Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 20:2
And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
2. And when he had gone over those parts ] Visiting specially, of course, the churches of Philippi, Thessalonica and Bera, among which St Luke may have been left from the former visit, and have laboured to carry on the work which St Paul had begun. Some have judged this to be very probable, and that in this Macedonian residence St Luke’s Gospel may have been written. It was also, as it seems, at this time that St Paul made the journey into Illyricum alluded to in Rom 15:19.
and had given them much exhortation ] We may form some idea of the topics which would be embraced by such exhortation, if we read the two Epistles to the Thessalonians which had been written to that Church since St Paul’s former visit to Macedonia. The most marked language in the first Epistle is against sorrowing immoderately for the dead. By the words of St Paul on this subject the Christian congregation had been much troubled concerning the nearness of the coming of the Son of Man, and the second letter is written to bring them to a calm and thoughtful mind. The Apostle’s much exhortation would be an echo of what he had said in his letters, “Watch and be sober,” “Abstain from every form of evil,” “Be at peace among yourselves.”
he came into Greece ] There is nothing said of the places which St Paul visited in this journey, but as he was always anxious to strengthen any work which he had before begun we may feel sure that Athens and Corinth, on this account, as well as for their importance as centres of intellectual and commercial life, were the places in which he spent the greater part of his three months’ stay. In the latter Church especially there were many things to be set in order. He had already written to the Corinthians his two Epistles. In the first, sent from Ephesus, he had found it necessary to rebuke them for the party-spirit in the Church, some calling themselves by the name of Peter, some of Apollos and some of Paul himself, instead of finding true unity in Christ; he had also censured the disorders in the Eucharistic feast, had given his judgment on a notorious offender, and on many topics raised by the difficulties of a Christian Church rising up amid heathen surroundings. These matters, and the guidance into a right channel of the exercise of those special gifts of preaching and speaking with tongues with which God endowed the Church in Corinth, would give the Apostle little rest during his brief stay even if he bestowed his whole time on Corinth alone.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Over those parts – The parts of country in and near Macedonia. He probably went to Macedonia by Troas, where he expected to find Titus 2Co 2:12; but, not finding him there, he went by himself to Philippi, Thessalonica, etc., and then returned to Greece proper.
Into Greece – Into Greece proper, of which Athens was the capital. While in Macedonia he had great anxiety and trouble, but was at length comforted by the coming of Titus, who brought him intelligence of the liberal disposition of the churches of Greece in regard to the collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem, 2Co 7:5-7. It is probable that the Second Epistle to the Corinthians was written during this time in Macedonia, and sent to them by Titus.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. He came into Greece] , Into Hellas, Greece properly so called, the regions between Thessaly and Propontis, and the country of Achaia. He did not, however, go there immediately: he passed through Macedonia, Ac 20:1, in which he informs us, 2Co 7:5-7, that he suffered much, both from believers and infidels; but was greatly comforted by the arrival of Titus, who gave him a very flattering account of the prosperous state of the Church at Corinth. A short time after this, being still in Macedonia, he sent Titus back to Corinth, 2Co 8:16-17, and sent by him the second epistle which he wrote to that Church, as Theodoret and others suppose. Some time after, he visited Corinth himself, according to his promise, 1Co 16:5. This was his third voyage to that city, 2Co 12:14; 2Co 13:1. What he did there at this time cannot be distinctly known; but, according to St. Augustin, he ordered every thing relative to the holy eucharist, and the proper manner in which it was to be received. See Calmet.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Much exhortation; which after so great a stir and opposition against them, the disciples could not but stand in great need of, that they might not be offended at the cross of Christ: and also mingling consolations with his exhortations, as the word indifferently signifies, as the case would well bear, there being a special blessing promised unto such as are persecuted for righteousness sake, Mat 5:10; 1Pe 3:14.
