Paul Went on to Jerusalem Despite Warnings
21: 1-16
57 AD
Paul went on to Jerusalem despite warnings DIG: How might Paul be interpreting these warnings differently than his friends do in verses 4 and 10-13 (see 20:22-23)? Why does he not listen to their advice? How are Paul’s companions faring on this trip? Are you impressed with Paul’s courage? Or do you think he was foolish? Why? For Paul it’s “Jerusalem or Bust!” How does that compare with Yeshua’s determination in Luke 13:31-33?
REFLECT: In your eyes, did Paul make the right decision to go to Jerusalem, even though godly people through the Spirit urged him not to go? Why or why not? When have you made decisions against the wishes of people you admired and trusted? What happened? In retrospect, was your decision a wise one? Explain? What has been your most recent, most serious struggle with God? What do you suspect would happen if you totally submitted to His will and way? Is that what’s holding you back? How so?
The first stage of the journey: After tearing ourselves away from the Ephesian elders we set sail (to see link click Cj – Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders). This officially ended the Third Missionary Journey. We (see Bx – Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia: A closer look at the “us” or “we” passages and sea passages) set a straight course on the first ship to the small island of Cos forty miles due south of Miletus.
The next day we sailed to Rhodes, a larger island southeast of Cos, and from there to Patara, a seaport of Lycia on the south coast of Asia Minor. Because the first ship made so many stops, the traveling missionaries sought out a ship going directly across to Phoenicia hoping to save time. Finding a much larger ship, we went aboard and set sail. Their route took them southeast into the middle of the Eastern Mediterranean. When we came in sight of Cyprus, passing it by on the left, we kept sailing on the approximately 400 mile trip to the province of Syria (that included Isra’el). We landed at Tyre, which was the port of entry into the province of Syria. But to their dismay, the ship docked in Tyre for seven days to unload the cargo (21:1-3). Have you ever noticed how often ADONAI has a blessing on the unscheduled stops along your way? God had a blessing waiting for Paul and the others on their unscheduled stop.487
We looked up the disciples and we stayed there seven days strengthening the believers. There had been believers in Tyre as early as 11:19 as a result of the Dispersion after the stoning of Stephen (11:19). They kept telling Paul through the Ruach not to set foot in Jerusalem (21:4). Some believe that the Ruach ha-Kodesh forbid Paul to go to Jerusalem, but the text doesn’t say that. Through the Ruach in this context means that the Ruach’s message concerned what would happen to Paul when he set foot in Jerusalem. So the Ruach ha-Kodesh did not forbid Paul to go to Jerusalem, it was the believers in Tyre who were encouraging Paul not to go. They loved him and were afraid for his safety. Yet Paul had to go (19:21, 20:22: 21:14).488 Furthermore, nowhere in the Scriptures does it suggest that Paul sinned by going to Jerusalem. After he got there he declared: I have lived my life in all good conscience for God up to this day (23:1). It would be difficult to see how he could have said that if he had just deliberately sinned against ADONAI.
When our days there were completed, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were clear outside the city. This was similar to Paul’s experience with the Ephesian elders at Miletus (20:38). After kneeling down on the shore and praying, we said farewell to one another. The reference to prayer is not incidental. Everyone was fully aware of the danger facing Paul in Jerusalem. Then Paul and Luke boarded the same ship that brought them to Tyre, and the believers of Tyre returned home again (21:5-6).
The second stage of the Journey: When we had finished the trip from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. Known in Judges 1:31 as Acco, Ptolemais was about 25 miles south of Tyre. Never one to miss a ministry opportunity (Ephesians 5:16), Paul immediately sought out the believers in that city. After greeting the brothers and sisters, Paul and his companions and stayed with them for one day, perhaps again being tied to his ship’s schedule (21:7). The church at Ptolemais, like that of Tyre, had likely been founded by those who fled Jerusalem following Stephen’s martyrdom (11:19). Paul’s care for them was no less because he had not founded their church; his was a concern for all the churches (Second Corinthians 11:28).489
And the third stage of the journey: On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea Maritima, thirty miles south of Ptolemais. It was a major harbor city, a Roman city and the official residence of the procurator, where Pontius Pilate lived and where Felix and Festus lived in the book of Acts. We entered the home of Philip, the proclaimer of Good News (see Az – The Good News Spreads to Samaria), who was one of the seven deacons, and we stayed with him. Indeed Philip may have been one of Luke’s sources when started gathering information about the early Messianic community in Jerusalem. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied (21:8-9). Luke presents five cameos of important believing women in a variety of roles they assumed (see Bd – Signs and Miracles Follow Peter: A closer look at Luke, Women and Ministry). Perhaps it was then when Philip revealed the facts about himself and Stephen, which Luke later incorporated into Acts 6-8.
Prophets and prophetesses, like emissaries, were specially appointed by God in the church. They were distinguished from individual believers. They complemented the ministry of the emissaries (Ephesians 4:11), functioning exclusively with a particular local congregation, while the emissaries had a broader ministry. In contrast to the emissaries, whose doctrinal revelation was foundational to the church (Acts 2:42; Eph 2:20), the message of the prophets was more personal and practical. They sometimes received new revelation from ADONAI concerning matters that would later be covered in Scripture. The main thrust of their ministry, however, was the confirming or explanation of existing divine revelation, much like today’s preachers and teachers of the Word (see the commentary on First Corinthians Dl – The Word that Builds Up).
