Bible Study Acts 21: 1-40

 

Commentary of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study Acts 21: 1-40

Text:

Paul Sets Out for Jerusalem

21 Now when we had parted from them and had 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 over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 And when we came in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And after looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem. 5 And when [a]our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, escorted us until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. 6 Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.

7 And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brothers, we stayed with them for a day. 8 And on the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 10 And as we were staying there for some 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, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 12 And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, crying and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying, “The will of the Lord be done!”

15 Now after these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple with whom we were to lodge.

In Jerusalem

17 And after we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 And after he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God did among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many [b]thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to [c]walk according to the customs. 22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who [d]are under a vow; 24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and [e]pay their expenses so that they may shave their [f]heads. Then all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. 25 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should keep from [g]meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul [h]took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Paul Is Arrested

27 Now when the seven days were almost over, the Jews from [i]Asia, upon noticing him in the temple, began to throw all the crowd into confusion and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches to everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred, and [j]the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. 31 While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the [k]commander of the Roman [l]cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 At once he took along soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. 34 But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the [m]facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 And when he got to the stairs, he actually was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; 36 for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!”

Paul’s Defense Before the Jews

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he *said, “Do you know Greek? 38 Then you are not the Egyptian who some [n]time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” 39 But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there [o]was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “Now when we had parted from them and had set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos and the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara;”

Traveling along the islands off the coast of Asia Minor, they sailed a direct course to the port of Patara. The small island of Cos, a free state in the province of Asia, and Rhodes, the prosperous capital on the northern tip of the island, were notable. Patara, a significant port on Asia Minor's southwest coast, was a crucial harbor for ancient ships navigating the eastern Mediterranean. This facilitated interaction between Syria, Palestine, and Egypt with Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia.

Verse 2: “and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.”

During the Roman period, Phoenicia was under the control of Syria.

Verse 3: “And when we came in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo.”

The typical voyage from Patara to Tyre, across the Mediterranean, would last five days.

Verse 4: “And after looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.”

The Holy Spirit compelled Paul to go to Jerusalem, as noted in Acts 20:22. While Paul was not disobedient to the Spirit, his friends learned "through the Spirit" that he would face prison and hardship (Acts 20:23). In response, they attempted to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem.

Verse 5: “And when our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, escorted us until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another.”

Paul performed a beautiful act by kneeling on the shore with the community of believers to pray together.

Verse 6: “Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.”

After tender farewells filled with love and sorrow, Paul boarded the ship, while they headed back home. Each perhaps lamented the transient nature of this world, as should we.

Verse 7: “And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brothers, we stayed with them for a day.”

The ship docked in Ptolemais, a port city located twenty-five miles south of Tyre, to unload its cargo.

Verse 8: “And on the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.”

Caesarea, the provincial capital of Judea, was a seaport constructed by Herod the Great. It was located thirty-two miles south of Ptolemais. Philip, a key figure among "the seven" chosen for food distribution, was a prominent preacher. His ministry reached the Samaritans, the Ethiopian eunuch, and communities along the Palestinian coast.

Verse 9: “Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”

That these women were virgins suggests a divine calling for special ministry. The early church considered them crucial sources of information during its initial years. Luke does not specify the context of their prophecy, leaving open whether it was an ongoing prophetic ministry or a singular event. Given that women are not to be elders in the church, their ministry likely involved ministering to individuals.

Verse 10: “And as we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.”

This was the same Agabus who had prophesied the severe famine in Judea and the surrounding area fifteen years prior. He was respected in the community of believers.

Verse 11: “And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says: In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

In the context of the first-century apostles, Agabus functioned as a prophet. He was directly guided by the Holy Spirit to deliver God's inspired message. Similar to how Old Testament prophets acted out their prophecies, Agabus' actions foreshadowed Paul's arrest and imprisonment by the Romans. Despite being falsely accused by the Jews, Paul was indeed arrested and imprisoned by the Romans, falling into "the hands of the Gentiles."

Verse 12: “And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.”

It is important to remember that this account is penned by Dr. Luke. He and his companions expressed reluctance regarding Paul's journey to Jerusalem, as the Spirit of God had revealed to Paul that he would face imprisonment. Paul, however, demonstrated a resolute willingness not only to be bound but also to die for the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. The concern displayed by the believers for the Apostle Paul is particularly poignant, highlighting their deep affection for him.

