Entrusting People to the Lord

Acts 20:36 New King James Version

Ephesus

Acts 20:36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Tyre

Acts 21:5 When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.

Ephesus

Acts 20:22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,

1. Bound - to be obligated ⇔ be bound v.— to be obliged, conceived of as being or becoming bound with a physical restraint.

2. Bound - to compel someone to act in a particular manner—‘to compel, to force.’[1]

Acts 20:23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.

1. Acts 19:21 When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed 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.”

a. Purposed - ‘to place in the heart, or mind,’ and ‘to place in the spirit, or mind’) to engage in the process of deciding—‘to make up one’s mind, to decide.’[2]

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.

Acts 20:37 Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him,

Acts 20:38 sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Tyre

Acts 21:3 When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

Acts 21:4 And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

1. We read that the believers “urged” (kept repeatedly telling) Paul “through the Spirit” to give up his trip to Jerusalem. This does not mean, however, that the Spirit did not want Paul to go to Jerusalem. The word “through” (Gk. dia) is not the word used in previous passages for the direct agency of the Spirit. (See Acts 13:4, where the Gk. is hupo, a word used for direct, or primary, agency.) Here the Greek is better translated “in consequence of the Spirit,” that is, because of what the Spirit said. The Spirit himself definitely did not forbid Paul to go on.3 The Spirit was compelling Paul to go (Acts 20:22). Paul knew the Holy Spirit does not contradict himself.4 It was not the Spirit but the believers’ love and concern for Paul that made them keep saying he should not go.[3]

What are we to do when the Holy Spirit seems to be saying different things?

1. Prophecy is a subjective gift

1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

2. Prophecy is to be judged.

1 Corinthians 14:29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:20 Do not despise prophecies.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

a. Caesarea

i. Acts 21:7 And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.

ii. Acts 21:8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

iii. Acts 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

1. Acts 2:16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

2. Acts 2:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.

3. Acts 2:18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

iv. Acts 21:10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

v. Acts 21:11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

vi. Acts 21:12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.

vii. Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

b. Jerusalem

i. Acts 21:31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

ii. Acts 21:32 He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

iii. Acts 21:33 Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done.

1. Acts 21:11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

3. Prophecy is confirmational

1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 1:5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,

1 Corinthians 1:6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,

1 Corinthians 1:7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Corinthians 1:8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

a. What has God said to you?

i. Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

ii. Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

iii. Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

iv. Acts 13:47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”c.f. Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6

b. If you cannot agree, pray.

i. Acts 21:14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

ii. Acts 23:11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains(electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 475). New York: United Bible Societies. [2] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains(electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 358). New York: United Bible Societies. 3 See F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of Acts (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1954), 385; also J. A. Alexander, A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, 3d ed. (1875; reprint, London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1956), 222. Cf. NEB, “They, warned by the Spirit, urged Paul to abandon his visit to Jerusalem.” For a contrary opinion see James M. Boice, Acts (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1997), 355–62. (Cf. CEV, Beck.) 4 Jesus himself confirmed this later (Acts 23:11). [3]Horton, S. M. (2001). Acts: A Logion Press Commentary (p. 346). Springfield, MO: Logion Press.