18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus. 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
Commentary
Vs. 18 “So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.”
Therefore, with the Jews plot effectively ended when Gallio refused to sit in judgment against the Apostle Paul over matters concerning their law and names. The Apostle Paul remained in Corinth a good while and continued on with his work. (Now some believe he may have written 2 Thessalonians also during this time.) However, it wasn’t long before the Apostle Paul was once again on the mission field, this time heading back to Syria and the church at Antioch. Now accompanying him were Priscilla and Aquilla the Jewish couple whom he met there, and stayed with while there, who were themselves Christians. Thus, Timothy and Silas must have been left to shepherd the brethren there. Now on a side note the Scripture says that Paul had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, (the southeastern port of Corinth), for he had taken a vow. That then would’ve been a vow according to the Nazirite custom (Num. 6:1-21), during which time he would not cut his hair, therefore this was done before hand.
Vs. 19 “And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.”
When the Apostle Paul along with Aquilla and Priscilla arrived at Ephesus he left the couple there, (that is they would take up residence there after he had left). However, while waiting for his ship to take him onward to Syria and the church at Antioch, and eventually Jerusalem, he entered the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.
Vs. 20-21 20 When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, 21 but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.
Now the Jews at Ephesus were very receptive to the Gospel preaching of the Apostle Paul, and so they ask him to stay a longer time with them, (wanting to hear more from him), however Paul was in accord with his vow bound to keep an upcoming religious feast of the Jews at Jerusalem. Therefore, he took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And so, it was when his ship was ready, he set sail from Ephesus.
Vs. 22-23 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. From Ephesus across the Mediterranean Sea onto Caesarea, (the city which Herod built for himself), which was located on western shores of ancient Israel, the Apostle Paul when he arrives there goes to the church and greets all the brethren there (vs. 22). And so, it was after Paul had spent some time there, he went back over to the regions of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples (Vs. 23). Obviously, the Apostle Paul would’ve made his journey to Jerusalem and kept the feast there, (and greeted the church there), however because it interrupts the flow of the narrative right now, Luke the recorder of these events did not include them all at this time. However, these events are all recorded in Acts 18:23-21:26.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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