Acts 20:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If it is said, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor" (Mt 19:21), is it equal to take nothing and still feed others? Thus the first degree is to reject what is one's own. The second is to provide for oneself. The third is to give to others also. The fourth is not to take while preaching, even when one has the authority to take. This last degree is far higher than non-possessiveness.

This was so despite the fact that from his early years his parents prepared and instructed their gifted son in Jewish and Greek learning and in the law of God. Among the ancient Jews there was even a proverb: "Whoever does not teach his son some craft or art teaches him to steal." The Jewish custom of studying both learning and the law while also practicing a craft had two aims. One was to secure the means for outward life. The other was to restrain and subdue the harmful influence of sensuality upon man's higher spiritual life. This is the meaning of a craft or art, agriculture, gardening, beekeeping, and the like in every age. One must always take care that there be a sound mind in a healthy and rightly developed body.

I am hard pressed between the two: having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you" (Phil. 1:22-24). Thus, although he showed in various ways the superiority of this good over all the fruits of his preaching, he turns to reflection on love. Without love no one is called lord. For the sake of those for whom he drew milk, like a nurse, from the breast of the Gospel, he does not refuse to be separated from Christ. He is compelled to this choice chiefly by that exceeding valor of piety, by which, for the salvation of his brethren, he would, if possible, wish to bring upon himself the most grievous curse.

Since this was known to his hearers, he gives no proof, but says directly: You yourselves know that these hands, that is, the works of these hands, supplied both my own needs and those of all who were with me. Truly, this is a wondrous thing. The teacher of the whole world was fed by his own handiwork. He benefited men not only by day, but also by night, through his teaching. He led them out of the darkness of unbelief and turned them to the path of truth, which leads to the heavenly kingdom. Yet he desired no repayment from them for this. He obtained what was necessary for himself and his companions with his own hands. Now hear his testament, by which he commands all hierarchs of the Church to do the same. Tents, or shelters.

Day and night, without ceasing, and with tears, I taught each one of you. On my part, everything was done to preserve the flock of God for you whole and unharmed.

Therefore you bear before God a great responsibility for the salvation of every believer. Let this also be an example for you of how you must live and act in the house of God, which is the Church of the Lord and God.

Remember in me the pattern of activity that was not constrained or lazy, but willing. For I taught each one of you day and night without ceasing (1 Pet. 5:2).

Remember that I acted among you as a truly spiritual pastor. I did not force you to fulfill my rules by external authority or by the power of rebukes, threats, and punishments.

Rather, with tears I taught, persuaded, entreated, comforted, and encouraged each one of you (1 Pet. 5:3). While I was with you, on my part I did everything to make you worthy pastors of the Church.

I taught you everything necessary for this. And now, parting from you, brethren, I commend you to God, to His almighty help, and to the word of His grace, which I delivered to you.

If you attend to it, this word can further and more fully disclose, purify, and sanctify your Christian understanding. It can give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Therefore constant deepening in the word of the grace of God, accompanied by prayer to God for His almighty help, should likewise be one of the chief qualities of your activity as pastors of the Church.

Finally, the apostle reminds the Ephesian pastors of the selflessness with which he acted among them. This too must distinguish their pastoral activity, for they must shepherd God's flock not for filthy gain, but eagerly (1 Pet. 5:2).

“I have not taken, nor even desired, silver or gold or clothing from anyone. You yourselves know that these hands of mine served not only my needs, but also the needs of my fellow workers in the Gospel.”

“In all things I showed you that, by laboring in this way, one must support the weak in faith” (cf. Rom. 14:1; 15:1; 1 Thess. 5:14). Such people, especially when false teachers distort pastoral work, may regard a pastor's labor as self-serving if he receives support from those he pastors.

One must also remember the words of the Lord Jesus, Who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This saying of Jesus Christ has not been preserved in our Gospels.

Here, as in some other cases, the Apostle Paul supplements the accounts of the evangelists, just as the evangelists supplement one another. This is not an ordinary saying of worldly wisdom, whose meaning would be that it is better to be able to distribute alms than to need alms.

Like other sayings of worldly wisdom, in the mouth of Jesus Christ it serves here as a covering and image for the expression of a purely spiritual and moral lesson.

Blessed are those who give alms, lend to the needy, perform the works of spiritual pastorship, and in general do good to their neighbors, “hoping for nothing” for themselves here on earth.

They neither seek nor receive any earthly reward for themselves. They are more blessed in eternity than those who do good to their neighbors and receive payment for it from men.

Both the connection of the speech and the Apostle's whole view of those who labor in evangelical preaching urge us to understand here not so much the poor and needy, but the weak or spiritually infirm (Rom. 14:1; 15:1; 1 Cor. 9:22; 1 Thess. 5:14). Such men, infirm in conscience, could regard the actions of a teacher and preacher who receives support from those he teaches as self-interested. They could regard the preacher as covetous, and be scandalized not only by the teacher's person, but also by his teaching itself. Yet the teacher's complete disinterestedness, when he supports himself by the labor of his own hands, will dispose them both toward the teacher and toward the teaching. It will strengthen the infirm in the faith. Paul showed a lofty example in this, and points to it here (cf. 1 Cor. 9:4; 2 Cor. 11:7; 2 Thess. 3:8). Yet the Lord and the Apostle himself did not regard it as unjust for a laborer to receive wages and sustenance from his labors (cf. Mt 10:10). Nor is it unjust for the preacher of the Gospel to live from the Gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 9:7-11, 13-14). "It is more blessed to give than to receive," because in receiving we obtain a present, brief consolation. But in giving, we hope for future, imperishable consolation in eternal life.