What is the meaning of Acts 20:6? And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread • Luke marks time by a God-given festival that commemorated Israel’s deliverance (Exodus 12:17; Luke 22:1). • Paul’s itinerary still respects the calendar God established, even as he now proclaims Christ our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). • The mention assures us this narrative is anchored in real history; the feast fell in early spring, so we can trace the chronology that will take Paul toward Pentecost (Acts 20:16). • By noting the feast without commentary, Luke shows the seamless continuity between the Old Testament foundations and New Testament mission. we sailed from Philippi • Philippi, “a Roman colony” (Acts 16:12), had first welcomed the gospel through Paul and Silas years earlier. • Boarding ship here reminds us the gospel advances through ordinary travel plans directed by God’s hand (Proverbs 16:9). • Paul leaves behind a thriving church that will later receive the warm letter of Philippians (Philippians 1:1-6). • The team traveling with him (Acts 20:4-5) mirrors the church’s growing diversity—Jews and Gentiles serving side by side. and five days later we rejoined them in Troas • The same crossing had once taken only two days (Acts 16:11); contrary winds lengthen it now, underscoring dependence on the Lord in every venture (James 4:13-15). • “We rejoined them” points back to verse 5: Paul’s companions had gone ahead. The reunion highlights coordinated ministry and mutual care (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). • Troas had already been a strategic launch point for the gospel into Europe (Acts 16:8-10). Returning here shows Paul’s pattern of revisiting and strengthening earlier works (Acts 14:21-22). • Troas will later be the place where Paul leaves his cloak and scrolls (2 Timothy 4:13), another touch of historical detail that invites confidence in Scripture’s accuracy. where we stayed seven days • A full week allowed Paul to share life with the believers and, crucially, to meet with them “on the first day of the week” to break bread (Acts 20:7), a clear echo of Resurrection Sunday (Luke 24:1). • Seven days recall God’s creation pattern (Genesis 2:2-3), suggesting wholeness and completion. Ministry that lingers long enough to build relationships is blessed. • The stay gave space for: – Teaching and encouragement (Acts 20:2) – Corporate worship and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7) – Practical sending of believers into ongoing mission (Acts 20:13). • Throughout Acts we see similar week-long visits (Acts 21:4), indicating an intentional rhythm of fellowship, instruction, and rest. summary Acts 20:6 situates Paul’s journey in sacred time (the Feast), real geography (Philippi to Troas), and intentional community (reuniting and spending a full week together). The verse quietly testifies that God directs both the grand sweep of redemption history and the ordinary details of travel schedules and weather. As we trace Paul’s steps we learn to order our own days around God’s calendar, trust Him in every delay, and make room for unhurried fellowship that strengthens Christ’s church. |
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