“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” Acts 20:32.
I do not have a favorite Bible verse. If I did, it might be Acts 20:32. Here is what this verse teaches me.
“I” – Paul has himself in mind as a preacher of the Gospel. Paul was a servant of the word, a minister, an evangelist. Paul endured everything and anything to see that the Gospel got into the hands of anyone who would listen. Paul knew, as he taught in Romans 10:13ff that a person can’t call on the name of the Lord unless someone is sent to preach.
“Commend” – This English word means “to entrust for care or preservation; to recommend as worthy of confidence or notice.” Both sentiments would be true from a preacher’s perspective relative to what Paul says further. He entrusts others to God and His word for care and preservation and he recommends to them both God and His word as worthy of their confidence and notice.
The Greek word is paratithemi and means “to set or put.” The second most frequent translation is “to entrust,” the primary definition of the English word. So, Paul entrusts His audience into the hands of God for care and preservation.
“You” – Paul’s message was focused on other people. He was outward focused. While Bible study is an important use of a preacher’s time, he only does it to share its message and hope and encouragement with others. My role as a preacher is focused on others.
“To God” – God is our Creator and our Sustainer. Everything begins and ends with God. That’s why He is the One into Whose hands I entrust others. When all of life comes and goes, God is still there. Through all the vicissitudes of life, God is still there. That’s why we all need to put our lives, our souls, and our trust in Him.
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“Of His grace” – Grace is the gift of God that we do not deserve. We do not deserve anything. Everything good we have and enjoy is by God’s grace. Here in particular, the grace taught through His word is specifically related to salvation. We do not deserve to be with God in heaven but He will give it to us because He is gracious.
“Which is able to build you up” – The “which” (actually “being able” is a participle) is masculine and refers to the “word” or to God but, again, you can’t separate the two. The message of the Gospel is able to build us up, to encourage us, to build and strengthen our faith, to prepare us for this life and for eternity. That’s why you can’t live life without the word nor make it to heaven without it. How can you learn of God’s grace without the Gospel message? Even without the Old Testament.
“And to give you an inheritance” – The word of the Gospel is also able to give us the inheritance that belongs to Jesus Christ, God’s Son by nature. To us, His brothers and sisters, it is obtained through grace. As the older Son, He may get the double portion, but He will share with us more than what is sufficient for our needs. You may not get much inheritance in earthly terms from your parents but the inheritance from God is out of this world. It is available by submitting to (obeying) the Word of His grace.
“Among those who are sanctified.” Enter Jesus Christ. He did no sin. He was never contaminated by sin. He lived an entirely sanctified life. To emphasize to us that Jesus took our sins on His own body, in 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul says that God made Jesus to be sin for us. That is blunt. But, to emphasize that Jesus Himself was sinless, Paul goes on to say clearly that Jesus knew no sin. But, He became sin for us so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. So we can become sanctified through washing in the pure blood of Christ.
Paul can pack a lot into a little space. That’s why Acts 20:32 might be my favorite verse.
–Paul Holland
