THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Monday, March 19 . Acts 20 : 1 - 7 .
against the demands of nature, but at last ' was overcome. Deep sleep bore him down and he fell Out of the window in which he was, sitting. When they reached him and took him up he was dead. That is the way the story reads, and it is useless to try to make it read some other way and say he appeared to be dead. The inspired writer says he was “taken up dead." Paul hur ried down, and like Elijah and Elisha of old, stretched his own body full of life and power upon the dead body of the young man, He soon felt the return of life and motion to that lifeless body. He bade the noisy mourners cease their lamen tations, for his life was in him. Another is added to the not very long list of those who wére brought back from thè dead. It is past midnight and there has been almost a tragedy, but the bread is broken and Paul continues his discourse to the break of dayr and then goes on his journey. How he puts us to shame with our self- sparing methods of service. Wednesday, March 21 . ; Acts 20 : 13 - 16 . Why Paul went “by land” (R.V., not necessarily “afoot”) to AssoS while his travelling companions went by boat, we are riot told. Luke probably knew, but as neither he nor the Holy Spirit have been pleased to tell us, it is probably vain for us to try to guess. It was a distance of twenty miles from Troas to Assor, and there Paul rejoined his friends and went into the ship with them. Though Paul passed near Ephesus, the scene of such eventful and fruitful years of his life, he determined not to visit ii at this time, though he anticipated that it was the last time he should be in that vicinity (v. 25). Something would almost certainly arise to occasion delay if he ventured to go to Ephesus, and he was determined if possible to be at. Jerusalem on the day of Pente cost, about which so many hallowed riiem- ories clustered, and where he would be able to meet so many Christians from dif ferent places. Many hallowed memories clustered about the day of Pentecost in
Paul’s long sojourn in Ephesus is at an end. He is again on the tramp. He goes through Macedonia, the scene of former hard but victorious experiences, and on into Greece. There he spent three months, His implacable foes, his own countrymen, again conspire against his life, and he returns to Macedonia. We are told nothing of his stay in Philippi at this time, though it must have been full of interest. Luke, thè writer of the record, rejoined Paul at Philippi. A week is spent in Troas. It is evident from the account that the first day of the week had come to be observed by Christians as a special day in com memoration of Jesus’ resurrection. Indeed, Jesus Himself, at the very time of the resurrection and the days immediately fol lowing it had signified it by especial revela tions of Himself to the apostolic company. The disciples came together on this day to break bread, to partake of the Lord’s supper. It is often said that as Jewish days began at sunset this was in reality Satur day evening, and on the next day, which was Sunday, Paul took a long journey, but it is not at all clear that the Jewish custom of working days was observed. Furthermore, it is not said or hinted that the gathering began after sunset. It may have well been in the afternoon of Sunday, and the gathering prolonged to evening and then to midnight, and then to break of day. This was very natural, as Paul was taking leave from them. Such pro longation of gatherings of earnest souls from afternoon to evening and to midnight and to break of day, have often occurred since. So the argument that Paul took a long journey on the first day of the week
goes utterly to pieces. Tuesday, March 20 . Acts 20 : 8 - 12 .
Paul had much to say and his discourse was long. At a later day, when recording the incident, Luke vividly recalled the scene and “the many lights” in the room. Eutychus, a young man present, struggled
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