Acts 20:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This stay of the Apostle Paul in Troas was marked by one of the greatest works of the grace of God that accompanied Paul in his apostolic labor. This was the resurrection of a young man named Eutychus, who had fallen from the window of a house.

From Troas the Apostle Paul continued his journey in haste, directing his way toward Jerusalem, where he wished to be on the day of Pentecost.

Therefore, desirable as it was for him to visit the Christians in Ephesus on the way to Jerusalem, he passed that city by so as not to be delayed there. He came instead to Miletus, a coastal city south of Ephesus.

Sailing from there, they went southward between the islands and the western shore of Asia Minor. Chios and Samos are islands within sight of the Asian coast. Trogyllium was a coastal city not far from Ephesus, which they passed on the way from Samos to Trogyllium. Miletus was also a maritime city, south of Trogyllium and Ephesus, about nine miles, or roughly fourteen versts, from the latter.

Paul’s journey from Troas to Miletus is described in detail, evidently because the writer of Acts was with Paul the whole time. In most of the places named, Paul was there for the first time.

As is known, he considered this important, so as not to enter into another man’s labor.

Concerning Paul’s walking some distance on foot while his companions traveled by ship, Saint John Chrysostom remarks: “He grants them the easier course and chooses the harder for himself.

He goes on foot both in order to arrange many things along the way and so that they should not fall behind him. And see how they hasten after Paul. They do not stop, but pass by the islands.”