And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
36. And kneeling down. The inward affection is indeed the chiefest thing in prayer; yet the external signs, as kneeling, uncovering of the head, lifting up of the hands, have a double use; the first is, that we exercise all our members to the glory and worship of God; secondly, that by this exercise our sluggishness may be awakened, as it were.
After the parting sermon that Paul preached to the elders of Ephesus, which was very affecting, we have here the parting prayer and tears, which were yet more affecting; we can scarcely read the account here given of them, and meditate upon them with dry eyes. I. They parted with prayer (Act 20:36): And, when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
Commenting on Acts 20:36-38
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, ; . (a) "kneeled down" .