Difference between revisions of "Eutychus"

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== American Tract Society Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_15993" /> ==
== Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_55727" /> ==
<p> A young man who was killed at [[Troas]] by falling from the window of a room in the third story, where [[Paul]] was preaching. His life was miraculously restored, Acts 20:6-12 . </p>
<p> (Εὔτυχος) </p> <p> A young man who listened to St. Paul. preaching at [[Troas]] on his final journey to [[Jerusalem]] (&nbsp;Acts 20:7-12). As the [[Apostle]] was leaving the next day, he continued his speech till midnight, evidently in a crowded and overheated upper room where many torches were burning. Eutychus, who was sealed at the window, fell asleep, and, falling down from the third story, was ‘taken up dead ‘(ἤρθη νεκρός). The narrative states that St. Paul went down, embraced the lad, and told the company not to trouble themselves as life was still in him. Then he went upstairs, broke bread, and continued speaking till morning. As they were departing [[Eutychus]] was brought to them alive. </p> <p> Various theories have been put forward to explain or explain away this incident. Some suppose that the youth was only stunned by his fall, and appeared to the spectators to be dead; others that the whole story is unhistorical, and merely intended as a parallel to the narrative of St. Peter’s raising of [[Dorcas]] (&nbsp;Acts 9:36-43), But the narrative leaves little doubt of the intention of the historian to relate a miracle. As Ramsay ( <i> St. Paul the Traveler </i> , p. 291) points out, the passage belongs to the ‘we’ sections of Acts, and Luke, as a medical man, uses precise medical terms, and as an eyewitness certainly means to state that Eutychus it as really dead. The words ἤρθη νεκρός can only bear that significance, otherwise we should have, as in &nbsp;Mark 9:26, ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ‘as one dead.’ There is no doubt that the incident is related as an instance of the power of the Apostle to work miracles, and that the historian believed him to have done so on this occasion. </p> <p> Literature.-W. M. Ramsay, <i> St. Paul the [[Traveller]] </i> , 1895. p. 290; E. Zeller, <i> Acts </i> , Eng. translation, 1875-76, ii. p. 62; H. J. Holtzmann, <i> Hand-Kommentar </i> 2 ‘Die Apostelgesch.,’ 1892, p. 402; R. J. Knowling, <i> Expositor’s Greek [[Testament]] </i> , ‘Acts,’ 1900, p. 424. </p> <p> W. F. Boyd. </p>
          
          
== Easton's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_31318" /> ==
== Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_50833" /> ==
Acts 20:9-121 Kings 17:212 Kings 4:34
<p> <strong> EUTYCHUS </strong> . A young man who fell down from a third storey while sleeping during St. Paul’s sermon at Troas, and was ‘taken up dead’ (&nbsp; Acts 20:9 ). St. Paul fell on him and, embracing him, declared life to be in him. It is not actually said that Eutychus was dead, but that seems at least to have been the general belief. The incident is described in parallel terms with the raising of Dorcas and of Jairus’ daughter. </p> <p> A. J. Maclean. </p>
          
          
== Fausset's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_35286" /> ==
== Fausset's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_35286" /> ==
<p> Acts 20:9. A youth who sat in a window and, falling asleep during Paul's long and late discourse, fell from the third story, and was restored to life by the apostle, who fell on the dead body and embraced it, as [[Elijah]] of old (1 Kings 17:21), and [[Elisha]] (2 Kings 4:34). </p>
<p> &nbsp;Acts 20:9. A youth who sat in a window and, falling asleep during Paul's long and late discourse, fell from the third story, and was restored to life by the apostle, who fell on the dead body and embraced it, as [[Elijah]] of old (&nbsp;1 Kings 17:21), and [[Elisha]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 4:34). </p>
          
          
== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_39948" /> ==
== Smith's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_72511" /> ==
Acts 20:9-10
<p> '''Eu'tychus.''' ''(Fortunate).'' A youth at Troas, &nbsp;Acts 20:9, who sitting in a window, and having fallen asleep while St. Paul was discoursing, fell from the third story, and being taken up dead, was miraculously restored to life by the apostle. </p>
          
          
== Hitchcock's Bible Names <ref name="term_45491" /> ==
== American Tract Society Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_15993" /> ==
 
<p> A young man who was killed at Troas by falling from the window of a room in the third story, where Paul was preaching. His life was miraculously restored, &nbsp;Acts 20:6-12 . </p>
          
          
== Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_50833" /> ==
== Morrish Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_65847" /> ==
<p> <strong> EUTYCHUS </strong> . A young man who fell down from a third storey while sleeping during St. Paul’s sermon at Troas, and was ‘taken up dead’ ( Acts 20:9 ). St. [[Paul]] fell on him and, embracing him, declared life to be in him. It is not actually said that [[Eutychus]] was dead, but that seems at least to have been the general belief. The incident is described in parallel terms with the raising of [[Dorcas]] and of Jairus’ daughter. </p> <p> A. J. Maclean. </p>
<p> The young man who when Paul was preaching fell, while asleep, from the third floor, and was restored to life by the apostle. &nbsp;Acts 20:9 . </p>
          
