And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
Leaving Ephesus, the apostle proceeds through Macedonia and Greece, staying three months at Corinth-Being prevented by plots against his life from proceeding by sea to Syria, on his route for Jerusalem, he returns, as he came, through Greece and Macedonia taking ship from Philippi to Troas (20:1-5)
This section of the apostle's life, though peculiarly rich in matter, is related with great brevity in the History. Its details must be culled from his own Epistles.
And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed
- not driven out, but of deliberate purpose, and (as would appear from 1 Corinthians 16:8) not until after Pentecost;
For to go into Macedonia - in pursuance of the first part of his plan, as laid down in Acts 19:21. From his Epistles we gather the following most interesting particulars:
First, That, as might be expected from its position on the coast (see the note at Acts 16:8), he revisited Troas; and whereas on his former visit he appears to have done no missionary work there, he now went there expressly "to preach Christ's Gospel," and found 'a door opened unto him of the Lord' (Jesus) (2 Corinthians 2:12), which he entered so effectually as to lay the foundation of a church there (as appears from Acts 20:6-7, below).
Secondly, That he would have remained longer there, but for his uneasiness at the non-arrival of Titus, whom he had despatched to Corinth to finish the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem, which Paul wished to take with him (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8:6); but still more, that he might bring him word what effect his first Epistle to that church had produced.
Thirdly, That in this state of mind, afraid of something wrong, he "took leave" of the brethren at Troas, and went from thence into Macedonia. No doubt it was the city of PHILIPPI that he came to-landing at Neapolis, its seaport (see the notes at Acts 16:11-12) - as appears by comparing 2 Corinthians 11:9, where "Macedonia" is named, with Philippians 4:15, where it appears that Philippi is meant. Here he found the brethren, whom he had left on his former visit in circumstances of such deep interest, a consolidated and thriving church, generous and warmly attached to their father in Christ, under the superintendence, probably, of our historian, "the beloved physician" (see the note at Acts 16:40). All that is said by our historian of this Macedonian visit is contained in the second verse of this chapter,-that he "went over those parts and gave them much exhortation."
Fourthly, Titus not having reached Philippi so soon as the apostle, "his flesh had no rest, but he was troubled on every side: without were fightings, and within were fears" (2 Corinthians 7:5).
Fifthly, At length Titus arrived, to the joy of the apostle, the bearer of better tidings from Corinth than he had dared to expect (2 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Corinthians 7:13), but chequered by painful intelligence of the efforts of a hostile party to undermine his apostolic reputation there (2 Corinthians 11:1-33, etc.)
Sixthly, Under the mixed feelings which this produced, he wrote (from Macedonia, and probably Philippi) his SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS (see Introduction to that Epistle), despatching Titus with it, and along with him two other unnamed deputies, expressly chosen to take up and bring their collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem, and to whom he bears the beautiful testimony, that they were "the glory of Christ" (2 Corinthians 8:22-23).
Seventhly, It must have been at this time that he penetrated as far as to the confines of "Illyricum," lying along the shores of the Adriatic (Romans 15:19). He would naturally wish that his second Letter to the Corinthians should have some time to produce its proper effect before he revisited them, and this would appear a convenient opportunity for a northwestern circuit, which would enable him to pay a passing visit to the churches at Thessalonica and Beroea, though of this we have no record. On his way southward to Greece, he would preach the Gospel in the inter mediate regions of Epirus, Thessaly, and Boeotia (see Romans 15:19), though of this we have no record. (For the collection and arrangement of these particulars we are chiefly indebted to Howson.)