Paul’s Post Council Journeys

Below is a chart of Paul’s journeys from the time of the Jerusalem Council and afterward until the close of Luke’s thesis. I have noted every year based upon what seems to be Paul’s overall plan of spending three years doing the work of God in any given area.

 

Paul and Roman Benevolence

I believe it would be a mistake to presume that, because Luke shows in the next few chapters that Rome believes Paul was innocent of the charges brought against him, he means to show Rome as a benevolent or just Empire. It was not, and it certainly was not so toward Christianity during the next few centuries. Nor was it true of Felix, who not only wouldn’t release Paul without receiving a bribe (Acts 24:26), but left Paul’s case unresolved after he was replaced by Festus and sent to Rome to answer charges leveled against him by the Jewish authorities (Acts 24:27).[1]

 

Paul’s Collection for Jerusalem’s Poor

Luke doesn’t mention the collection Paul made for the poor at Jerusalem, but this is understandable, since Luke’s addressee is Theophilus, Annas’ son and former officiating high priest at Jerusalem, because the Annas family had been mistreating the poor, especially the priests. They had sent men to rob them of their tithes, which some depended upon for life itself. The time is cir. spring of 55 CE, and Paul planed to continue at Ephesus for awhile to preach the Gospel, but he sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia (Acts 19:22) to confirm the churches of Europe concerning his intention to bring an offering from them to Jerusalem.