          
== Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_55727" /> ==
== Easton's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_31318" /> ==
<p> (Εὔτυχος) </p> <p> A young man who listened to St. Paul. preaching at [[Troas]] on his final journey to [[Jerusalem]] (Acts 20:7-12). As the [[Apostle]] was leaving the next day, he continued his speech till midnight, evidently in a crowded and overheated upper room where many torches were burning. Eutychus, who was sealed at the window, fell asleep, and, falling down from the third story, was ‘taken up dead ‘(ἤρθη νεκρός). The narrative states that St. [[Paul]] went down, embraced the lad, and told the company not to trouble themselves as life was still in him. Then he went upstairs, broke bread, and continued speaking till morning. As they were departing [[Eutychus]] was brought to them alive. </p> <p> [[Various]] theories have been put forward to explain or explain away this incident. Some suppose that the youth was only stunned by his fall, and appeared to the spectators to be dead; others that the whole story is unhistorical, and merely intended as a parallel to the narrative of St. Peter’s raising of [[Dorcas]] (Acts 9:36-43), But the narrative leaves little doubt of the intention of the historian to relate a miracle. As Ramsay ( <i> St. Paul the [[Traveler]] </i> , p. 291) points out, the passage belongs to the ‘we’ sections of Acts, and Luke, as a medical man, uses precise medical terms, and as an eyewitness certainly means to state that Eutychus it as really dead. The words ἤρθη νεκρός can only bear that significance, otherwise we should have, as in Mark 9:26, ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ‘as one dead.’ There is no doubt that the incident is related as an instance of the power of the Apostle to work miracles, and that the historian believed him to have done so on this occasion. </p> <p> Literature.-W. M. Ramsay, <i> St. Paul the [[Traveller]] </i> , 1895. p. 290; E. Zeller, <i> Acts </i> , Eng. translation, 1875-76, ii. p. 62; H. J. Holtzmann, <i> Hand-Kommentar </i> 2 ‘Die Apostelgesch.,’ 1892, p. 402; R. J. Knowling, <i> Expositor’s [[Greek]] [[Testament]] </i> , ‘Acts,’ 1900, p. 424. </p> <p> W. F. Boyd. </p>
&nbsp;Acts 20:9-12&nbsp;1 Kings 17:21&nbsp;2 Kings 4:34
          
          
== Morrish Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_65847" /> ==
== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_39948" /> ==
<p> The young man who when [[Paul]] was preaching fell, while asleep, from the third floor, and was restored to life by the apostle. Acts 20:9 . </p>
&nbsp;Acts 20:9-10
          
          
== Smith's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_72511" /> ==
== Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_39460" /> ==
<p> Eu'tychus. (fortunate). A youth at Troas, Acts 20:9, who sitting in a window, and having fallen asleep while St. [[Paul]] was discoursing, fell from the third story, and being taken up dead, was miraculously restored to life by the apostle. </p>
<p> ( '''''Εὔτυχος''''' , ''Of Good Fortune,'' a frequent name; see Josephus, Ant. 18:6, 5; 19:4, 4), a young man of Troas, who sat in the open window of the third floor while Paul was preaching late in the night, and who, being overcome by sleep, fell out into the court below, May, A.D. 55. He was "taken up dead" ( '''''Ἤρθη''''' '''''Νεκρός''''' ); but the apostle, going down, extended himself upon the body and embraced it, like the prophets of old (&nbsp;1 Kings 17:21; &nbsp;2 Kings 4:34); and when he felt the signs of returning life, restored him to his friends, with the assurance that "his life was in him." Before Paul departed in the morning the youth was brought to him alive and well (&nbsp;Acts 20:5-12). All the intimations of the narrative forbid. us for a moment to entertain the view of those critics who suppose that animation was merely suspended (Bloomfield, Hackett, in loc.). (See [[Paul]]). </p> <p> Mr. Jowett states that, during his residence at Haivali in May, 1818, the house in which he abode gave him a correct idea of the falling of Eutychus from the upper loft while Paul was preaching at Troas. "According to our idea of houses," he remarks, "the scene of Eutychus's falling from the upper loft is very far from intelligible; and besides this, the circumstance of preaching generally leaves on the mind of cursory readers the notion of a church. To describe this house, which is not many miles distant from the Troad, and perhaps, from the unchanging character of Oriental customs, nearly resembles the houses then built, will fully illustrate the narrative. On entering my host's door, we find the ground floor entirely used as a store; it is filled with large barrels of oil, the produce of the rich country for many miles round; this space, so far from being habitable, is sometimes so dirty with the dripping of the oil that it is difficult to pick out a clean footing from the door to the first step of the staircase. On ascending, we find the first floor, consisting of a humble suite of rooms, not very high; these are occupied by the family for their daily use. It is on the next story that all their expense is lavished; here my courteous host has appointed my lodging; beautiful curtains, and mats, and cushions to the divan, display the respect with which they mean to receive their guest; here, likewise, their splendor, being at the top of the house, is enjoyed by the poor [[Greeks]] with more retirement and less chance of molestation from the intrusion of the Turks; here, when the professors of the college waited upon me to pay their respects, they were received in ceremony and sat at the window. The room is both higher and also larger than those below; it has two projecting windows; and the whole floor is so much extended in front beyond the lower part of the building, that the projecting windows considerably overhang the street. In such an upper room '''''—''''' secluded, spacious, commodious '''''—''''' Paul was invited to preach his parting discourse. The divan; or raised seat, with mats or cushions, encircles the interior of each projecting window; and I have remarked, that when the company is numerous, they sometimes place large cushions behind the company seated on the divan, so that a second tier of company, with their feet upon the seat of the divan, are sitting behind, higher than the front row. Eutychus, thus sitting, would be on a level with the open window, and, being overcome with sleep, he would easily fall out from the third loft of the house into the street, and be almost certain, from such a height, to lose his life. [[Thither]] Paul went down, and comforted the alarmed company by bringing up Eutychus alive. It is noted that there were many lights in the upper chamber. The very great plenty of oil in this neighborhood would enable them to afford many lamps; the heat of these and so much company would cause the drowsiness of Eutychus at that late hour, and be the occasion likewise of the windows being open." (See [[House]]). </p>
       
