Acts 18:22

And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. AND WHEN HE HAD LANDED AT CESAREA (LEAVING THE VESSEL THERE), AND GONE UP (THAT IS, TO JERUSALEM), AND SALUTED THE CHURCH. In these few words does the historian despatch the apostle's FOURTH VISIT TO JERUSALEM after his conversion. The expression 'going up' is invariably used of a journey to the metropolis; and thence, naturally, HE WENT DOWN TO ANTIOCH. Perhaps the vessel reached too late for the feast, as he seems to have done nothing in Jerusalem beyond 'saluting the church,' and privately offering the sacrifice with which his vow () would conclude. It is left to be understood, as on his arrival from his first missionary tour, that 'when he was come, and had gathered the church togethe...

− 22._When he came down to Caesarea. _Though Luke saith in a word that Paul saluted the Church at Jerusalem, yet is it certain that he was drawn thither with some great necessity. And yet we may gather by this text that he stayed not long at Jerusalem, peradventure because things fell not out as he would. Moreover, he declareth that his journey in his return was not idle or barren, in that he saith that he strengthened all the disciples, undoubtedly not without great pains-taking, because he was enforced to go hither and thither, and oft to turn out of his way; for this word [ καθεξης ] doth signify a continual course. Now, we have already declared ( Acts 9:36) in what respect those be called disciples who had given their names to Christ, and professed the name of Christ; to wit, because there is no godliness without true instruction. They had,

18-23 While Paul found he laboured not in vain, he continued labouring. Our times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we must make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only if providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions. A very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhile the society of his brethren. Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do what they can to strengthen them, by directing them to Christ, who is their Strength. Let us earnestly seek, in our several places, to promote the cause of Christ, forming plans that appear to us most proper, but relying on the Lord to bring them to pass if he sees good....

Verse Acts 18:22. _LANDED AT CAESAREA_] This must have been Caesarea in Palestine. _GONE UP_] To _Jerusalem_, though the name is not mentioned: but this is a common form of speech in the evangelists, Jerusalem being always meant when this expression was used; for the word αναβαινω, _to go up_, is often used absolutely, to signify, _to go_ _to Jerusalem_: e.g. _GO ye UP unto this feast; I GO not UP yet_, John 7:8. _But when his brethren were GONE UP, then WENT he also UP unto_ _the feast_, John 7:10. _There were certain Greeks-that CAME UP to worship_, John 12:20. St. Paul himself uses a si

AT CESAREA - See the notes on Acts 8:40. AND GONE UP - From the ship. AND SALUTED THE CHURCH - The church at Jerusalem. This was Paul’s main design; and though it is not distinctly specified, yet the whole narrative implies that he went there before returning to Antioch. The word saluted implies that he expressed for them his tender affection and regard. TO ANTIOCH - In Syria. See the notes on Acts 11:19....

EXPOSITION ACTS 18:1 _He _for _Paul, _A.V. and T.R. AFTER THESE THINGS, etc. No hint is given by St. Luke as to the length of Paul's sojourn at Athens. But as the double journey of the Beroeans, who accompanied him to Athens, back to Beraea, and of Timothy from Beraea to Athens, amounted to above five hundred miles, we cannot suppose it to have been less than a month; and it may have been a good deal more. His reasonings in the synagogue with the Jews and devout Greeks, apparently on successive sabbaths, his daily disputations in the Agora, apparently not begun till after he had "waited" some time for Silas and Timothy, the knowledge he had acquired of the numerous temples and altars at Athens, and the phrase with which this chapter begins, all indicate a stay of some length. CAME TO CORINTH. If by land, a forty

AND WHEN HE HAD LANDED AT CAESAREA,.... This was Caesarea Stratonis, formerly called Strato's tower: it would have been nearest for the apostle to have landed at Joppa, in order to go to Jerusalem, but that haven was a dangerous one; this was the safest, and which therefore Herod had repaired at a vast expense, and in honour of Caesar had called it by this name: of the port at Caesarea, and what a convenient and commodious one, as it was made by Herod, Josephus i gives a particular account, and who often calls this place Caesarea, παραλιος, "Caesarea by the sea" k; and in other Jewish l writings mention is made of this place as a sea port, and of שונתא דימא דקיסרין, "the shore of the sea of Caesarea": Josephus m sometimes calls it the port Sebastus, or Augustus, it being, as before observed, made by Herod, and so called in honour of Augustus Caesar; and in another place n, Sebastus the p...

Paul had been preaching the gospel at Athens to the most famous men of that city gathered at Areopagus. Acts 18:1. _After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth:_ Another most important city of Greece, where he struck at the very center of the country by preaching the gospel, since these were the centers of commerce, and also of literature. Acts 18:2. _And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them._ Lodged with them. Acts 18:3. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their

CHAPTER 18 _ 1. In Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla. His Testimony and Separation from the Jews (Acts 18:1)._ 2. Encouragement from the Lord in a vision (Acts 18:9). 3. Paul and Gallio (Acts 18:12). 4. From Corinth to Ephesus and Antioch. The second journey ended (Acts 18:18). 5. Establishing disciples in Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23). 6. Apollos, the Alexandrian (Acts 18:24). Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned here for the first time.

JOURNEY TO SYRIA. No special object, is stated; the facts are placed before us abruptly, and some are hard to understand. An apostle is by his office a traveller who does not give himself to any one church, and Paul had been the best part of two years at Corinth when he bade the brethren there farewell and sailed for Syria. It was Aquila, not Paul, who had a vow and terminated it at Cenchreæ. For the hair sacrifice, see *Numbers 6,,; cf. Numbers 21:24 below; it would refer here to an escape from some danger of which we know nothing Acts 18:19. At Ephesus Paul addresses, as elsewhere, the Jews in the synagogue, and is well received, but he will not stay there. With a promise to return he sets off on the voyage. He lands at Cæ sarea, and goes up and greets the church. Jerusalem is not mentioned, nor