Miletus, in modern-day Turkey, boasts an impressive 15,000-seater theatre. As recorded in Acts 20, it was here that Paul met with fellow church leaders from Ephesus. After an emotional last speech as a free man, Paul knelt and wept with the elders as they prayed together. From here Paul would set sail to Jerusalem.
From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. Acts 20.17
Remains of the Miletus that the Apostle Paul saw can still be admired today, above all a theatre dating back to the fourth century BC, built around the time of Alexander the Great’s conquests. The Romans enlarged the Greek theatre, increasing its capacity from around 5,000 to 25,000 seats.
When the elders of the Christian fellowship in Ephesus arrived in Miletus, Paul warned them about false teachers dividing the church. We know from history and from the New Testament itself that early Christianity was not without its problems. Read Paul’s letters, for example, and you soon get a feel for tensions arising among believers, for example regarding their relationship to Judaism and the Mosaic Law.
All the more so, Paul urged the Ephesian elders to watch over their flock and live lives worthy of Christ. The elders, meanwhile, were grief-stricken at the prospect of never seeing the great apostle again.
‘In thinking back on the days of Easy Company, I’m treasuring my remark to a grandson who asked, “Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?”
‘“No,” I answered, “but I served in a company of heroes.”’ (Mike Ranney, Band of Brothers)
These words reflect what the ordinary men of Easy Company found when serving together; a closeness, a brotherhood, and a selflessness that made them willing to die for the man next to them.
Jesus had called Paul personally to the Gentiles and that call kept Paul going even when he was imprisoned, shipwrecked, and whipped to the point of near-death. Paul was also kept going by the deep friendships he made along the way with those who shared in the mission.
What else could explain a 150-kilometre round trip of the Ephesian elders all the way to Miletus when Paul sent for them? There they listened, wept, and grieved at him saying they’d never see his face again. These are not words of a CEO to his employees but of a brother to his family. In a world of shallow relationships, may we long for such relational depth, and may we always care and lift one another up on this mission.
Read on, to find out more about Paul’s teachings on Christian love and service.
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