Act 16:6, 18:23 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 6. Were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. ] The Asia mentioned here could not be Asia Minor in general, for Galatia, Phrygia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, and Pamphylia, were provinces of it, and in these the apostles preached; but it was what was called Proconsular Asia , which included only Ionia, AEolia , and Lydia . The apostles were not suffered to visit these places at this time; but they afterwards went thither, and preached the Gospel with success; for it was in this Proconsular Asia that the seven Churches were situated. God chose to send his servants to another place, where he saw that the word would be affectionately received; and probably those in Proconsular Asia were not, as yet, sufficiently prepared to receive and profit by it.

‏ Acts 16:6

Verse 6. Were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.] The Asia mentioned here could not be Asia Minor in general, for Galatia, Phrygia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, and Pamphylia, were provinces of it, and in these the apostles preached; but it was what was called Proconsular Asia, which included only Ionia, AEolia, and Lydia. The apostles were not suffered to visit these places at this time; but they afterwards went thither, and preached the Gospel with success; for it was in this Proconsular Asia that the seven Churches were situated. God chose to send his servants to another place, where he saw that the word would be affectionately received; and probably those in Proconsular Asia were not, as yet, sufficiently prepared to receive and profit by it.

‏ Acts 18:23

Verse 23. Went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia] Both were provinces of Asia Minor: See Clarke on Ac 2:10.

In order] καθεξης, A word peculiar to St. Luke; see his Gospel, Lu 1:3; 8:1; and his history of the Acts, Ac 3:24; 11:4, and the place above; the only places where this word occurs in the New Testament. It properly signifies, in order, distinctly, particularly; from κατα, according to, and εξη, order, as opposed to confusion, indistinctness, &c. If St. Paul went up to Jerusalem at this time, which we are left to infer, for Luke has not expressed it, (Ac 18:22,) it was his fourth journey thither; and this is generally supposed to have been the twenty-first year after his conversion. His first journey is mentioned Ac 9:26; his second, Ac 11:30; his third, Ac 15:4; and his fourth, Ac 18:22, the place above.