Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 20:15
And we sailed thence, and came the next [day] over against Chios; and the next [day] we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next [day] we came to Miletus.
15. And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios ] As the word for “next” here is not the same as that so rendered in the following clause, the Rev. Ver. gives (with more closeness to the Greek) And sailing from thence we came the following day, &c. The island of Chios is about five miles distant from the mainland. It was in the shelter of the roadstead that the Apostle and his companions passed the night in their vessel.
and the next day we arrived [ touched ] at Samos ] The verb is a technical seafaring word, which the Rev. Ver. has thus represented. The island of Samos lies off that part of the coast of Asia Minor where the ancient Ionia joined on to Caria. It has been famous both in ancient Greek and modern European history (see Dict. of Greek and Roman Geogr. s.v.). On the mainland opposite, at the termination of the ridge of Mycale, lay Trogyllium, for which the Apostle’s vessel made without stopping in Samos.
and tarried at Trogyllium ] The oldest MSS. omit these words. How they came into the text, if they be an addition, is not easy to explain. As the previous verb only implies the “touching” at Samos, some early marginal annotator knowing the country may have thus suggested the night’s halting-place, which the historian did not mention.
and the next day we came to Miletus ] Here is yet another Greek phrase for “next day.” The A.V., which often gives a varied English for the same Greek, has here for varying Greek given the same English three times over. The Rev. Ver. has “the day after,” and thus marks the variation in the original. Miletus had been a most famous sea-port in the earlier Greek history, but in the days of St Paul its fame was eclipsed by Ephesus. It lay on the coast of Caria, some 20 or 30 miles distant by land southward from the city of Ephesus, and one day’s sail from Trogyllium. The site of the town is now some distance from the sea, and was not close to it in the Apostle’s time, as we shall see below (Act 20:38).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Over against Chios – Opposite to. Into the neighborhood of; or near to it. Chios, called also Coos, is an island in the Archipelago, between Lesbos and Samos. It is on the coast of Asia Minor, and is now called Scio. It will long be remembered as the seat of a dreadful massacre of almost all its inhabitants by the Turks in 1823.
At Samos – This was also an island of the Archipelago, lying off the coast of Lydia, from which it is separated by a narrow strait. These islands were celebrated among the ancients for their extraordinary wines.
Trogyllium – This was the name of a town and promontory of Ionia in Asia Minor, between Ephesus and the mouth of the river Meander, opposite to Samos. The promontory is a spur of Mount Mycale.
Miletus – Called also Mileturn. It was a city and seaport, and the ancient capital of Ionia. It was originally composed of a colony of Cretans. It became extremely powerful, and sent out colonies to a great number of cities on the Euxine Sea. It was distinguished for a magnificent temple dedicated to Apollo. It is now called by the Turks Melas. It was the birthplace of Thales, one of the seven wise men of Greece. It was about 40 or 50 miles from Ephesus.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Over against Chios] This was a very celebrated island between Lesbos and Samos, famous in antiquity for its extraordinary wines. At this island the apostle did not touch.
Arrived at Samos] This was another island of the AEgean Sea, or Archipelago. It does not appear that they landed at Samos: they passed close by it, and anchored at Trogyllium. This was a promontory of Ionia, which gave name to some small islands in the vicinity of Samos: : before Trogyllium is situated an island of the same name. Strabo, lib. xiv. p. 635. Pliny also mentions this place, Hist. Nat. lib. v. cap. 31. Near this place was the mouth of the famous river Maeander.
Came to Miletus.] A celebrated city in the province of Caria, about twelve or fifteen leagues from Ephesus, according to Calmet. Miletus is famous for being the birthplace of Thales, one of the seven wise men of Greece, and founder of the Ionic sect of philosophers. Anaximander was also born here, and several other eminent men. The Turks, who lately possessed it, call it Melas.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Chios; a noted island betwixt Lesbos and Samos in the Aegean Sea.
Samos; in Ionia; for there are several other islands of this name.
Trogyllium; a promontory not far from Samos.