Came into Greece; Attica, in which province Athens was: otherwise Macedonia was in Greece largely taken.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. he came into GreeceorAchaia, in pursuance of the second part of his plan (Ac19:21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he had gone over those parts,…. Of Macedonia, and the cities in it before mentioned;
and had given them much exhortation; to abide by the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel, and to walk worthy of it in their lives and conversations; and this exhortation he was frequently giving, as often as he had opportunity, improving his time much this way, and continued long at it: and, having pursued it to a sufficient length,
he came into Greece; or Hellas; which, according to Ptolomy e and Solinus, f, is properly true Greece; the former makes it to be the same with Achaia, where Corinth was; and the latter says it was in his time called Attica, where Athens was; so Pliny g, who also says, that Thessaly was so called: this Hellas included Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Achaia, which is properly Greece, Peloponnesus, and the adjacent islands.
e Geograph. l. 3. c. 15. f Polyhist, c. 12. g Nat. Hist. l. 4. c. 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Those parts ( ). We have no way of knowing why Luke did not tell of Paul’s stay in Troas (2Co 2:12f.) nor of meeting Titus in Macedonia (2Co 2:13-7:16) nor of Paul’s visit to Illyricum (Ro 15:19f.) to give time for II Corinthians to do its work (2Co 13), one of the most stirring experiences in Paul’s whole career when he opened his heart to the Corinthians and won final victory in the church by the help of Titus who also helped him round up the great collection in Achaia. He wrote II Corinthians during this period after Titus arrived from Corinth. The unity of II Corinthians is here assumed. Paul probably met Luke again in Macedonia, but all this is passed by except by the general phrase: “had given them much exhortation” ( ). Literally, “having exhorted them (the Macedonian brethren) with much talk” (instrumental case).
Into Greece ( H). That is, Achaia (Acts 18:12; Acts 19:21), and particularly Corinth, whither he had at last come again after repeated attempts, pauses, and delays (2Co 13:1). Now at last the coast was clear and Paul apparently had an open door in Corinth during these three months, so completely had Titus at last done away with the opposition of the Judaizers there.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Greece. The Roman province of Achaia, comprehending Greece proper and the Peloponnesus. Luke uses Achaia (ch. 29 21) and Greece synonymously, as distinguished from Macedonia.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1)“And when he had gone over those parts,” (dietlthon de ta mera ekeina) “Then when he had gone through those parts,” where he had formerly labored in Macedonia, inclusive of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, Act 16:12; Act 17:1; Act 17:10.
2) “And had given them much exhortation,” (kai parakalesas autous logo pollo) “And when he had exhorted or encouraged them with much speech,” with much reasoning and many words from the scriptures, as later found in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, to “watch and be sober,” to “abstain from every form of evil,” to “be at peace among themselves,” and to “be not weary in well doing,” 1Th 4:3; 1Th 5:6; 1Th 5:13; 1Th 5:22; 1Th 3:13.
3) “He came into Greece,” (elthen eis ten hellada) “He entered into Greece,” south of Macedonia, Act 17:15; Act 18:1, with Corinth as its capitol.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(2) And when he had gone over those parts.Here also we can fill up the outline of the narrative from the Epistles. We may take for granted that St. Paul would revisit the churches which he had himself founded at Thessalonica and Bera, as well as at Philippi. The names in Act. 20:4 indicate that delegates were chosen, probably by his direction, for the great journey to Jerusalem, which he now began to contemplate. Rom. 15:19 indicates a yet wider range of activity. He had taken the great Roman road across Macedonia, and going westward to the shores of the Adriatic, had preached the gospel in Illyricum, where as yet it had not been heard.
