Why was Paul heartbroken over the churches in Asia?
Paul was heartbroken because the churches in Asia had turned away from his teaching of pure grace, reverting to legalistic influence linked to Peter, James, John, and the Jewish community. Though he had suffered and labored for them, they rejected him and did not remain true to the apostle who brought them out of paganism.
Les teaches that they did not completely pitch Christianity overboard, but they turned their back on the apostles' teachings of pure grace and went back under much of the legalistic teaching and influence of Peter, James, John, and the Jewish community. Paul had suffered for these little churches, spent so much time with them, and been encouraged that they were growing in grace and knowledge. Yet writing from prison in Rome just before being martyred, he had to say that all those in Asia had turned away from him. They rejected him, and they had not remained true to the apostle who had brought them out of their paganism.