The revelatory aspect of the gift of prophecy ceased at the close of the ear of the emissaries with the completing of Scripture. The non-revelatory aspect of the prophets’ ministry of doctrinal and practical encouragement has been taken over by the evangelists, pastors and teachers. In fact, the last letters Paul wrote, the pastoral letters, he does not refer to prophets at all; instead, teaching was to be done by the elders (First Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9).490 These four prophetesses had the gift of prophecy (First Corinthians 11:5); however, they could not use the gift during public worship (First Corinthians 14:33-35). The place they used this gift was in their home as verse 8 makes clear. During their stay, another prophecy of great interest was given.
While we stayed there for a number of days, a prophet who had received direct revelation from God named Agabus (11:27ff), came down from Judea. He was a trustworthy prophet because he had already been authenticated by a previous prophecy he made in 11:27-18. But here Agabus gave another prophecy. He came to us, and performed a symbolic act like prophets in the TaNaKh did (First Kings 11:29ff; Isaiah 20:3ff; Ezeki’el 4:1ff). He took a long piece of cloth that Paul used as a belt, tied his own hands and feet, and then explained the significance of his actions: The Ruach ha-Kodesh says this: “In this way shall the unsaved Jewish people in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles” (21:10-11). It would take many years to get out of those hands. Here Agabus was merely confirming what the Ruach ha-Kodesh had said earlier, that bondage and afflictions awaited Paul in Jerusalem (20:22). Nevertheless, his bondage and afflictions gave him the opportunity to witness to mobs, to kings, to Jews, to the Great Sanhedrin and to Gentiles.
The scene that followed was emotional. When we heard these things, both we and the local people urged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Their love and concern for Paul caused them, in view of his inevitable capture, to try to dissuade him from risking his life. Then Paul responded, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? The prophecy from Agabus was divine, while the urging was merely human. For I am ready not only to be bound but to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Yeshua!” Since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying only, “May the Lord’s will be done” (21:12-14). This was not a fatalistic resignation, but a confident trust in God’s sovereign and perfect will (First Samuel 3:18; Matthew 6:10; Luke 22:42).
Then came the fourth stage of the journey: After several days spent in Caesarea, we packed our bags and started going up to Jerusalem 50 or 60 miles away depending on which route they chose. A rough calculation of the trip from Philippi to Caesarea meant that Paul arrived on the coast of Isra’el about two weeks before the Festival of Shavu’ot. Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing us to Mnason of Cyprus – one of the early disciples by whom we might be hosted (21:15-16).Thus, after many weeks or travel and suspense, and in spite of dire warnings, Paul reached his destination. It would be an exaggeration to call this Paul’s “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem. But at least his warm reception strengthened him to bear the mob’s shouts of, “Away with him” (21:36), a few days later.491
In fact, it is hard to resist the conclusion that Luke sees a parallel between Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, which is prominent in his gospel, and Paul’s journey to Jerusalem, which he describes in Acts. Of course the resemblance is far from being exact, and the mission of Jesus was unique; yet the correspondence between the two journeys seems too close to be a coincidence. First, like Jesus, Paul traveled to Jerusalem with a group of His disciples (Luke 10:38 and Acts 20:4ff). Secondly, like Jesus, he was opposed by hostile Jews who plotted against his life (Luke 6:7 and 11, 11:53:54, 22:1-2 and Acts 20:3 and 19). Thirdly, like Jesus, Paul made or received three successive predictions of his sufferings (Luke 9:22 and 44, 18:31-32 and Acts 20:22-23, 21:4 and 11), including his being handed over to the Gentiles (Luke 18:32 and Acts 21:11) Fourthly, like Jesus, Paul declared his readiness to lay down his life (Luke 12:50, 22:19, 23:46 and Acts 20:24, 21:13). Fifthly, like Jesus, Paul was determined to complete his ministry and not be deterred from it (Luke 9:51 and Acts 20:24, 21:13). Sixthly, like Jesus, Paul expressed his surrender to the will of God (Luke 22:42 and Acts 21:14). Even if some of these details cannot be pressed, Luke surely intends his readers to envision Paul as following in his Master’s footsteps when he was determined to go up to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).492
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey was complete, having begun after a visit to the Messianic community in the Holy City (18:22) and now ending there. His Greek mission was also complete. He would not return to the churches he had started. Luke had prepared his readers well for this reality. Paul had made the fact clear in his address to the Ephesian elders (20:25). Paul’s own forebodings (20:22ff), and those of the believers at Tyre and Caesarea have prepared us for the events that are about to unfold in Jerusalem. Paul would no longer bear witness as a free man in the rest of Acts. He would be in chains, but the chains would be unable to bind his witness. His witness would indeed become bolder still.437
You have made the contrast clear, Lord. Those whose lives are according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those whose lives are according to the Spirit, set their minds on things of the Spirit. For the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and shalom. For the mindset of the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit itself to the law of God – for it cannot. We, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since Your Spirit lives in us (Romans 8:5, 7-9a). May I want only what You know is best. May I not only let You have Your way with me but consider it a joy to follow You.494
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