He came into Greece.The word Hellas, or Greece, seems used as synonymous with Achaia, the southern province. This may have led to an unrecorded visit to Athens. It certainly brought him to Corinth and Cenchre. There, we may hope, he found all his hopes fulfilled. Gaius was there to receive him as a guest, and Erastus was still a faithful friend. There, if not before, he found Timotheus, and he had with him Jason of Thessalonica and Sosipater of Bera (Rom. 16:21-23). In one respect, however, he found a great change, and missed many friends. The decree of Claudius had either been revoked or was no longer acted on. Aquila and Priscilla had gone straight from Ephesus to Rome on hearing that they could do so with safety, and with them the many friends, male and female, most of them of the libertini class, whom he had known in Corinth, and whose names fill so large a space in Romans 16. The desire which he had felt before (Act. 19:21) to see Rome was naturally strengthened by their absence. His work in Greece was done, and he felt an impulse, not merely human, drawing him to the further west. A rapid journey to Jerusalem, a short visit there, to show how generous were the gifts which the Gentile Churches sent to the Churches of the Circumcision, and then the desire of his life might be gratified. To preach the gospel in Rome, to pass on from Rome to the Jews at Cordova and other cities in Spain (Rom. 15:24-28),that was what he now proposed to himself. How different a path was actually marked out for him the sequel of the story shows.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Gone over those parts He travelled into, or at least as far as, Illyricum, (Rom 15:19.)
Greece Southern Greece, distinguished, as was often the case, from Macedonia.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when he had gone through those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece.’
Paul now visits the churches in Macedonia, exhorting and encouraging the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea, among others, for we know that more churches have been established through their witness (1Th 1:8). Yet this all passes in a sentence. During this period he will have exhorted them also to make ready the Collection for him to take to Jerusalem, and will have written 2 Corinthians. But Luke does not want to interfere with his picture of the inevitable ongoing flow of God’s purposes which will result in Apostolic testimony in Rome, and all this is dismissed without a word.
Then Paul moves on to Greece (the only mention of ‘Greece’ as such in the New Testament, which suggests that here it means more than just Corinth). Here he spends three months, probably mainly at Corinth where he has a joyful reconciliation, although he may also have visited Athens. Again he was here, not only for joyful reconciliation, but in order to accept their contribution towards the Collection for him to take to Jerusalem (1Co 16:1-7; 2 Corinthians 8-9), and here he would write his letter to the Romans in preparation for his coming expected visit in which he expressed his hopes concerning the Collection (Rom 15:31), hopes which were to be only partially fulfilled.
But why does Luke not mention the Collection here? He certainly knew of it (Act 24:17). Probably it was because as far as he was concerned he does not wish to draw attention to Jerusalem as any other than the place towards which Paul was going in order to suffer. As far as he was concerned Jerusalem was no longer important in the forward moving of the work of God. Its sole purpose now was as the fulfiller of God’s will by its treatment of His messenger, just as it had done when it had crucified Jesus. It had rejected its Messiah twice (by crucifixion and in chapter 12), now it would reject Paul.
Paul probably had great hopes for the Collection, monies that were to help a famine ridden Judaea, and were to be an example of the wealth of the Gentiles coming to the Jews in true Biblical fashion (Isa 60:9-12). He probably also hoped, with his great love for his people in spite of the contretemps he had had with them, that it would make at least some of them feel more friendly both towards him and the Gentiles.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2 And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
Ver. 2. Into Greece ] sc. To Corinth, whence he wrote the Epistle to the Romans.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2. ] Notices of this journey may be found 2Co 2:12-13 ; 2Co 7:5-6 . He delayed on the way some time at Troas, waiting for Titus, broke off his preaching there, though prosperous, in distress of mind at his non-arrival, 2Co 2:12-13 , and sailed for Macedonia, where Titus met him, 2Co 7:6 . That Epistle was written during it, from Macedonia (see 2Co 9:2 , , ‘I am boasting’). He seems to have gone to the confines at least of Illyria, Rom 15:19 .
] The Macedonian brethren: so ch. Act 16:10 al., see reff., and Winer, edn. 6, 22.3.
