Introduction

.... Nothing speaks to us so loudly as silence; but when silence contains some hints after all, it deepens into the form of a mystery. Such was the case in Paul’s mission to Amphipolis, a city of Macedonia, west of Philippi.

.... Paul and his companions came to that region in response to a vision, in which a man of Macedonia pleaded with them and summoned their aid. Concluding that the calling came from God, they sailed westward on the Aegean, bringing the light of the gospel into Europe for the first time (Acts 16:9-11). Paul’s second missionary journey was beginning

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.... Through Macedonia and Achaia, Paul traced the Aegean coastline westward, then south, in adventures that are chronicled in the Book of Acts. The terrible ordeal at Philippi, the strife at Thessalonica and his ministry to the Bereans were recounted in detail; his flight to Achaia, to Athens, and then to Corinth were described at length. But in sharp contrast, the events at two very important cities were barely mentioned. These were Amphipolis and its neighbor to the south, Apollonia.

.... Amphipolis was the capital of Macedonia Prima, and an important crossroad for that region; Apollonia was an important commercial link overland to the Adriatic. At first it may seem that Paul passed through them intentionally (Acts 17:1,2). Yet in later passages, through his epistles, another story would emerge. For a certain issue began in those days which could not have occurred at any other place or time: a confrontation with the Gentiles which would grow and dog the apostle in his ministry for years to come. And reverberations of that argument have transcend the ages to plague Christian leaders to this day. Let’s explore this issue further, and the Scriptures that refer to it.

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