Acts 21, Part 1

Was Paul right in his insistence to go up to Jerusalem? There is no doubt that he sensed a deep compulsion to go.

A man with so intense a conviction has to be respected and heard. Yet, great men are not beyond mistakes in judgment, and the Bible is pointedly frank in showing the errors of God’s great men. This chapter throws some question on Paul’s action.

⇒ The church at Tyre “said … through the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem” (v. 4).

⇒ Agabus took Paul’s girdle and bound his own hands and feet and said, “Thus saith the Holy Spirit, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle” (v. 11).

⇒ Luke and the other disciples were in tears, strongly urging Paul not to go up to Jerusalem (v. 12).

Who was right?

One thing is known: in the Book of Acts, Paul’s voice was thereafter silenced in worldwide missions. His witness was to be limited to national leaders and to people who made their way to him. He was soon to become a prisoner for Christ throughout the remaining years of his life (as far as we know from Acts).

However, in behalf of Paul, he probably felt he would never be able to return to Jerusalem, not after he launched his mission into Rome and Spain. If he survived the strain of another major mission, in particular one that would take him so far away, he would most likely have to remain on the field. Such a mission would just take too much out of him. The toll upon his body would be too much.

The point is this: Paul loved the Jews dearly, for they were his own people. He loved his people so deeply that he would have given his own soul for their salvation (Ro. 9:1–3; 10:11). In addition, he loved the apostles and believers of Jerusalem. Because of this, he was driven to visit them and bear witness just one more time. Perhaps the drive became a compulsion he just could not handle. If so, the Lord, as always, understood, and salvaged the life of His dear servant and continued to use him for the furtherance of the gospel.

Whatever the case, Paul was confronted time and again by believers urging him not to go on, knowing that arrest and imprisonment lay before him in Jerusalem. The pressure to turn back was great. But Paul, being thoroughly “bound in the spirit” was constrained to go. This passage is a descriptive picture of strong warnings and a compulsion to preach.

Acts 21:1–3 ESV

1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.

Paul journeyed over a land rich in ancient history. A person can just imagine his early morning devotions, hour to hour thoughts and conversations with the Lord, his fellowship and discussions with his companions and the travellers and ship crew, and his witnessing to all who were open to listening to the gospel.

1. There was Coos: a great commercial and trading island on the major shipping route. It was also famous as a medical center with a major medical school and its famous temple of Aesculapius, the Greek god of medicine. It was the birthplace of Hippocrates, the great Greek physician, and Apelles, the great Greek painter.

2. There was Rhodes: known as the island of roses. It was located at the very entrance of the Aegean Sea which made it extremely important as a major shipping center. The city was also known for its major university specializing in “Speech and Oratory.”

3. There was Patara: located at the mouth of the Xanthus river which made it an important commercial city for all the towns that lay inland or either bordered the river. This fact plus its being on the major shipping route of the Mediterranean Sea made it an extremely prosperous and important city. Note that from Patara Paul was able to travel by ship directly across the Mediterranean to Tyre of Phoenicia, a journey of some four hundred miles.

4. There was Cyprus: see note—Acts 13:4 for discussion.

5. There was Tyre: one of the most famous seaports of the ancient world. The city had two major sections, one section built on the mainland and another section built on an island with an inlet running between the two sections. Because of this there were two harbors, and the mainland harbor was able to provide shelter for ships during storms and during the winter months. Tyre was a free city. It is mentioned in Scripture as follows:

⇒ David and Solomon entered alliances with its rulers (1 Ki. 9:10–14; 2 Chron. 2:3–16).

⇒ It was a great commercial center famous for its shipping, metal, glass and dye works (Is. 23:8).

⇒ It was denounced by the prophets of old because of its self-centered worldliness and materialism (Is. 23:1–17; Jer. 27:3; Ezk. 27:1f; 28:1–19; see Amos 1:9; Joel 3:5f; Zech. 9:2).

⇒ Jesus visited the region bordering Tyre, but never entered the city (Mk. 7:24–31).

⇒ Paul spent seven days with the church in Tyre (Acts 21:3–7).

Acts 21:4–6 ESV

4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed 6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

The pull of a Spirit-filled church vs. a sense of duty. Anytime a Spirit-filled church speaks, the messenger of God has to listen. The warning of this church was bound to put great pressure upon Paul. Note three striking traits of the church at Tyre.

1. It was a small church, but it was Spirit-filled. We know it was small, for Paul and his companions had to search for the church, and it apparently took a while before they found the believers.

a. The church was Spirit-filled, so much so that they were able to warn Paul immediately about the trials he was to face. They were enabled by the Spirit to see into the future, to predict, to prophesy.

Thought 1. Every church should be just as Spirit-filled as the church at Tyre. The Holy Spirit should be able to use everyone of us to help others as they face the trials of life.

b. The church at Tyre believed the warning was a prohibition, but Paul accepted it as information, as the Spirit preparing him for what lay ahead.

c. The picture is that of God’s messenger being torn between listening to the counsel of a Spirit-filled church and abiding by his own sense of duty. The church felt strongly that they had heard from God, but Paul felt just as strongly about his own convictions. Who was right? Only God knows, but the messenger of God had to do what his sense of duty told him.

