By two opposite desires--two antagonizing but correspondent and mutually explanatory desires--desires, in both parts intense and active, the external marks of which are sufficiently visible in two different quarters,--the nature as well as prevalence of this motive, will, it is believed, be found sufficiently proved:--a desire, in the breast of the self-constituted Apostle, to establish himself in the original metropolis of the Christian world:--a desire on the part of the Apostles--of the Apostles constituted by Jesus--to keep him out of it.
THE VISIT ANNOUNCED BY PAUL AND DEFERRED.
Ephesus, at which place he had arrived not long after his departure from Corinth, where he had made a stay, as it should seem, of more years than one,[45] touching in the way at Cenchrea, where he shaved his head for the performance of a vow--Ephesus is the place, at which, by the author of the Acts, Paul is for the first time made to speak of himself, as harbouring, having in mind the making of this visit: and on that occasion, the visit is spoken of, as being the subject of a settled determination, and in particular as being the time fixed upon by him for the execution of this design. Acts 18:20, 21. "When they, the Jews at Ephesus, desired him to tarry longer with them, he consented not; but bade them farewell, saying, I must _by all means keep this feast_ that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again to you if God will."
As to the keeping of this or any other feast at Jerusalem or at any other place--if it was under any such notion as that of contributing to his own personal salvation by any such Mosaic work, it was an object inconsistent with his own principles--with his own so repeatedly and strenuously advocated principles:--and the like may be said of the head-shaving and the vow, performed by him, at Cenchrea, in his way to Ephesus from Corinth: and moreover, in this last-mentioned instance, more particularly in contradiction with a precept so positively delivered by Jesus, namely, _Swear not at all_,--if, under swearing, the making of vows is to be understood to be included.
Of this design, the next intimation which occurs in the Acts, is in the next chapter, Acts 19:21, "When these things were ended," namely, the discomfiture of the exorcists, and the burning of the books of curious arts at Ephesus,--"Paul, it is said, _purposes in the spirit_, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome."