When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me. But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.
2 Corinthians 2:12-13
Now let’s pay attention to the people involved, look up the references to those people and follow up the detail.
Paul expected to meet Titus at Troas, to receive the news as to the effect of his first letter on the Corinthian Church and the outcome of the hard visit and maybe even the letter of tears. Clearly it was a prearranged meeting between them which was not recorded in writing in any of Paul’s letters. Paul was disappointed in not seeing Titus there in Troas. It is most likely that Paul’s heart was so burdened by what was happening in Corinth that he couldn’t settle in Troas to any serious ministry. So he left Troas and headed to on to Macedonia, where he met Titus at last (2 Cor 7:5-7) Paul really wanted to know the outcome of things in Corinth and quickly. His email link was down and so he decided to catch up with Titus in person in Macedonia. Not only that, but Macedonia was the place where the Holy Spirit had told him to go. If in doubt; follow instructions. All of this carry on about it does show Paul’s affection and concern for the Corinthian church.
Having no peace of mind: You know the feeling, when something is troubling you about news related to people you love. You can’t settle until the matter or the news is sorted. Now you understand Paul having no peace of mind and just up and leaving where he is to go see Titus earlier than would be likely waiting in Troas for him.
Paul probably left Corinth to attend the celebration of the feast at Jerusalem (Acts 18:21). Both Titus and Timothy were sent to Corinth from Ephesus (2 Cor 7:13, 15; 1 Cor 4:17), and Timothy returned by land, meeting Paul in Macedonia (2 Cor 1:1), who visited Greece again in AD 56-57 or AD 57-58.
Not earth shattering stuff but interesting in filling in our understanding of the movements and connections.
If we study the text of the Bible carefully we can come up with the names of a few of the early members of the Macedonian churches – Sopater (Acts 20:4) or Sosipater (Rom 16:21) probably of Berea; Aristarchus (Acts 19:29, 20:4, 27:2; Col 4:10; Phm 1:24), Jason (Acts 17:5-9; Rom 16:21) and Secundus (Acts 20:4) of Thessalonica; Clement (Phil 4:3), Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25; 4:18), Euodia (Phi 4:2), Syntyche, Lydia (Acts 16:14, Acts 16:40; a native of Thyatira). Gaius is also mentioned as a Macedonian in Acts 19:29, or perhaps this Gaius would be equated with the Gaius of Derbe mentioned in Acts 20:4 as a companion of Paul.
There’s all sorts of stuff there when you read between the lines!
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others cause happiness whenever they leave.
Ian Vail
Are you the kind of person someone will call 10 or 20 years from now and say, ‘Thanks, I couldn’t have made it without you’?
Ian Vail
It’s in making and keeping commitments to others that we demonstrate our faithfulness to God.
Bob Gass