I Appeal To Caesar!

Paul’s traveling companions. Seven men are mentioned (plus Luke the scribe) in Acts 20:4, 5. I. Howard Marshall comments: “… Luke saw them as first-hand witnesses to the success of Paul’s mission who would back up his report to the church at Jerusalem, where many Christians were still suspicious of what he was doing…. In fact these were probably the persons appointed by the churches to take their shares of the collection to Jerusalem.” ( Acts, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, p. 323. The eight men were: Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, Trophimus and Luke. P. 3 “The twenty-mile walk” (Acts 20:13). At first Paul’s announcement that he wishes to walk the 20 miles from Miletus to Assos alone on foot must have startled his fellow travelers; his team of eight stalwart men was told to come by ship (a 40-mile trip) and pick him up at Assos. They would, of course, be bringing all their luggage and the offering for the poor saints of Jerusalem. No reason is given, so Bible commentators give various suggestions. For instance, G. Campbell Morgan : “This man, with all the labors of the past on his heart, with all the turmoil and strife of the present, with all the expectation and longing of the future, walked those twenty miles in quiet meditation,” p. 467-8, The Acts. William Barclay: “It may be that he wanted the time alone in order to gather inner strength for the days ahead,”, Acts, p. 177. R. C. H. Lenski: comments that the walk would be “on a good Roman road,” Acts, p. 832. Jesus was the great example of private prayer: Matthew 6:1-14; 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 10:1; 11:1; 18:1. For a Scriptural explanation of why Jesus prayed so much alone, especially in the early morning, see the explanation of Isaiah 50:4, 5, in my book on early morning prayer: Gentile, Awaken the Dawn! P. 3 Alone with God.

P. 2 Eutychus raised from dead. Acts 20:6-12.

P. 2 Nine examples in the Bible of the dead being raised: 1. Elijah raises a young boy (1 Kings 17:17-34). 2. Elisha raises a young boy (2 Kings 4:32-37). 3. Jesus raises a widow’s grown son (Luke 7:11-16). 4. Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:49-56). 5. Jesus raises Lazarus (John 11:43, 44). 6. Jesus Himself is raised (Luke 24:6). 7. Peter raises Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42). 8. The believers in Lystra raise Paul (Acts 14:19, 20).