258
The Acts of the Apostles
Accompanying Paul and Luke were “Sopater of Berea; and of the
Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and
Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.” Paul had with him
a large sum of money from the Gentile churches, which he purposed to
place in the hands of the brethren in charge of the work in Judea; and
because of this he made arrangements for these representative brethren
from various contributing churches, to accompany him to Jerusalem.
At Philippi Paul tarried to keep the Passover. Only Luke remained
with him, the other members of the company passing on to Troas to
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await him there. The Philippians were the most loving and truehearted
of the apostle’s converts, and during the eight days of the feast he
enjoyed peaceful and happy communion with them.
Sailing from Philippi, Paul and Luke reached their companions at
Troas five days later, and remained for seven days with the believers
in that place.
Upon the last evening of his stay the brethren “came together to
break bread.” The fact that their beloved teacher was about to depart,
had called together a larger company than usual. They assembled in
an “upper chamber” on the third story. There, in the fervency of his
love and solicitude for them, the apostle preached until midnight.
In one of the open windows sat a youth named Eutychus. In this
perilous position he went to sleep and fell to the court below. At
once all was alarm and confusion. The youth was taken up dead, and
many gathered about him with cries and mourning. But Paul, passing
through the frightened company, embraced him and offered up an
earnest prayer that God would restore the dead to life. His petition was
granted. Above the sound of mourning and lamentation the apostle’s
voice was heard, saying, “Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.”
With rejoicing the believers again assembled in the upper chamber.
They partook of the Communion, and then Paul “talked a long while,
even till break of day.”
The ship on which Paul and his companions were to continue
their journey, was about to sail, and the brethren hastened on board.
The apostle himself, however, chose to take the nearer route by land
between Troas and Assos, meeting his companions at the latter city.
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This gave him a short season for meditation and prayer. The difficulties
and dangers connected with his coming visit to Jerusalem, the attitude
of the church there toward him and his work, as well as the condition