Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 18:22
Verse 22. Landed at Caesarea] This must have been Caesarea in Palestine. Gone up] To Jerusalem, though the name is not mentioned: but this is a common form of speech in the evangelists, Jerusalem being always meant when this expression was used; for the word anabainw, to go up, is often used absolutely, to signify, to go to Jerusalem: e.g. GO ye UP unto this feast; I GO not UP yet, John vii. 8. But when his brethren were GONE UP, then WENT he also UP unto the feast, John vii. 10. There were certain Greeks-that CAME UP to worship, John xii. 20. St. Paul himself uses a similar form of expression. There are yet but twelve days since I WENT UP to Jerusalem, for to worship, chap. xxiv. 11. So all parts of England are spoken of as being below London: so we talk of going up to London; and people in London talk of going down to the country.
Saluted the Church] That is, the Church at Jerusalem, called emphatically THE CHURCH, because it was the FIRST Church-the MOTHER, or APOSTOLIC Church; and from it all other Christian Churches proceeded: those in Galatia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, &c.
Therefore, even this last was only a daughter Church, when in its purest state.
Went down to Antioch.] That is, Antioch in Syria, as the word is generally to be understood when without addition, so Caesarea is always to be understood Caesarea in Palestine, when without the addition of Philippi.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. And when he had landed at Caesarea , etc.] This was Caesarea Stratonis, formerly called Stratos tower: it would have been nearest for the apostle to have landed at Joppa, in order to go to Jerusalem, but that haven was a dangerous one; this was the safest, and which therefore Herod had repaired at a vast expense, and in honour of Caesar had called it by this name: of the port at Caesarea, and what a convenient and commodious one, as it was made by Herod, Josephus gives a particular account, and who often calls this place Caesarea, paraliov , Caesarea by the sea f947 ; and in other Jewish writings mention is made of this place as a sea port, and of yrsyqd amyd atnw , the shore of the sea of Caesarea:
Josephus sometimes calls it the port Sebastus, or Augustus, it being, as before observed, made by Herod, and so called in honour of Augustus Caesar; and in another place f950 , Sebastus the port of Caesarea: according to Jerom f951 , or a writer under his name, this was neither Caesarea Philippi, which indeed it could not be, that being an inland town; nor Caesarea formerly called Stratos tower, but a third Caesarea, the metropolis of Cappadocia: in which he must be mistaken, seeing that was no sea port, and the apostle could not be said to land there; nor did it lie in the way to Jerusalem from Ephesus; but this city was in Phenice, and lay between Joppa and Dora; which cities were maritime ones, but very disagreeable havens, because of the vehement strong winds from Africa: which rolling up the sand out of the sea upon the shore, would not admit of a quiet station f952 ; wherefore the apostle chose to land here, and not at either of the said ports; and gone up ; not to Caesarea, but to Jerusalem, from thence, which lay higher; and going to and from these places, is signified by a going up and down, ( Acts 9:30, 25:1). Moreover, the apostle had told the Ephesians, that he must go and keep the feast in Jerusalem, as he undoubtedly did: and yet if this does not refer to his going up thither, it will not be easy to observe that he went thither at all before his return to Ephesus; and besides, to suppose him to go from Caesarea to Antioch, was all one as to go back to Ephesus; and so to go, as one observes, by the same place to Jerusalem, into which he promised, in his return from Jerusalem, to come again, if God would: and saluted the church ; at Jerusalem, the mother church: he went down to Antioch ; in Syria, from whence he first set out.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 18-23 - While Paul found he laboured not in vain, he continued labouring. Ou times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we mus make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only i providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions. very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhil the society of his brethren. Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do what they can to strengthen them, be directing them to Christ, who is their Strength. Let us earnestly seek in our several places, to promote the cause of Christ, forming plan that appear to us most proper, but relying on the Lord to bring them to pass if he sees good.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ κατελθων 2718 5631 V-2AAP-NSM εις 1519 PREP καισαρειαν 2542 N-ASF αναβας 305 5631 V-2AAP-NSM και 2532 CONJ ασπασαμενος 782 5666 V-ADP-NSM την 3588 T-ASF εκκλησιαν 1577 N-ASF κατεβη 2597 5627 V-2AAI-3S εις 1519 PREP αντιοχειαν 490 N-ASF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
18:22 {He went up and saluted the church} (anabas kai aspasamenos ten ekklesian). The language could refer to the church in Caesarea where Paul had just landed, except for several things. The going up (anabas, second aorist active participle of anabainw) is the common way of speaking of going to Jerusalem which was up from every direction save from Hebron. It was the capital of Palestine as people in England today speaking of going up to London. Besides "he went down to Antioch" (katebe eis Antioceian, second aorist active indicative of katabainw) which language suits better leaving Jerusalem than Caesarea. Moreover, there was no special reason for this trip to Caesarea, but to Jerusalem it was different. Here Paul saluted the church in the fourth of his five visits after his conversion (#9:26; 11:30; 15:4; 18:22; 21:17). The apostles may or may not have been in the city, but Paul had friends in Jerusalem now. Apparently he did not tarry long, but returned to Antioch to make a report of his second mission tour as he had done at the close of the first when he and Barnabas came back (#14:26-28). He had started on this tour with Silas and had picked up Timothy and Luke, but came back alone. He had a great story to tell.
