Paul and Companions Walking a Road Above the SeaBible World
20:2Acts 20:2
And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
After the uproar at Ephesus ended Paul traveled through Macedonia giving much encouragement to the believers on his way into Greece, to Corinth and Achaia, where he remained three months. That encouragement was given especially because he did not expect to see those churches again, and the journey belonged to his last trip to Jerusalem carrying contributions from Gentile Christians for the poor believers there, while from Corinth about 58 A.D. he wrote the Epistle to the Romans. When about to sail from Greece to Syria a Jewish plot against his life forced him to return through Macedonia and Troas, showing both continued Jewish opposition and his patient continuance despite hindrances. The farewell meeting on the first day of the week at Troas took place at the close of the Sabbath on Saturday evening when Paul preached till midnight because he was to depart on the morrow, and the verse and its context contain nothing about Sabbath-keeping or Sunday sacredness and establish no change of the Sabbath.
Journey Through Macedonia to Greece
After the uproar at Ephesus ended Paul journeyed onward, and the twentieth chapter of Acts is chiefly occupied with that one account whose principal events occurred at two places, as he went over those parts giving much exhortation on his way into Greece. The journey was from Ephesus toward Macedonia, and more probably by way of passing through Troas, a route to be distinguished from his earlier brief visit to Troas. Those parts were Macedonia, and the destination was Greece, probably to visit the churches at Corinth and in Achaia, where he stayed three months.
The much exhortation was much encouragement given to the believers in Macedonia as he traveled through those regions. It was given especially because he did not expect to see those churches again, even as he had preached and labored among the church at Ephesus before calling its elders together for farewell because he knew he would not see them again.
The journey belonged to his last trip to Jerusalem, when he carried contributions from Gentile Christians for the poor believers there, and this setting helps date the letter to the Romans, written from Corinth about 58 A.D. while he was in Greece. While in Greece he wrote the Epistle to the Romans during that three months' stay. When he was about to sail from Greece to Syria, Jews laid a plot against his life, so his plan was thwarted and he returned through Macedonia and Troas, showing both that Jewish opposition continued to threaten him during his journeys and his patient continuance in ministry despite repeated hindrances to his plans. His experience at Thessalonica, at Berea, at Athens, at Corinth, at Ephesus, at Troas, and his farewell talk to the elders of Ephesus show how wonderfully God wrought in all these places and how the word triumphed in every case notwithstanding all persecutions.
First Day and Faithful Ministry
Acts 20 holds the only meeting on the first day of the week found in Paul's travels, and verse 2 belongs to the six verses that record his journeys and much exhortation on the way to Troas, where he stayed seven days before holding a farewell meeting as he was about to leave. That first-day meeting was an accommodation meeting held because Paul was to depart on the morrow and they were to see his face no more, not proof of Sunday sacredness. Paul preached to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews.
That meeting took place at the close of the Sabbath on Saturday evening when the disciples came together to break bread. Paul preached to the believers till midnight because he intended to leave on Sunday morning and take a long walk to meet the other disciples at Assos. That departure on the morrow, with no expectation of seeing them again, is why the gathering was an accommodation and not proof of Sunday sacredness.
The verse and its context contain nothing about Sabbath-keeping or Sunday sacredness. The account of the journey through the regions to Greece does not establish a recurring sacred Sunday meeting or a change in the Sabbath. Paul did not regard the first day of the week as a day sanctified to God.
Luke says nothing about his preaching even once during the three months Paul abode in Greece after coming into it. That silence proves Luke records only a small part of Paul's doings. Lack of any account of preaching during the first six days at Troas is therefore no evidence he did not preach then.
His preaching and laboring were among both Gentiles and Jews, including his preaching and laboring among the church at Ephesus before calling its elders together to say farewell because he knew he would not see them again. His ministry was marked by freedom from covetousness. Though he had known hunger, cold, and poverty, he had not desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothing, but worked with his own hands to provide for himself and his companions.
