Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 20:35
Verse 35. I have showed you all things] The preposition kata is to be understood before panta; and the clause should be read thus-I have showed you IN all things, &c. It is more blessed to give than to receive.] That is, the giver is more happy than the receiver. Where, or on what occasion, our Lord spake these words we know not, as they do not exist in any of the four evangelists.
But that our Lord did speak them, St. Paul's evidence is quite sufficient to prove. The sentiment is worthy of Christ. A truly generous mind, in affluence, rejoices in opportunities to do good, and feels happy in having such opportunities. A man of an independent spirit, when reduced to poverty, finds it a severe trial to be obliged to live on the bounty of another, and feels pain in receiving what the other feels a happiness in communicating. Let, therefore, the man who is able to give feel himself the obliged person, and think how much pain the feeling heart of his supplicant must endure, in being obliged to forego his native independence, in soliciting and receiving the bounty of another. I am not speaking of common beggars; these have got their minds already depraved, and their native independence reduced, by sin and idleness, to servility.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 35. I have showed you all things , etc.] Both as to doctrine and practice, and had set them an example how to behave in every point, and particularly in this: how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak ; the sense of which is, that they should labour with their hands as he did, and so support the weak; either such who were weak in body, and unable to work and help themselves, and therefore should be helped, assisted, relieved, and supported by the labours of others, that were able; or the weak in faith, and take nothing of them, lest they should think the preachers of the word sought only their own worldly advantage, and so they should be stumbled and fall from the truth: and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus ; which the apostle had either collected as the sense of some passages of his, such as ( Luke 6:30,35,38, 14:13,14, Matthew 25:34,35), etc. or which though not recorded in any of the Gospels, the apostle might have received from one or other of the twelve disciples, as what were frequently used by Christ in the days of his flesh; and which the apostle had inculcated among the Ephesians, and now puts them in mind of them, they being worthy of remembrance: how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive : it is more comfortable, honourable, pleasant, and profitable: the giver is in a more comfortable situation, having an abundance, at least a sufficiency, and something to spare; whereas the receiver is often in want and distress, and so uncomfortable: it is an honour to give; an honour is reflected upon the giver, both by the receiver, and others; when to receive is an instance of meanness, and carries in it, among men, some degree of dishonour: it is a pleasure to a liberal man to distribute to the necessities of others; and it cannot be grateful to a man to be in such circumstances, as make it necessary for him to receive from others, and be dependent on them; and great are the advantages and profit which a cheerful giver reaps, both in this world, and that to come: wherefore the conclusion which the apostle would have drawn from hence is, that it is much more eligible for a man to work with his own hands, and support himself, and assist others, than to receive at the hands of others.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 28-38 - If the Holy Ghost has made ministers overseers of the flock, that is shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to their charge. It is the church He has purchased with his own blood. The blood was his as Man yet so close is the union between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put such dignity and worth into it, as to ransom believer from all evil, and purchase all good. Paul spake about their souls with affection and concern. They were full of care what would become of them. Paul directs them to look up to God with faith, and commends the to the word of God's grace, not only as the foundation of their hop and the fountain of their joy, but as the rule of their walking. The most advanced Christians are capable of growing, and will find the wor of grace help their growth. As those cannot be welcome guests to the holy God who are unsanctified; so heaven would be no heaven to them but to all who are born again, and on whom the image of God is renewed it is sure, as almighty power and eternal truth make it so. He recommends himself to them as an example of not caring as to things of the present world; this they would find help forward their comfortabl passage through it. It might seem a hard saying, therefore Paul adds to it a saying of their Master's, which he would have them alway remember; "It is more blessed to give than to receive:" it seems the were words often used to his disciples. The opinion of the children of this world, is contrary to this; they are afraid of giving, unless in hope of getting. Clear gain, is with them the most blessed thing tha can be; but Christ tell us what is more blessed, more excellent. I makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and receives from none and to the Lord Jesus, who went about doing good. This mind was in Christ Jesus, may it be in us also. It is good for friends, when the part, to part with prayer. Those who exhort and pray for one another may have many weeping seasons and painful separations, but they wil meet before the throne of God, to part no more. It was a comfort to all, that the presence of Christ both went with him and stayed with them __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
παντα 3956 A-APN υπεδειξα 5263 5656 V-AAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP οτι 3754 CONJ ουτως 3779 ADV κοπιωντας 2872 5723 V-PAP-APM δει 1163 5904 V-PQI-3S αντιλαμβανεσθαι 482 5738 V-PNN των 3588 T-GPM ασθενουντων 770 5723 V-PAP-GPM μνημονευειν 3421 5721 V-PAN τε 5037 PRT των 3588 T-GPM λογων 3056 N-GPM του 3588 T-GSM κυριου 2962 N-GSM ιησου 2424 N-GSM οτι 3754 CONJ αυτος 846 P-NSM ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S μακαριον 3107 A-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S διδοναι 1325 5721 V-PAN μαλλον 3123 ADV η 2228 PRT λαμβανειν 2983 5721 V-PAN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
35. I have shewed you all things (panta upedeixa umin). The verb means to shew by example. Thus Luke vi. 47, "I will shew you to whom he is like," is followed by the illustration of the man who built upon the rock. So acts ix. 16. God will shew Paul by practical experience how great things he must suffer. The kindred noun uJpodeigma is always rendered example or pattern. See John xiii. 15; Jas. v. 10, etc.; and note on 2 Pet. ii. 6. Rev., correctly, In all things I gave you an example.So. As I have done.
To help (antilambanesqai). See on Luke i. 54.
He said (autov eipe). Rev., more strictly, "he himself said." This saying of Jesus is not recorded by the Evangelists, and was received by Paul from oral tradition.
The speech of Paul to the Ephesian elders "bears impressed on it the mark of Paul's mind: its ideas, its idioms, and even its very words are Pauline; so much so as to lead Alford to observe that we have probably the literal report of the words spoken by Paul. 'It is,' he remarks, 'a treasure-house of words, idioms, and sentences peculiar to the apostle himself"' (Gloag).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
20:35 {I gave you an example} (hupedeixa). First aorist active indicative of hupodeiknumi, old verb to show under one's eyes, to give object lesson, by deed as well as by word (#Lu 6:47). hupodeigma means example (#Joh 13:15; Jas 5:10). So Paul appeals to his example in #1Co 11:1; Php 3:17. panta is accusative plural of general reference (in all things). {So laboring ye ought to help} (houtws kopiwntas dei antilambanesqai). So, as I did. Necessity (dei). Toiling (kopiwntas) not just for ourselves, but to help (antilambanesqai), to take hold yourselves (middle voice) at the other end (anti). this verb common in the old Greek, but in the N.T. only in #Lu 1:54; Ac 20:35; 1Ti 6:2. this noble plea to help the weak is the very spirit of Christ (#1Th 5:14; 1Co 12:28; Ro 5:6; 14:1). In #1Th 5:14 antecesqe twn asqenountwn we have Paul's very idea again. Every Community Chest appeal today re-echoes Paul's plea. {He himself said} (autos eipen). Not in the Gospels, one of the sayings of Jesus in current use that Paul had received and treasured. Various other _Agrapha_ of Jesus have been preserved in ancient writers and some in recently discovered papyri which may be genuine or not. We are grateful that Paul treasured this one. this Beatitude (on makarion see on #Mt 5:3-11) is illustrated by the whole life of Jesus with the Cross as the culmination. Aristotle (Eth. IV. I) has a saying somewhat like this , but assigns the feeling of superiority as the reason (Page), an utterly different idea from that here. this quotation raises the question of how much Paul personally knew of the life and sayings of Jesus.
