Acts 20: The Paradoxes of Paul

Read Acts 20

This passage more than any other reveals the emotional side of the apostle Paul. As such, it is probably the passage most reflective of Paul the man. In Paul I find man filled with paradoxes. I will just list a couple that I think helpful.

Passion and Compassion. Here we find a man so passionate about his mission that he is not willing to stop over in Ephesus to visit the church there because it would delay his mission (Acts 20:16). But at the same time he sends word to the elders of Ephesus to meet him at Miletus, and there bears his heart to them. He is man torn between the glory of his mission and his love for the people of the church. Nothing would deter him from moving forward in his mission, though he knew it would lead to his death (Acts 20:25; 21:13). He was willing to proclaim “anything that was profitable”(Acts 20:20), would not “shrink from declaring . . . the whole counsel of God,” and did not account his life of “any value” for the sake of the gospel (Acts 20:24). But his passion was not just for a cause. Paul also taught and admonished “with tears”(Acts 20:19, 31). He was broken for people and their salvation. In other words, he was not merely passionate for the mission of Christ to go forward, he was also filled with compassion for the people to which he spoke. Thus, in Paul I think we see true passion for Christ. The zeal that drives us to proclaim Christ must be saturated with a compassion for the people to whom we speak. If there is no compassion, then there probably is no passion. At least, there is no passion for Christ. There is merely passion for our own self-aggrandizement, a passion to be right, or a passion to appear righteous.

Boldness and Humility. In the most hostile environments, Paul would not shrink from proclaiming the whole counsel of God. We must remember that proclaiming the kingdom of God got the first leader of Christianity, Jesus, murdered, which was an event that happened in Paul’s lifetime. Paul knew that when he spoke his message would be despised by many and could very well result in his own murder. Yet so bold was Paul, his presence was apparently all that was needed to keep the “fierce wolves” at bay (Acts 20:29). As unintimidating as his physical presence was, he caused fear in his opponents. Paul was a man’s man. He was the little wirey guy that would stare down the biggest, ugliest thug without flinching and make him cry. Nevertheless, Paul served the church “with all humility and with tears”(Acts 20:19). He wasn’t just feared; he was deeply loved (20:36-38). So what makes a bold guy so meek? I think the very thing that made him bold made him humble. In think the key verse is Acts 20:24. He knew his purpose. Men who know their reason for existence are fiercely bold. They don’t need high approval ratings. Paul knew that he existed to testify to the gospel, period. Nothing less and nothing more. No additional value was attached to his life. In preaching Christ, his life fulfilled the only meaning that it had. To not preach Christ would save his life, but then it would be a life not worth living. This mentality results not only in boldness but also humility, for his value lies only in his message. Paul wasn’t concerned whether people loved Paul but whether they loved Christ. All the value went to Christ leaving nothing left over for Paul. The most humble people are always the most bold. Those who account no value to their life except that of their mission are always the most tenacious when it comes to their mission. And those who are mindful of their own value are the most cowardly when it comes to the mission.