John Calvin Commentary Acts 20

Luke declares in this chapter how Paul, departing from Asia, again crossed the seas to go to Jerusalem. And though whatever is written in this narration is worthy of most diligent meditation and attention, yet it needs no long exposition. It appears that the Church was preserved in safety by the wonderful power of God amid those troublesome tumults.

The church of Ephesus was still small and weak: the faithful, having once experienced a sudden commotion, might justly fear lest similar storms should arise from time to time. We need not doubt that Paul departed from them with much difficulty; yet because a greater necessity draws him to another place, he is compelled to leave his sons who were recently begotten, and had as yet scarcely escaped shipwreck in the midst of the raging sea.

As for them, though they were very loath to let Paul go, yet, lest they should harm other churches, they do not hold him back or detain him. So we see that they were not fixated on their own interests, but were concerned for the kingdom of Christ, so that they might provide for their brethren as well as for themselves.

We must diligently note these examples, so that each of us may strive to help one another in this miserable dispersion; but if it should happen at any time that we are deprived of beneficial aids, let us not doubt or waver, knowing that God holds the helm of our ship.

And we must also note this, that Paul does not depart until he has saluted the brethren, but rather strengthens them at his departure. As Luke says immediately of the Macedonians, that Paul exhorted them with many words—that is, not superficially, as if it were sufficient merely to remind them of their duty. Instead, as he commands elsewhere that others should do, he urged persistently, and thoroughly inculcated things that were necessary to be known, so that they might never be forgotten (2 Timothy 4:2).

Because the Jews laid wait for him. The Lord tested His servant in such various and continuous ways that He set before us, in him, an example of most excellent steadfastness. It was not enough for him to be wearied by the labor and trouble of a long and tiresome journey; he also had to be brought into danger of his life by those who lay in wait for him.

Let all the servants of Christ set this example before their eyes, so that they may never lose heart through the weariness of difficulties. However, when Paul travels another way to avoid their ambush, he shows that we must have regard for our lives to the extent that we do not recklessly throw ourselves into the midst of dangers.

And those who accompanied him gave no small testimony of their piety; and we see how precious his life was to the faithful, since a great many, chosen from various countries to be his companions, undertook a hard and difficult journey for his sake, not without great expense.

Luke says that Paul stayed at Philippi as long as the days of unleavened bread lasted, because he had a better opportunity to teach at that time. And since it was not yet known that the law was abolished, it was important for him to be careful, lest by neglecting the feast day he should be thought among the uninstructed to be one who despised God.

Though, for my own part, I think that he primarily sought an opportunity to teach, because the Jews were then more attentive to learn.

And in one day. Either he means the first day of the week, which was next after the Sabbath, or some particular Sabbath. The latter seems more probable to me, because that day was more suitable for the whole assembly, according to custom.

But since it is not unusual for the Evangelists to use "one" instead of "the first," according to the custom of the Hebrew language (Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1; John 20:1), it is quite consistent that they came together on the day after the Sabbath. Furthermore, it would be too dismissive an interpretation to treat this as just any day.

For what purpose is the Sabbath mentioned, except to note the opportune and chosen time? Also, it is likely that Paul waited for the Sabbath so that on the day before his departure he might more easily gather all the disciples in one place.

And the zeal of them all is worth noting, since it was no trouble for Paul to teach until midnight, even though he was ready to begin his journey, nor were the rest weary of learning. For he had no other reason to continue his speech so long, except for the desire and attentiveness of his audience.

To break bread. Although breaking of bread sometimes signifies among the Hebrews a household meal, yet I interpret it as the Holy Supper in this place, for two reasons. For since we may easily gather from what follows that a considerable crowd was gathered there, it is unlikely that any supper could be prepared in a private house.

Again, Luke will later declare that Paul took bread not at suppertime, but after midnight. To this is added the fact that Luke does not say Paul took food to eat, but only to taste. Therefore, I think that they had appointed a solemn day among themselves for celebrating the Holy Supper of the Lord, which would be convenient for them all.

And so that Paul might, in a way, compensate for his upcoming longer absence, he continued his speech longer than he usually did.

The large number of people I mentioned is inferred from the fact that there were many lights in the upper chamber. This was not done for any pomp or ostentation, but only out of necessity.

For when there is no need, it is ambition and vanity that make people incur expense.

Furthermore, it was fitting that the entire place should be well-lit, lest the holy assembly be suspected of any wickedness or dishonesty.

Consider also another conjecture: if the room had been empty, those present would not have allowed Eutychus to sit on a windowsill.

For it would have been a gross impropriety, showing contempt for the heavenly doctrine, to move away to a window, since there was enough room elsewhere.

When he was fallen into a deep sleep. I see no reason why some interpreters should so harshly and sharply condemn the young man's drowsiness, to the point of saying that he was punished for his laziness by death. For is it any wonder if, since the night was so well advanced and having struggled so long against sleep, he finally yielded?

And since, against his will and unexpectedly, he was overcome by deep sleep, we may gather from this that he did not intentionally prepare to sleep. To seek out a suitable place to sleep would have been a sign of laziness; but to be overcome with sleep while sitting at a window, what else is it but blamelessly yielding to nature?

It is as if a man should faint from hunger or too much weariness. Those who, being engrossed in worldly cares, come to the word reluctantly; those who, being full of food and wine, are thereby made sleepy; those who are attentive enough in other matters, but hear the word as though they did not care for it, will be justly condemned for drowsiness. But Luke does in plain words acquit Eutychus when he says that he fell down, being overcome with deep sleep after midnight.

Moreover, the Lord intended not only by the sleep, but also by the death of this young man, to awaken and stir up the faith of His people, so that they might more joyfully receive Paul’s doctrine and keep it deeply rooted in their minds. It was, indeed, at first no small temptation, but such as might have severely shaken even a most steadfast man. For who would have thought that Christ was the chief governor in that company where a man died tragically from a fall? Who would not rather have thought this to be a sign of God’s curse? But the Lord, by providing a remedy, immediately frees the minds of His people from all disturbance.

He lay down upon him. We know that the apostles, in working miracles, sometimes used certain external rites, by which they might give glory to God, the author. And now, as Paul stretches himself upon the young man, I think it was done for no other purpose except that he might more easily stir himself up to prayer.

It is just as if he were mingling himself with the dead man. And, perhaps, this was done in imitation of Elisha, of whom the sacred history reports the same thing (2 Kings 4:34). Yet the vehemence of his affection moved him more than the emulation of the prophet.

For that act of stretching himself upon him further provokes him to crave his life with all his heart from the Lord. So when he embraces the body of the dead man, by this gesture he declared that he offered it to God to be revived, and from the text we may gather that he did not stop embracing it until he knew that life had been restored.

Be ye not troubled. We must note that Paul took great care principally for this reason: lest that sorrowful event shake the faith of the godly and trouble their minds. Nevertheless, the Lord, as it were, sealed up and established that last sermon which Paul made at Troas. When he says that his soul is in him, he does not deny that he was dead, because by this he would extinguish the glory of the miracle; but the meaning of these words is, that his life was restored through the grace of God. I do not take what follows—namely, that they were greatly comforted by the joy they had because of the young man who was restored to life—to refer only to that joy. Instead, I also include the confirmation of faith, since God gave them such an excellent testimony of His love.