3rd Missionary Trip - Lorin

ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῷ πνεύματι διελθὼν τὴν Μακεδονίαν καὶ
Ἀχαΐαν πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, Paul put in his spirit
to go to Jerusalem after passing through Macedonia and
Achaia (19:21b). But the timing was not right to leave
Ephesus until after the riot episode, so Paul patiently
waited on the Lord’s timing before terminating his ministry
at Ephesus to leave for Macedonia. Clearly Paul
wanted his departure to be on a positive note and thus
-- as per Luke’s description -- he said his formal farewells
to the Christian community at Ephesus before
leaving: μεταπεμψάμενος ὁ Παῦλος τοὺς μαθητὰς καὶ
παρακαλέσας, ἀσπασάμενος, after having sent for the disciples
and having encouraged them, having said his farewells
Paul..... The rather large Christian community in the city
was scattered out over different sections of the town of
nearly 300,000 people and so messengers were sent
out to the leadership of the different house churches
to meet the apostle at a specified location -- perhaps
near the theater where the riot had taken place. When
they (leaders and members covered by τοὺς μαθητὰς)
came together -- either that day or probably during the
following day -- Paul encouraged them to remain faithful
to Christ (παρακαλέσας). Just what Paul said to
them is not specified. But the participle used by Luke,
παρακαλέσας, having encouraged, is rich in meaning
and can encompass a wide range of verbal encouragements
and admonitions pointing to faithfulness to God,
as reflected by the chart in the many different English
words used in the NRSV to translate it (108 NT uses).
The thrust of the expression here must be understood
against the backdrop of apprehension about the status
of Christianity in the city with the action of Demetrius
against it. Paul could deliver an encouraging word that
God had overridden this hostility and for at least a little
while there would be little likelihood of persecution of
believers in the city.
The participle ἀσπασάμενος (from ἀσπάζομαι)
normally specifies a greeting rather than a farewell in
58 of the 59 NT uses. 156 Correctly translating the word
is difficult in English since the literal meaning would be
along the lines of “having ‘farewelled’ them.” To give a
farewell was much more than a verbal expression in
the ancient world. It included an embrace among other
things. The expression also signals a more formal setting.
To follow the ancient custom of a farewell ritual as
Paul did here provided both the apostle and the Ephesian
congregation a clean break with Paul’s departure from the city. Through their many struggles together over
these past three years a close bond of connection had been established. Now that bond was put to the test by
the departure of the apostle with no likelihood that he would ever return to the city.
Making the trip from Ephesus northward into Macedonia was a journey of several weeks and many
kilometers. What is not clear is whether by διελθὼν τὰ μέρη ἐκεῖνα (v. 2) includes the northern region of Asia
156 “ἀσπασάμενος must here mean said Goodbye (that is, saluted in farewell, as at Euripides, Trojan Women 1276, ὡς ἀσπάσωμαι
τὴν ταλαίπωρον πόλιν), though the word much more often means a greeting or welcome.” [C. K. Barrett, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary
on the Acts of the Apostles, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2004), 945.]
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