Miletus; a sea town upon the continent or firm land of Ionia.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15, 16. came the next dayover against Chiosnow Scio: one of the most beautiful of thoseislands between which and the coast the sail is so charming. Theyappear not to have touched at it.
next daywe arrived“touched” or “put in.”
at Samosanother islandcoming quite close to the mainland, and about as far south of Chiosas it is south of Lesbos.
tarriedfor the night.
at Trogylliumananchorage on the projecting mainland, not more than a mile from thesouthern extremity of the island of Samos.
next daywe came to Miletuson the mainland; the ancient capital ofIonia, near the mouth of the Meander.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And we sailed thence,…. From Mitylene:
and came the next day over against Chios; which, according to R. Benjamin Tudelensis b, was three days’ sail from Mitylene; according to Pliny c it was sixty five miles from it, and is an island in the Icarian or Aegean sea, and lies between Lesbos and Samos, next mentioned; and has its name from the nymph Chione, so called from the exceeding whiteness of her skin, as snow: it was famous for marble; from hence came the best mastic, and good figs, and the wine called malmsey wine d. And of this place Jerom says e, Chios, an island before Bithynia, whose name in the Syriac language signifies “mastic”, because that mastic grows there; some add, he called it “Chia” from Chione the nymph: the reason of its name, as Pausanias f relates, was this; Neptune coming into a desert island, had carnal knowledge of a nymph, and in the time of her travail, a snow fell from heaven on the ground; and from this Neptune called his son Chius, from whom the island has its name. Others g conjecture, that it was called from , “Chivja”, which signifies a serpent; this island having been very much terrified, as Aelianus h says, by the hisses of a serpent of a monstrous size, until it was consumed by fire. It was common to sail from Mitylene hither, and “vice versa”: so we read i of Herod seeking Agrippa, he came to Chios, and from thence to Mitylene. We read nothing of the apostle’s stay and preaching here, nor of any Gospel church here, till ages after: in the “fourth” century, Heathenism prevailed to such a degree in it, that Dionysius Omadius was worshipped here with human sacrifice; and yet, in the fifth century, a bishop of Chios was present in the council of Chalcedon; and in the “sixth” century another assisted in the fifth Roman synod; and in the “seventh” century there was a bishop of this place at the sixth synod at Constantinople; and in the “eighth” century, Leon, bishop of Chios, was in the Nicene k synod. It is now called Chio or Scio, by the Turks Saches, and is inhabited by Italian Genoese.
And the next day we arrived at Samos; another island in the Icarian sea, not a very fruitful one, unless for olives l; and for nothing more famous than for being the birth place of Pythagoras m, hence called the Samian, and of Melissus. It was ninety three miles distant from Chios n; and, according to R. Benjamin, two days sail from it o; but Paul sailed hither in a day. Of this place Jerom p thus writes; Samos, an island in the Aegean sea, in which, it is reported, earthen vessels were first made. Herodotus q speaks of three things for which it was famous, a very high mountain in it, a bulwark about the haven in the sea, and a temple the largest of all he ever saw. Some say it has its name from the height of it, Samos signifying an high place. Pausanias r, from Asius, a Samian, suggests, that it was so called from Samus, the son of Ancaeus and Samia; and observes, that the inhabitants of it affirm, that Juno was born here; and here was a famous temple, said to be dedicated to her by the Argonautes. One of the Sybils dwelt here, called from hence Samia, and Polycrates, a noted tyrant. Lycurgus, the famous lawgiver, died in this place, as did also Pherecydes, the Syrian s. It is now called Samo. The apostle stayed not here to preach the Gospel; nor do we read of its being preached here by any: idolatry greatly prevailed in this place in the “second” century; and so it did in the “fourth”: though in the same we also read of some Christians here that suffered persecution; and so low as the “eighth” century, Heraclius, bishop of this place, was in the Nicene synod t.
