Acts 20:32

Commend - To praise.

Grace - Kindness; favor.

I commend you to God - Instead of τῳ Θεῳ, to God, several MSS. have τῳ Κυριῳ, to the Lord; neither reading makes any difference in the sense.

And to the word of his grace - The doctrine of salvation by Christ Jesus.

Which is able to build you up - The foundation is Jesus Christ; God is the great master-builder; the doctrine of his grace, or mercy, points out the order and manner, as well as the extent, etc., of this building. Let us observe the order of these things: -

1. The soul of man, which was formerly the habitation of God, is now in a state of ruin.

2. The ruins of this soul must be repaired, that it may again become a habitation of God through the Spirit.

3. Jesus Christ is the only foundation on which this house can be rebuilded.

4. The doctrine of God's grace is the model, or plan, according to which the building can be raised.

5. When re-edified, each is to be a lively temple of the Lord, made inwardly pure and outwardly righteous, and thus prepared for a state of bliss.

6. Being made children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, and sanctified by his Spirit, they have a right to the heavenly inheritance; for only the children of the family can possess the celestial estate.

Thus we find they must be saved by grace, and be made thereby children of God; be sanctified by his Spirit; and, then, being prepared for, they are removed, in due time, into the heavenly inheritance.

And now, brethren - About to leave them, probably to see them no more, he committed them to the faithful care and keeping of God Amidst all the dangers of the church, when human strength fails or is withdrawn, we may commit that church to the safe keeping and tender care of God.

I commend you - I commit you; I place you παρατίθεμαι paratithemai in his hands and under his protection. See the notes on Acts 14:23.

And to the word of his grace - That is, to his gracious word; to his merciful promise. Paul refers, doubtless, to the gospel, including its promises of support, its consoling truths, and its directions to seek all needful help and comfort in God.

Which is able - Which has power. Τῷ δυναμένῳ Tō dunamenō. Which word, or gospel, has power to build you up, Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is quick (living, life-giving, ζῶν zōn), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, etc." Compare Isaiah 49:2; Jeremiah 23:29, "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" It is implied here that the gospel is not a dead letter; that it has power to accomplish a great work; that it is adapted to the end in view, the conversion and sanctification of the soul. There is no danger in representing the gospel as mighty, and as suited by infinite wisdom to secure the renovation and salvation of man. Compare Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 10:4.

To build you up - The word used here is properly applied to a house which is raised and completed by slow degrees, and by toil. It here means to establish, make firm, or permanent, and hence, to instruct, to establish in doctrine and in hope. The idea is, that the Word of God was able to confirm and establish them, amidst the dangers to which they would be exposed.

And to give you an inheritance - To make you heirs, or to make you joint partakers with the saints of the blessings in reserve for the children of God. Those blessings are often represented as an inheritance, or heirship, which God will confer on his adopted children, Matthew 19:29; Matthew 25:34; Mark 10:17; Hebrews 6:12; Revelation 21:7; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 1:12; Colossians 3:24; Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29.

Among all them which are sanctified - With all who are holy; with an the saints. See the notes on John 10:36. Those who shall be saved are made holy. They who receive a part in the inheritance beyond the grave will have it only among the sanctified and the pure. They must, therefore, be pure themselves, or they can have no part in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

20:32 The word of his grace - It is the grand channel of it, to believers as well as unbelievers. Who is able to build you up - To confirm and increase your faith, love, holiness. God can thus build us up, without any instrument. But he does build us up by them. O beware of dreaming that you have less need of human teachers after you know Christ than before! And to give you an inheritance - Of eternal glory, among them that are sanctified - And so made meet for it. A large number of these Paul doubtless knew, and remembered before God.