Thought 1. How many ministers or lay leaders have stayed back, relying solely on the advice of a Spirit-filled church, remaining in comfortable situations, when all along God was calling them to more difficult circumstances? The servant of God must always do his duty, what the sense of duty within his heart tells him to do, even if the call involves a difficult move.

In the eyes of the church, there was no way the arrest of Paul could have been for the best, no way the silencing of his voice and ministry among the church could be best for the Kingdom of God. But we must always remember, the church could not see into the future—only God could. They could not see how God was going to use Paul to witness to the highest leaders and courts of the land, and how the Kingdom of God was going to be spread all throughout Rome and its empire.

2. The church was one of closely knit families. Note how whole families—men with their “wives and children”—were mentioned as accompanying Paul to the ship (v. 5). The whole church was involved in saying goodbye to this traveling preacher—a very simple activity. But how it must have encouraged the preacher. What a tremendous example …

• for churches and believers of today to use their gifts of encouragement for God’s dear servants

• for the children of the church

• for Christian families of today

• for family activities in the church

3. The church was full of unashamed, witnessing believers. Note: they knelt on the dock in public and prayed with Paul. Again, what a dynamic example for all involved and for us today! What a glorious witness to the rough-hewn dock workers and to the traveling public and their families and friends who would be standing around saying their farewells.

Acts 21:7 ESV

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.

The remembrance of believers and their needs everywhere vs. a deep sense of the Holy Spirit’s leading. Note that Paul was in Ptolemais for only one day, only time enough to greet believers briefly and share the gospel. So much would have to go unsaid. The thought of believers and their need to be rooted in the gospel worldwide was constantly upon Paul’s mind and heart. Reaching and grounding people was his life. Being with the believers for only one day and having just been warned about arrest in Jerusalem was bound to arouse his heart for world-evangelization and cause him to question his decision. But note: Paul was gripped with a sense of the Spirit’s leading. He staunchly continued on, being unswerved from his compulsion to preach and reach his own people in Jerusalem.

Ptolemais—Acco: called Acco in Old Testament times. It was a seaport town about thirty miles south of Tyre, having one of the finest harbors along the coastline of Palestine. It was promised to the tribe of Asher, but was never conquered (Judg. 1:31). It was a great commercial city lying on the major road between Syria and Egypt. Apparently the church at Ptolemais was founded by believers who fled the persecution surrounding Stephen’s martyrdom (see Acts 8:1, 4).

Acts 21:8–11 ESV

8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

The fact of sure persecution vs. an immovable compulsion to do God’s will. The confrontation with the prophet Agabus was an awakening scene.

1. Philip was the believer chosen to be one of the first deacons. He was a deacon who was on fire for God, so much so that he became an evangelist. He is the evangelist who had reached Samaria with the gospel some twenty years before (see Acts 6:5; 8:5–13, 26–40). Note: he now had a family, four unmarried daughters who were gifted by the Holy Spirit to prophesy.

Thought 1. Note how faithful Philip was in rooting his family in the Lord. All his children were serving the Lord.

2. Agabus’ prediction would strike Paul and strike him deeply, for Agabus was a prophet greatly used by God. He was the prophet whom God had used to predict the famine in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27–28). In taking Paul’s girdle and his own hands and feet, Agabus was using a symbol such as the Old Testament prophets used to drive home their point (see 1 Ki. 22:11; Jer. 13:1–8; Ezk. 4:1–6; 5:1–3). Again, Paul interpreted the warning to be a warning of preparation and not as a warning of prohibition.

3. Paul was still immovable. He would not be turned from what he understood God wanted him to do.

Acts 21:12–16 ESV

12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” 15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

The tug of loved ones vs. a fearless readiness to die for the Lord Jesus if need be. The scene was dramatic and touching. The prophecy of Agabus had shaken the loved ones of Paul. Everyone present—Luke, Paul’s companions, and Philip and his family—all who were so dear to Paul—were broken and in tears over what awaited Paul in Jerusalem. They begged him not to go.

Paul was touched, deeply touched. The words “break my heart” mean to crush, break in pieces, weaken. Paul was as broken as he could be over the love and care of the dear brothers and sisters as they wept and begged him to heed their pleas. But he could not listen, could not give in. He was utterly convinced that God had called him to go to Jerusalem. His answer to his loved ones is a memorial that stands as a pattern for every one who is called to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were words that every servant, preacher and teacher, should memorize and hold dear to his heart.

Note the purpose of Luke and the others: “the will of the Lord be done.” This should be the response of every family and friend who may oppose the person who senses the call of God.

Note also how some other disciples from Caesarea joined the ministry team and escorted Paul part of the way. Care, concern, and love were the picture. Nothing is known about Mnason except what is mentioned here. He was memorialized as …

• a disciple who had walked faithfully with Jesus for many years. He was apparently one of the very earliest disciples.

• a disciple who opened his home and welcomed the Lord’s people.

LEADERSHIP MINISTRIES WORLDWIDE: The Acts of the Apostles, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN : Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2003