Chapter Sixteen –
Second Journey of Paul
ACTS 16:7-12:
We began
this journey with Paul and Silas in
Antioch of Syria;
they then traveled through the rest of
Syria
and through the region of
Cilicia
strengthening the Bodies of Christ
along the way. When they came to the area of the two cities of
Lystra and Derbe,
they will pick up young Timothy to travel with them. They delivered the
decrees to these cities which strengthened them to a productive unity. From
here they will travel to two new areas of Asia Minor;
Phrygia and Galatia.
Luke does not record anything about these visits and Paul will not return to
these regions until
Chapter 19.
Please use
the map provided:
http://www.plvcc.org/index.html?/articles_live_by_faith/image2/CNM19-Pauls2ndJourney.gif
Text #1:
Acts 16:7-10
“After they had come to
Mysia,
they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.
8
So passing
by Mysia, they came down to
Troas.
9
And a
vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded
with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10
Now after
he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia,
concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
Mysia:
This is a province, much like Galatia or Phrygia, located in the north west
portion of Asia Minor. Here and in
verse 6, the Spirit of God forbid Paul, Silas, and Timothy from
going to either Asia (the far mid and south western portions of Asia Minor
bordered by the Aegean Sea), or Bithynia (a region along the north edge of
Asia Minor just under the Black Sea). Both
of these locations will come back to us in the New Testament narrative (Paul
will come to Ephesus, the capital of Asia, at the end of
Chapter 18, and again in
Chapter 19 – where he will preach the Gospel to all of Asia; and
Peter will record that Bithynia will be one of the locations that Christians
from Judea will scatter to –
1
Peter 1:1).
Troas:
Paul and his band passed all the way through Mysia and came to Troas. This
name is applied both to the Roman province fronting the Aegean Sea, and
the city of Troas which was a Roman colony and one of the most
important cities of north west Asia; and a port on the trade routes between
Macedonia and Asia.
With the
exception of the vision of the man from Macedonia, Luke does not record any
Gospel work here; however, we know that when Paul returns through here at
the end of the third journey, there are disciples here. Whether this is from
is work performed at Ephesus in
Chapter 19, or after he leaves Ephesus which he records for
Christians in Corinth –
2
Corinthians 2:12 (a door was
opened to him there by the Lord), or here, it is not revealed.
Vision:
Paul is going to have a vision in the night; the primary differences between
visions and dreams in the sense used here, is that one occurs while the
individual is awake (vision), and one while sleeping (dream). In either
case, it is evident at this point that it is part of the Spirit’s direction
to Paul to accomplish God’s purposes for the Gospel of Christ verses his
own.
Macedonia:
Macedonia is a Roman province in north central Greece. It runs from the
Aegean Sea to the Adriatic Sea, and is bordered by Illyricum to the north
west and Thrace to the north east and finally by Achaea (Achaia) to the
south. It was a large and populace province with many important cities.
Luke:
After Paul was witness to the vision and concluded that God wanted him to
preach in Macedonia, the writer, Luke, now joins the group (noted by the
change of pronouns from ‘they’ and ‘them’, to ‘we’ and ‘us’).
Summary:
Passing through the region of Mysia (having been forbidden by the Spirit of
God to go into Asia and Bithynia at this time), Paul and his group have come
to Troas. Here at Troas, Paul will have a vision encouraging him to go to
Macedonia and bring the Gospel. As they determine to go to Macedonia, we
learn that Luke joins them.
Text #2:
Acts 16:11-12
“Therefore, sailing from
Troas,
we ran a straight course to
Samothrace,
and the next day came to
Neapolis,
12
and from
there to
Philippi,
which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were
staying in that city for some days.”
Journey:
Paul and company crossed the Aegean Sea which separates Asia Minor from and
the western world that is Europe. Paul and the group ran a straight course,
which implies that the winds were behind them and it only required two days
to sail across. At a later date and a trip back across this same course, but
in the opposite direction, the same distance will require five days to
complete (20:6).
Samothrace:
This is an island in the Aegean Sea where they stopped till the following
day on their journey.
Neapolis:
This is the sea port town for the major city of Philippi (which was about
ten miles inland from the port). Luke does not record any activity here for
the Gospel’s sake, and moves right on into Philippi.
Philippi:
A Macedonian town in the plain east of Mount Pangaeus. It was a strategic
city founded by Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. The position
dominated the road system of northern Greece.
After Rome
conquered this area Octavian (the future Augustus), constituted the city a
Roman colony, and he housed partisans of Antony whose presence was not
desirable in Italy; however, there would be many of the Roman military who
through time would be given land and title here, a kind of retirement for
their loyal service.
There was a
school of medicine in Philippi connected with one of those guilds of
physicians which the followers of early Greek medicine scattered throughout
the Hellenistic world; and may account for the touch of pride in Luke’s
description of the city.
Note:
Before we begin to look into the work of Paul here in Philippi, I would like
to share with you, from his own words, some things to consider as we look at
the events in Philippi, note:
Philippians 4:8-9
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever
things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things
are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are
of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is
anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9
The things
which you learned and received and heard and saw
in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
As Paul
writes back to the Christians established by the preaching of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ here in Philippi, he reminds them of all the properties
necessary to learn, and states that they have witnessed all of them in his
actions among them. We will in the next lessons begin to look at three
examples of these events to be noticed and recalled by these brethren and
you and me.
Summary:
Passing
through the region of Mysia (having been forbidden by the Spirit of God to
go into Asia and Bithynia at this time), Paul and his group have come to
Troas. Here at Troas, Paul will have a vision encouraging him to go to
Macedonia and bring the Gospel. As they determine to go to Macedonia, we
learn that Luke joins them.
They set
out across the Aegean Sea and cross with relative ease, stopping at the
island of Samothrace, and the next day arriving at Neapolis, the sea port
town for Philippi. From Neapolis they head straight to Philippi, the chief
city of this region.
Next: “Paul Brings the Gospel to Lydia and Her
Household!”