Paul went to Macedonia because the night vision of the Macedonian man was God's call to him—so although he waited a few days at Troas, he did not stay until Titus arrived.
At Troas, Paul had expected to meet Titus, but Titus was nowhere to be found, and Paul had no rest in his spirit. With no way to communicate, he did not know what had happened to his brother. Yet when the Macedonian vision came, Paul and his companions immediately prepared to cross into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel. The divine call, not the resolution of Titus's absence, sent Paul on his way.
Acts 16:9-10 — The night vision of the Macedonian man is the direct biblical cause of Paul's departure from Troas to Macedonia.
2 Corinthians 2:12-13 — Paul's own explanation that, though distressed over Titus's absence, he took his leave and went from Troas into Macedonia.
According to Acts 16:6-10, Paul and his companions traveled through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, where they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. When they came to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not, and passing by Mysia they came down to Troas. There, in the night, a vision appeared to Paul: a man of Macedonia stood and prayed him, saying, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." After he had seen the vision, the group immediately endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called them for to preach the gospel unto them. In 2 Corinthians 2:12-13 Paul writes that when he came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, a door was opened unto him of the Lord; yet he had no rest in his spirit because he found not Titus his brother. Taking his leave of them, he went from thence into Macedonia.
Les Feldick teaches that the decisive reason Paul went to Macedonia was the night vision at Troas. Paul had come down to Troas from Mysia—where he was expecting to meet Titus—when a man of Macedonia appeared in the night and pleaded, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." Les emphasizes that Paul did not argue and did not try to retrace his route on a map; immediately, he and his companions (Luke included, as shown by the pronoun "we") set out for Macedonia. Les describes this as the proof that Paul was not to go back to Bithynia but was called from Asia to Europe. Les also highlights the human side of the episode. Paul had no rest in his spirit because he did not find Titus his brother, and in the ancient world there was no way for Titus to communicate his delay. After waiting a few days and ministering to the believers at Troas, Paul had to go on his way not knowing what had happened to Titus—and it was probably at Philippi, in Macedonia, that he became so deathly sick he despaired of life itself. Les's point is that Paul was as human as we are, yet he followed God's call even while distressed and under pressure.
In the night at Troas, after Paul and his companions had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit from preaching in Asia and prevented from entering Bithynia, a vision appeared to Paul. A man of Macedonia stood before him and pleaded, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." Les notes that this vision was the clear proof that Paul was not to go back to Bithynia but to cross into Macedonia—the call that took the gospel from Asia to Europe.
Les emphasizes that Paul came down to Troas expecting to meet Titus, but Titus had not arrived. Paul wrote that he had no rest in his spirit because he found not Titus his brother. In a world without mail or telegraph, there was no way for Titus to explain his delay, and after waiting a few days and ministering at Troas, Paul had to go on his way not knowing what had happened to him.
No. Les points out that Paul did not argue and did not try to retrace his route on a map. Immediately after the vision, "we endeavoured to go into Macedonia"—Luke's use of the personal pronoun showing that the whole group set out at once, convinced the Lord had called them to preach the gospel there.
Following the call, the group crossed into Europe, landing in Macedonia and stopping at Philippi before moving on toward Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. Les notes that it was probably at Philippi that Paul became so deathly sick he despaired of life itself—showing that obedience did not remove hardship, yet Paul did not abandon the call.
Paul Expects Titus at Troas and Receives the Vision
Les narrates that Paul came down to Troas (Choas) expecting to meet Titus, and it was there that the night vision of the Macedonian man directed him to cross into Macedonia.
Paul's Immediate Obedience to the Vision
Les stresses that Paul did not argue or try to retrace his route—immediately after the vision, he and his companions endeavored to go into Macedonia.
Paul's Distress Over Titus's Absence
Les explains Paul's inner turmoil: no rest in his spirit because Titus had not come, no way to communicate, and after waiting a few days he moved on to Macedonia not knowing what had happened to his brother.
Paul's Humanity and His Accusers
Les reminds readers that Paul was as human as we are—distressed and even accused by detractors over his changed plans—yet he still followed God's direction.
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Now I read an account the other day, and it just sort of gave me a whole new perspective on some of these things. What you have here is the Apostle Paul has been laboring there in western Turkey, and then a little later on in Greece, Achaia and Macedonia.
What Happens When We Die? — 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 Explained
There he was laying on a sickbed in Philippi, having almost escaped, I suppose, with his life out of Ephesus, under constant attack from all of his adversaries within the church as well as without, and now death then almost becomes, I think, a welcome escape. But on the other hand, what does Paul realize? There's unfinished business to be done.
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He had been set apart way back there in Damascus to go to the Gentile, and he knew he hadn't finished the work. He knew that Christianity was still in its infancy, and it was being attacked from every direction imaginable. And so he says, yes, he was perplexed, and I think it's the same thing that we are today.
Called From Asia to Europe
Les describes the vision as the proof that Paul was not to go back to Bithynia but to Macedonia, calling it the means by which the gospel was carried from Asia to Europe.
Acts 16:9: And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
This is the night vision that directly prompted Paul's decision to go to Macedonia.
Acts 16:10: And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Shows that Paul and his companions understood the vision as the Lord's call and responded immediately.
2 Corinthians 2:12-13: Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
Paul's own account that, despite his distress over Titus's absence, he left Troas and went into Macedonia.
Acts 16:6-8: Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
Records how the Holy Spirit directed Paul away from Asia and Bithynia and brought him to Troas, where the Macedonian vision came.
God called him there. At Troas, Paul saw a night vision of a Macedonian man pleading, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." Though Titus had not arrived and Paul had no rest in his spirit, after a few days he obeyed the vision and departed with his companions—not knowing what had happened to Titus.
No. There was no way of communicating, so Titus could not tell Paul he had been delayed. After waiting a few days and ministering at Troas, Paul went on his way to Macedonia without knowing what had happened to his brother.
In the night at Troas, a man of Macedonia stood before Paul and pleaded, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." Paul and his companions understood it as the Lord's call to preach the gospel in Europe and immediately acted on it.
Paul and his companions crossed to the continent of Europe, stopping at Philippi and moving on toward Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. At Philippi Paul became so deathly sick that he despaired of life itself, yet he pressed on.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Said "We Are Not Ignorant of Satan's Devices" — 2 Corinthians 2:11