Verse 13: “Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, crying and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’”

All actions, baptism, healing, signs and wonders, and preaching were performed in the name of the Lord Jesus, signifying His complete authority and power.

Verse 14: “And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’”

“The will of the Lord be done” is a confident expression of trust that God’s will is best. This is the best way to live our individual lives. Always trusting in the Sovereignty and Providence of God.

Verse 15: “Now after these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem.”

With Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover, rapidly approaching, Paul desired to be in Jerusalem for the feast. They had already traveled at least thirty-six days from Philippi to Caesarea and spent several days there.

Verse 16: “And some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple with whom we were to lodge.”

Mnason, possibly a Hellenistic Jew, may have been chosen by Paul and his Gentile companions for lodging due to his familiarity with Greek culture. This would have made him more amenable to hosting Gentiles than Palestinian Jews. As an early disciple, potentially converted on the Day of Pentecost, Mnason could have provided Luke with valuable historical insights.

Verse 17: “And after we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.”

Presumably, Paul intended to arrive in Jerusalem in time for Pentecost. The believers in Jerusalem welcomed them warmly, not only due to the much-needed offering they carried but, more significantly, because the Gentile converts accompanying Paul served as tangible proof of God's redemptive work throughout the Roman Empire. This initial, unofficial welcome may have occurred at Mnason's residence.

Verse 18: “And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.”

James, Jesus’ brother and the leader of the Jerusalem church, is the subject here, not James, John’s brother, who Herod had executed. The presence of elders suggests that the apostles, who were frequently engaged in evangelistic work, had entrusted the governance of the Jerusalem church to them. It has been hypothesized that there were 70 elders, mirroring the Sanhedrin. Considering the substantial size of the Jerusalem church, it's probable that there were at least that many. God had ordained that elders would govern the church after the apostles' departure.

Verse 19: “And after he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.”

Paul provided a detailed account of his missionary work, offering specific incidents from his travels rather than vague generalities. As was his consistent practice, Paul attributed all his achievements to God (“which God did”)

Verse 20: “And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;’”.

Thousands of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were zealous for the law, strictly observing the Mosaic law. While some of these Messianic believers may have resented that Gentile Christians were not required to observe the ceremonial law of Moses, the accusation against Paul was that he was encouraging Jews to abandon the law as well. This charge may have stemmed from reports that Paul himself did not adhere to Jewish ceremonial law when in Gentile company. Although Paul had no objection to Jews following their ancestral customs, he opposed any attempts to make such observance necessary for salvation. Paul's flexibility in these matters, always careful to avoid unnecessary offense, demonstrates that the interests of the gospel were paramount in his thinking.

Verse 21: “and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.”

False reports circulated among Judaizers alleged that Paul was instructing Jewish believers to abandon their heritage. However, Paul's adherence to Jewish customs is clear, as demonstrated by his circumcision of Timothy and his personal undertaking of a Nazirite vow.

Verse 22: “What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.”

Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul was received with a royal welcome by the church. He presented them with the gift from the Gentile churches, and they rejoiced at his report of God's salvation of the Gentiles. Subsequently, they informed Paul that thousands of Jews in Jerusalem had embraced Christ as their Messiah and Savior. Emphasizing the unity of the church—that there is only one church of Jesus Christ, not separate Jewish and Gentile congregations—they asserted that a Jew who accepts Jesus Christ does not cease to be Jewish. They then addressed Paul, acknowledging his Jewish heritage and his desire to win Jews for Christ, to which Paul affirmed his commitment. They proposed that, given his Jewish identity, it would be beneficial for him to accompany four Jewish men who had taken a vow, shaved their heads, and were entering the temple. Paul readily agreed to their suggestion.

Verse 23: “Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;”

The “vow” taken was a Nazirite vow which was a symbol of complete devotion to God.

Verse 24: “take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.”

The Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1–21) required adherents to let their hair grow. Upon completion of the vow, they would shave their hair, dedicate it to the Lord, and burn it with a fellowship offering sacrifice. Paul publicly demonstrated his adherence to Jewish law by covering the expenses for four Nazirites, accompanying them to the priest for sacrifices, and participating in the purification rites.

