And having spent three months [there], a treacherous plot against him having been set on foot by the Jews, as he was going to sail to Syria, [the] resolution was adopted of returning through Macedonia.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater [son] of Pyrrhus, a Berean; and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius and Timotheus of Derbe, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
A plot against Paul has just changed his travel plans. Why does Scripture record seven men, their home towns, and even a father's name — and what does the list show about how God's work moved forward?
The list belongs to a journey Paul had not originally planned. He meant to sail for Syria, but the danger made him double back overland through Macedonia.
William KellyYet complete good sense marks Paul's action. The Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria. He avoided it by deciding to return through Macedonia instead of straight from Achaia. The Jews had enormous influence in that great trading centre, Corinth. Humanly speaking, he could easily have met injury or death as a passenger on one of the many ships of that day.
Luke does not lump them together. He names each one with the city or region he came from, and the group then travelled ahead of Paul.
C. E. StuartHe returned by land to Philippi, with his companions Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, as Luke most likely wrote... They separated on the road, though where is not stated. His companions went ahead to Troas to wait for him, while Paul stayed a little at Philippi with Luke.
Commentators differ over whose home town Derbe was.
J. N. DarbyIt is not important, but in verse 4 we should read, "Gaius and Timothy of Derbe."
Paul was carrying a gift to Jerusalem. Commentators link this travelling party with that collection.
Church HistoryHis mind was set on going to Rome. But first he had this mission of charity on his heart... "For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem." (Romans 15:26) The names listed in Acts 20:4 are thought to be believers carrying the collections made in the different places named.
Paul would not handle such money alone. The churches themselves chose the men who carried it.
William KellyIn 2 Corinthians 8:18-19 we see the same thing. The churches chose a brother to travel with Paul and Titus. This kept things honest not only before the Lord but also before men. That is what the phrase "messengers of churches" means. The churches that sent help to the poor believers elsewhere chose these men. The apostle would not take charge of the collection otherwise.
The verse shows a whole company of servants moving with Paul rather than settled in one town.
William KellyHere we find no fewer than seven companions in service, who were in no way limited to one fixed local area. The elders laboured and took the lead in their own places. Many others besides the apostles moved about with perfect liberty. They sought the blessing of the faithful and the spread of the gospel.
They were free men. Yet Paul sent them where he could not go himself.
J. N. DarbyIt is worth noticing how the gospel Paul preached stirred these hearts. All were free. Some, such as Apollos, laboured on their own. The others were companions of the great central figure... Paul kept them busy and sent them to carry on and complete the work in places he would himself have visited, if he had not been obliged to go elsewhere.
The very next verse changes pronoun, and the change tells us something about the man holding the pen.
William KellyIn verse 5 we learn of another devoted personal companion: Luke, who wrote this very book by inspiration. "These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas." This honoured man quietly hints that he too was with the apostle at this time and at Philippi.
Aristarchus appears again years later, on a voyage where Paul travelled as a prisoner.
William KellyLuke is with the apostle on his voyage, and Aristarchus also. He has appeared before us from time to time in this book as the companion of the apostle. See Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; and he is named afterwards in Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24. Neither appears to have been a prisoner at this time. Both became sharers with the one who was so treated. Love led them to join him in the face of shame and danger.
These weeks on the road left their mark on Gaius.
H. J. VineHe was with him at the breaking of bread at Troas. He heard the all-night talk there, and the warnings and instructions given to others afterwards. Gaius knew the apostle's teaching, conduct, purpose, pleadings, tears, hopes and fears. He held fast to the truth. He was still walking in it long afterwards, when John wrote to him.
- Plot — a plot sent Paul back through Macedonia; the list of companions is the fruit of a route he did not choose.
- Company — seven men from Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe and Asia went with him. Each is named with his home town.
- Gift — they are linked with the collection for the poor believers in Jerusalem. The churches chose the carriers, keeping the money honest before men as well as before the Lord.
- Freedom — no one tied them to a single town. Some worked with Paul; others, like Apollos, worked on their own.