== Whyte's Dictionary of Bible Characters <ref name="term_197258" /> ==
<p> THIS [[Eutychus]] is the father of all such as fall asleep under sermons. And he well deserves all his fame, for he fell sound asleep under an action sermon of the [[Apostle]] Paul. We do not know how much there may have been to be said in exculpation or extenuation of Eutychus and his deep sleep during that sacrament service. Eutychus may have suppered his horses four-and-twenty hours before, and given a boy a shilling to look after them till his return home from the [[Communion]] Table at Troas. Like an old friend of mine who used to do that, and then to travel all night from Glenisla to [[Dundee]] in order to be present at Mr. M'Cheyne's Communion. After which he walked home and took his horses out to the plough in good time on Monday morning. Only, I feel quite sure that Mr. M'Cheyne never needed to go down and raise my old friend to life again, as [[Paul]] had to do to the dead Eutychus. For he never fell asleep, I feel quite sure, neither under Mr. M'Cheyne's action sermon, nor during the three afternoon tables, no, nor under the evening sermon of Daniel Cormick of Kirriemuir, who used to preach not short sermons on such occasions, but never one word too long for St. Peter's, Dundee, in those pre-disruption days. </p> <p> The sacred writer does not in as many words take it upon himself to blame the Apostle for his long sermon that night. [[Though]] what he does say so emphatically and so repeatedly would be unpardonable blame to any other preacher. What blame, indeed, could be more unpardonable to any of your preachers than what the Apostle was guilty of that night? The like of it has never been seen again since that night. To keep his hearers from the time of lighting the candles till the sun rose next morning! Matthew [[Henry]] would like to have had the heads of Paul's sermon that night. But my idea is that Paul's sermon had no heads that night. My idea is that as soon as the candles were lighted Paul recited his warrant for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, as we now read that warrant from his pen in First Corinthians. After which he would enter on the nature and the ends of the Supper, which would take some time to explain and exhaust. He would then diverge to tell the [[Troas]] people the never-ending story of how he came to be a catechumen and a communicant himself at first. He would then go on to the mystical union that subsists between [[Jesus]] [[Christ]] and all true communicants, during the deep things of which Eutychus would fall fast asleep. I know nothing so like that richest part of Paul's sermon as our own [[Robert]] Bruce's not short Sermons on the Sacrament, which Dr. Laidlaw has put into such good English, and Mr. [[Ferrier]] into such good buckram, for us the other day. And then, even after the accident to Eutychus, Paul was still so full of matter and of spirit, that he actually went on with his post-communion address till the sun rose on the cups still standing on the table, and on the elders standing beside them, and Paul still pouring out his heart from the pulpit. </p> <p> Now, notwithstanding Paul's example, all our preachers should, as a rule, be short in their sermons. In Luther's excellent portrait of a good preacher, one of such a preacher's nine virtues and qualities is this, that he should know when to stop. So he should. Only, you have no idea how fast the pulpit clock goes when a preacher has anything still on his mind that he wishes to say. At the same time, every sermon is not to be cut according to the sand-glass. John Howe first attracted Cromwell by preaching for two hours and then turning the sand-glass for a third hour. And Coleridge in his notes on Dr. Donne, and on an hour and a half sermon of his preached at Whitehall, says: "Compare this manhood of our [[Church]] divinity with our poor day. When I reflect on the crowded congregations, and on the thousands who with intense interest came to those hour and two-hour sermons, I cannot believe in any true progression, moral or intellectual, in the minds of the many." And since I have Coleridge open at any rate, I must not deny you what Hazlitt says about Coleridge's own preaching: "It was in January, 1798, that I rose one morning before daylight, to walk ten miles in the mud, to hear this celebrated person preach. When I got there, the organ was playing the hundredth Psalm, and when it was done Mr. Coleridge rose and gave out his text. And his text was this: "He departed again into a mountain Himself alone." As the preacher gave out his text his voice rose like a stream of distilled perfumes; and when he came to the last two words of the text, which he pronounced loud, deep, and distinct, it seemed to me, who was then young, as if the sounds had echoed from the depths of the human heart. The preacher then launched into his subject like an eagle dallying with the wind. For myself, I could not have been more delighted if I had heard the music of the spheres. [[Poetry]] and philosophy had met together, truth and genius had embraced each other, and that under the sanction of religion." Now, a preacher like Coleridge, and a hearer like Hazlitt, are not to be cut short by all the sand-glasses and pulpit-clocks in the world. Sand-glasses and pulpit-clocks are made for such preachers and hearers, and not such preachers and hearers for sand-glasses and pulpit-clocks. </p> <p> But another thing. Paul did not have his manuscript before him that night, and that circumstance was partly to blame for the too-great length of his sermon. I will be bold to take an illustration of that night in Troas from myself. When I am in Paul's circumstances; that is to say, when I have only once the opportunity to preach in any place, I never, on such an occasion read my sermon from a paper. I just give out the [[Scripture]] text that I am myself living upon at that time, and then I speak out of such a heart as is given to me at that moment. But the danger of such preaching is just that which Luther has pointed out-I never know when to stop. Just as Paul did not know when to stop that night. And just as Luther himself, not seldom exceeded all bounds. [[Without]] a paper, not one preacher in a hundred knows when to stop. He forgets to look at the clock till it is far too late. With a paper, and with nothing more to say than is down on the paper, you stop at the moment. But not restricted to a paper, and with your mind full of matter, and your heart full of feeling, you go on till midnight. At home you hearers know what your minister is going to say, and you are able to settle yourselves down to sleep as soon as he gives out his text. But he has much more honour when he goes outside of his own congregation. And thus it is that you hear of how he preached so long, and was so much enjoyed, when away from home. That was Paul's exact case. If this was not his first and his only sermon at Troas, it was certainly his last. The Apostle would never see those Troas people again till the day of judgment; and who shall blame him if he completely forgot the sand-glass, and poured out his heart all night upon that entranced congregation, At the same time, and after all is said, Luther is quite right. A good preacher should know when to stop. In other words, as a rule, and especially at home, he should be short. </p> <p> But, then, there are two sides to all that also. And your side is this. I never see any of you fall asleep at an election time. No, not though the speaking goes on till midnight. And, yet, I do not know that the oratory of the political candidates and their friends is so much better than the oratory of the pulpit. But this is it. Your own passions are all on fire in politics, whereas you are all so many [[Laodiceans]] in religion. Yea, what carefulness your politics work in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what revenge. So much so, that the poorest speaker on the party-platform will have no difficulty in keeping your blood up all night to the boiling point. At the same time, I frankly admit, few preachers preach with the passion, and with the issues at stake, that the politicians, or even the playactors, speak. And thus, on the whole, the sum of the matter is this-that, what between too long sermons, and too cold, the blame lies largely at every preacher's door. </p> <p> And, then, even more than our sermons, our prayers should be short; our public prayers, that is. You may be as long as you like in secret, but not in public, not in the family, not in the prayer-meeting, and not in the pulpit. [[Bishop]] Andrewes, the best composer of prayers in all the world of prayers, is not short. His prayer for the first day of the week occupies fifteen pages. His prayer for the second day of the week covers eight pages. His three prayers on awaking take up six pages. His [[Horology]] five pages. His four Acts of [[Deprecation]] eleven pages, and so on. But then these not short prayers are printed in his [[Private]] Devotions, which his trustees could scarcely read, so kneaded into a pulp were they with Andrewes's sweat and tears. And no wonder, if you knew his history. [[William]] Law, on the other hand, was short and exact in his private devotions. But, then, to make up for that, he was so incomparably methodical, so regular, so punctual, and so concentrated, in the matter of his prayers. He was like James Durham, of whom William Guthrie said that no man in all [[Scotland]] prayed so short in public as [[Durham]] did; but, then, "every word of Durham's would have filled a firlot." [[Look]] at Paul's short prayers also. [[Every]] word would fill a firlot. And so the hundred and nineteenth Psalm. Every single verse of that psalm is a separate prayer which might have been written by the laird of Pourie Castle. At any rate, we are saying that every night in our family worship at home at present. We take a different kind of Scripture in the morning when all the children are with us. But at night we just take one verse of that Old [[Testament]] James Durham, and every heart in the house is straightway filled like a firlot before God. The Lord's [[Prayer]] is short also, because it is not His prayer at all, but is composed for us and for our children. But His private devotions were not only far longer than Bishop Andrewes's, but are far more illegible to us with His tears and His blood. </p> <p> And, then, if you ever rise to be an author, make your books short. You may be a great author and yet your books may all the time be very short among books. The [[Song]] is a short book. So is the Psalms. So is the [[Gospel]] of John. So is the [[Epistle]] to the Romans. So is the Confessions. So is the [[Divine]] Comedy. So is the Imitation. So is the Pilgrim's Progress, and so is the [[Grace]] Abounding. [[Brother]] Lawrence On the [[Practice]] of the [[Presence]] of [[God]] is so short that it will cost you only fourpence. I had occasion a moment ago to mention William Guthrie. [[Said]] John Owen, drawing a little gilt copy of Guthrie's [[Saving]] [[Interest]] out of his pocket, "That author I take to be one of the greatest divines that ever wrote. His book is my vade mecum. I carry it always with me. I have written several folios, but there is more divinity in this little book than in them all." "I am finishing Guthrie," said Chalmers, "which I think is the best book I ever read." And I myself read the whole of Guthrie in Melrose's beautiful new edition the other day between [[Edinburgh]] and London. All the greatest authors have been like Guthrie, and like Luther's best preachers, they have known when to stop. [[Let]] all young men who would be great authors, study and imitate all the short books I have just signalised. And though it is not a short book, and could not be, let them all read Professor Saintsbury's new book, out of which I borrow this last advice: "Phrynichus is redundant and garrulous; for when it was open to him to have got the matter completely finished off in not a fifth part of his actual length, by saying things out of season, he has stretched his matter out to an unmanageable bulk." </p> <p> Now, after all that about preaching, and about prayer, and about great authorship, Eutychus did not fall out of the window for nothing, if we learn from his fall some of these valuable lessons. </p>
          
