Daily Thoughts from Acts: Paying Our Debt (Acts 20:1-6)

After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.  (Acts 20:1-6 ESV)

Paul had already determined to visit Jerusalem but deemed it wise to leave Ephesus at this time because his presence made it more difficult for the Ephesian church after the riot.  He is heading to the churches in Macedonia and Achaia (Greece) to deal with some issues that have arisen and to finish the collection of money for Jerusalem, then on to deliver the gift to the Jerusalem church.  He travels fairly quickly through Macedonia visiting Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea, then spends three months in Corinth.  He would have sailed from Corinth back home to Antioch but learns of a plot by the Jews to kill him and apparently they are expecting him to sail from Corinth.  So he travels by land instead back up through Macedonia, sailing then from Philippi to Troas on the coast of Asia Minor.

Paul has gathered a team of men to transport the money for Jerusalem.  Men chosen by each church accompany the gift to insure integrity and accountability in handling of the money.  It may also have provided some security against robbery.  The cost of travel for each man likely came out of the gift, but it was better to make sure that there was no question about what was done with the money.  Each church could rest assured that their gift got to Jerusalem.  Notably, Paul is still observing Jewish holy days, in this case Unleavened Bread.  But in Jerusalem he will be accused of forsaking such things.

Paul had a huge vision for the unification of the church, Jews and Gentiles sharing the same salvation in Jesus Christ.  This gift he garnered from mostly Gentile believers in the various churches he had birthed was to be a demonstration to all Jewish believers that their Gentile brothers in Christ stood with them and valued them as the source of their knowledge of the gospel, as the vine which nourished them in the faith.

It seems a large portion of the church today may not recognize this debt owed to the Jewish nation as one through whom all nations have been blessed.  There is confusion, as well, because not all the Jewish nation is united in its recognition of Messiah, many standing outside of the pale of the gospel, and, as Paul remarks in Romans 11, enemies as regards the gospel but as regards election “beloved” (11:28).  We have struggled to maintain this dual perspective.  Indeed, we have struggled to maintain Paul’s grand vision of unity in the church, all but giving up on it.

Lord, help us to play our part in demonstrating our unity with all believers and our debt to Israel in this amazing salvation.