] Achaia, see ch. Act 19:21 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 20:2 . , see above on Act 13:6 , “and when he had gone through,” in a missionary progress , i.e. , of Macedonia, the places where he had founded Churches, Thessalonica, Bera, Philippi. From Rom 15:19 it would appear that his work continued some time, and that round about even unto Illyricum he fully preached the Gospel. On the connection of 2 Cor. with this part of Acts, see “II. Corinthians” (Robertson), Hastings’ B.D., i., pp. 493, 495; Ramsay, St. Paul , p. 286; and on the coincidence between Acts and Romans, l. c. , see Paley, Hor Paulin , ii., 4. , i.e. , Achaia in its Roman sense (approximately at all events); the stay might have included a visit to Athens, but at all events Corinth was visited. A wider sense of the epithet “Greek” would comprise Macedonia also, and Macedonia and Achaia are thus spoken of in close connection as forming the Greek lands in Europe, cf. Act 19:21 , and Rom 15:26 , 2Co 9:2 , 1Th 1:8 , “Achaia” (Ramsay), Hastings’ B.D.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
those parts. Doubtless including Philippi, Thessalonica, &c.
given them much exhortation. Literally exhorted (Greek. parakaleo. App-134.) them with many a word (Greek. logos. App-121.)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] Notices of this journey may be found 2Co 2:12-13; 2Co 7:5-6. He delayed on the way some time at Troas, waiting for Titus,-broke off his preaching there, though prosperous, in distress of mind at his non-arrival, 2Co 2:12-13,-and sailed for Macedonia, where Titus met him, 2Co 7:6. That Epistle was written during it, from Macedonia (see 2Co 9:2, , I am boasting). He seems to have gone to the confines at least of Illyria, Rom 15:19.
] The Macedonian brethren: so ch. Act 16:10 al., see reff., and Winer, edn. 6, 22.3.
] Achaia, see ch. Act 19:21.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 20:2. , those) parts of Macedonia.- , with much exhortation) Paul was especially abounding (overflowing with edifying speech; at this time, Act 20:7; Act 20:9; Act 20:11; wherefore also he at that time wrote several epistles.-, Greece) that part of Greece which was between Macedonia and Achaia.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
those: Act 20:6, Act 16:12, Act 17:1, Act 17:10
given: Act 20:7, Act 20:11, Act 2:40, Act 14:22, Act 15:41, Col 1:28, 1Th 2:3, 1Th 2:11, 1Th 4:1, cir, am 4064, ad 60
Greece: That is Greece properly so called, bounded on the west by Epirus, on the east by the Aegean sea, on the north by Macedonia, and on the south by the Peloponnesus. In its largest acceptation it also comprehended all Macedonia, Thessaly, Epirus, Peloponnesus, and the near by islands. Zec 9:13
Reciprocal: Luk 4:31 – taught Act 13:15 – if Act 15:32 – exhorted Rom 12:8 – exhorteth Rom 15:19 – so that 2Co 2:13 – I went 2Co 11:28 – the care
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
Act 20:2. Paul spent some time with the churches in Macedonia, such as Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea. Greece was the province immediately south of Macedonia.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 20:2. And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece. That is, when St. Paul had visited the cities Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, etc., on the eastern or gean side of Northern Greece or Macedonia, and had preached his Masters gospel on the eastern or Adriatic coast, roughly termed Illyricum, he came into the southern province, here termed Hellas (Greece), that is to say, into the Roman province of Achaia; and here he at once sought out its principal city, his old home and scene of former labours, the great western centre of the Christianity of the first days, Corinth.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 20:2. And when he had gone over those parts Zealously pursuing everywhere the work in which he was engaged; and had given much exhortation To the Christians whom he found there, or had exhorted them with much discourse; he came into Greece That part of it which lay between Macedonia and Achaia. In going through Macedonia, the apostle had those outward fightings and inward fears, of which he speaks, 2Co 7:5. But, after great anxiety in his mind, he was at length comforted by the coming of Titus, who brought him a pleasing account of the state of affairs at Corinth. And in particular, what he said of their liberal disposition gave the apostle reason to glory in them, and to excite the Macedonians to imitate their generosity in assisting the contribution he was now raising for the poor Christians in Judea, which was one part of his business in this journey, 2Co 9:2; 2Co 8:1-14. The second epistle to the Corinthians was therefore written from Macedonia at this time, as these passages manifest, and was sent by Titus, who, on this occasion, returned to get the collection in still greater forwardness. This journey through the different towns of Macedonia, in which churches were established, of course took up several months; and no doubt many circumstances occurred, at most of these places, which made his presence with them for a while highly expedient. Perhaps also it was at this time that he preached the gospel on the confines of Illyricum, as mentioned, Rom 15:19.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2, 3. The career of the apostle for the next few months is not given in detail, but the whole is condensed into this brief statement: (2) “And when he had gone through those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he went into Greece; (3) and having spent three months there, he resolved to return through Macedonia, because a plot was laid against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria.” Several events transpired in the interval thus hurriedly passed over, a knowledge of which is accessible through epistles written at the time, and which we shall briefly consider.
