Acts 20:26

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. Acts 20:26

Paul had just noted that he knew that those he was talking to would see his face no more. Now, and because of this, he next says, “Therefore.”

He is basing his words on what he will say next. It is a way of calling attention to the main point: this, this, therefore, this. With that stated to alert them to the importance of his coming words, he next adds in a note of solemn assurance, saying, “I testify to you this day.”

In other words, “What I am about to say is the truth. It is fully supportable by what I have already laid out before you. So, please take my words to heart.” With that in mind, he next says, “that I am innocent of the blood of all men.”

The Greek word katharos, or pure, is use d. Paul is saying that he remains undefiled before God concerning the blood of those he encountered. However, this is not speaking of literal blood. Rather, the blood is the life of a man. For example, when it says that Jesus shed His blood, it means that He died. Understanding this terminology, Paul’s words form an expression similar in thought to what he said in Acts 18 –

“When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’” Acts 18:5, 6

Paul had shared the message of God in Christ. He had explained to the Jews that this is God’s means of salvation, and they had rejected it. He was not guilty of withholding the message, and therefore, he was purre from the defilement of their blood. This is an expression that goes back to the book of Ezekiel –

Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.” Ezekiel 3:16-21

Ezekiel was to warn the people about their spiritual state. If they failed to turn from the words of the Lord through Ezekiel, their blood would be on their own heads. However, if Ezekiel failed to warn the people as the Lord required, the blame for their condition would be laid upon Ezekiel. Paul was using this example before those of Ephesus to let them know he had faithfully discharged his duties in regard to the spiritual condition of those he encountered.

Again, this is also not unlike what Samuel said to the people of Israel. He set before them a challenge to accuse him of wrongdoing. In doing this, he was demonstrating that no person had a valid case against him later, blaming him for what would come about when a king was appointed over the people –

“Now Samuel said to all Israel: ‘Indeed I have heeded your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now here is the king, walking before you; and I am old and grayheaded, and look, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.’” 1 Samuel 12:1-3

Again, understanding that this is not referring to literal blood, Paul’s conduct in Acts 7 has nothing to do with what is stated here. He was present at the death of Stephen. But Stephen was a saved believer in Christ. Therefore, the death of Stephen cannot be equated to what Paul is now speaking about.

Albert Barnes adds a note of eloquence to this verse: “...Greek: I call you to witness. If any of you are lost; if you prove unfaithful to God, I appeal to yourselves that the fault is not mine. It is well when a minister can make this appeal, and call his hearers to bear testimony to his own faithfulness. Ministers who preach the gospel with fidelity may thus appeal to their hearers; and in the day of judgment may call on themselves to witness that the fault of the ruin of the soul is not to be charged to them.”

The sentiment of this verse is seen in James 3:1 and in Hebrews 13:17. Take time to look up those verses and think about what is said there.

Life application: It is a very common thing to hear people today claim they are “watchmen” or “watchmen on the wall,” as if they have a special commission from the Lord or that they have personally taken on a burden that others don’t carry. Inevitably, they equate their words to being specialists in Bible prophecy and that they are watching as prophetic events unfold, carefully monitoring the world so they can alert God’s people to be aware of what is happening or soon to happen.

This is nonsense. There is no office of prophetic watchman detailed in Scripture. The idea of the watchman, as clearly indicated in Ezekiel, was that Ezekiel was designated to warn the people about their spiritual conduct before God. Paul, using this same type of argument but avoiding the “watchmen” terminology, notes that he had carefully told all he encountered about the way to be saved, meaning through Jesus Christ.

People who claim to be watchmen today need to drop the fancy titles and get about the business of sharing the gospel, warning those they encounter that they cannot be reconciled to God without Jesus. This would at least be in line with what the title “watchman” terminology in Ezekiel was given for. But, again, there is no need for the title. It is not something assigned to a class of people in the New Testament. Therefore, it is a title without merit in the church today.

Lord God, may we not get caught up in things that do not edify, and may we stay away from the sensational in our walk with You. Rather, may we quietly, obediently, and effectively share the gospel with others so that their eyes will be opened, and their hearts will be receptive to the words of life and restoration that You have given to us. Help us in this, O God. Amen.