The Second Missionary Journey
Acts 15:40, 41 KJV 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being
recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41 And he went
through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Introduction
There is one small detail that can easily be missed if we do not look closely.
Verse forty-one indicates that Paul left Antioch alone at the beginning of the second journey. Silas would apparently catch up with Paul in Derbe.
This is indicated by Luke’s usage of the pronouns “he” and “they”. The “he”
pronoun is also used in chapter 16:1. The “they” pronoun is not used until verse four of chapter sixteen.
Once again, we are not able to effectively set a time element when this second journey began. Some say it was 50 to 521 while others say it was between 51 and 54 AD2 with still others saying it was from 50 to 543.
Regardless, the second journey was somewhat longer than the first journey.
1 The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible Comprehensive Bible Helps, B.B. Kirkbride Bible Company, Inc, Indianapolis, IN: copyright 1964, p. 295
2 Copeland, Mark, A Harmony of the Life of Paul, ExecutableOutlines.com: copyright 2007, p. 20
3 Davis, E. L., The Apostle Paul, Bible Study Courses, www.biblestudycourses.net, Good News Ministries, St. Mary’s, OH: no copyright, p. 16
Timothy
Acts 16:1-3 KJV 1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a
certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman,
which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which
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was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3
Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him
because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that
his father was a Greek.
In Derbe and Lystra, Paul met Timothy, a disciple already. Was he saved and baptized during the first journey of Paul? We are not given enough information to know exactly when he had been saved and baptized.
However, he already had a good reputation among the churches in Lystra and Iconium.
This great asserter of the cause of Christ was a disciple of …
Paul and born at Lystra in Lycaonia. His father was a Gentile, but his mother was a Jew. Her name was Eunice, and that of his grandmother Lois. These particular are taken
notice of, because … Paul commends their piety and the good education which they had given Timothy….
When … Paul came to Derbe and Lystra, about 51 or 52
A.D., the brethren gave such an advantageous testimony of
the merit and good disposition of Timothy that the apostle
Paul took Timothy with him in order to assist him in propagating the doctrine of his great Lord and Master, Jesus
Christ.
Timothy applied himself to labor with St. Paul in the business of the gospel and did him very important services.
Through the whole course of his preaching, … Paul calls Timothy not only his dearly beloved son, but also his brother, the companion of his labors, and a man of God.
https://www.christianity.com/bible/st-timothy-pauls-associate-11629587.html Timothy’s mother and grandmother were also disciples, and it appears that they may have been for some time. Timothy’s father was a Greek and outside of him being mentioned as Timothy’s father in this passage, nothing more is known about him. Was he deceased? Had he left the family? The 89
answers to all of these questions and more, are unknown to us. What is outstanding in the Scriptures is how well Timothy was taught by his mother and grandmother. In order to do that, they had to be very knowledgeable in the faith themselves.
It is commonly believed that Timothy was twenty-one when he met Paul.
Because he was only part Jew, and his father was apparently not around, Timothy was uncircumcised. In order to avoid conflict with the Jews (the Christian Jews?), Paul circumcised him. It was well known in the area that Timothy’s father was a Greek and that he was uncircumcised.
Some might wonder what the difference between Titus and Timothy was concerning circumcision. Titus was a Gentile while Timothy was part Jew and Greek or Gentile. Since Timothy’s mother was a Jewess, he would still be accepted by the Jews but only if he were circumcised. To the Gentiles, this would not make a difference, but it made a striking difference to the Jews. This would allow Timothy to be able to enter synagogues wherever they went without any hindrances.
The Churches
Acts 16:4-5 KJV 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them
the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders
which were at Jerusalem. 5 And so were the churches established in the
faith, and increased in number daily.
The first thing for us to note in verse four is the pronoun used is “they.” This indicates that Silas has now joined Paul. We should also note that Timothy has become one of the companions that traveled with Paul. It is believed that Titus is also part of the entourage, even though he is not mentioned.
Now the party accompanying Paul is Silas, Timothy, and Titus. Titus is first mentioned when he accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Conference. He appears to be Paul’s secretary and assistant. We have no record as to him ever leaving Paul unless he had been sent to carry out some tasks given to him by Paul. We can safely draw the conclusion 90
that Titus probably assisted Paul in the writing of the various letters that Paul wrote to the churches and individuals.
As they traveled through the cities in which Paul and Barnabas had preached on the first journey, they encouraged the churches to keep to the decrees that were established by the Apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem during the Jerusalem Conference. The results are listed in verse five , And
so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number
daily.
"And they increased (enlarged or grew) in number
(numerically) daily, or as the days passed by. The growth of
the churches was both of the intensive and extensive nature.
There was spiritual, emotional, and knowledge growth,
within the souls of the members of the churches; then there
was also the outer growth of new members, new fruit, new
souls won to the Lord, added to the churches on a regular,
daily basis, thru the witness of Christ, by both word and manner of daily conduct of the members of the churches.
