Bible Study series: Acts 18:18-23. Paul finishes up his second missionary journey in v. 22 and begins his third in v. 23. He went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia.
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn. Let’s learn together and apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn, so the translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 18:18-23
18 Paul stayed on a fair number of days and took his leave from the brothers and sisters and sailed off to Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila, after he cut his hair at Cenchrea, for he made a vow. 19 They landed at Ephesus, and he left them there, while he himself entered the synagogue and dialogued with the Jews. 20 Although they asked him to stay a longer time, he declined; 21 instead, he took his leave, saying, “I shall return again to you, God willing.” He set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he came to Caesarea, and after he went up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 He spent some time there; and he went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, place to place, strengthening all of the disciples. (Acts 18:18-23)
Comments:
18:
“brothers and sisters”: in this context, the Greek word “brothers” can include “sisters,” much like our word mankind can include women. (The word humankind is better.)
Why cut his hair? He let it grow long for a duration of a vow, probably a private vow, but not a Nazarite vow which could only be taken in the Holy Land (Num. 6:18; see Num. 6:1-21). Bruce suggests: “The fulfilment [of his vow] was an act of thanksgiving—possibly for the divine promise of verse 10, which had been confirmed by his preservation from harm throughout his Corinthian ministry” (comment on v. 18)
Two scholars, Bruce and Bock, in my Sources section in the link, above, say it was an ordinary vow and not a Nazarite vow (see quoted verses, below). Keener, Peterson, and Schnabel are not sure, inconclusive. Polhill seems barely to favor the Nazarite vow but notes some problems.
However, Longenecker speculates that Paul did take a Nazarite vow, writing:
Evidently, it may be conjectured at some time during his residence at Corinth—perhaps at its beginning when he was depressed—Paul had taken a Nazarite vow to God as he asked for intervention. And now, having seen God’s hand at work in Corinth and a thriving church established there, Paul was determined to return to Jerusalem to fulfill his vow by presenting his hair as a burnt offering and by offering sacrifices in the temple (cf. 21:26). The vow could only be fulfilled after a thirty-day period of purification in the Holy City (cf. m. Naz. 3:6), according to the more lenient ruling of the school of Shammai). (comment on v. 18)
Peterson insightfully writes about the significance of the vow for Paul’s relation to the Jewish community and the law and his liberty in the gospel of Christ:
Paul voluntarily continued certain Jewish practices because he did not see them to be inconsistent with his new status in Christ. Nevertheless, his lifestyle and his whole focus on salvation through faith in Christ must have raised many questions about the continuing role of the law for Jews in the messianic era. Making a vow and shaving the head when it was completed was a way of demonstrating his trust in God and showing loyalty to the tradition of Israel, without compromising his gospel message. Perhaps such gestures allowed Paul to talk more feely with fellow Jews about the gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 9:20). (comment v. 18)
Paul was free in regards to all these laws, but he wanted to reach out to his co-Jews, so he demonstrated that he still loved Israel by following some lighter customs, like a vow. But in no way does he argue that law keeping is the pathway towards being righteous before God. Only faith in Christ can do this (see for example Phil. 3:2-11; Rom. 4:9-12; Gal. 6:11-16).
I prefer Bruce’s and Bock’s view. Paul took an optional ordinary vow. Here are the verses:
21 If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. 23 Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth. (Deut. 23:21-23, NIV; see also Deut. 30:1-16 for private, non-Nazarite vows).
Those verses describe a simple vow without rigid complications of the Nazarite vow. I don’t see Paul getting involved in the rigidity and complications of the Nazarite vow.
But you can decide on your own which vow he took. Schnabel has the right idea: “Certainty is impossible. Luke makes nothing of Paul’s vow in his subsequent narrative.”
19-21:
As usual, per his custom, he entered the synagogue (Rom. 1:16), in the major city of Ephesus. But he was in a hurry to leave, even though they asked him to stay for more dialogue. He declined their request. How many of us would turn down a speaking engagement? Finally, I like how Paul tagged on “God willing.” His life was in God’s hands, not his own plans and dreams and schemes. He did in fact return to Ephesus (19:1). God will get you to where you are called to be, eventually. Surrender to his plans. He knows what is best for you.
