Acts 20:17-38 is Paul's farewell speech to the presbyters (elders) of Ephesus. The discourse proper (18b-35) is prepared for and concluded by narrative elements in 17-18a and 36-38 respectively. The discourse itself can be divided into the following parts:
- 18b-21. The captatio where the speaker invites the interest of the listeners to the speech by appealing to the common memories that bind them to the speaker;
- 22-24. The reason for the departure is given.
- 25-31. The last will and testament of the speaker. This is the heart of the farewell speech.
- 32-35. Final words of commendation.
The expression "And now..." (22.25.32) mark the divisions of the discourse. References to the "Lord" (19. 21. 24. 32. 35), the Holy Spirit (22.23.28) tie up the discourse, with the expression "of the grace of God/(of the Lord)" (24. 32) acting as a frame containing verses 25-31.
The purpose of the Farewell Discourse is to set up a founder of a community as an example to be imitated. In this speech then, 18b-24 on the one hand and 32-35 on the other, contain descriptions of Paul as the servant of the Lord (19), who does not hold back anything in the proclamation of the gospel (20-21.27) and an example of one who does not work for self-gain (33-35). His memory then is the motivation for the imperatives "keep watch" (28) "keep vigil" (31) that structure verses 25-31. "Keep vigil", Paul says "remembering that for three years, I did not cease day and night from admonishing each of you with tears."
The phrases "gospel of the grace of God" and "word of His (the Lord's) grace", as already noted, frame the section that contains the last will and testament of Paul (25-31). The assertion that he is "clean of the blood of all" is a declaration that he will not be answerable for anything evil that will befall the Ephesians, since he has not held anything back in "proclaiming the whole of God's will" to them (27). What happens to the Ephesians after Paul will be the responsibility of his addressees.
The metaphor of the shepherd and the flock is employed to characterize the work of the overseers (Luke uses here the word from which the title "bishop" is derived.) The shepherds are to protect the flock -- here referred to as "Church of God" -- from wolves. In Luke-Acts, "wolves" are meant in two ways: in Luke 10:23 (cf. Matthew 10:16) as those that persecute the believers, and here (20:29) as the heretics that mislead the believer (cf. the sheep in wolves clothing of Matthew 7:15). In John 10:12, "the wolf" is anyone or anything against which the Good Shepherd protects the flock even to the point of laying down his life.
The concern shown here for those men who will arise from within the community of faith so as "to draw disciples behind them" is also found in Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus and in Peter's catholic epistles. In verse 28, Paul gives the main guideline in no uncertain terms:
Keep watch over one another and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has set you as bishops to tend the Church of God which He acquired with His own blood.
The expression "Church of God" is a favorite of Paul (1 Cor. 1:2; 10:32; 11:16. 22;15:9; 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6; 1 Tim. 3:5; 3:15 (C. of the living God). In Acts, this is the only place where the noun "Church" is followed by a genitive of possession. There are some manuscripts which have "Church of the Lord" or "Church of the Lord and of God". "Church of God" is probably more original because it is the harder reading. The reading "Church of the Lord" can be explained by the occurrences of "Lord" in the text and accords well with the following relative clause "which He purchased by His own blood". The reading "Church of the Lord and of God" is a harmonization. I mention this here because it is alleged that in Acts 20:28 the phrase "Church of Christ" appears. This is not supported by the manuscript tradition and appears in a modern translation (of George Lamsa) that is exegetically questionable. [See article "Who is George Lamsa?"]
In Acts, it is the Holy Spirit that directs the evangelizers to move out from Jerusalem to Samaria and to the rest of the world. After the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples in Jerusalem (2:4), it also descends on the Samaritans (8:15.17) and on the Gentiles (10:44.55). It directs Philip's missionary work (8:29.39) and also that of Peter in regard to the Gentiles (10:19). The Spirit asked for Barnabas and Paul (13:2) and sends them outside of Antioch (13:4). The Holy Spirit too helps the decisions made regarding the Gentile Christian in the Council of Jerusalem (15:28) and also forbids that the gospel be preached in certain places (16:6 .7) or compels one that it be preached (18:5). In Paul's farewell speech, the Spirit figures as the one directing the steps of Paul back to Jerusalem (20:22) and is described as the one who appointed bishops over the Church of God. The Holy Spirit is presented not as an impersonal force, but as the director of the work of the evangelists, the one who comforts the persecuted Church (9:31) as well as the intelligence behind the decisions of the Church (cf. 15:28).
The verb for "keep watch" (prosexete) is used by Luke in Jesus' instructions to disciples about the teachings and examples of the scribes and Pharisees (12:1;20:46), about the behavior they have with one another (17:3) and about their own commitment to the way of life Jesus wants them to have (20:46). Here, it characterizes the kind of protection the bishops of the Church are to give each other and the flock from the "wolves" that will arise. It is paired with "keep vigil" (gregoreite) which is employed in the gospels of Mark and Matthew as the imperative for the last days (Mk. 13:35.37; Matthew 24:42;25:13). In Luke-Acts, it is only in this farewell speech that the imperative appears. The verb is associated with insomniacs and characterizes the work of the shepherds who keep awake through the night as they guard the flock.
In the spirit then of farewell discourses, Paul is here asking the presbyters of Ephesus -- those who have been appointed by the Holy Spirit to be bishops of the Church -- be follow the example he has shown them in caring of the flock. It is an example they are to remember, fully aware that the object of their care has been purchased by the Lord.