After the uproar at Ephesus ended Paul traveled through Macedonia giving much encouragement to the believers on his way into Greece, to Corinth and Achaia, where he remained three months. That encouragement was given especially because he did not expect to see those churches again, and the journey belonged to his last trip to Jerusalem carrying contributions from Gentile Christians for the poor believers there, while from Corinth about 58 A.D. he wrote the Epistle to the Romans. When about to sail from Greece to Syria a Jewish plot against his life forced him to return through Macedonia and Troas, showing both continued Jewish opposition and his patient continuance despite hindrances. The farewell meeting on the first day of the week at Troas took place at the close of the Sabbath on Saturday evening when Paul preached till midnight because he was to depart on the morrow, and the verse and its context contain nothing about Sabbath-keeping or Sunday sacredness and establish no change of the Sabbath.
Journey Through Macedonia to Greece
After the uproar at Ephesus ended Paul journeyed onward, and the twentieth chapter of Acts is chiefly occupied with that one account whose principal events occurred at two places, as he went over those parts giving much exhortation on his way into Greece. The journey was from Ephesus toward Macedonia, and more probably by way of passing through Troas, a route to be distinguished from his earlier brief visit to Troas. Those parts were Macedonia, and the destination was Greece, probably to visit the churches at Corinth and in Achaia, where he stayed three months.
The much exhortation was much encouragement given to the believers in Macedonia as he traveled through those regions. It was given especially because he did not expect to see those churches again, even as he had preached and labored among the church at Ephesus before calling its elders together for farewell because he knew he would not see them again.
The journey belonged to his last trip to Jerusalem, when he carried contributions from Gentile Christians for the poor believers there, and this setting helps date the letter to the Romans, written from Corinth about 58 A.D. while he was in Greece. While in Greece he wrote the Epistle to the Romans during that three months' stay. When he was about to sail from Greece to Syria, Jews laid a plot against his life, so his plan was thwarted and he returned through Macedonia and Troas, showing both that Jewish opposition continued to threaten him during his journeys and his patient continuance in ministry despite repeated hindrances to his plans. His experience at Thessalonica, at Berea, at Athens, at Corinth, at Ephesus, at Troas, and his farewell talk to the elders of Ephesus show how wonderfully God wrought in all these places and how the word triumphed in every case notwithstanding all persecutions.
First Day and Faithful Ministry
Acts 20 holds the only meeting on the first day of the week found in Paul's travels, and verse 2 belongs to the six verses that record his journeys and much exhortation on the way to Troas, where he stayed seven days before holding a farewell meeting as he was about to leave. That first-day meeting was an accommodation meeting held because Paul was to depart on the morrow and they were to see his face no more, not proof of Sunday sacredness. Paul preached to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews.
That meeting took place at the close of the Sabbath on Saturday evening when the disciples came together to break bread. Paul preached to the believers till midnight because he intended to leave on Sunday morning and take a long walk to meet the other disciples at Assos. That departure on the morrow, with no expectation of seeing them again, is why the gathering was an accommodation and not proof of Sunday sacredness.
The verse and its context contain nothing about Sabbath-keeping or Sunday sacredness. The account of the journey through the regions to Greece does not establish a recurring sacred Sunday meeting or a change in the Sabbath. Paul did not regard the first day of the week as a day sanctified to God.
Luke says nothing about his preaching even once during the three months Paul abode in Greece after coming into it. That silence proves Luke records only a small part of Paul's doings. Lack of any account of preaching during the first six days at Troas is therefore no evidence he did not preach then.
His preaching and laboring were among both Gentiles and Jews, including his preaching and laboring among the church at Ephesus before calling its elders together to say farewell because he knew he would not see them again. His ministry was marked by freedom from covetousness. Though he had known hunger, cold, and poverty, he had not desired anyone's silver, gold, or clothing, but worked with his own hands to provide for himself and his companions.