          
== International Standard Bible Encyclopedia <ref name="term_3628" /> ==
== International Standard Bible Encyclopedia <ref name="term_3628" /> ==
<p> '''''ū´ti''''' -'''''kus''''' ( Εὔτυχος , <i> '''''Eútuchos''''' </i> , "fortunate"): The story of [[Eutychus]] occurs in the "we" section of Acts, and is therefore related by an eyewitness of the incidents (Acts 20:7-12 ). On the first day of the week the [[Christians]] of [[Troas]] had met for an evening service in an upper chamber, and were joined by [[Paul]] and his company. As he was to leave in the morning, Paul "prolonged his speech until midnight." A youth named Eutychus, who was sitting at the open window, became borne down with sleep owing to the lateness of the hour, and ultimately fell through the opening from the third story. He "was taken up dead." This direct statement is evaded by [[De]] Wette and Olshausen, who translate "for dead." Meyer says this expresses the judgment of those who took him up. However, Luke, the physician, is giving his verdict, and he plainly believes that a miracle was wrought by Paul in restoring a corpse to life. The intention of Luke in relating this incident is to relate a miracle. Paul went down and embraced the youth while comforting the lamenting crowd, "Make ye no ado; for his life is in him." The interrupted meeting was resumed, the bread was broken, and the conversation continued till break of day. "And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted." </p>
<p> ''''' ū´ti ''''' - ''''' kus ''''' ( Εὔτυχος , <i> ''''' Eútuchos ''''' </i> , "fortunate"): The story of Eutychus occurs in the "we" section of Acts, and is therefore related by an eyewitness of the incidents (&nbsp;Acts 20:7-12 ). On the first day of the week the [[Christians]] of Troas had met for an evening service in an upper chamber, and were joined by Paul and his company. As he was to leave in the morning, Paul "prolonged his speech until midnight." A youth named Eutychus, who was sitting at the open window, became borne down with sleep owing to the lateness of the hour, and ultimately fell through the opening from the third story. He "was taken up dead." This direct statement is evaded by De Wette and Olshausen, who translate "for dead." Meyer says this expresses the judgment of those who took him up. However, Luke, the physician, is giving his verdict, and he plainly believes that a miracle was wrought by Paul in restoring a corpse to life. The intention of Luke in relating this incident is to relate a miracle. Paul went down and embraced the youth while comforting the lamenting crowd, "Make ye no ado; for his life is in him." The interrupted meeting was resumed, the bread was broken, and the conversation continued till break of day. "And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted." </p>
          
