Introduction: This passage is brief but covers a good bit of time during Paul's life and work.
Text: Acts 18:18-23, KJV: 18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; 21But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples
Thoughts:
--The “after this” of verse 18 refers to Paul’s trial (that wasn’t) before Gallio, proconsul (“deputy”, Acts 18:12, KJV) of Achaia. The unbelieving Jews wanted to have something done to Paul (implied—why else would they have him taken before Gallio’s judgment seat?) Gallio decided to have nothing to do with the case and had the accusers (and perhaps others) all thrown out of wherever his judgment seat was located.
--Compare this trial with the illegal trials of Jesus in the Gospels, and Paul’s “request” to appear before the Athenian leaders at “Mars’ Hill” or the Areopagus (Acts 17:19-34).
--Eventually Paul knew it was time to leave Corinth. He left for Syria and brought Aquila and Priscilla with him. We don’t know why Paul had his head “shorn” in Cenchrea except that he “had a vow”. There are various opinions but only Paul and the Lord know the reason why. No need to spend much time on a minor issue such as this one.
--As was his pattern, Paul went into the synagogue at Ephesus and “reasoned” or dialogued with the Jews. Here, they wanted him to stay longer but Paul said no, that he had to keep a feast at Jerusalem. It seems odd that few of the Ephesian Jews either knew about the feast or felt no obligation to keep it; otherwise, they would likely have gone with Paul to Jerusalem.
--Paul seemed anxious to return to Ephesus, promising he’d be back if God willed it to be so.
--He then sailed from Ephesus, leaving Aquila and Priscilla there, and arrived in Caesarea. He’d be returning to that city but he didn’t know it at the time. Then he went to Antioch and afterwards departed on his third and last missionary journey.
Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).
