After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
The refusal to enter Bithynia marks the time when the gospel was to be proclaimed beyond the confines of Asia Minor, with the way being prepared for Paul and his fellow workers to cross over into Europe. The Spirit's forbidding led the workers to Troas on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea, where Paul received the vision calling him to Macedonia, showing the direction prepared for them in an imperative call admitting no delay.
Paul with Silas and Timothy, joined by Luke, immediately endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel there. Loosing from Troas they made a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis. From there they went to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.
The verse also shows that the Spirit forbids and restrains human plans when they should not be carried out, so no one must make his own ideas a power or be conscience for his wife or for anyone else. Each person must keep only his own conscience, and keep it good, controlled by solid, healthy principles, with no bigotry or forcing of mind in habits of labor. Daily filling with the Spirit of Jesus is needed to grow out of narrowness, since small, narrow, penurious dealing belittles the worker, gives deformity to the work, and turns souls in disgust from the truth.
The refusal to enter Bithynia marks the time when the gospel was to be proclaimed beyond the confines of Asia Minor, with the way being prepared for Paul and his fellow workers to cross over into Europe. The Spirit's forbidding led the workers to Troas on the borders of the Mediterranean Sea, where Paul received the vision calling him to Macedonia, showing the direction prepared for them in an imperative call admitting no delay.
Paul with Silas and Timothy, joined by Luke, immediately endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel there. Loosing from Troas they made a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis. From there they went to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony.
The verse also shows that the Spirit forbids and restrains human plans when they should not be carried out, so no one must make his own ideas a power or be conscience for his wife or for anyone else. Each person must keep only his own conscience, and keep it good, controlled by solid, healthy principles, with no bigotry or forcing of mind in habits of labor. Daily filling with the Spirit of Jesus is needed to grow out of narrowness, since small, narrow, penurious dealing belittles the worker, gives deformity to the work, and turns souls in disgust from the truth.