sanctification. Surely this cannot but gladden both those who receive the gifts of grace and those who impart them through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

According to the explanation of Saint John Chrysostom, “This is not the word of one weeping, but of one reasoning humbly, teaching others, and sympathizing with what has happened. He did not say, ‘They persecute us, and we must endure.’ He said, ‘I do not even think of it.’ By these words he again does not exalt himself. Rather, as before he taught them humility, so now he teaches courage and boldness. It is as though he says, ‘I do not prefer the former to the latter. More than anything, I think of finishing my course and testifying.’ He did not say, ‘to preach’ or ‘to teach,’ but ‘to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.’ By this he shows that we must speak even if we see no benefit. This is what it means to testify, when we speak before people who do not heed us.”

“Why, then, do you go if bonds await you?” exclaims Blessed Theophylact. “In order to be a prisoner for Christ, and to die for Him.”

Then turn to yourselves and examine whether you preserve within yourselves this disposition of faithful servants of God. I do not ask about difficult and extraordinary cases, but about the most ordinary acts of service to God common to all.

We are not called to glorify the faith by miracles. We are not sent unarmed to subdue cruel enemies. We are not led in the bonds of the spirit into iron bonds for the name of Christ.

Faith simply invites us to visit a sick and helpless man. We say, It is a good deed. It is desirable that it be done. Yet under the present order and customs of common life, it is inconvenient and subject to objections and other unpleasantness.

The Gospel sends us to seek reconciliation with an enemy. We say, It is desirable. Yet according to the present way of thinking, this would lower us in the eyes of others. It would be taken either as weakness of spirit or as an admission of guilt, though we know of none in ourselves.

We are called to the temple for divine service. It seems that we are ready. Yet during evening prayer we are still occupied with worldly affairs or amusements. Sleep often keeps us from morning prayer.

We do not hurry to the daytime divine service, and from the temple we hurry away. O Lord! Today the house of Your prayer resembles an inn, into which people enter and from which they leave whenever it happens to suit them.

Listen, you who evidently do not yet know the feeling by which David “asked one thing of the Lord,” namely, “to dwell in the house of the Lord,” “to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to visit His holy temple” (Ps. 26:4).

Do you at least know the proprieties of your own houses? Would it please you if those invited to your dinner at a fixed hour came one after another after dinner had begun, and left one after another before it ended?

Then consider how the great Master of the house and Host looks upon you. Here He sets forth His divine table. Through your own negligence you have excluded yourself from the number of its communicants and have become only a spectator.

You enter and leave at the wrong time. With the noise of your feet you disturb the sacred stillness. You steal from those listening to the word of God that word which you yourself do not wish to hear.

Finally, while the King of glory is still appearing on this throne in His mystical Body, you shamelessly and fearlessly dare to turn your back on Him and depart.

The Lord once complained of His drowsy disciples: “Could you not watch with Me one hour?” (Mt. 26:40). Yet the empty place, the Lord's withdrawal from them, the night, and the weariness of the preceding day could excuse them.

He Himself also testified that their “spirit” was “willing, but the flesh weak” (Mt. 26:41; Mk. 14:38). How great must His indignation be when we, here in His mystical presence which we acknowledge, do not rouse ourselves.

In the light of day and at the awakening voice of common prayer, we do not endure the hour appointed for divine service. This is not from weakness of the flesh.

It is because the spirit has grown lazy and sleeps. It does not bind the self-willed flesh, which seeks vain distraction.

Christians, be judges of yourselves before the judgment of God. However partial a man may be to himself, can he adjudge to himself the eternity of blessed reward, when we do not wish to serve diligently for one hour the King and Rewarder of eternity?

Let us shake off sleep and laziness. Let us rouse ourselves to faithful, constant, and unweakened service before God and to the fulfillment of His will, despite difficulties and without being distracted by vain opinions.

For this let us strengthen ourselves to bind the flesh by the spirit, not fulfilling its lusts and cutting off its deeds. Then, led by the spirit of divine love, we may finish the course of this present life with joy and enter the endless joy of our Lord. Amen.