charles osewalt's blog

from yesterday’s Acts study,

two questions today (May 31) please consider how to answer them ( both together) after reviewing today’s passage also from Acts 20 below) … consider yesterday’s Acts’ reflection in Paul’s talking v Paul’s holding… my thoughts will be posted on Sunday, 31 May  

Today, no thoughts, only questions that desire to ‘hold’ 

Before we can conclude, answer, probe any questions, here are some thoughts on how questions, essential, thoughtful questions can hold.’

I read the word systemically. In the early morning a book fm the Old Testament; ( presently Jeremiah ); in the evening a book from the New Testament ( presently 2 Corinthians ) and the Psalm of the day. ( presently I am at the 61st Psalm- and I will repeat this Psalm on Monday 1 June; Tuesday will be the 62nd Psalm )

In the midst of reading I pray ‘ Lord show me your living.’

The word lives and as a living being must be seen and felt; engaged. Loved and loved by, the, His word.

As I pray, I ask, ‘speak.’ And He speaks through how His word, His flesh, connects – images and words; events and people; connections and questions, essential questions He raises in my heart, my mind.

Thus, yesterday’s questions.

essential question 1: why didn’t Paul with his companions travel to the city of Ephesus …? ( besides being in a hurry)
eq 2: how is Paul held by the Ephesian elders? How is it/was it similar to how he held Eutychus at Troas ? What does such ‘holding’ speak of, mean?

my answers, after prayerful questioning, pausing, asking…

1. Paul does not travel to Ephesus,at this time, because he was being held by another people, another city, another image: Jerusalem. He wanted, desired to be held by his spiritual home, parent. Held by both his past and present.

2. The Elders of Ephesus come out of their city to Paul – to pray, kneel, hold and cry with him. They are holding him as all those who can ever hold; who can ever love.

They hold Paul as a new born. They hold to give life, as Paul held Eutychus: their touch brings life. This is what Paul covets, a life well held, a life well examined.

And this is what, as I question the living word brings to me: life, daily life.

The text – my life- ( Acts 20 with my questions follow) from yesterday follows.

‘We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.”

essential question 1: why didn’t Paul with his companions travel to the city of Ephesus …? ( besides being in a hurry)
eq 2: how is Paul held by the Ephesian elders? How is it/was it similar to how he held Eutychus at Troas ? What does such ‘holding’ speak of, mean?

Holding means life. Life.

two questions today- please consider how to answer them ( both together) after reviewing today’s passage also from Acts 20 below) … consider yesterday’s Acts’ reflection on Paul’s talking v Paul’s holding… my thoughts will be posted on Sunday, 31 May

Today, no thoughts, only questions that desire to ‘hold’

essential question 1: why didn’t Paul with his companions travel to the city of Ephesus …? ( besides being in a hurry)
eq 2: how is Paul held by the Ephesian elders? How is it/was it similar to how he held Eutychus at Troas ? What does such ‘holding’ speak of, mean?

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders from Acts 20:13

“We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.”

Acts 20… ‘as Paul talked on and on’

as I have grown older, as I have walked 40 years with Priscilla, I am learning to talk less, much less, and listen,

Listen to hear Him,

more, and more of Him, more.

I don’t want to be a ‘Paul,’ – who was quite ‘quiet’ in Ephesus, in the theatre and the town’s marketplace. The quiet Paul of Ephesus speaks much after, the first day at Troas …

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “

Eutychus is made whole, alive, by Paul’s arms, not by words

As I get older, I need more arms, less words; more coverings, more holds.

I need the Paul in my life to hold, not talk. And I am then …

held,. I am then hear into life.

Why does Paul journey? How does he journey?

David, in Psalm 57, (4-8) sings of Paul’s journey, he sings of his, David’s own entombment in a cave pursued by Saul, … he sings

‘I am in the midst of lions
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!’

And David closes verse 8 with ‘ I will awaken the dawn.’

David’s night in a cave, in darkness, without physical companions, sings to his own soul and spirit. He encourages himself with the only companions he raced to a shelter with: his musical instruments- his harp, his lure. His words. His songs. Paul, in David’s footsteps, has people as his lyres and harps, his choir….

from Acts 20, the magnificent 7

after the uproar, Paul decides to continue on his journeys. What is his purpose?

verse 2 tells of his …. “speaking many words of encouragement”

Acts 20 speaks of Paul

‘When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas….’

Paul has seven men with him.

“He was accompanied by Sopater ..,Aristarchus and Secundus … Gaius, …Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus …’

Saul, who becomes Paul after Barnabas’ encouragements, is now the encourager. Changed, he speaks; he is followed; he is ‘accompanied’.