          
== Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature <ref name="term_15568" /> ==
== Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature <ref name="term_15568" /> ==
<p> Eu´tychus, a young man of Troas, who sat in the open window of the third floor while St. [[Paul]] was preaching late in the night, and who, being overcome by sleep, fell out into the court below. He was 'taken up dead;' but the Apostle, going down, extended himself upon the body and embraced it, like the prophets of old ; and when he felt the signs of returning life, restored him to his friends, with the assurance that 'his life was in him.' Before Paul departed in the morning the youth was brought to him alive and well. It is disputed whether [[Eutychus]] was really dead, or only in a swoon; and hence, whether a miracle was performed or not. It is admitted that the circumstances, and the words of Paul himself, sanction the notion that the young man was not actually dead, but, on the other hand, it is contended that the words of the narrator, 'taken up dead,' are too plain to justify us in receiving them in the modified sense of 'taken up for dead,' which that interpretation requires . </p>
<p> Eu´tychus, a young man of Troas, who sat in the open window of the third floor while St. Paul was preaching late in the night, and who, being overcome by sleep, fell out into the court below. He was 'taken up dead;' but the Apostle, going down, extended himself upon the body and embraced it, like the prophets of old ; and when he felt the signs of returning life, restored him to his friends, with the assurance that 'his life was in him.' Before Paul departed in the morning the youth was brought to him alive and well. It is disputed whether Eutychus was really dead, or only in a swoon; and hence, whether a miracle was performed or not. It is admitted that the circumstances, and the words of Paul himself, sanction the notion that the young man was not actually dead, but, on the other hand, it is contended that the words of the narrator, 'taken up dead,' are too plain to justify us in receiving them in the modified sense of 'taken up for dead,' which that interpretation requires . </p>
       
== Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_39460" /> ==
<p> (Εὔτυχος, of good fortune, a frequent name; see Josephus, Ant. 18:6, 5; 19:4, 4), a young man of Troas, who sat in the open window of the third floor while [[Paul]] was preaching late in the night, and who, being overcome by sleep, fell out into the court below, May, A.D. 55. He was "taken up dead" (ἤρθη νεκρός ); but the apostle, going down, extended himself upon the body and embraced it, like the prophets of old (1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 4:34); and when he felt the signs of returning life, restored him to his friends, with the assurance that "his life was in him." Before Paul departed in the morning the youth was brought to him alive and well (Acts 20:5-12). All the intimations of the narrative forbid. us for a moment to entertain the view of those critics who suppose that animation was merely suspended (Bloomfield, Hackett, in loc.). (See [[Paul]]). </p> <p> Mr. Jowett states that, during his residence at Haivali in May, 1818, the house in which he abode gave him a correct idea of the falling of [[Eutychus]] from the upper loft while Paul was preaching at Troas. "According to our idea of houses," he remarks, "the scene of Eutychus's falling from the upper loft is very far from intelligible; and besides this, the circumstance of preaching generally leaves on the mind of cursory readers the notion of a church. To describe this house, which is not many miles distant from the Troad, and perhaps, from the unchanging character of [[Oriental]] customs, nearly resembles the houses then built, will fully illustrate the narrative. On entering my host's door, we find the ground floor entirely used as a store; it is filled with large barrels of oil, the produce of the rich country for many miles round; this space, so far from being habitable, is sometimes so dirty with the dripping of the oil that it is difficult to pick out a clean footing from the door to the first step of the staircase. On ascending, we find the first floor, consisting of a humble suite of rooms, not very high; these are occupied by the family for their daily use. It is on the next story that all their expense is lavished; here my courteous host has appointed my lodging; beautiful curtains, and mats, and cushions to the divan, display the respect with which they mean to receive their guest; here, likewise, their splendor, being at the top of the house, is enjoyed by the poor [[Greeks]] with more retirement and less chance of molestation from the intrusion of the Turks; here, when the professors of the college waited upon me to pay their respects, they were received in ceremony and sat at the window. The room is both higher and also larger than those below; it has two projecting windows; and the whole floor is so much extended in front beyond the lower part of the building, that the projecting windows considerably overhang the street. In such an upper room — secluded, spacious, commodious — Paul was invited to preach his parting discourse. The divan; or raised seat, with mats or cushions, encircles the interior of each projecting window; and I have remarked, that when the company is numerous, they sometimes place large cushions behind the company seated on the divan, so that a second tier of company, with their feet upon the seat of the divan, are sitting behind, higher than the front row. Eutychus, thus sitting, would be on a level with the open window, and, being overcome with sleep, he would easily fall out from the third loft of the house into the street, and be almost certain, from such a height, to lose his life. [[Thither]] Paul went down, and comforted the alarmed company by bringing up Eutychus alive. It is noted that there were many lights in the upper chamber. The very great plenty of oil in this neighborhood would enable them to afford many lamps; the heat of these and so much company would cause the drowsiness of Eutychus at that late hour, and be the occasion likewise of the windows being open." (See [[House]]). </p>
          
          
==References ==
==References ==
<references>
<references>


<ref name="term_15993"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/american-tract-society-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_55727"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-new-testament/eutychus Eutychus from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_31318"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/easton-s-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Easton's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_50833"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-bible/eutychus Eutychus from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_35286"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/fausset-s-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Fausset's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_35286"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/fausset-s-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Fausset's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_39948"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_72511"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/smith-s-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Smith's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_45491"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hitchcock-s-bible-names/eutychus Eutychus from Hitchcock's Bible Names]</ref>
<ref name="term_15993"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/american-tract-society-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_50833"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-bible/eutychus Eutychus from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
<ref name="term_65847"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/morrish-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Morrish Bible Dictionary]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_55727"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-new-testament/eutychus Eutychus from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament]</ref>
<ref name="term_31318"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/easton-s-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Easton's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_65847"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/morrish-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Morrish Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_39948"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_72511"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/smith-s-bible-dictionary/eutychus Eutychus from Smith's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_39460"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/eutychus Eutychus from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_197258"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/whyte-s-dictionary-of-bible-characters/eutychus Eutychus from Whyte's Dictionary of Bible Characters]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_3628"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/international-standard-bible-encyclopedia/eutychus Eutychus from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]</ref>
<ref name="term_3628"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/international-standard-bible-encyclopedia/eutychus Eutychus from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]</ref>
          
