After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Cenchreae - "The eastern port of Corinth. During his time in Corinth, Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians." (Ryrie)
he had cut his hair - "The sign of the conclusion of a Nazarite vow (Num 6:18; Acts 21:24). Just why he took the vow is not known." (Ryrie)
"There were various vows which one might make to God under the Mosaic law (Deut 23:21-22) but the one which involved letting the hair grow during the term of the vow and shaving it off again at its expiration was the Nazarite vow, in which the subject consecrated himself to the Lord in a special way for a week, a month, a year or any designated period of time (Num 6:1-21). This appears to be the vow which Paul had taken and which expired at Cenchrea. This vow, however, was supposed to be consummated at 'the door of the tabernacle' at Jerusalem, where blood sacrifices were to be offered and the hair, which had not been cut during the period of consecration, was to be shaven off and also offered in sacrifice. In the Acts record we are told that Paul had 'shorn his head in Cenchrea; for he had a vow,' and also that he hastened to 'keep this feast (it has been debated whether this was Passover or Pentecost) that cometh in Jerusalem' (Vers. 18, 21). John Kitto is therefore probably correct in explaining that 'as these [sacrifices] could not be offered out of Jerusalem, those who took this vow in foreign parts, made their offerings at their next visit to the holy city' (The Apostles and The Early Church, P. 382)." (Stam)
"Though the vindicator of Gentile liberty, he conformed himself, in various respects, to the laws and customs of his own people (Acts 20:6, 16; 21:26; 27:9; 1 Cor 9:20)." (Walker) - [This was possibly so as not to offend the Jews he was ministering to, because this was still the transitional period and the Jews had not as yet been officially put aside. This is closest to my view.]
"The important question whether Paul was in the directive will of God in taking a vow involving blood sacrifices, or in observing a Jewish feast at Jerusalem, or indeed, in going to Jerusalem at all, will be discussed at length in a later chapter..." (Stam) - [Stam links this with Paul’s later visit to Jerusalem when he aided the four men in taking their vow as recorded in Acts 21:23-26. In that case, he thinks Paul was mistaken, but with good motives and that, although God didn’t direct or want Paul to do it, He still used Paul’s ministry.]
Ephesus - "The real capital of the Roman province of Asia, and, after Corinth, the next great city in order on the main central route from Rome to the East. It lay three miles from the sea, on the river Cayster, which was navigable at that period as far as the city. Four great roads diverged from Ephesus as routes of traffic. With these natural advantages, it was the great commercial centre of all that part of Asia Minor, and ranked with Alexandria and Syrian Antioch as one of the most important cities of the Roman East. It was to the province of Asia very what Bombay is to India. (Pergamum however, was the residence of the Roman proconsul, one of the most important governors of the empire). It contained a goodly company of Greeks, as it had been formerly a Greek colony. The vast majority of inhabitants, however, were Asiatics, zealously attached to their old pagan religion, and proud of the temple of their goddess who, though originally the deity of an aboriginal cult, had adopted under the Greeks the name of Artemis. Her temple stood a little distance outside the city, near the slope of a hill, and was the religious centre of the whole district. The voyage from Cenchreae to Ephesus would occupy from two to three days, the route leading past some of the islands of the Greek Archipelago. The ship called at Ephesus, en route for Caesarea, probably to take in more pilgrims and to allow the passengers to spend the Sabbath in the Synagogue." (Walker)
"The Epistle to the Galatians was undoubtedly written during the Apostle's second visit to Ephesus and it shows that perhaps immediately after the recorded visit in this chapter the judaizing element increased in strength. Most likely the news of the grave danger which was then threatening the Galatian churches had reached him in Antioch." (Gaebelein)
the region of Galatia and Phrygia - "Literally 'the Galatic region and the Phyrygian (region)', regarding 'Phrygian' as an adjective. 'The Galatic region' was that part of Lycaonia which was included in the Roman province of Galatia and was popularly known by that name. It contained Derbe and Lystra, among other towns. Just so, 'the Phrygian region' was that part of Phrygia which was reckoned to the province of Galatia, in which were situated Iconium and Pisidian Antioch. Thus St. Paul revisited his Galatian churches for the second time." (Walker)
