After the uproar ceased, Paul…departed for Macedonia…
Acts 20:1-6
After the Ephesus disturbances calmed down, Paul gathered together the Ephesian church members to encourage them and to bid them farewell as he was headed to Macedonia and on to Greece after that. Paul encouraged the believers throughout Macedonia and, as he came to Greece, he spent three months there until a plot to kill him was discovered. So, Paul departed Greece, planning to return through Macedonia. Paul was accompanied by seven brothers in Christ from several of the churches Paul had established. Luke is writing this portion as if he were also part of the group travelling with Paul. Some of the group departed early, planning to meet at Troas. Luke writes that Paul stayed in Philippi until after the “days of Unleavened Bread” and, then sailed to Troas. According to Luke’s timing, Paul and those with him met up with the others five days later. Though this small section of Scripture seems non-descript, we can discern wisdom that was exercised by these men in their travels. Sailing in Paul’s day was quite dangerous. The ships were small compared to what we have today. The weather was unpredictable as we read in the Scriptures of storms arising quickly and overcoming the sailors. Paul himself lived through a terrible sea storm that destroyed the ship, its cargo but, there was no loos of life because God had promised Paul He would protect them. So, without saying it here in this incident, it is possible the group decided to split up their travels just in case there might be disaster awaiting any of them. Even today, travelling anywhere can be dangerous though we have safer vehicles and vessels in which to travel. Accidents and disasters still happen. So, it would be just as wise today, as it seemed in Paul’s day, to think carefully how to get a group of people from “here to there” as safely as possible. Source: S C Ball July 27, 2023
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