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#39.
The Third Missionary Journey (19: 21 - 21: 39).
Paul at Ephesus (19: 21 - 20: 4).
pp. 97 - 104
The second missionary journey comes to an end with the words of Acts 19: 20: "So
mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed", and we must now begin our study of the
Apostle's third journey.
If we refer back to the structure which was given in the first article of the series
(Volume XXIV, page 3), we shall find that the next verse (19: 21) marks the beginning
of the final section of the book. As the structure shows, this section corresponds with the
close of Peter's ministry:
E | 12: 1-23. JERUSALEM.
Peter's imprisonment.
Close of ministry.
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E | 19: 21 - 28: 31. EPHESUS TO ROME.
Paul's imprisonment.
Close of one ministry and commencement of the prison ministry,
and the "dispensation of the mystery".
This closing section is divided into two parts, the first part dealing with the time
during which Paul was still free (19: 21 - 21: 39), and the second with the remainder of
his recorded ministry, during which he was a prisoner, in Cæsarea, on board ship, and at
Rome (21: 40 - 28: 31). We will not attempt to set out the structure of these two
parts together but rather concentrate upon the first part--the Apostle's third missionary
journey which closes the Apostle's activity as a free man during the Acts.
Let us first consider the section in broad outline:
Acts 19: 21 - 21: 39.
("I must also see Rome": 19: 21).
A | 19: 21 - 20: 4. THE UPROAR (thorubos, 20: 1). Temple at Ephesus.
B | 20: 4-16. TROAS. A work wrought among the Gentiles.
C | 20: 17-38. MILETUS. Bonds. The Holy Ghost.
C | 21: 1-17. TYRE AND CÆSAREA. Bonds. The Holy Ghost.
B | 21: 18-26. JERUSALEM. What God had wrought among the Gentiles.
A | 21: 27-39. THE UPROAR (thorubos, "tumult": 21: 34). Temple at Jerusalem.
It will be seen that the section begins and ends with an uproar in a temple, in each case
instigated by men of Asia, while its central members deal with prophetic warnings
concerning the "bonds" that awaited the Apostle. We must now follow his footsteps
through each of these six subdivisions, noting particularly the events that led to his