Acts 20:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Next he is about to say something still more striking, namely, “I am clean from the blood of all.” Therefore he prepares them beforehand and shows that nothing more remains.

Since he is about to lay the whole burden and load upon them, he first touches their soul with the words, “And now, behold, I know that all you will see my face no more.” Then he says, “I am clean from the blood of all.”

There is a double sorrow: that they will no longer see his face, and that all of them will not see it. “Behold,” he says, “I know that all you among whom I went preaching the Kingdom of God will see my face no more.”

Then the holy apostle announces his separation from them, and indeed a final one. Certain persons in various Churches, by the clairvoyance given to them, foretold that bonds and sufferings awaited him in Jerusalem (Acts 21:4, 11).

The Holy Spirit, the holy Apostle Paul continued, “testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me” in Jerusalem. “But I regard nothing and do not count my life precious, if only I may finish with joy my ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to preach the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that all you among whom I went preaching the Kingdom of God will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all.

Now the apostle turns his gaze toward the future. The Holy Spirit, through prophets in every city, testified that bonds and afflictions awaited the apostle in Jerusalem. He also foresaw that the Christians of Asia would no longer see his face. Yet he still intended to go to Jerusalem, because such was the impulse of the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God irresistibly drew him to Jerusalem.

The apostle, however, did not know exactly what would meet him in Jerusalem. From the revelation of the Spirit of God through the prophets, he knew only that bonds and afflictions awaited him there. For ordinary human weakness, this alone would have been enough to avoid visiting Jerusalem.

“And now, behold, I know,” and so forth. Though Paul does not know what will happen to him in Jerusalem, he nevertheless expresses full confidence that he will no longer see all his Ephesian and Asian children.

This confidence was undoubtedly based on the testimony of the Spirit in the cities, that bonds and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem. Whether he expected death there or not, he was certain that this was his last time here.

“All you,” and so forth. In deep foreboding, Paul widens his gaze. He embraces not only those present, and not only the Ephesians, but all the Christians among whom he had preached. Those present were, as it were, representatives of all the Christian communities founded by Paul.

“Preaching the Kingdom of God.” The apostle presents himself as a herald of the King and of His Kingdom (cf. Matt 3:2).

Foretelling his final separation from his hearers, the apostle as it were justifies himself before them against the thought that he had not taught them sufficiently. Yet he says that he went about everywhere to them for preaching. Everything that had to be said about the Kingdom of God and the will of God, he declared. He used every suitable circumstance for this.

In all this the presbyters had to see lessons worthy of being carried out in their own pastoral work.