1 Corinthians 16:8-11 “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.” As Paul relays his plans to the Corinthians to come and spend time with them, he further details his labor in the Lord. Here he shares that it is his intention to remain at Ephesus until the observance of Pentecost. He further outlines that this is not just some wish or whim on his part. There has been a mighty entrance (great door) opened for Paul at Ephesus. With the opening of this door, he has been granted a powerful witness to the Ephesians. Note that Paul did not say he had opened a great door, but rather that a great door had been opened unto him. As messengers of the gospe...
1 Corinthians 16:5-7 “Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia. And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.” As Paul works toward the conclusion of his letter, he seeks to assure the church at Corinth of his plan to come and see them. He did not leave the time of his arrival completely ambiguous. He told them he would come to them when he had passed through Macedonia, which was about 365 miles from Corinth. Considering that a day’s journey in Biblical times has been estimated to be twenty to twenty-five miles, it would take Paul about sixteen days assuming he traveled that distance every day. He did not intend for them to take his journey lightly or assume an “I may or may not attitude” about his coming. He let them know that they were his destination at t...