Acts 20:36
Verse 36. He kneeled down. The usual attitude of prayer. It is the proper posture of a suppliant. It indicates reverence and humility; and is represented in the Scriptures as the common attitude of devotion, 2Chr 6:13, Dan 6:10, Lk 22:41, Acts 7:60, 9:40, 21:5, Rom 11:4, Php 2:10; Eph 3:14, Mk 1:40. (a) "kneeled down" Acts 21:5.Acts 21:5
Verse 5. Had accomplished those days. When those days were passed. They all brought us on our way. They attended us. Acts 15:3; Rom 15:24; 1Cor 16:6,11; 3Jn 1:6. This was an expression of tender attachment, and of a deep interest in the welfare of Paul and his fellow-travellers. We kneeled down. Acts 20:36. On the shore. Any place may be proper for prayer. Jn 4:21, also Jn 4:22-24. God is everywhere, and can as easily hear the prayer of the humble on the sea-shore as in the most magnificent temple. This is an instance, as well as that in Acts 20:36, where the apostle evidently prayed with the church without a form of prayer. No man can believe that he thus poured forth the desires of his heart at parting, and commended them to God, in a prescribed form of words. Besides that, there is not the least evidence that such a form was then used in the Christian church: scenes like this show more clearly than abstract arguments could do, that such a form was not needed, and would not be used. Paul and his fellow Christians, on the sand of the sea-shore, would pour forth the gushing emotions of their souls in language such as their circumstances would suggest, and such as such a scene would demand. And it is presumed to be impossible that any man can read this narrative in a dispassionate manner without believing that they offered an extempore prayer. (*) "accomplished" "completed" (+) "brought" "conducted" (a) "kneeled" Acts 20:36
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