ACTS.-

`These hands'; `These bonds' (Acts 20:34; 26:29).

`How that so labouring ye ought to support the weak' (Acts 20:35).

EPISTLE.-

`We both labour and suffer reproach' (1 Tim. 4:10).

Kopiao, `to labour' is a word much used by the apostle. He employs it fourteen times in his epistles.

None of the other apostles use the word except John (Rev. 2:3).

Here, within the compass of eighteen verses, we have eighteen instances of the usage of words peculiarly

Pauline. Could there be more convincing proof that Luke is a faithful eye-witness, and a trustworthy historian?

We now return to the opening of the apostle's message to the elders of Ephesus:

`Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving

the Lord with all humility of mind' (Acts 20:18,19).

While we might have expected that the apostle would have put foremost the preaching of Christ or doctrinal

purity, we observe that he speaks first of his own personal integrity. To this aspect of the subject he returns in

verses 33-35. His reason for reminding his hearers of his unselfishness and lowliness may have been that as he was

about to leave them and enter another phase of ministry, he would have them realize that he was not following this

course out of self-seeking. Indeed, he said later, `I count not my life dear unto myself', and he would inculcate in

these believers the self-same spirit, making them willing, though sorrowful, that the Lord's service should deprive

them of his presence. From beginning to end of his ministry the apostle was able, with a good conscience, to bring

together his `doctrine' and his `manner of life'.

After this reminder, the apostle passed on to the outer circumstances in which he had triumphed by grace:

`And with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews' (Acts 20:19).

The western mind regards weeping as a sign of weakness, but Paul was eastern in this respect, and once more in

this address he appeals to his tears saying:

`Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day

with tears' (Acts 20:31).

When the apostle felt obliged to write the stern letter he did to the Corinthians, he said:

`For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved,

but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you' (2 Cor. 2:4).

There could be no doubt, suggested the apostle, of his unselfishness and the intensity of his concern for all who

came under his ministry. From the commencement of that ministry the Jews had been his enemy, had stirred up

opposition, and had laid wait for him, plotting against his life. This is recorded in Acts 9:23, and Acts 23:12 gives

the account of a further plot. Again, in Acts 13, 14, 17, 18, 19 and 20, we read of Jews following the apostle from

one city to another stirring up opposition, but there is no record of his meeting with such antagonism in Asia itself.

The apostle appeals to what was common knowledge among his hearers, though not recorded in detail by Luke. In

the same way, Paul speaks of scourgings, beatings, shipwrecks, prisons, and many perils when writing to

the Corinthians (2 Cor. 11:23-28), but we should have remained in ignorance of these many sufferings had not the

apostle become `a fool' in boasting.

`I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you' (Acts 20:20).

Hupostello, `to keep back', is a word used for the reefing of a sail (Pind. 1. 2. 60), and the apostle uses it as a

man of keen perception, possessed of a ready use and appreciation of language, as an intimate study of his writings

reveals. He had possibly heard the word in use during his voyages, and, with the ministry of the word ever in mind,

he seized upon its applicability to his own attitude in the case in point. He had not `lowered sail', but with every

stitch of canvas set he had fulfilled his ministry of the Word and Gospel. He did not however make the unqualified

claim that he had `kept back nothing', but added the words, `that was profitable for you'. He had but recently

written the Epistle to the Corinthians, where he plainly says that he had, of purpose, `kept back' certain doctrines