And tarried at Trogyllium; which, according to Ptolomy u, was a promontory in the Icarian sea: it was about forty furlongs distant from Samos, according to Strabo w. It was a promontory of Mycale; and Trogilias, called also Trogilia, is mentioned with Mycale and Samos by Pliny x, as near to Miletus. It follows here, and the next day we came to Miletus; which was once the chief city of Ionia: it was famous for being the birth place of Thales, one of the seven wise men of Greece, and of Timotheus the musician, and of Anaximander, and Anaximenes, and the famous Democritus, philosophers y, and of Cadmus, the first inventor of prose z. Pliny says a, it was formerly called Lelegeis, Pityusa, and Anactoria; and it seems it had its name Miletus from Miletus, the son of Apollo, who is said to build it b; and Apollo himself is sometimes called Apollo Milesius, and who had a famous temple in this place c. Though rather it was so called from “Milata”, or “Melote”, which signifies pure, white, fine, soft wool, for which this place was famous; which was used for carpets, but chiefly for cloth, which being dyed purple, was sent into divers parts: “Melote” in Greek signifies the same; it is used in Heb 11:37 and translated “sheepskin”. Ptolomy d places this city in Caria, by the sea; and certain it is from this account, that it was a sea port: it is said to have four ports or havens, one of which would hold a fleet. Of it Jerom e says; Miletus, a maritime city in Asia, distant ten furlongs from the mouth of the river Maeander: by the apostle’s sending from hence to Ephesus, for the elders of the church there to meet him at this place, as is afterwards related, and taking no notice of any brethren, elders, or church here, it looks as if there were none at this time: and in the “second” century, Gentilism was embraced at Miletus; and in the “fourth” century Licinius consulted the oracle of Apollo Didymaeus in this place, concerning the event of the war against Constantine; but in the “fifth” century we read of a church here, a bishop of this place being in the Chalcedon council; in the “seventh” century a bishop of this church assisted at the sixth council at Constantinople, whose name is said to be George; and in the “eighth” century Epiphanius, bishop of Miletus, was present in the Nicene council f.
b Itinerar. p. 29. c Plin. l. 5. c. 31. d Ib. l. 14. c. 7. e De locis Hebraicis, fol. 96. A. f Achaica, sive 1. 7. p. 404. g Hiller. Onomasticum Sacrum, p. 787. h De Animal. l. 16. c. 39. i Joseph. Antiqu. l. 16. c. 2. sect. 2. k Magdeburg. Hist. Eccles. cent. 4. c. 15. p. 865. cent. 5. c. 2. p. 6. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 6. cent. 7. c. 2. p. 4. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 6. l Apulei Florida, sect. 15. m Solin. c. 21. Laert. Vit. Philosoph. l. 8. p. 568. l. 9. p. 643. n Plin. l. 5. c. 31. o Itinerar. p. 30. p De locis Hebraicis, fol. 96. I. q Thalia, l. 3. c. 60. r Achaica, sive 1. 7. p. 402, 403. s Heraclides de Politiis, p. 432, 444. t Magdeburg. Hist. Eccl. cent. 2. c. 15. p. 193. cent. 4. c. 3. p. 19. c. 15. p. 865, 884. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 6. u Geograph. l. 5. c. 2. w Ib. l. 14. x Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 29, 31. y Mela, l. 1. c. 17. Laert. Vit. Philosoph. l. 1. p. 15. l. 2. p. 88, 89. l. 9. p. 650. z Plin. l. 5. c. 29. Solin. c. 53. a Ib. b Apollodorus de Orig. Deor. l. 3. p. 130. c Alex. ab Alex. l. 6. c. 2. d Geograph. l. 5. c. 2. e De locis Hebraicis, fol. 96. F. f Magdeburg. Hist. Eccles. cent. 2. c. 15. p. 192. cent. 4. c. 15. p. 863. cent. 5. c. 2. p. 3. cent. 7. c. 2. p. 3. c. 10. p. 254. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
We came over against Chios ( ). Luke uses this Koine verb several times (Acts 16:1; Acts 18:19), meaning to come right down in front of and the notion of is made plainer by , face to face with, common “improper” preposition only here in the N.T. They probably lay off the coast (anchoring) during the night instead of putting into the harbour. The Island of Chios is about eight miles from the mainland.
The next day ( ). The third day in reality from Assos (the fourth from Troas), in contrast with just before for Chios.
We touched at Samos ( ). Second aorist active of , to throw alongside, to cross over, to put in by. So Thucydides III. 32. Only here in the N.T. though in Textus Receptus in Mr 4:30. The word parable () is from this verb. The Textus Receptus adds here (and remaining at Trogyllium), but clearly not genuine. In passing from Chios to Samos they sailed past Ephesus to save time for Pentecost in Jerusalem (verse 16), if in control of the ship, or because the captain allowed Paul to have his way. The island of Samos is still further down the coast below Chios. It is not stated whether a stop was made here or not.