When Paul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem on the mission from the Church in Antioch, as recorded in the fifteenth chapter of Acts, it was formally agreed, among the apostles then present, that Peter, James, and John should labor chiefly among the Jews, and Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles. It was stipulated, however, that the latter should assist in providing for the poor in Judea. “This,” says Paul, “I was also forward to do.” In accordance with this agreement, we find that he was now urging a general collection in the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia for this purpose. The Churches in Achaia, indeed, were ready for the contribution a whole year before this, and Paul had written to them in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, “Upon the first day of the week, let each of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no collections when I come.” For prudential considerations, such as prompted him so often to labor without remuneration from the Churches, he was not willing to be himself the bearer of this gift, although the Churches in Macedonia had entreated him to do so. He at first, indeed, had not fully intended to go to Jerusalem in connection with it, but had said to the Churches, “Whomsoever you will approve by letters, them will I send to take your gift to Jerusalem; and if it be proper that I should go also, they shall go with me.” The importance of the mission, however, grew more momentous as time advanced, so that he resolved to go himself, and the enterprise became a subject of most absorbing interest.
The circumstance which led to this result was the increasing alienation between the Jews and the Gentiles within the Church. The decree of the apostles and inspired brethren in Jerusalem, though it had given comfort to the Church in Antioch, where the controversy first became rife, and had done good everywhere that it was carried, had not succeeded in entirely quelling the pride and arrogance of the judaizing teachers. They had persisted in their schismatical efforts, until there was not a wide-spread disaffection between the parties, threatening to rend the whole Church into two hostile bodies. By this influence the Churches in Galatia had become almost entirely alienated from Paul, for whom they once would have been willing to pluck out their own eyes, and were rapidly led back under bondage to the law of Moses. The Church in Rome, at the opposite extremity of the territory which had been evangelized, was also disturbed by factions, the Jews insisting that justification was by works of law, and that the distinctions of meats and holy days should be perpetuated. Such danger to the cause could but be to Paul a source of inexpressible anxiety; and while it was imminent he concentrated all his energies to its aversions.
