7 On the first day of the week , when we were gathered together to break bread , Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day , and he prolonged his message until midnight . 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together . 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill , sinking into a deep sleep ; and as Paul kept on talking , he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead . 10 But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said , "Do not be troubled , for his life is in him." 11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten , he talked with them a long while until daybreak , and then left . 12 They took away the boy alive , and were greatly e comforted .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 20:7-12
Commentary on Acts 20:7-12
(Read Acts 20:7-12)
Though the disciples read, and meditated, and prayed, and sung apart, and thereby kept up communion with God, yet they came together to worship God, and so kept up their communion with one another. They came together on the first day of the week, the Lord's day. It is to be religiously observed by all disciples of Christ. In the breaking of the bread, not only the breaking of Christ's body for us, to be a sacrifice for our sins, is remembered, but the breaking of Christ's body to us, to be food and a feast for our souls, is signified. In the early times it was the custom to receive the Lord's supper every Lord's day, thus celebrating the memorial of Christ's death. In this assembly Paul preached. The preaching of the gospel ought to go with the sacraments. They were willing to hear, he saw they were so, and continued his speech till midnight. Sleeping when hearing the word, is an evil thing, a sign of low esteem of the word of God. We must do what we can to prevent being sleepy; not put ourselves to sleep, but get our hearts affected with the word we hear, so as to drive sleep far away. Infirmity requires tenderness; but contempt requires severity. It interrupted the apostle's preaching; but was made to confirm his preaching. Eutychus was brought to life again. And as they knew not when they should have Paul's company again, they made the best use of it they could, and reckoned a night's sleep well lost for that purpose. How seldom are hours of repose broken for the purposes of devotion! but how often for mere amusement or sinful revelry! So hard is it for spiritual life to thrive in the heart of man! so naturally do carnal practices flourish there!