3rd Missionary Trip - Lorin

hometown was Ephesus, to recover from an illness. 231 Trophimus is also a part of the delegation traveling with
Paul on this stop at Miletus on their way to Jerusalem (cf. Acts 20:4; 21:29).
Because of Luke’s special interest to focus on Paul’s final words to these leaders, what the apostle said
is introduced in terms of a speech, rather than a dialogue: εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, he said to them. Unquestionably much
discussion took place with questions being asked etc. But for Luke the most important part of the meeting was
this farewell message of Paul, 232 and thus in conformity to ancient literary patterns for farewell speeches, Paul’s
words are presented. 233
One of the interpretive issues to surface here is the close affinity in imagery and expressions of this Lukan
crafting of Paul’s speech with Paul’s own writings. No where else in the Lukan speeches of Paul in Acts does one
find this. Although different implications of this are noted by various commentators, a consensus exists as to the
parallels. Fitzmyer summaries this well: 234
The speech has overtones of Paul’s own preaching. Many are the allusions in it to ideas that one finds in his letters. In fact,
it is the Pauline speech in Acts with the greatest number of such echoes. It also has the least number of OT allusions, apart
from the speech in 17:22–31 (on the Areopagus), where they would not have been expected.
Literary rhetorical analysis detects the structure of the speech in chiastic form with verse 28 as the central
point of the speech, which would highlight the Jewish flavor of the speech in the tradition of the Jewish wisdom
tradition. The framework is temporal with past, present, and future affirmations set up in pairs that form the structure,
first in ascending sequence and then in descending sequence, that highlights the admonition προσέχετε
ἑαυτοῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ, keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock. 235 This is helpful in sorting out the
key theme of Paul’s farewell words to these church leaders.
Speech: Reflection on Past Ministry, vv. 18b-21.
18b “You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19
serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews.
20 I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from
house to house, 21 as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord
Jesus.
18b ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε, ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡμέρας ἀφʼ ἧς ἐπέβην εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, πῶς μεθʼ ὑμῶν τὸν πάντα χρόνον
ἐγενόμην, 19 δουλεύων τῷ κυρίῳ μετὰ πάσης ταπεινοφροσύνης καὶ δακρύων καὶ πειρασμῶν τῶν συμβάντων μοι
ἐν ταῖς ἐπιβουλαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, 20 ὡς οὐδὲν ὑπεστειλάμην τῶν συμφερόντων τοῦ μὴ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν καὶ διδάξαι
ὑμᾶς δημοσίᾳ καὶ κατʼ οἴκους, 21 διαμαρτυρόμενος Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησιν τὴν εἰς θεὸν μετάνοιαν καὶ πίστιν εἰς
τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν.
The core expression of this single sentence in vv. 18b-21 comes at the beginning: ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε, ἀπὸ
2312 Tim. 4:20. Erastus remained in Corinth; Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. Ἔραστος ἔμεινεν ἐν Κορίνθῳ, Τρόφιμον δὲ
ἀπέλιπον ἐν Μιλήτῳ ἀσθενοῦντα.
232 “Together with his synagogue sermon to Jews (13:16-41) and the Areopagus sermon to Gentiles (17:22-31), Paul’s sermon
to the Ephesian elders at Miletus (20:17-38) completes the cycle of speeches recorded by Luke in chaps. 13-20. The only sermon by
Paul addressed specifically to the church (through the elders), this ‘pastoral homily’ rounds out Luke’s portrait of Paul as missionary
preacher and church minister. Here Luke unfolds Paul’s theology of ministry.” [Harper’s Bible Commentary, ed. James Luther Mays
(San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988), 1107.]
233The ancient literary genre of a farewell speech is adhered to by Luke:
“The elements of this form are the following: 1. Recollection of the past and of relation to audience, 20:18–19; 2. Discharge of
debts: did what he could, 20:20–21, 26–27, 33–35a; 3. Leave taking, 20:22–25; 4. Appointment of successor(s), 20:29–30; 5. Exhortation
to fidelity, 20:31; 6. Commendation or blessing, 20:31, 35b.” [Joseph A. Fitzmyer, vol. 31, The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation
With Introduction and Commentary, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008), 674.]
234Joseph A. Fitzmyer, vol. 31, The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary, Anchor Yale
Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008), 675
235The farewell speech of Paul in Acts 20:18b–35 falls into a chiastic pattern: ABCDC′B′A′ (Pereira, 201).
A—Past record: You yourselves know/ epistasthe (v. 18b)
B—Present activity: and now/ kai nyn (v. 22a)
C—Prophetic future: I know/ egē oida (v. 25a) therefore (dioti) (v. 26a)
D—The charge (v. 28)
C′—Prophetic future: I know/ egē oida (v. 29) therefore (dio) (v. 31a)
B′—Present activity: and now/ kai nyn (v. 32a)
A′—Past record: you yourselves know/ ginēskete (v. 34a)
[Charles H. Talbert, Reading Acts : A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Rev. ed., Reading the
New Testament Series (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2005), 180-81].
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