Cenchreae - "The eastern port of Corinth. During his time in Corinth, Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians." (Ryrie)
he had cut his hair - "The sign of the conclusion of a Nazarite vow (Num 6:18; Acts 21:24). Just why he took the vow is not known." (Ryrie)
"There were various vows which one might make to God under the Mosaic law (Deut 23:21-22) but the one which involved letting the hair grow during the term of the vow and shaving it off again at its expiration was the Nazarite vow, in which the subject consecrated himself to the Lord in a special way for a week, a month, a year or any designated period of time (Num 6:1-21). This appears to be the vow which Paul had taken and which expired at Cenchrea. This vow, however, was supposed to be consummated at 'the door of the tabernacle' at Jerusalem, where blood sacrifices were to be offered and the hair, which had not been cut during the period of consecration, was to be shaven off and also offered in sacrifice. In the Acts record we are told that Paul had 'shorn his head in Cenchrea; for he had a vow,' and also that he hastened to 'keep this feast (it has been debated whether this was Passover or Pentecost) that cometh in Jerusalem' (Vers. 18, 21). John Kitto is therefore probably correct in explaining that 'as these [sacrifices] could not be offered out of Jerusalem, those who took this vow in foreign parts, made their offerings at their next visit to the holy city' (The Apostles and The Early Church, P. 382)." (Stam)
"Though the vindicator of Gentile liberty, he conformed himself, in various respects, to the laws and customs of his own people (Acts 20:6, 16; 21:26; 27:9; 1 Cor 9:20)." (Walker) - [This was possibly so as not to offend the Jews he was ministering to, because this was still the transitional period and the Jews had not as yet been officially put aside. This is closest to my view.]
"The important question whether Paul was in the directive will of God in taking a vow involving blood sacrifices, or in observing a Jewish feast at Jerusalem, or indeed, in going to Jerusalem at all, will be discussed at length in a later chapter..." (Stam) - [Stam links this with Paul’s later visit to Jerusalem when he aided the four men in taking their vow as recorded in Acts 21:23-26. In that case, he thinks Paul was mistaken, but with good motives and that, although God didn’t direct or want Paul to do it, He still used Paul’s ministry.]
Ephesus - "The real capital of the Roman province of Asia, and, after Corinth, the next great city in order on the main central route from Rome to the East. It lay three miles from the sea, on the river Cayster, which was navigable at that period as far as the city. Four great roads diverged from Ephesus as routes of traffic. With these natural advantages, it was the great commercial centre of all that part of Asia Minor, and ranked with Alexandria and Syrian Antioch as one of the most important cities of the Roman East. It was to the province of Asia very what Bombay is to India. (Pergamum however, was the residence of the Roman proconsul, one of the most important governors of the empire). It contained a goodly company of Greeks, as it had been formerly a Greek colony. The vast majority of inhabitants, however, were Asiatics, zealously attached to their old pagan religion, and proud of the temple of their goddess who, though originally the deity of an aboriginal cult, had adopted under the Greeks the name of Artemis. Her temple stood a little distance outside the city, near the slope of a hill, and was the religious centre of the whole district. The voyage from Cenchreae to Ephesus would occupy from two to three days, the route leading past some of the islands of the Greek Archipelago. The ship called at Ephesus, en route for Caesarea, probably to take in more pilgrims and to allow the passengers to spend the Sabbath in the Synagogue." (Walker)
"The Epistle to the Galatians was undoubtedly written during the Apostle's second visit to Ephesus and it shows that perhaps immediately after the recorded visit in this chapter the judaizing element increased in strength. Most likely the news of the grave danger which was then threatening the Galatian churches had reached him in Antioch." (Gaebelein)
the region of Galatia and Phrygia - "Literally 'the Galatic region and the Phyrygian (region)', regarding 'Phrygian' as an adjective. 'The Galatic region' was that part of Lycaonia which was included in the Roman province of Galatia and was popularly known by that name. It contained Derbe and Lystra, among other towns. Just so, 'the Phrygian region' was that part of Phrygia which was reckoned to the province of Galatia, in which were situated Iconium and Pisidian Antioch. Thus St. Paul revisited his Galatian churches for the second time." (Walker)
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