I N D E X
133
ministry in general and the particular office denominated Elder or Bishop to the ministry of the apostle Paul, and
that phase of it that was drawing to a close, covered in the structure by H1 20:18-21, and H3 20:33-35, where the
apostle surveys his preaching and his practice up to that time. Even though the reader were unacquainted with the
passage, his first perusal of verses 18-27 would suffice to convince him that Paul is reaching the close of one
ministry, and looking on to the opening of another, and that this second ministry is so closely connected with
imprisonment, that the apostle entertains no hope of seeing these Ephesian believers again.
Before we follow his argument, it will be profitable to observe how much there is in common between the
phraseology of this recorded speech and that of the epistles written by the same apostle.
ACTS.-
`After what manner I have been with you' (Acts 20:18).
EPISTLE.-
`Ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake' (1 Thess. 1:5).
ACTS.-
`Serving the Lord' (Acts 20:19).
With the exception of the statement of our Lord Himself, `Ye cannot serve God and Mammon',
douleuo is used exclusively by the apostle for service unto the Lord. There are six occurrences in his
epistles which, together with Acts 20:19, make seven in all.
EPISTLE.-
`Fervent in spirit; serving the Lord' (Rom. 12:11 and see also Rom. 14:18; 16:18; Eph. 6:7; Col. 3:24
and 1 Thess. 1:9).
ACTS.-
`Serving the Lord with all humility of mind' (Acts 20:19).
EPISTLE.-
`In lowliness of mind let each esteem other'(Phil. 2:3). Paul is responsible for six out of the total
seven occurrences of tapeinophrosune, `humility of mind'.
ACTS.-
`With many tears, and temptations' (Acts 20:19).
EPISTLE.-
`My temptation which was in my flesh' (Gal. 4:14).
ACTS.-
`How I kept back nothing that was profitable'(Acts 20:20).
EPISTLE.-
`But if any man draw back' (Heb. 10:38).
ACTS.-
`How I kept back nothing that was profitable' (Acts 20:20).
EPISTLE.-
`All things are not expedient' (1 Cor. 6:12).
There are sixteen occurrences of sumphero `expedient' or `profitable' in the New Testament: eight
occur in the Gospels and Acts 19:19, and the other eight exclusively in Paul's epistles.
ACTS.-
`The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city' (Acts 20:23).
EPISTLE.-
`The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit' (Rom. 8:16).
ACTS.-
`That I might finish my course' (Acts 20:24).
EPISTLE.-
`I have finished my course' (2 Tim. 4:7).
These are the only occurrences of dromos `course', except that in Acts 13:25, where, again, Paul is
speaking. The use of the verb teleioo `to perfect', in the sense of finishing a race, is characteristic of
the apostle's language, especially in Philippians 3 and the Epistle to the Hebrews.
ACTS.-
`Over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you (tithemi) overseers' (Acts 20:28).
EPISTLE.-
`Whereunto I am appointed (tithemi) a preacher' (2 Tim. 1:11).
ACTS.-
`Not sparing the flock' (Acts 20:29).
EPISTLE.-
`If God spared not the natural branches' (Rom. 11:21).
There are seven occurrences of pheidomai `to spare', in Paul's epistles. Elsewhere it is found only in
Acts 20:29 or 2 Pet. 2:4,5.
ACTS.-
`Therefore watch, and remember' (Acts 20:31)
EPISTLE.-
`For ye remember, brethren, our labour' (1 Thess. 2:9).