Acts 20:17-35

Paul’s address to the Ephesian elders 20:17-35

"Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders is the nearest approximation to the Pauline letters in Acts. Its general content recalls how in his letters Paul encouraged, warned, and exhorted his converts. Moreover, its theological themes and vocabulary are distinctively Pauline. In his three missionary sermons (Acts 13:16-41; Acts 14:15-17; Acts 17:22-31) and five defenses (chs. 22-26), Paul addressed non-Christian audiences. But he was speaking to Christians here. It is significant that, in a situation similar to those he faced in many of his letters, this farewell to the Ephesian elders reads like a miniature letter of his. This becomes all the more significant when we recall that nowhere else in Acts is there any evidence for a close knowledge of Paul’s letters.

"The address is constructed in a way familiar to all readers of Paul’s letters. The body of it has three parts, which deal with (1) Paul’s past ministry at Ephesus (Acts 20:18-21), (2) Paul’s present plans in going to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22-24), and (3) the future of Paul himself and of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:25-31). It concludes with a blessing (Acts 20:32) and then adds further words of exhortation that point the hearers to Paul’s example and the teachings of Jesus (Acts 20:33-35). Heading each section is an introductory formula: ’you know’ (hymeis epistasthe) at Acts 20:18; ’and now behold’ (kai nyn idou) at Acts 20:22; ’and now behold I know’ (kai nyn idou ego oida) at Acts 20:25; and ’and now’ (kai ta nyn) at Acts 20:32." [Note: Longenecker, pp. 511-12. See Witherington, p. 610, for a chart comparing terms and concepts Paul used in this address with similar ones he used in his epistles.]

This is probably one of the few speeches in Acts that Luke heard with his own ears. The Greek physician Galen wrote that his students took down his medical lectures in shorthand, so perhaps this is what Luke did on this occasion. [Note: Robertson, 3:346-47.]