- Endurance — Aristarchus later shared Paul's shame and danger. Gaius still walked in the truth years later. A travel list becomes a record of lasting faithfulness.
These going before waited for us in Troas;
Seven named men go on ahead to Troas, and the writer of Acts rejoins the story with one word: "us." Why did the party split? Why Troas? And why does Luke never name himself?
The previous verse named these seven. One writer sees in them how the work spread — through many travelling servants, not one leader.
William KellyIt was not just that the apostle laboured in all directions. Here we find no fewer than seven companions in service, who were in no way tied to one fixed local sphere. The elders laboured and took the lead locally. Many others besides the apostles moved about with perfect liberty. They sought the blessing of the faithful and the spread of the gospel. Among these labourers we can see at least two classes. A few attached themselves as much as possible to Paul's company, and we have a sample of them before us. But others, like Apollos, worked in a more independent way. They spent less time with him, though they had his entire love and confidence.
One commentator reads their scattered origins as evidence of what the gospel does:
Leslie M. GrantSeven names of those accompanying him are listed in this case, from four different areas. This is a lovely testimony to the unity the Gospel of Christ brings about among people of different backgrounds and cultures.
The seven were not only travelling companions. One account explains their errand and Paul's roundabout route:
Church HistoryThe list of names in Acts 20:4 — Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus, and Trophimus — are thought to be brothers carrying the collections made at the different places named. Instead of sailing straight to Syria, he goes round by Macedonia, because of the Jews who were lying in wait for him. At Troas he spent a Lord's day, and even a whole week, to see the brothers.
With the word "us," the narrator puts himself into the scene without announcing himself.
William KellyIn verse 5 we learn of another deeply attached personal companion, Luke, the inspired writer of this very Book. "These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas." This honoured man quietly shows that he too was with the apostle at this time and at Philippi. It will be remembered that it was in these regions that Luke had first become the companion of Paul.
Commentators differ. One takes it that Paul went ahead with the seven, and that Luke stayed on at Philippi for the feast days:
Leslie M. GrantThese seven and Paul left Philippi before Luke and whoever was with him. No doubt Luke, who had already spent some time at Philippi, wanted a longer visit there, taking in "the days of unleavened bread," that is, the week following the Passover.
Kelly reads it the other way. He will not guess further, and he is sharp about one popular theory:
William KellyWhy the party did not move together, why the others went before, and Paul and Luke waited till after the feast, we can only guess. But we see the special association of Luke with the apostle, and we utterly reject the empty explanation Wieseler suggests, that Luke travelled with him as his physician.
This "us" is the only trace Luke leaves of himself anywhere in two long books.
The Bible TreasuryThe Gospel of Luke and its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles, are unique in this. They are books of important historical events, and the writer took part in many of them. Yet he never once mentions himself as having done or witnessed anything at all. He does not even mention his own name or existence. The only way he lets us hear of his presence is where he sometimes changes the pronoun from "they" to "we."
And it is not a small role he is covering over:
Numerical Bible NotesThrough it all he certainly filled no unimportant place — more so, one would say, than others who are named. Yet he keeps to the reserve that marks him all along the way. There is no trace of self-consciousness about him; and how beautiful this is in the inspired historian of such a book as this! What an example for us! Sadly, we are so quick to give all our own doings at least their due value.
The delay was not empty time. Believers already gathered at Troas:
J. N. DarbyLeaving Philippi, in five days they come to Troas, and there stay seven days. Everywhere assemblies had been formed… We do not know how the gathering at Troas began; but there was one, and we are allowed to look into it a little — not at its discipline or gifts, as in Corinthians, but at its ordinary walk.
- Sent. Seven men from four areas travelled with Paul, tied to no one place, while elders led at home.
- Trusted. They are thought to be carrying the collections made in the places they came from.
- Waiting. Troas already had an assembly, so the delay became a Lord's day and a whole week among believers.
- Rejoining. The word "us" puts the writer back with the party; commentators differ over who waited at Philippi for the feast days.
- Hidden. Luke names everyone but himself — the model of a servant who fills a large place and leaves no trace of self in the record.