Already engaged in a general collection among Churches composed chiefly of Gentiles, for the benefit of Jewish saints in Judea, and knowing the tendency of a kind action to win back alienated affections, he pushes the work forward with renewed industry, for the accomplishment of this good end. He presents this motive to the Corinthians, in the following words: “For the ministration of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints, but also superabounds to God, by means of many thanksgivings (they glorifying God, through the proof supplied by this ministration of your subjection to the gospel of Jesus Christ which you have confessed, and of the liberality of your fellowship for them and for all,) and by their prayers in your behalf, having a great affection for you on account of the exceeding favor of God which is in you.” He here expresses as great confidence in the good result of the enterprise, as if it were already accomplished, and the Jews were already overflowing with affection to the Gentiles, and offering many thanksgivings and prayers to God in their behalf. Thus he felt while stimulating the liberality of the brethren; but when the collections were all made in the Churches, and he was about to start from Corinth to Jerusalem with it, his anxiety was most intense, and he began to fear the alienation of the Jews was so great that they would not accept the gift, and thus the breach he was trying to close would be opened wider. We know this by the almost painful earnestness with which he calls upon the brethren at Rome to pray with him for the success of his efforts. He says: “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayer to God for me, that I may be delivered from the disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints.” If he called thus earnestly for the prayers of the distant Church at Rome, how much more must he have enlisted those of the Churches in Achaia and Macedonia, who were immediately concerned in the enterprise itself! We have here the spectacle of a man who was regarded with suspicion, if not with positive dislike, by a large portion of his brethren, securing from others who were involved with him in the same reproach, a self-denying contribution for the temporal wants of the disaffected party; and, then, fearing lest their disaffection was so great as to lead them to reject the gift-a fear which would cause most men to withhold it entirely-he calls upon all the donors to unite in persistent prayer that it might not be rejected. The object of it all, too, was to gain no selfish ends, but to win back the alienated affections of brethren, and to preserve the unity of the body of Christ. No nobler instance of disinterested benevolence can be found in the history of men. The prosecution of the enterprise as we will hereafter see, was in keeping with the magnanimity of its inception. But before we consider it further, we must briefly notice some kindred facts.
For the same grand purpose which prompted the great collection, Paul wrote, during his three months’ stay in Corinth, the two epistles to the Galatians and the Romans. This we have already assumed in our references to them as cotemporaneous with the collection. The most conclusive evidence for assigning to them this date may be briefly stated as follows: In the epistle to the Romans, Paul expressly states that he was about to start for Jerusalem with the contribution which had been collected. But this could have been said only toward the close of his present stay in Corinth. Moreover, Gaius, who lived in Corinth, was his host at the time of writing to the Romans; and Phoebe, of the Corinthian seaport Cenchrea, was the bearer of the epistle. As for Galatians, it contains a reference to Paul’s first visit to them, implying that he had been there a second time. His words are: “You know that it was on account of sickness that I preached the gospel to you at the first.” It was written, then, after his second visit. But this leaves the date very indefinite, and there are no other notes of time within the epistle itself to fix it more definitely. There is, however, a close correspondence in subject-matter between it and the epistle to the Romans, indicating that they were written under the same condition of affairs, and about the same time. This, in the absence of conflicting evidence, is considered conclusive. It is not certain which of the two was written first, but, as in Romans, Paul speaks of his departure for Jerusalem as about to take place, it is more probable that Galatians was written previous to this. In both, the apostle contends by authority and by argument against the destructive teaching of the judaizing party, striving, by this means, to put them to silence at the same time that he was aiming, by a noble act of self-denial, to win back their good-will, both to himself and to the Gentiles, whose cause he had espoused.
Having dispatched these two epistles, and collected about him the messengers of the various Churches, the apostle was about to start for Syria by water, when, as the text last quoted affirms, he learned that a plot was laid against him by the Jews, which determined him to change his course. This plot was probably an arrangement to waylay him on the road to Cenchrea, and perhaps both rob and murder him. Having timely notice of the danger, “he determined to return through Macedonia,” and started by another road.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
2, 3. Spending the summer in the churches of Northern Greece, meanwhile Timothy and Titus with their comrades at different times have gone down into Achaia and preached to the Corinthians; bringing him word in reference to the effect of his first epistle, he writes the second [methinks at Berea] and sends it on before him, prosecuting his peregrinations through the north, and arriving at Corinth late in the fall, spending the winter of A. D.
57-58 in that genial southern climate. Meanwhile he writes the epistle to the Romans, setting out in the spring for the great East again and returning through Macedonia.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
20:2 And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them {a} much exhortation, he came into Greece,
(a) For after so great trouble, there was need of much exhortation.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Paul’s ministry to the province of Illyricum, which lay to the northwest of Macedonia, may have taken place while he was in this area or during his three-year ministry in Ephesus (cf. Rom 15:19). "Greece" here refers to Achaia. Paul may have sent his Epistle to Titus at this time, but he probably wrote it after his acquittal in Rome and after he resumed his missionary travels (Tit 3:12).