Acts 20:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See what a scene is presented here. The disciples, he says, were 'where we were gathered.' And what a sign: he says the young man was 'sitting on the window,' and this in the depth of night. Such was their zeal for hearing. It is worthy of wonder how he, being a young man, was not slothful. Feeling inclined to sleep, he did not leave. Seeing the danger of falling, he was not afraid. Do not be surprised that he fell asleep and fell. He slept not from sloth, but from natural necessity. Notice how ardent their zeal was: they gathered on the third floor, since there was not yet a church. Besides, the sign that occurred made that evening forever memorable for them. Great was the delight of the hearers, if even when it was interrupted, it afterward continued again.

By burdening the hearer with sleep, the devil disturbed the feast. The young man sat in the window at night, so great was his desire to listen. It is worthy of wonder that, being young, he was not careless. Though burdened with sleep, he did not leave, and he was not even frightened that he might be pushed off. He fell asleep not from inattentiveness, but from the demand of nature.

What does Eutychus mean in Acts, who fell from the third level during Paul's discourse? Every mind that has ascended to the first level, that is, practice, has stood upon the second, that is, natural contemplation, and has risen to the third, that is, reached the height of theology through unwavering faith. If afterward it neglects the Word of God and drowses, every such mind falls from what is called the third level. But if the word of teaching, descending to it, finds something living in it, and if it has not wholly died from despair, then it is made alive again through repentance. From this question and answer it is clear that in St. Maximus the term 'theology' can be used in a neutral, purely technical sense.

Only Eutychus, failing to keep watchful vigil and sinking into deep sleep, fell out of the window. O destructive insensibility of sleep! O soul ever given over to slackness and deprived of blessings! Into what misfortunes it falls. Blindness holds it fast, and it never raises its heavy head toward higher things. The one who can fall asleep in the presence of God does not know how to guard himself from danger. And toward such a window opening, young man, do you hasten? In such chaos, where dangers lie in wait for you, do you remain in slackness? It is dangerous for the preservation of life to choose high places and to desire deep sleep on such a precipice.

"Eutychus in Hebrew means foolish, but in Greek, fortunate." The first suits one who, through the inclination toward pleasures proper to youth, fell from the height of the virtues. The second suits one who, through the preacher's descent, returned to the higher virtues.

In the spring, about Pascha of the year 58 or 59, Paul left Corinth. Some of his companions had crossed over before him to Troas (Acts 20:4-5). Paul kept Pascha in Philippi and there took Luke, who had been left there earlier.

He spent a week in Troas to make up for the brevity of his previous stay there. That earlier brevity had been caused by his desire to learn quickly about the state of the Corinthian Church (2 Cor 2:12).

Here, on the first day of the week, he was present at the Church’s worship and spoke with the brethren in a house. Providence saw the need to confirm the faithful in the teaching they had received and to spread it among the Gentiles.

This stay of the Apostle Paul in Troas was marked by one of the greatest works of the grace of God that accompanied Paul in his apostolic activity: the resurrection of a young man named Eutychus, who had fallen from a window of the house. From Troas the Apostle Paul made his journey hurriedly, directing his way toward Jerusalem, where he wished to be on the day of Pentecost. Therefore, though he greatly desired to visit the Christians in Ephesus on the way to Jerusalem, he passed that city by so as not to be delayed there. He arrived instead at Miletus, a coastal city south of Ephesus.

On the windowsill of one of the open windows, whose shutters were thrown wide to admit the cool sea breeze, there sat a young man named Eutychus. It was very late. The discourse had gone on unusually long. The subjects being discussed probably exceeded his understanding. Although he sat in the most pleasant place in the room, where he could freely enjoy fresh air, the heat from the crowded assembly, the light of many lamps, and the unbroken flow of the preacher's speech completely lulled Eutychus to sleep. Unnoticed by the others, he began to sink down. His heavy head fell upon his chest. Then, with a cry of horror, he slipped out of the window and fell from the third floor into the courtyard below. General confusion arose, and cries rang out, at once interrupting the preacher's voice. Some of those gathered rushed down the stairs to see what had happened. The poor young man lay unconscious and was lifted up as dead.

The liturgical assembly took place in the upper room of the third floor, 'for there was not yet a church,' says Chrysostom. During Paul's prolonged discourse, the young man Eutychus, who was sitting on the sill of an open window, fell asleep. He slept 'not from sloth, but from natural necessity,' says Chrysostom, because of the length of the discourse. While asleep, he fell from such a height and was killed. He was lifted up dead, that is, found dead. Those who came to the fallen man found that he was dead. Therefore his death was witnessed by those present as an actual death.

The fall of the young man during Paul's preaching also says much. This young man evidently listened to the Apostle's preaching so attentively that he did not wish to leave the assembly. He remained despite the late hour of the night, his uncomfortable position on the window, and the fact that the nature of his soul could not long resist the effect of sleep upon his young body. 'It is worthy of wonder,' says St. John Chrysostom, 'how he, being a young man, was not slothful. Feeling inclined to sleep, he did not leave. Seeing the danger of falling, he was not afraid. Do not be surprised that he fell asleep and fell. He slept not from sloth, but from natural necessity. Such was his zeal for listening. Let us be ashamed, then, we who do not do this even by day.