Acts 20 records a conversation that the apostle Paul had with the elders of the Ephesian church. He had sailed past Ephesus in a hurry to get to Jerusalem, and instead landed at Miletus. There he called for the elders to come to him.
Paul had a wonderful relationship with the elders. He had spent a significant amount of time in Ephesus, and no doubt had developed close relationships with these men. This was basically a farewell visit with them. At the end of their meeting after they had prayed together, we are told, “Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship” (37-38).
So, they departed from one another on good terms. These men no doubt were grateful for the work he had done among them, and appreciated his words on this occasion. They were important words. As elders, they were called to diligence in overseeing the church in Ephesus. This diligence would be greatly needed. Paul told them, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (29-30).
These men did not become angry at Paul, as they knew him to be a faithful messenger of God. I would imagine that his warning that men would rise up from among them who would depart from the truth gave them pause and concern. It reminds one of Jesus declaration to his disciples shortly before His betrayal. “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me” (Matthew 26:21). Consider the response of each man, “And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, ‘Lord, is it I?’” (22). I would think the elder’s response would be similar. Faced with the reality that some would begin to teach error causing great suffering, they would ask, “Is it I?”
Paul’s words here are worthy of examination, specifically Acts 20:30, “Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” The word perverse has taken on the meaning of corruption in the English. This is appropriate. What is incorrect, or contrary to good can rightly be termed corrupt or perverse. In the Greek, the word (diastrepho) means to distort or turn aside. So in our text the idea is a turning aside from God’s word, so the message these men are promoting is perverse, corrupt, wicked.
The frightening aspect of this is Paul’s warning these men would come from the group of elders themselves. This teaches us to broaden our focus. It is not only the worldly or the sectarian that might lead us astray. It is very possible that perverse teaching can come from men we hold dear. Men who have a good name. Men who in other times have taught truth, or who continue to receive praise from the deceived. In this there are two things to consider. First, we have to be on guard, and be unwilling to participate in their error. John wrote, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine [the doctrine of Christ], do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11). Too, perverse doctrines may not be easily recognized by all Christians. Paul warned the Colossians, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Paul tells us not to be surprised by such teachers, “…Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
It is important to note these men do not merely condemn themselves. “…there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Peter 2:1-2).
This is a good reason for Paul’s warning in Acts 20. The perverse teaching would “draw away the disciples” (30). Paul made clear in Ephesians 4 that the office of elder was intended to bring edification and guidance to the flock, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (14). One of the qualifications of an elder is an ability through wisdom and a knowledge of the word “to exhort and to convince the gainsayer” (Titus 1:9, KJV). Elders are to, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly” (1 Peter 5:2).
However, God holds each of us personally responsible for our own faith. This is why Luke describe the Bereans as noble. They “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). This is why Jude exhorted the disciples to which he wrote, “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
Don’t listen to the man who says doctrine isn’t important. Don’t listen to the fainthearted who object to the exposure of false teachers, or will not heed the admonition “do not receive him into your house nor greet him” (2 John 10). Our souls are in peril from “savage wolves.” May we all beware!