The day after ( ). The day holding itself next to the one before. Note Luke’s three terms in this verse ( , , ). This would be the fourth from Assos.
To Miletus ( ). About 28 miles south of Ephesus and now the site is several miles from the sea due to the silt from the Maeander. This city, once the chief city of the Ionian Greeks, was now quite eclipsed by Ephesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Arrived [] . Only here and Mr 4:30, where it is used more nearly according to its original sense, to throw beside; to bring one thing beside another in comparison. Here, of bringing the vessel alongside the island. The narrative implies that they only touched (Rev.) there, but not necessarily the word.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And we sailed thence,” (kakeithen apopleusantes) “And from there we sailed away,” disembarked, cut ship, or lifted anchors.
2) “And came the next day over against Chios; (te epiouse kateatesamen anti krus Chiou) “Arriving the next day just off Chios;” The island Chios in the Aegean Sea is separated from the coast of Asia by a channel that was only five miles wide, a picturesque channel thru which Paul sailed south from Mitylene to Samos.
3) “And the next day we arrived at Samos,” (te de hetera parebalomen eis Samon) “Then on the other (the next) we crossed over into Samos;” The “we” refers to Paul and his some eight or more companions in travel, including Luke, Act 20:4-6. Samos is an island in the Aegean Sea, seat of Juno-worship and birthplace of Pythagoras.
4) “And tarried at Trogyllium;” (not in oldest Gk. manuscripts), perhaps made a brief stop for refreshments.
5) “And the next day we came to Miletus.” (te de echomene elthomen eis Mileton) “Then on the next day we came of our own accord into Miletus,” former capitol of Ionia, once the mother city of some eighty colonies; native home of Thales and Anaximander, some 28 miles south of Ephesus. It was both a luxurious and licentious city in Paul’s time.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
11.
OVER AGAINST CHIOS. Act. 20:15 a.
Act. 20:15 a
And sailing from thence, we came the following day over against Chios;
Act. 20:15 a This is a large island and is separated from the mainland by a channel of varying widthat the narrowest place it is only five miles wide and is blocked by a series of small islands. Through this channel Pauls ship sailed and anchored here in this protected channel over against Chios.
799.
What is meant by the statement over against Chios?
12.
AT SAMOS. Act. 20:15 b.
Act. 20:15 b
and the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus.
Act. 20:15 b This is yet another large island with a narrow strait between it and the mainlandanother overnight stop.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) We sailed thence . . .After the usual manner of the Mediterranean navigation of the time, the ship put into harbour, where it was possible, every evening. Each of the stations namedLesbos, Chios, Samoshas legendary and historical associations of its own, full of interest for the classical student; but these, we may well believethe revolt of Mitylene in the Peloponnesian War (Thuc. Book iii.), the brilliant tyranny of Polycrates at Samos (Herod. iii. 39-56), even the blind old man of Scios rocky islewere nothing to the Apostle and his companions. Trogyllium, the last station named before Miletus, was a promontory on the mainland, forming the extremity of the ridge of Mycale, and separated from Samos by a narrow channel of about a mile in width. Miletus, famous for its dyes and woollen manufactures, memorable in its earlier history for the disastrous issue of its revolt against Persia (Herod. v. 28-36), was practically the port of Ephesus, the harbour of which had been gradually choked by the accumulation of silted-up sand.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And sailing from there, we came the following day over against Chios; and the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after we came to Miletus. For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.’
Due to the writer having been with the party we have a detailed description of a well remembered journey as they proceed on the voyage. Perhaps the full detail is given in order to stress the emotional tension in which they all were, each one counting the stops to Jerusalem as they went forward with agonising slowness, aware that for Paul there were dark times ahead. We can compare how in the story of Abraham offering Isaac every detail is given in order to prolong the agony (Genesis 22). Or they may indicate to those knowledgeable about that coast the speed at which they were travelling. But Paul is careful not to stop at Ephesus. This is stated as simply being in order to avoid any delay. Had he stopped at Ephesus he might have felt obliged to spend ‘seven days’ there. That would not, however, have fitted in with his plans as he wanted to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost. On the other hand he may have determined it because it would have meant leaving that ship and obtaining another, as it did not wish to unload at Ephesus, something which would have caused further delays.
