THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY (CONTINUED) 1-6. Paul in Macedonia and Greece. St. Paul waited at Ephesus until the return of Timothy and Erastus, and left Ephesus shortly after Pentecost, 55 a.d. (1 Corinthians 16:8). We learn from Romans 15:19 that he spent some time in Macedonia, and extended his missi... [ Continue Reading ]
The plot was to kill Paul on board the Jewish pilgrim ship in which he had taken his passage. 4, 5. The men mentioned here were delegates bearing the contributions of St. Paul's Gentile churches to the afflicted mother church of Jerusalem. GAIUS] to be distinguished from Gaius the Macedonian of Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
WE] St. Paul found St. Luke at Philippi, where he had left him in charge of the Church (c.16), and, after celebrating the Passover with the local Christians, took him with him to Troas.... [ Continue Reading ]
Troas. 7. The first clear reference to the keeping of the Lord's Day, with which may be compared 1 Corinthians 16:2. The expression 'Lord's Day' first occurs Revelation 1:10. THE DISCIPLES] RV 'we,' indicating the presence of St. Luke. TO BREAK BREAD] i.e. to celebrate the Lord's Supper. This was no... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS LIFE is in HIM] It has been argued both here and at Matthew 9:24 that the death was only apparent; but St. Luke, who was a medical man, and was present, says expressly that Eutychus was dead. We have here, therefore, probably a miracle of resurrection.... [ Continue Reading ]
BROKEN BREAD] RV 'broken the bread,' viz. of the Eucharist. AND EATEN] probably of the _agapé_, which here apparently followed the Communion: see Acts 2:46; Acts 2:47.... [ Continue Reading ]
ASSOS] A Greek (Æolic) colony on the S. coast of the Troad. By walking thither St. Paul avoided the tedious voyage round Cape Lectum.... [ Continue Reading ]
MITYLENE] the capital of the isle of Lesbos.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHIOS] A large island forming part of the province of Asia. TROGYL-LIUM] is opposite Samos. MILETUS] the most famous and important of the Ionian colonies. It was a seaport situated on the Carian coast.... [ Continue Reading ]
ST PAUL'S SPEECH TO THE ELDERS OF EPHESUS. He reminds them of his ministry among them (Acts 20:18). And now that the Spirit draws him to Jerusalem, to face the unknown future, he entrusts the Ephesian church to the charge of the elders to guard her against the heresies and enemies which he foresees... [ Continue Reading ]
TEMPTATIONS] trials or misfortunes. LYING IN WAIT] RV 'plots.'... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL SEE MY FACE NO MORE] St. Paul is not here speaking as a prophet, but is merely giving utterance to an overpowering presentiment that the time of his death is near. As a matter of fact, his life was preserved many years, and he subsequently revisited Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20), Ephesus (1 Timothy... [ Continue Reading ]
The heretics, Hymenæus and Alexander (1 Timothy 1:20), also Diotrephes (3 John 1:9), were presbyters of Ephesus. From the Epistles of St. John, which were written at Ephesus, we learn that the Ephesian heresies were of the Gnostic and Docetic types. St. John's chief opponent at Ephesus was Cerinthus... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE OUGHT TO SUPPORT THE WEAK] 'The weak' are here, probably, the poor and the sick. The presbyters are exhorted to work with their hands (like St. Paul), that with their earnings they may support the sick and the poor. It is more blessed, etc.] It is strange that this beautiful saying is found in no... [ Continue Reading ]