Acts 18:18-23 18And after remaining with the brothers many days, after saying farewell, Paul set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, cutting his hair in Cenchreae, for he had made a vow. 19And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself, after entering the synagogue, reasoned with the Jews. 20When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he did not consent, 21but on taking leave and saying, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. 22And when he had landed at Caesarea, after going up and greeting the church, he went down to Antioch. 23 And 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.
After being in Corinth for a while longer, how much time is unknown, Paul headed back toward the sending church of Antioch (15:35–41). His mission in Corinth had been a time of both testing and triumph. That he was able to continue his ministry for a while longer indicates how Gallio paid no attention to it, and there was no official opposition. A strong church was established after his over eighteen-month stay there. We know more about the Corinthian church than perhaps any other because of the two known letters Paul wrote to them. He wrote other letters that have been lost, or, as some scholars think, may have been incorporated into 1 and 2 Corinthians. The next few verses give a more personal glimpse of Paul and his relationships and activities. Several insights can be learned about his ministry.
First, he had clearly developed a strong relationship with Priscilla and Aquila. Interestingly, Luke lists Priscilla’s name first. Perhaps not too much should be made of this, but it shows how the couple were both active in ministry and functioned as a team. They went with Paul as far as Ephesus, where they stayed and continued to serve in ministry.
Second, Luke gives an odd note about Paul cutting his hair in Cenchreae because of a vow. Cenchreae was the port of departure from the area of Corinth. There is no clear indicator of what type of vow Paul made. It may have been related to his stay in Corinth, Greece, or his overall mission to Macedonia in response to the vision given him in 16:9 or the vision of 18:9-10. A visible reminder for him was to grow out his hair. Often, some type of physical action can be a reminder of a commitment we make. When Jews made a vow like this, they would bring their cut hair to the temple as a form of sacrifice. Paul was too far away for that.
Third, in spite of the opposition he faced from the Jews in other cities, when he arrived in Ephesus, he followed his pattern of going to the local synagogue and reasoned (dielexato), discussed, or dialogued with the Jews there. There is no mention of opposition from these Jews but only further interest. Although Paul spent significant time with Gentiles, he still remained a faithful Jew. He did not stop being a Jew when he became a Christian. To him, there was no difference. He believed all Jews should accept Jesus as their Messiah, Savior, and Lord.
Fourth, we can gain further insights into Paul’s mission strategy. Why he did not stay in Ephesus where he could have had a successful ministry is unknown. All the information we have about his plans in this significant city was that if it was God’s will, he would return and spend some time there. He knew the sincerity, devotion, and ministry skills of Priscilla and Aquila, so he may have had full confidence that the mission would continue through their efforts and a church could be planted and grown. The implication is that God was leading Paul elsewhere, specifically back to Antioch, where he could give a report to the church there. His trip would bring unity to the global church. A significant amount of travel is briefly summarized in verses 22-23, as Paul returned to Syrian Antioch, stayed for a while, and then started his third missionary journey, heading back through Galatia and Phrygia. All along the way, he strengthened the churches, encouraging them to remain faithful to the Lord and continue in the Lord’s work.