          
<ref name="term_15568"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/kitto-s-popular-cyclopedia-of-biblial-literature/eutychus Eutychus from Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature]</ref>
<ref name="term_15568"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/kitto-s-popular-cyclopedia-of-biblial-literature/eutychus Eutychus from Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_39460"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/eutychus Eutychus from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref>
          
          
</references>
</references>

Latest revision as of 13:29, 13 October 2021

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [1]

(Εὔτυχος)

A young man who listened to St. Paul. preaching at Troas on his final journey to Jerusalem ( Acts 20:7-12). As the Apostle was leaving the next day, he continued his speech till midnight, evidently in a crowded and overheated upper room where many torches were burning. Eutychus, who was sealed at the window, fell asleep, and, falling down from the third story, was ‘taken up dead ‘(ἤρθη νεκρός). The narrative states that St. Paul went down, embraced the lad, and told the company not to trouble themselves as life was still in him. Then he went upstairs, broke bread, and continued speaking till morning. As they were departing Eutychus was brought to them alive.

Various theories have been put forward to explain or explain away this incident. Some suppose that the youth was only stunned by his fall, and appeared to the spectators to be dead; others that the whole story is unhistorical, and merely intended as a parallel to the narrative of St. Peter’s raising of Dorcas ( Acts 9:36-43), But the narrative leaves little doubt of the intention of the historian to relate a miracle. As Ramsay ( St. Paul the Traveler , p. 291) points out, the passage belongs to the ‘we’ sections of Acts, and Luke, as a medical man, uses precise medical terms, and as an eyewitness certainly means to state that Eutychus it as really dead. The words ἤρθη νεκρός can only bear that significance, otherwise we should have, as in  Mark 9:26, ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ‘as one dead.’ There is no doubt that the incident is related as an instance of the power of the Apostle to work miracles, and that the historian believed him to have done so on this occasion.

Literature.-W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller , 1895. p. 290; E. Zeller, Acts , Eng. translation, 1875-76, ii. p. 62; H. J. Holtzmann, Hand-Kommentar 2 ‘Die Apostelgesch.,’ 1892, p. 402; R. J. Knowling, Expositor’s Greek Testament , ‘Acts,’ 1900, p. 424.

W. F. Boyd.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [2]

EUTYCHUS . A young man who fell down from a third storey while sleeping during St. Paul’s sermon at Troas, and was ‘taken up dead’ (  Acts 20:9 ). St. Paul fell on him and, embracing him, declared life to be in him. It is not actually said that Eutychus was dead, but that seems at least to have been the general belief. The incident is described in parallel terms with the raising of Dorcas and of Jairus’ daughter.

A. J. Maclean.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary [3]

 Acts 20:9. A youth who sat in a window and, falling asleep during Paul's long and late discourse, fell from the third story, and was restored to life by the apostle, who fell on the dead body and embraced it, as Elijah of old ( 1 Kings 17:21), and Elisha ( 2 Kings 4:34).

Smith's Bible Dictionary [4]

Eu'tychus. (Fortunate). A youth at Troas,  Acts 20:9, who sitting in a window, and having fallen asleep while St. Paul was discoursing, fell from the third story, and being taken up dead, was miraculously restored to life by the apostle.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary [5]

A young man who was killed at Troas by falling from the window of a room in the third story, where Paul was preaching. His life was miraculously restored,  Acts 20:6-12 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary [6]

The young man who when Paul was preaching fell, while asleep, from the third floor, and was restored to life by the apostle.  Acts 20:9 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary [7]

 Acts 20:9-12 1 Kings 17:21 2 Kings 4:34

Holman Bible Dictionary [8]

 Acts 20:9-10

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [9]

( Εὔτυχος , Of Good Fortune, a frequent name; see Josephus, Ant. 18:6, 5; 19:4, 4), a young man of Troas, who sat in the open window of the third floor while Paul was preaching late in the night, and who, being overcome by sleep, fell out into the court below, May, A.D. 55. He was "taken up dead" ( Ἤρθη Νεκρός ); but the apostle, going down, extended himself upon the body and embraced it, like the prophets of old ( 1 Kings 17:21;  2 Kings 4:34); and when he felt the signs of returning life, restored him to his friends, with the assurance that "his life was in him." Before Paul departed in the morning the youth was brought to him alive and well ( Acts 20:5-12). All the intimations of the narrative forbid. us for a moment to entertain the view of those critics who suppose that animation was merely suspended (Bloomfield, Hackett, in loc.). (See Paul).