The aim to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost, one of the three great feasts of the Jews, may have been for a number of reasons:
1) It may well have been because he wanted to demonstrate to his Jewish Christian brethren, and even to the Jews, that he himself was still concerned to be a true Jew. By this he was following in the steps of the Master. We remember how the Pharisees, while they criticised His disciples for it, never criticised Jesus for failing to observe proper cleansing ritual. It was a sign that while He did not consider it strictly necessary (He allowed the disciples not to do it) He Himself did so in order to avoid causing offence. As He said to His disciples, ‘observe what they say, just do not do what they do’ (Mat 23:3). In the same way we have no reason to think that Paul ever dropped his Jewishness even when consorting freely with Gentiles (many Diaspora Jews and Jewish Christians would regularly consort with Gentiles for business purposes and maintain their Jewishness). What he did not allow it to do was keep him apart from them. He tried to steer a middle course.
2) He may have wanted to celebrate Pentecost in Jerusalem as the anniversary of the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit which had begun the outward movement of the word of which he had been such a vial part.
3) He would see Pentecost, the time of bringing the firstfruits, as the ideal time for arriving and presenting to the Jewish Christian leaders the large sum of money that he and his companions had brought as a gift from the Gentile churches. Doing this while all of Judaea were in Jerusalem, along with many other Jews and Jewish Christians from elsewhere, as a kind of donation of firstfruits, would give maximum publicity to the Gentiles’ generous gift, would give it a special religious significance (compareRom 15:26-27 where he sees it as the Gentiles partly repaying the debt that they owed to the Jews because they had been made partakers of spiritual things which proceeded from the Jews), and would hopefully warm the hearts of the Jewish Christians, and even of Jews who benefited, towards their Gentile brethren. He may well too have seen it as a kind of fulfilment of Isa 60:9-12, with the pilgrim Jews arriving on ships also laden with Gentile treasure, thus revealing to all that the eschatological days of the end were here when Gentiles were to be welcomed as Gentiles, as James had earlier recognised (see on Act 15:16). The fact that Paul had great hopes that this gift would soften the Jews towards the work among the Gentiles was probably one reason why Paul had been so eager to bring it himself. Perhaps at first he had hoped that it would soften their hearts towards him, although he was to learn from prophecies that that was unlikely.
Chios was a city on the island of Chios and a free port, Samos was an island west of Ephesus, Miletus was on the mainland thirty miles south of Ephesus. It may be that there were no established churches on these islands, for no mention is made of any contact with them, or it may simply mean that they were not contactable in the time available.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
15. ] we put in : so Charon, in the Frogs, to his boatman, , , 180; and 271, : see many examples in Wetst. Then they made a short run in the evening to Trogylium, a cape and town on the Ionian coast, only forty stadia distant, where they spent the night. He had passed in front of the bay of Ephesus, and was now but a short distance from it.
