and having passed by Mysia they descended to Troas.
The journey in Acts 16 has been a series of shut doors: no preaching in Asia, no entry into Bithynia. Verse 8 records what is left: a road past Mysia, ending at a harbour town. No destination, no explanation.
Paul had a plan, and twice the Spirit blocked it. One writer asks why, and points to where the answer came.
But why these checks and diversions from the Apostle's purpose? Certainly the work in Galatia might have seemed reason enough for not letting him enter the Roman province of Asia at that time. But why was the way to Bithynia closed when they were so near to it? The question stayed unanswered until they passed by Mysia and came down to Troas. There Paul learned by a vision at night that they were to go to Europe.
Another writer draws the positive side: the stops themselves were guidance.
Paul was stopped in his journeys through Asia, as we are told here, and "forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia." The Spirit of God is so fully regarded as the directing person in the church… So in various ways, divine guidance was never missing.
Troas was not a random halt. One writer notes what its harbour opened up.
They reached the town of Troas, "the port for embarkation for any country to which the Holy Spirit might send them."… Its harbour was good. Much of the traffic between the continents of Europe and Asia flowed in and out of it.
The closed door in Bithynia was not God's last word about Bithynia.
Paul intended to go to some other parts of Asia, such as Bithynia, to preach the gospel, but the Spirit of God closed every door in that land. It was not that the Lord did not care for those in darkness in Bithynia. We know from 1 Peter 1:1 that He sent the gospel to that land by some other messenger. But now the time had come when Europe, as well as Asia, was to have the gospel, and the Lord chose His servant Paul to preach it there.
One writer finds a clue in two words of this verse: "came down."
They "came down" to Troas, which implies that Luke, the writer, was there at the time. There seems no doubt that God arranged this so that Luke could be there and travel with them to Philippi. Luke clearly stayed in Philippi when Paul and Silas left. But Luke says nothing of his own work.
At Troas the leading took a different form. One writer points out what that required of Paul.
When they arrived in Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So they passed by Mysia and came to Troas. There Paul had a vision in a dream. This was not the open direction of the Spirit. Understanding what it meant was left to spiritual intelligence.
The same writer applies this to everyone who works for the Lord.
It is very important to remember that it is no different in the work of the Lord. There the worker is always in danger of being guided by fair appearances, or of following what pleases his own mind, or maybe the suggestions of others whom he respects… The work is His, and He alone is able to direct it in gracious wisdom and power. We are at best only His workmen in that work.
- Stopped. Two refusals — Asia, then Bithynia — left one road open, and it ran to the coast.
- Stranded, on purpose. Troas was the port ships sailed from to anywhere. The place of waiting was the place of launching.
- Not abandoned. God closed Bithynia to Paul, not to the gospel; another messenger carried it there later.
- Joined. At Troas Luke was there to travel with them — the closed doors gathered the company God meant to send.
- Explained last. The reason came after the obedience. The vision at Troas answered why the doors had closed.
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night There was a certain Macedonian man, standing and beseeching him, and saying, Pass over into Macedonia and help us.
The Holy Spirit had blocked Paul twice, first from Asia and then from Bithynia, and he reached Troas with no obvious road left. Then, at night, a stranger appears and pleads, and the whole direction of the gospel's spread turns on it.
The blocked routes only made sense once the vision came.
But why these checks and diversions from the Apostle's purpose? The work in Galatia might well seem reason enough for keeping him out of the Roman province of Asia at that time. But why was the way to Bithynia barred when they were so near to it? That question stayed unanswered. Then they passed by Mysia and came down to Troas. There a vision at night told Paul that they were to go to Europe.
Only a narrow strip of water separated Paul from Europe. The direction he was given was not one he had been planning.
Look at Mysia on your map. You will find it close to the Dardanelles, the narrow strip of water that separates Asia from Europe. In the vision a man of Macedonia begged him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now we see why the Holy Spirit checked Paul from moving in other directions. Here was the solution to all his perplexity. Paul might never have thought of leaving Asia and going into Europe.
The plea itself is the heart of the verse. What the man says reveals his condition.
God sends him a vision in the night: he sees a man of Macedonia beckoning to him and saying, "Come over and help us." Nothing could be plainer than this: here was a man who felt his need. "Come over and help us" is the language of a needy man.
The crossing that followed was quick. The same writer sets it beside the slower return trip years later.
God gives him a fair wind. He gets across in a day and a half. When he comes back later, the same trip takes him five days. The Lord loves to send the gospel to sinners, and I think the Holy Spirit delights to record God's readiness to meet the needy soul. There was a hungry heart in Macedonia, a needy sinner. God arranges everything so that His messenger reaches that needy one quickly with the gospel of His grace.
Should we wait for a vision before making a decision? One commentator answers plainly.
Someone may say that we can hardly expect a vision to settle our doubts in the end. So we seem to be left without the comfort this passage might give us. But neither did the apostle expect, or generally receive, a vision to guide him. It is not given to any man to walk habitually in such open light. It would not really encourage faith, which has to do with the unseen and not the seen. And perhaps the record here serves a good purpose. It stops us expecting one fixed method of assurance, and it throws us on Him to meet us in whatever way He pleases.
Paul alone received the vision, though the whole team needed direction.
So the Lord helped His servant in a positive way. They all needed direction for their work, but Paul alone saw the vision. It was a favour often shown him, and of the highest kind, which no creature has a right to expect… God never fails us in present difficulties. It is we who fail in waiting and counting on Him. And His written word, our main guide, is now complete, as it was not then… The apostle's vision impressed them all at once, and they turned their eyes and steps toward Macedonia.
The vision showed a man. The first meeting in Macedonia looked nothing like it.
Then they reached Philippi. By the small river Gangites they had their first chance to speak. We wonder if Paul looked for the man he had seen in his vision. There was no man present. A company of women had gathered at the place where people met for prayer. Lydia of Thyatira is the first convert of Europe… And it was the Lord who opened her heart.
- Closed — Asia and Bithynia were shut, and the reason stayed hidden until Troas. The blocked road was part of the guidance.
- Called — Paul might never have thought of leaving Asia for Europe. The call opened a continent he had not aimed at.
- Cry — "Come over to Macedonia and help us" is the speech of a man who knows he is needy. That cry brought the gospel into Europe for the first time.
- Crossing — a fair wind carried them over in a day and a half, faster than the return trip. God hurries His messenger toward a hungry heart.
- Converts — Paul looked for a man and found praying women. Lydia became the first convert of Europe, and the Lord opened her heart.