Mr. Jowett states that, during his residence at Haivali in May, 1818, the house in which he abode gave him a correct idea of the falling of Eutychus from the upper loft while Paul was preaching at Troas. "According to our idea of houses," he remarks, "the scene of Eutychus's falling from the upper loft is very far from intelligible; and besides this, the circumstance of preaching generally leaves on the mind of cursory readers the notion of a church. To describe this house, which is not many miles distant from the Troad, and perhaps, from the unchanging character of Oriental customs, nearly resembles the houses then built, will fully illustrate the narrative. On entering my host's door, we find the ground floor entirely used as a store; it is filled with large barrels of oil, the produce of the rich country for many miles round; this space, so far from being habitable, is sometimes so dirty with the dripping of the oil that it is difficult to pick out a clean footing from the door to the first step of the staircase. On ascending, we find the first floor, consisting of a humble suite of rooms, not very high; these are occupied by the family for their daily use. It is on the next story that all their expense is lavished; here my courteous host has appointed my lodging; beautiful curtains, and mats, and cushions to the divan, display the respect with which they mean to receive their guest; here, likewise, their splendor, being at the top of the house, is enjoyed by the poor Greeks with more retirement and less chance of molestation from the intrusion of the Turks; here, when the professors of the college waited upon me to pay their respects, they were received in ceremony and sat at the window. The room is both higher and also larger than those below; it has two projecting windows; and the whole floor is so much extended in front beyond the lower part of the building, that the projecting windows considerably overhang the street. In such an upper room — secluded, spacious, commodious — Paul was invited to preach his parting discourse. The divan; or raised seat, with mats or cushions, encircles the interior of each projecting window; and I have remarked, that when the company is numerous, they sometimes place large cushions behind the company seated on the divan, so that a second tier of company, with their feet upon the seat of the divan, are sitting behind, higher than the front row. Eutychus, thus sitting, would be on a level with the open window, and, being overcome with sleep, he would easily fall out from the third loft of the house into the street, and be almost certain, from such a height, to lose his life. Thither Paul went down, and comforted the alarmed company by bringing up Eutychus alive. It is noted that there were many lights in the upper chamber. The very great plenty of oil in this neighborhood would enable them to afford many lamps; the heat of these and so much company would cause the drowsiness of Eutychus at that late hour, and be the occasion likewise of the windows being open." (See House).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [10]

ū´ti - kus ( Εὔτυχος , Eútuchos , "fortunate"): The story of Eutychus occurs in the "we" section of Acts, and is therefore related by an eyewitness of the incidents ( Acts 20:7-12 ). On the first day of the week the Christians of Troas had met for an evening service in an upper chamber, and were joined by Paul and his company. As he was to leave in the morning, Paul "prolonged his speech until midnight." A youth named Eutychus, who was sitting at the open window, became borne down with sleep owing to the lateness of the hour, and ultimately fell through the opening from the third story. He "was taken up dead." This direct statement is evaded by De Wette and Olshausen, who translate "for dead." Meyer says this expresses the judgment of those who took him up. However, Luke, the physician, is giving his verdict, and he plainly believes that a miracle was wrought by Paul in restoring a corpse to life. The intention of Luke in relating this incident is to relate a miracle. Paul went down and embraced the youth while comforting the lamenting crowd, "Make ye no ado; for his life is in him." The interrupted meeting was resumed, the bread was broken, and the conversation continued till break of day. "And they brought the lad alive, and were not a little comforted."

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature [11]

Eu´tychus, a young man of Troas, who sat in the open window of the third floor while St. Paul was preaching late in the night, and who, being overcome by sleep, fell out into the court below. He was 'taken up dead;' but the Apostle, going down, extended himself upon the body and embraced it, like the prophets of old ; and when he felt the signs of returning life, restored him to his friends, with the assurance that 'his life was in him.' Before Paul departed in the morning the youth was brought to him alive and well. It is disputed whether Eutychus was really dead, or only in a swoon; and hence, whether a miracle was performed or not. It is admitted that the circumstances, and the words of Paul himself, sanction the notion that the young man was not actually dead, but, on the other hand, it is contended that the words of the narrator, 'taken up dead,' are too plain to justify us in receiving them in the modified sense of 'taken up for dead,' which that interpretation requires .

References

  1. ↑ Eutychus from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
  2. ↑ Eutychus from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
  3. ↑ Eutychus from Fausset's Bible Dictionary
  4. ↑ Eutychus from Smith's Bible Dictionary
  5. ↑ Eutychus from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
  6. ↑ Eutychus from Morrish Bible Dictionary
  7. ↑ Eutychus from Easton's Bible Dictionary
  8. ↑ Eutychus from Holman Bible Dictionary
  9. ↑ Eutychus from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
  10. ↑ Eutychus from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
  11. ↑ Eutychus from Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature
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