3rd Missionary Trip - Lorin

One, at first, might wonder why Luke included this unusual episode in his depiction of the seven days
of ministry by Paul in Troas. Clearly it was not because of the unusual nature of the miracle, nor even that Paul
was used of God in the miracle. Clearly, Luke’s motivation is driven by his writing strategy of parallelism. In Acts
9:36-41, Peter had brought back to life the young girl Tabitha. Did something similar happen in Paul’s ministry to
indicate the continued blessing of God’s Spirit on this apostle as well? Yes, Paul brought back to life the young
man Eutychus. The way Paul embraced the lifeless body of the young man echoes the approach of Elijah in
bringing back to life the widow’s son at Zarepath (1 Kings 17:9-24). 208 The impact of the healing stated regarding
Elijah also applies to both Peter and Paul with their similar actions: “So the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you
are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth’” (v. 24). But even more important is the parallel
of both Peter’s and Paul’s action to that of Jesus in bringing back to life the widow’s son in the Galilean village of
Nain (Luke 7:12-17), which itself echoes Elijah’s actions even stronger.
Amazingly this only momentarily interrupted the meeting, rather than stopped it: ἀναβὰς δὲ καὶ κλάσας
τὸν ἄρτον καὶ γευσάμενος ἐφʼ ἱκανόν τε ὁμιλήσας ἄχρι αὐγῆς, οὕτως ἐξῆλθεν, Then Paul went upstairs, and after he
had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. Once it was clear that Eutychus
was okay, Paul then went back upstairs to the gathering place in order to continue the meeting.
Once the meeting resumed, they ate supper, not just now observe the Lord’s Supper. Luke’s language
here is different from in verse seven: καὶ κλάσας τὸν ἄρτον καὶ γευσάμενος. This is description of a regular evening
meal. 209 But the evening meal, now taken after midnight, did not end the meeting. Rather, Paul ἐφʼ ἱκανόν τε
ὁμιλήσας ἄχρι αὐγῆς, for quite a while Paul dialogued with them until dawn. This preacher could continue on without
end! To the several hours of conversation prior to the Euchytus event and the evening meal, that lasted from
sundown to after midnight, was added the resumed conversation again that Paul continued until dawn. For almost
all that entire night Paul engaged the congregation in lively conservation! Clearly this was not the norm for
the apostle. But this very special occasion when they might never see him again prompted unusual scheduling.
How interesting it would be to know what all was discussed over the ten or so hours of conversation. These folks
would never have a letter written to them putting Paul’s words into written expression, but they would have the
lasting memory of this unusually long conversation with him. It would be at least five years before he would visit
them again (cf. 2 Tim. 4:13), and then under
very different circumstances.
Verse twelve actually continues the
narrative set up in verse ten but interrupted
by verse eleven: ἤγαγον δὲ τὸν παῖδα ζῶντα
καὶ παρεκλήθησαν οὐ μετρίως, Meanwhile
they had taken the boy away alive and were
not a little comforted. From Luke’s description,
while Paul continued the meeting upstairs
the recovered Eutychus was taken
back home alive and well, much to the rejoicing
of his parents and friends who accompanied
him home. It is unclear whether
Eutychus was brought upstairs to greet everyone
before being escorted home or not.
Perhaps so, and if so, much to the delight of
the crowd of people gathered in this upstairs room.
University Press, 2008), 668.]
208 “There may be special allusions to the Elijah and Elisha stories of the OT: 3 Kdms 17:17–24 (… ὑπερῷον … ἐκάθητο …
ἐπιστραφήτω δὴ ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ παιδαρίου τούτου εἰς αὐτόν … ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ … ζῇ ὁ υἱός σου); 4 Kdms 4:18–37 (ἐκοιμήθη
… καὶ ἀπέθανεν … τεθνηκός … διέκαμψεν ἐπʼ αὐτόν.” [C. K. Barrett, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles,
International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2004), 954-55.]
209 “Γευσάμενος. γεύεσθαι normally means to taste, but in Luke’s use it is to eat, to take a meal (see Lk. 14:24; Acts 10:10;
23:14; the only exception, Lk. 9:27, is taken directly from Mk and is in any case metaphorical). It would therefore be mistaken to infer
that the reference was to a sacramental meal, in which a mere fragment of bread was tasted. Luke means that Paul joined his fellow
Christians in eating a meal; their eating is not specifically mentioned because for Luke Paul is the center of interest. If Luke had meant
that Eutychus now ate a meal, thereby proving his complete restoration, he would have been obliged to express himself differently.”
[C. K. Barrett, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T&T
Clark, 2004), 955.]
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