Albert Garner, Power BibleCD, his comments on this verse
Forbidden
Acts 16:6-11 KJV 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the
region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the
word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into
Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia
came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There
stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into
Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately
we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord
had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. 11 Therefore loosing
from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next
day to Neapolis;
Let us consider the region of Phrygia for a moment:
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A large ancient country of Central Asia Minor, very
mountainous and with table-lands reaching 4,000 ft. in height. Its name is derived from Phryges, a tribe from Thrace, which in early times invaded the country and drove
out or absorbed the earlier Asiatic inhabitants, among whom
were the Hittites. Thus, the Phrygians borrowed much of oriental civilization, especially of art and mythology which
they transferred to Europe. To define the boundaries of Phrygia would be exceedingly difficult, for as in the case of other Asia Minor countries, they were always vague and they
shifted with nearly every age. The entire country abounds with ruins of former cities and with almost countless rock-hewn tombs, some of which are of very great antiquity.
Among the most interesting of the rock sculptures are the beautiful tombs of the kings bearing the names Midas and
Gordius, with which classical tradition has made us familiar.
It seems that at one period the country may have extended to
the Hellespont, even including Troy, but later the Phrygians
were driven toward the interior. In Roman times, however,
when Paul journeyed there, the country was divided into two
parts, one of which was known as Galatian Phrygia, and the
other as Asian Phrygia, because it was a part of the Roman
province of Asia, but the line between them was never sharply drawn. The Asian Phrygia was the larger of the two
divisions, including the greater part of the older country; Galatian Phrygia was small, extending along the Pisidian Mountains, but among its important cities were Antioch, Iconium and Apollonia. About 295 A.D., when the province
of Asia was no longer kept together, its different parts were known as Phrygia Prima and Phrygia Secunda. That part of
Asia Minor is now ruled by a Turkish wall or governor whose residence is in Konia, the ancient Iconium. The population consists not only of Turks, but of Greeks, 92
THE CHIEF
Armenians, Jews, Kurds and many small tribes of uncertain
ancestry, and of peculiar customs and religious practices.
The people live mostly in small villages which are scattered
throughout the picturesque country. Sheep and goat raising
are the leading industries; brigandage [Brigandage is the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder JFR] is common. According to Acts 2:10, Jews from Phrygia went
to Jerusalem, and in Acts 18:23 we learn that many of them
were influential and perhaps fanatical. According to Acts 16:6, Paul traversed the country while on his way from Lystra to Iconium and Antioch in Galatian Phrygia. Twice
he entered Phrygia in Asia, but on his 2nd journey he was
forbidden to preach there. Christianity was introduced into
Phrygia by Paul and Barnabas, as we learn from Acts 13:4;
Acts 16:1-6; 18:23, yet it did not spread there rapidly.
Churches were later founded, perhaps by Timothy or by John, at Colosse, Laodicea and Hierapolis. E.J. Banks
https://bibleatlas.org/phrygia.htm
https://www.ntwrightonline.org/following-pauls-map-charting-course/
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When they reached Mysia, Paul and his companions attempted to go the region of Bithynia, but there was a problem: the Holy Spirit would not allow them to go there. Here is how Dr. Albert Garner words it:
"They attempted to go, of their own choice, into Bithynia,"
…. It was a Roman province located east of the west maritime
province of Asia. They attempted to go out of Asia northward
by a land route and were obstructed by the Spirit of the Lord, by Divine intervention into "man's plans."
3) "But the Spirit suffered them not."… "But the Spirit (of Jesus) also allowed them not to do it," or did not permit them to enter Bithynia. How is not explained. In the realm of the
Spirit of Christ nothing is to be forced. The message of God
is to be diligently proclaimed, fervently taught and preached, but not forced upon unbelievers who stop their ears, harden
their hearts, turn their back and walk away. The word of witness does not return to the Lord in vain, when so given,
whether then received by the hearer or not, …. The hindrance
may have been, and likely was, thru human instrumentality of
passage permit, transportation, or closed roadway overland,
etc. God's Spirit works in Sovereign ways, as He wills, not always as His servants will…. Albert Garner, Power BibleCD, his comments on this verse
Realizing that the Holy Spirit did not want them to go in this direction, they continued on to Troas, a seaport located on the upper Mediterranean Sea. It was a Roman colony that was an important port for commerce and communication between eastern Europe and northwest Asia Minor. As they arrived in Troas to spend the night, Paul had a vision about a man which said to him, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
Paul realized that the Holy Spirit desired for them to go to Macedonia. There was no perceived hesitation to change directions. There is a willingness to go to Macedonia. There was an effort to prepare to go to Macedonia.
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Conclusion
We will next see Paul and his entourage leave from Troas to go to Macedonia with an additional member joining their efforts.
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