22:
Luke omits his visit to Jerusalem, but it is implied. The verbs “went up” and “went down” in context are used to arrive and depart from Jerusalem. Also, Luke said he went to visit “the church.” This does not refer to Caesarea, but the church in Jerusalem. Once again, maybe the reader can see why I have nicknamed him Luke “the Omitter” or “the Condenser.”
Commentator Schnabel offers this table for Paul’s five visits to Jerusalem and the missionary work in between.
| Year | Occasion for Visit to Jerusalem |
| 31/32 | Conversion of Saul |
| 32-34 | Missionary work in Arabia and in Damascus |
| 33/34 | First visit (Acts 9:26-20), three years after Paul’s conversion |
| 34-44 | Missionary work in Syria and Cilicia (eleven years) |
| 44 | Second visit (Acts 11:27-30): taking gifts to the poor, eleven years after the first visit |
| 45-47 | Missionary work on Cyprus and in Galatia |
| 48 | Third visit (Acts 15:1-29): Apostles’ Council, three years after the second visit |
| 49-51 | Missionary work in Macedonia and Achaia |
| 51 | Fourth visit (Acts 18:22): three years after the third visit |
| 52-56 | Missionary work in the Province of Asia and visit to Achaia |
| 57 | Fifth visit (Acts 21:15-17): collection visit, six years after the fourth visit |
| 57-61 | Arrest in Jerusalem and imprisonment in Caesarea and in Rome |
| Schnabel, p. 455 | |
The fourth visit is relevant to this verse here. This is an excellent timeline, without being crowded with details. Focused and clear.
“church”: It is singular here. It is stunning how rapidly the gospel was spreading in Israel—may it spread as quickly and widely even today in Israel. The church, wherever it is found, should be unified as one. In Greek it is ekklēsia (pronounced ek-klay-see-ah) and the meaning has roots in both Hebrew and Greek. It literally means “the ones called out” or “the called out” or “the summoned” who gather together. It describes an assembly or gathering.
Please see these posts for fuller definitions:
Fellowship is so important for believers. Don’t believe the lie circulating in American society, particularly in social media, that not going to church is good enough. People who skip constant fellowship are prone to sin and self-deception and satanic attacks. We need each other.
This link has a list of the famous “one another” verses, like “love one another.”
Moreover, one thing that impresses me about all those above references in the links, is that the apostles, as they planted churches, were guided by the Spirit—always—and they were also deliberate about setting them up and establishing them. Planning is Scriptural. So wisdom says: listen to the Spirit and plan. Listen as you plan and be ready to drop your plans at a moment notice, when the Spirit says so. God will grow the church as we proclaim the good news.
Here is a table of the cities and their regions during Paul’s (and his team’s) second missionary journey:
| City | Region |
| Antioch | Syria |
| Unnamed cities | Cilicia |
| Derbe | Lycaonia |
| Unnamed city | Opposite Mysia |
| Troas | Mysia |
| Unnamed city | Samothrace |
| Neapolis | Macedonia |
| Philippi | Macedonia |
| Amphipolis | Macedonia |
| Apollonia | Macedonia |
| Thessalonica | Macedonia |
| Berea | Macedonia |
| Athens | Achaia |
| Corinth | Achaia |
| Cenchreae | Achaia |
| Ephesus | Lydia |
| Caesarea | Judea |
| Jerusalem (probably) | Judea |
| Antioch | Syria |
| Bock, pp. 587-88 | |
I like Bock’s tables because they put these unfamiliar names in chronological order of Paul’s second journey.
23:
Paul begins his third missionary journey here. He systematically and thoroughly visited the towns in southern Galatia, strengthening the disciples who had been saved under his ministry. Then he will return to Ephesus (19:1). We should be just as thorough and systematic as he was in our ministry. We may not be church planters, but we can imitate Paul’s love and church-centeredness.
“disciples”: in Acts, it always means believers in Jesus.
Before Luke continues his historical record about Paul’s third missionary journey, Luke provides a small vignette about Apollos and Priscilla and Aquila. Very nice. And very significant.
GrowApp for Acts 18:18-23
1. Paul strengthened people in the faith. How have you strengthened people in your circle of friends and family?
2. Paul ended his promise with the phrase “God willing.” Have you surrendered your plans to God’s will?
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
For the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the very bottom:
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 