ACC ~ Acts 20 v23

PAUL TEACHES THEM BOLDNESS AND OBEDIENCE. CHRYSOSTOM: Why do you say this? Why do you mention this? What has happened? Have you nothing to accuse them of? He first alarms them, then adds, “And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, bound in the Spirit, not knowing what shall befall me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value or as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Why does [Paul] say this? He is preparing them to be always ready for dangers both seen and unseen and to obey the Spirit in everything. He shows that he is led away for great things. “Except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city.” He shows that he is led away willingly, andso that you should not imagine him forced by compulsion or necessity, he says, “in every city.” Then he adds, “I do not account my life as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus.” Do you see that these are not the words of one lamenting but of one who is in control, teaching and sympathizing with them in what has happened? He did not say, “We grieve, but it is necessary to bear it,” but “I do not account. . . .” He repeats this, not to extol himself but to teach them, through the earlier words, humility, and through these, bravery and boldness. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 44.

EXCEPT THAT IN ALL THE CITIES THE HOLY SPIRIT ASSURES ME. BEDE: When [Paul] says “in the cities,” he clearly shows that the things that were going to happen to him had not been revealed to him directly but to others concerning him. Among them were the prophet Agabus, and also those disciples who, when he was staying in Tyre, admonished him “through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.” COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 20.23A.

CONTENDING FOR THE PEACE OF THE CHURCH. BEDE: So that he might now contend for the peace of the church in the place where he once persecuted the church. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 20.23B.

UNKNOWN CHALLENGES AWAIT. AMMONIUS: It must be noted that the prophets do not know everything but only what the Holy Spirit reveals to them. So see how Paul, like a prophet, foretells “that chains and afflictions await me,” and that the Ephesians will never see him again and that there will arise among them heretics and some of bad faith, and yet about the first of these he confesses not to know what exactly their end shall be.So although the Lord revealed to him everything else, this one thing he hid from him, namely, what would happen to him after the chains and afflictions, lest, being puffed up and knowing that everything would arrive at such a point, [Paul] fail out of negligence. Instead, so that he, dreading the weakness of the flesh, would beg God to deliver him from trials, the Spirit left this end unclear for him. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 20.22.

Acts