Paul, in need of companions, is blessed by these 7 men. In need of campions, he both accompanies and is a ‘companied.’

Encouraged by Barnabas, Paul begins to encourage. This is his journey; this is ours.

Encourage another now; today. Encourage.

Ephesus, part 4, from Acts 19 with a focus on verse 15

“One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” NIV

When Tim Keller speaks about ‘knowing God,’ this passage calls to my heart. In Tim’s analogy, one can know about honey, can read about it, can have another person share on how it tastes, but without experiencing it yourself, you can never ever know honey. One can know about honey by without tasting, bout one can’t know honey.

And the evil spirit that speaks here in Acts 19 knows, truly knows, Jesus. The Jewish exorcists don’t.

‘And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;’

14 and there were certain — seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest — who are doing this thing;

15 and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye — who are ye?’

16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

17 and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified, many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

19 and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] five myriads of silverlings;

20 so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.’

“five myriads of silverlings;” translates into 137 years. This is what the Ephesian people burn: the life they burn.

we can know about honey; about love; about a new job we are just beginning, but to know to really know God we have to experience Him as honey; as love; as He himself.

We can and we must know him. Know, and love. Love and know.

Ephesus, part 3 from Acts 19, ‘power’

Idol worship was always an essential part of life in Ephesus. Face with the word, the truth, and the Spirits power, there is a change…

‘God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[c] 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.‘

The word grows; in power, in life, in real, permanent change. Power in the blood; the word and Jesus’ name.

“Jesus, son of the living Hod, have mercy on me, your dinner.”

Ephesus, part 2…Acts 19; Revelation 2; 3-5; 1John 5: 18-21

Paul loved cities; he especially loved Ephesus. And even more than the city, he deeply felt and loved the people of Ephesus. He walked through the interiors of the countrysides to get into Ephesus; he spent two continuous years teaching there; and this city was Paul’s last stop before his travel to Jerusalem, ( Acts 21 ) where he was to be arrested and sent onto Rome. By all this …

Was Ephesus Paul’s first love?

I do not know the answer Paul would have. But the Ephesians were loved and after hearing Paul, they loved others through their words and actions. We see this in Revelation 2.

And yet, as John tells us in his revelation writings, we also see them …

‘3Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name. 4But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. 5Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.…’

How, can anyone truly leave a ‘first love.’

Songs, books, films, pens are all made honouring that first love. All messages from these media are the same, ‘no one ever leaves, ever forgets, a ‘first love.’.

For better ( and mostly worst ) this love, this memory, stays with us. We can never leave it. But-

Ephesus did. And look at how Paul loved and loved them..,

Paul in Ephesus

Acts 19 ‘While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul…”

Paul journeyed to them and sat with them; he ate with them and argued with them. He laid holy hands and miracles on, with them. He loved.

Yes, in the greatest miracle: Paul loved them; his Christ inspired love then taught all of Ephesus how to love. And they did for awhile but then forgot.

from Revelation 2

‘3Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name. 4But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. 5Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.…’

Berean Study Bible

How did this forgetting begin? How was such a love ‘abandoned’? John in his letter we call 1 John, written to the Ephesians offers a clue in its last few, and especially it last verse,

1 John 5

18 ‘We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.’

John worries about the Ephesians. He sees them possibly turning to din and, then, seemingly out of the blue, to idols.

Only another loves, a seemingly deep deep love, can replace a first love, a ‘one and only.’ Only another can replace a ‘one’.

John’s solution: memory.this is our solution.

we just must feel and remember to love again – and again …a first the One and Only, Jesus.

Dearest, love

‘Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus’ .(24) Acts 18

Ephesus …

the apostle Paul loved the city of Ephesus… he loved it so that he promised to return to there, if the return journey was ‘God’s will’

Where are you journeying to this morn, Thursday, Friday …? All journeys are returns. A return to a past moment, a place, a person. A love

Come, go then, consider ….returning to your love, a first love

an Ephesus….

‘Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.’

Apollos’ past is also a future; his own and Paul’s; Ephesus’ and Priscilla and Aquila’s.

His life, Jesus.

Jesus, his Messiah, …Ephesus

Footnotes:

Acts 18:25 Or with fervor in the Spirit

Psalm 63

A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.

‘You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.’

Tears are my only waters, my tears are streams that channel into my desert heart

‘I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live
and in your name I will lift…’

…I lift my heart’s hands, both left and right, to. With, for your name

On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.

‘up my hands, I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods,
with singing lips, my mouth will praise you’.

From my lips I sing my heart, my heart, to you

and from Psalm 46 is a

…a song. ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.’

Our Lord, my God is within my heart, His city, and my tears stream from my heart, to Him.

tears are my prayers; deserts are watered, hearts soften, patch throats quenched

loved