Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 19]
Acts begins with Rome in the horizon of Paul's plans and the book
closes with Paul in Rome (Rackham). Here he feels the necessity
of going as in Ro 1:15 he feels himself "debtor" to all
including "those in Rome" (Ro 1:16). Paul had long desired to
go to Rome (Rom 1:10), but had been frequently hindered (Ro
1:13), but he has definitely set his face to go to Rome and on
to Spain (Ro 15:23-29). Paley calls sharp attention to this
parallel between Ac 19:21 and Ro 1:10-15; 15:23-29. Rome had
a fascination for Paul as the home of Aquila and Priscilla and
numerous other friends (Ro 16), but chiefly as the capital of
the Roman Empire and a necessary goal in Paul's ambition to win
it to Jesus Christ. His great work in Asia had stirred afresh in
him the desire to do his part for Rome. He wrote to Rome from
Corinth not long after this and in Jerusalem Jesus in vision will
confirm the necessity (\dei\) that Paul see Rome (Acts 23:11).
19:22 {Timothy and Erastus} (\Timotheon kai Eraston\). Paul had
sent Timothy to Corinth (1Co 4:17) and had requested kindly
treatment of this young minister in his difficult task of
placating the divided church (1Co 16:10-11) that he might
return to Paul as he evidently had before Paul leaves Ephesus. He
then despatched Titus to Corinth to finish what Timothy had not
quite succeeded in doing with instructions to meet him in Troas.
Now Timothy and Erastus (cf. Ro 16:23; 2Ti 4:20) go on to
Macedonia to prepare the way for Paul who will come on later. {He
himself stayed in Asia for a while} (\autos epeschen chronon eis
t•n Asian\). Literally, He himself had additional time in Asia.
Second aorist active indicative of \epech•\, old and common
idiom, only here in the N.T. in this sense and the verb only in
Luke and Paul. The reason for Paul's delay is given by him in
1Co 16:8f., the great door wide open in Ephesus. Here again
Luke and Paul supplement each other. Pentecost came towards the
end of May and May was the month of the festival of Artemis
(Diana) when great multitudes would come to Ephesus. But he did
not remain till Pentecost as both Luke and Paul make plain.
19:23 {No small stir} (\tarachos ouk oligos\). Same phrase in
12:18 and nowhere else in the N.T. Litotes. {Concerning the
Way} (\peri t•s hodou\). See this phrase for Christianity in
9:2; 19:9; 24:22 which see, like the "Jesus Way" of the
Indians. There had already been opposition and "stir" before this
stage (cf. 19:11-20). The fight with wild beasts in 1Co 15:32
(whatever it was) was before that Epistle was written and so
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