LESSON 34
THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY—(Continued)
Paul's farewell visit to churches he had established
During the next nine or ten months—from the summer, A. D., 57, to the spring, A. D., 58—following Paul's affectionate farewell to the disciples at Ephesus, we know very little of his travels. From the epistles that he wrote during this period, we learn most of what is known about his labors and duties "over those parts" in Macedonia.
He first went to Troas, where he expected to meet Titus whom he had sent to Corinth. Here, he says, "I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus, my brother."[[1]]
Worrying over the reports he had heard about the evil conditions in the Corinthian church, he left Troas for Philippi.
A Joyous Welcome.
Here he met some of his most beloved Saints; for the Philippian converts, though among the poorest, financially, were among the most faithful of all the churches. Paul had accepted their assistance when he had refused help from other sources. This is one church which Paul did not reprove. What a joyous welcome these faithful Saints must have given the Apostle! How their hearts would rejoice as they retold their experiences when Paul and Timothy and Silas first preached to the women by the river side. Lydia and the jailor and a host of other faithful members would all be there to recall the arrest, the whipping, the imprisonment, the stocks, the midnight hymns, the earthquake, the authorities' fears and all the other wonderful experiences of that first visit to Philippi!
Paul Depressed.
Yet amidst all this welcome Paul says his "flesh had no rest; without were fightings, within were fears; until God who comforts them that are cast down, comforted me by the coming of Titus."[[2]]
Second Epistle to Corinthians.
Titus told him that the members of the Church in Corinth who had been doing wrong had been excommunicated, and that many of the saints were doing better. Hearing this, Paul wrote another letter to them, (the second Epistle to the Corinthians) and sent Titus back with it.
Offerings.
Titus seems to have been one of the chief men in collecting contributions for the relief of the poor in Judea. When he returned to Corinth, he continued to make collections for Paul to take to Jerusalem in the near future.[[3]]
The next we hear of Paul, he is in Corinth. While there he hears that the Galatians were saying that he was not an apostle because Jesus had not chosen him as one of the Twelve. So he wrote a letter to the Galatians in which he says,
Galatians Reproved.
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another Gospel."
Then he warns them against accepting any other Gospel, for if anyone preach any other Gospel, "let him be accursed."
Here he also wrote his epistle to the Romans.
Retraces Steps.
Paul prepared to go to Palestine direct from Corinth, but he heard of a plot to take his life. To frustrate this, he retraced his steps through Macedonia. When the company again reached Philippi, Timothy and several others went ahead to Troas. Paul and Luke remained for a short time and then rejoined the company at Troas.