John Calvin Commentary Acts 20:1

"And after the uproar ceased, Paul having sent for the disciples and exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia." — Acts 20:1 (ASV)

Luke declares in this chapter how Paul, departing from Asia, again crossed the seas to go to Jerusalem. And though whatever is written in this narration is worthy of most diligent meditation and attention, yet it needs no long exposition. It appears that the Church was preserved in safety by the wonderful power of God amid those troublesome tumults.

The church of Ephesus was still small and weak: the faithful, having once experienced a sudden commotion, might justly fear lest similar storms should arise from time to time. We need not doubt that Paul departed from them with much difficulty; yet because a greater necessity draws him to another place, he is compelled to leave his sons who were recently begotten, and had as yet scarcely escaped shipwreck in the midst of the raging sea.

As for them, though they were very loath to let Paul go, yet, lest they should harm other churches, they do not hold him back or detain him. So we see that they were not fixated on their own interests, but were concerned for the kingdom of Christ, so that they might provide for their brethren as well as for themselves.

We must diligently note these examples, so that each of us may strive to help one another in this miserable dispersion; but if it should happen at any time that we are deprived of beneficial aids, let us not doubt or waver, knowing that God holds the helm of our ship.

And we must also note this, that Paul does not depart until he has saluted the brethren, but rather strengthens them at his departure. As Luke says immediately of the Macedonians, that Paul exhorted them with many words—that is, not superficially, as if it were sufficient merely to remind them of their duty. Instead, as he commands elsewhere that others should do, he urged persistently, and thoroughly inculcated things that were necessary to be known, so that they might never be forgotten (2 Timothy 4:2).