Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 20:31

"Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears." — Acts 20:31 (ASV)

The third section of Paul’s address continues with an exhortation to the Ephesian elders in light of what Paul sees will soon take place in the church. He warns regarding persecution from outside and apostasy within (cf. later evidence in 1 Timothy 1:19–20; 4:1–5; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 2:17–18; 2 Timothy 3:1–9; Revelation 2:1–7). So he gives the elders the solemn imperative of v.28.

Theologically, much in Luke’s precis of this address reflects Paul’s thought at this stage in his life, as these are revealed in the letters he wrote at Ephesus (1 Corinthians), in Macedonia (2 Corinthians), and at Corinth (Romans) immediately prior to this time. Paul’s use of the word “church” (GK 1711) in v.28 is a case in point. While in the salutations of Galatians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians he used “church” in a local sense (Galatians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:1), in addressing the Corinthians he used the word more universally: “To the church of God in Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1). And thereafter in his writings “church” always appears in a universal sense (cf. esp. Ephesians and Colossians). Other phrases of Paul are his identification of God with Jesus in the phrase about God’s obtaining the church for himself “with his own blood” (cf. Romans 9:5) and the reference to the blood of Jesus as instrumental in our redemption (Romans 3:25; Romans 5:9; cf. Ephesians 1:7; Romans 2:13; Colossians 1:20).