] The ancient capital of Ionia (Herod, i. 142). See 2Ti 4:20 , and note.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 20:15 . , see on Act 16:12 , Act 14:26 . , cf. Act 16:1 , Act 18:19 ; Act 18:24 , “we reached a point on the mainland ,” Ramsay, . over against, i.e. , opposite Chios; often in Greek writers, only here in N.T., but W.H [334] , Weiss, , 3Ma 5:16 (Neh 12:8 , see Hatch and Redpath). On , and . as here, see on Act 16:1 , Act 18:19 ; Klostermann, Vindici Lucan , p. 49. : The island Chios ( Scio ) in the gean was separated from the Asian coast by a channel which at its narrowest was only five miles across. The ship carrying St. Paul would pass through this picturesque channel on its way south from Mitylene. An interesting comparison with the voyage of St. Paul may be found in Herod’s voyage by Rhodes, Cos, Chios and Mitylene, towards the Black Sea (Jos., Ant. , xvi., 2, 2). Amongst the seven rivals for the honour of being the birthplace of Homer, the claims of Chios are most strongly supported by tradition. On the legendary and historic connections of the places named in this voyage see Plumptre, in loco , and “Chios” (Ramsay), Hastings’ B.D. : (see critical note). Wetstein calls attention to the variety of phrases, ., , . The phrase before us is found in Act 27:3 , so that it only occurs in the “We”, sections and nowhere else in Acts, but the expression “the next day” occurs so much more frequently in the “We” sections than in any other passages of the same length that we might expect a larger variety of phrases to express it, Hawkins, Hor Synop. , pp. 153, 154; and Klostermann, Vindici Lucan , p. 50. .: “we struck across to Samos,” Ramsay, cf. Thuc., iii., 32, where the verb means “to cross over to Ionia” (see Mr. Page’s note, and the passage quoted also in Wetstein, and L. and .). On the frequency of this and other nautical terms in Acts cf. Klostermann, u. s. , p. 49. . ., see critical note. : practically the port of Ephesus. The latter city had long gained the pre-eminence once enjoyed by Miletus, the former capital of Ionia, Pliny, N. H. , v., 31; cf. Herod., Act 20:28-36 , for the revolt of Miletus against Persia and its disastrous consequences. Miletus had been the mother of some eighty colonies. Here Thales and Anaximander were born. The silting up of the Menander had altered its position even in St. Paul’s day, and now it is several miles from the sea; Lewin, St. Paul , ii., 90; Renan, Saint Paul , p. 501; Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire , p. 480.
[334] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
sailed thence, and = having sailed away. Greek. apopleo. See note on Act 13:4.
came = arrived. Greek. katantao. See note on Act 16:1.
next. Greek. epeimi. See note on Act 7:26.
over against. Greek. antikru. Only here.
next. Greek. heteros. App-124.
arrived. Greek. paraballo. Only here and Mar 4:30 (compare, i.e. bring alongside).
next. Greek. echomai, to hold oneself near to. Note the three different words for “next” in this verse.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15. ] we put in: so Charon, in the Frogs, to his boatman, , , 180; and 271, : see many examples in Wetst. Then they made a short run in the evening to Trogylium, a cape and town on the Ionian coast, only forty stadia distant, where they spent the night. He had passed in front of the bay of Ephesus, and was now but a short distance from it.
] The ancient capital of Ionia (Herod, i. 142). See 2Ti 4:20, and note.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 20:15. ) The name of a place, as in Wirtemberg, a village is called Korb (a basket) with the same signification.-, we came) with rapid course.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Miletus: Act 20:17, 2Ti 4:20, Miletum
Reciprocal: Act 27:2 – to sail
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
Act 20:15. Three days after leaving Mitylene the group reached Miletus.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 20:15. And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios. Chios was an island off the coast of Ionia, celebrated for its wine. It was the scene of the massacre of the Greeks by the Turks in 1822. Chios was famous, even among these fairest regions of the earth, for its marvellous beauty. There was a modern Greek proverb which spoke of the modern Sciots in language akin to that used by Paul, when writing to Titus of the Cretes (Tit 1:12): It were easier to find a green horse than a sober-minded Sciot.
And the next day we arrived at Samos. This island was only separated from Lydia by a narrow channel.
And tarried at Trogyllium. This was the name of a city and a promontory between Ephesus and the mouth of the Meander, at the foot of Mount Mycale.
And the next day we came to Miletus. Miletus was one of the most famous names in remote history; it was more ancient than its modern rival Ephesus, which had, however, in Pauls day, far outstripped it in wealth and grandeur. Homer writes of Carian Miletus. It had sent out as many as eighty colonies. But for a long period before St. Paul visited it, it had been gradually sinking in importance, and then ranked only among the second-rate cities of that populous seaboard of Asia, It is now a swamp, with but few ruins to mark the site of the once-famed city. Miletus lay some thirty miles to the south of Ephesus.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 14
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Chios was the major town of a small island by the same name on which the poet Homer had been born. Samos was another island off the coast of Asia directly west of Ephesus another day’s sail south. Samos’ most famous son was Pathagoras, the great mathematician. Miletus stood 30 miles south of Ephesus on the mainland. Normally small ships like the ones on which Paul’s company traveled along the coast put into port each night when the winds died down.