We went on ahead in the ship and set
sail for Assos, with the intention of taking Paul on board there; for this is
how he wanted it, deciding to travel by land for that part of the trip. When he
met us at Assos we took him on board and then we came to Mityle'ne. Sailing on
from there we came on the following day opposite Chi'os and the next day we
touched at Samos. The day after that we came to Mile'tus. Paul had decided to
sail past Ephesus, for he did not want to spend time in Asia; he was in a hurry
to get to Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
In a Nutshell
Luke describes the route they took.
Questions
What is the purpose of this travelogue?
Whoever Paul walked with, it was not Luke. The boat was ready to sail, and Paul decided he would not go with the rest of the party even though they had obtained passage on the boat. He would catch them up by walking along the coast. Did he want to stay around to confirm that the young man had suffered no ill effects?
Had their intelligence told them that an attempt on his life would be made at sea in transit from Troas to Assos? It is interesting that Luke tells us that once Paul got to Assos and met his companions he was in a hurry. I suppose it would help us if we were able to consult the shipping timetables which Paul consulted as he planned this part of his trip. It is not just a matter of Paul deciding to walk from Troas to Assos and then deciding when he got there that they had to go faster. That may be one way of reading this section. But even if such an interpretation fits the picture of the "single-minded" Paul, it doesn't really square with what Luke has told us. No doubt the boat was leaving Assos at a time later than Paul's expected arrival on foot. But we also need to keep in mind that the travellers had to chose between various boats taking various routes. We can conclude that any boat that put in at the port of Ephesus would not enable the party to get to Caesarea in time for the celebration of Pentecost in Jerusalem.
So, what is the purpose of this part of Luke's story? Luke tells us Paul's intention. He draws attention to Paul's own emphasis upon the need to get to Jerusalem as soon as possible. Thus it was sensible to take the most direct route. Paul was still observing Jewish festivals and he was going up to Jerusalem. He wanted to be there for Pentecost.
But Luke clearly tells us that when Paul sailed past Ephesus it was not to avoid the church there. At Miletus, he sent for the elders to come and meet him there.
As I have suggested before, Luke's account seems to have been written to give some facts that would aid the defence of Paul over against any accusations about his lack of loyalty for the church at Ephesus. He had been there for about three years. There was strong support there for his work but he had also encountered strong opposition. Luke's account can be read in this way as evidence supporting Paul. Paul was loyal and had not forsaken the Ephesians. We also recall that in Ephesus after "turning his back" on the synagogue, many more Jews and Gentiles came to hear the good news of Jesus.