Teks -- Acts 18:21 (NET)

18:21 but said farewell to them and added, “I will come back to you again if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus,

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Act 18:21 - I shall return

I shall return ( anakampsō ).

Future active indicative of anakamptō , old verb to bend back, turn back (Mat 2:2).

Robertson: Act 18:21 - If God will

If God will ( tou theou thelontos ).

Genitive absolute of present active participle. This expression (ean with subjunctive) occurs also in 1Co 4:19; 1Co 16:7; Jam 4:15. Such phrases were common among Jews, Greeks, and Romans, and are today. It is simply a recognition that we are in God’ s hands. The Textus Receptus has here a sentence not in the best MSS.: "I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem."This addition by D and other documents may have been due to a desire to give a reason for the language in Act 18:22about "going up"to Jerusalem. Whether Paul said it or not, it was in the spring when he made this journey with a company of pilgrims probably going to the feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem. We know that later Paul did try to reach Jerusalem for Pentecost (Act 20:16) and succeeded. As the ship was leaving, Paul had to go, but with the hope of returning soon to Ephesus as he did.

Vincent: Act 18:21 - I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem

I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem

The best texts omit.

Wesley: Act 18:21 - I must by all means keep the feast at Jerusalem

This was not from any apprehension that he was obliged in conscience to keep the Jewish feasts; but to take the opportunity of meeting a great number of his countrymen to whom he might preach Christ, or whom he might farther instruct, or free from the prejudices they had imbibed against him.

Wesley: Act 18:21 - But I will return to you

So he did, Act 19:1.

JFB: Act 18:21 - I must . . . keep this feast

Probably Pentecost, presenting a noble opportunity of preaching the Gospel.

JFB: Act 18:21 - but I will return

The fulfilment of which promise is recorded in Act 19:1.

Clarke: Act 18:21 - I must - keep this feast

I must - keep this feast - Most likely the passover, at which he wished to attend for the purpose of seeing many of his friends, and having the most favorable opportunity to preach the Gospel to thousands who would attend at Jerusalem on that occasion. The whole of this clause, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem, is wanting in ABE, six others; with the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, and Vulgate. Griesbach leaves it in the text, with the mark of doubtfulness; and Professor White, in his Crisews, says, probabiliter delenda . Without this clause the verse will read thus: But he bade them farewell, saying, I will return again unto you, if God will. And this he did before the expiration of that same year, Act 19:1, and spent three years with them, Act 20:31, extending and establishing the Church at that place.

TSK: Act 18:21 - bade // I must // if God

bade : Act 15:29; Luk 9:61; 2Co 13:11

I must : Act 20:16; Deu 16:1

if God : Act 19:21, Act 21:14; Mat 26:39; Rom 1:10, Rom 15:32; 1Co 4:19; Phi 2:19-24; Heb 6:3; Jam 4:15

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Act 18:21 - This feast // If God will

This feast the feast of the passover; which is meant where feast is put absolutely, unless some after expression qualifies it: not that this holy man did out of conscience to the feast intend to observe it, for Christ is the end of the law to them that believe, Rom 10:4 ; but because of the vast concourse from all places to Jerusalem at that time, which would give him an opportunity of making Christ known to such multitudes, and to gain their souls unto him.

If God will though he was an apostle, and had the Spirit of prophecy, and might know whether he should return or no, yet he does not absolutely promise them to return to them, but conditionally, if the Lord will; to teach us what caution we should use in all our promises and resolutions, as Jam 4:15 , being we know not what a day may bring forth. Besides, in our owning of God’ s will and pleasure, we acknowledge a providence of God in all things, especially in our concerns, which we desire to refer all unto.

Gill: Act 18:21 - But bade them farewell, saying // I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem // but I will return again unto you, if God will

But bade them farewell, saying,.... As follows:

I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem; which perhaps was the passover, since that often went by the name of the feast: the why he must by all means keep it, was not because it was obligatory upon him; nor did he always observe it, as appears from his long stay at Corinth, and other places; and besides, as a Christian, he had nothing to do with it; but either because of his vow, Act 18:18 or because he knew he should have an opportunity of preaching the Gospel to great numbers; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions omit this clause:

but I will return again unto you, if God will; he promises to return to them, but not peremptorily as knowing that he was altogether subject to the will of God, who disposes and orders all things according to his sovereign pleasure; see Jam 4:15 and he sailed from Ephesus; which was near the Aegean sea: such was the situation of Ephesus, according to Apollonius ^f; who says, that it stood out to the sea, which encompassed the land on which it was built; so Pausanias ^g relates, that Lysimachus passing into Asia by shipping, took the kingdom of Antigonus from him, and built the city the Ephesians now inhabit near the sea; so Josephus ^h reports of Herod and Agrippa, that travelling by land to Phrygia Major, they came to Ephesus, and again, διεπλευσιν, "they sailed from Ephesus" to Samos.