Verse 25: “But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should keep from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality.”

James clarified that his request to Paul did not alter the Jerusalem Council's decision concerning Gentiles. This decision was not applicable to Paul, as he was Jewish.

Verse 26: “Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.”

Paul undertook this vow not out of obligation, but out of a desire to connect with these individuals. One is not required to take a vow. However, if one chooses to do so, it is permissible. The decision to shave one's head as part of a vow, or to allow one's hair to grow long, rests solely with the individual. Such actions are acceptable to the Lord. Under the principle of grace, individuals possess the liberty to engage in these practices. Provided there is an understanding that salvation is attained through the grace of God, and not through actions, one has the right to make a vow if so inclined.

Verse 27: “Now when the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon noticing him in the temple, began to throw all the crowd into confusion and laid hands on him,”

The purification process required Paul's presence at the temple on the third and seventh days. The subsequent incident occurred on the seventh day, near the completion of this process. The "Jews from Asia" mentioned were likely from Ephesus, as they identified Trophimus as a Gentile. They were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.

Verse 28: “crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches to everyone everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’”

Paul faced three baseless accusations from his adversaries. First, they falsely claimed he urged Jews to abandon their heritage, a lie previously spread by the Judaizers (refer to the note on Acts. The second charge, that Paul was against the law, was particularly perilous given the context, yet equally untrue. By this time, Pentecost, originally a harvest festival, had evolved into a commemoration of Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai, making the Jewish people especially fervent about the law during this feast. The third accusation, blaspheming or defiling the temple, was a charge that had contributed to the deaths of both Jesus and Stephen. All three charges were, undeniably, completely false. The Asian Jews also accused Paul of bringing Trophimus beyond the Court of the Gentiles into an area of the temple where Gentiles were prohibited. This charge was preposterous, as it would have endangered his friend's life; the Romans had authorized the Jews to execute any Gentile who desecrated the temple in this manner.

Verse 29: “For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.”

We must recognize a key distinction here. Paul, a Jew raised in his tradition, visited the temple upon arriving in Jerusalem. Trophimus, a Gentile Ephesian likely converted through Paul's ministry, would have had no reason or desire to go to the temple or participate in its rituals while in Jerusalem with Paul, as this was not part of his background. Under grace, he could have chosen to do so, illustrating our freedom in grace. Paul understood that the vow he was taking had no impact on his salvation. Both Jew and Gentile are saved solely by God's grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 30: “Then all the city was stirred, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.”

The temple guards shut the doors to prevent Paul's death on the temple grounds, which would defile it. Despite this, they made no attempt to save the apostle from the crowd, who intended to beat him to death. I like to put out that it is the same Greek word helkyo that is translated here as “dragged” and “draws” in John 6: 44 (“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”). That might change the way you look at the drawing of the Holy Spirit. Is it dragging or drawing?

Verse 31: “While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.”

Claudius Lysias, the tribune, commanded the Roman cohort stationed in Jerusalem, making him the highest-ranking Roman official in the city. The governor's official residence was in Caesarea. The Roman occupation force, known as "the garrison," consisted of 1,000 men. Their headquarters, Fort Antonia, was situated on a precipice overlooking the temple complex. From this strategic position, Roman sentries observed the riot and alerted their commander.

Verse 32: “At once he took along soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.”

Lysias brought at least 200 soldiers, as the plural "centurions" indicates, with each centurion leading 100 men.

Verse 33: “Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done.”

Lysias arrested Paul, believing him guilty of something due to the Jews' intense rage. The tribune thought he recognized Paul.

Verse 34: “But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.”

Unable to extract information from the crowd, the captain brought Paul to the castle to determine the accusation against him. The mob, however, would only be satisfied with Paul's death.

Verse 35: “And when he got to the stairs, he actually was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;”

He was a small man with a weak physical presence, so the soldiers easily carried him in their arms. They were compelled to do so to protect him from the crowd, who would have murdered him if given the chance.

Verse 36: “for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, ‘Away with him!’”

“Away with him” meant to "kill him.”

Verse 37: “As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, ‘May I say something to you?’ And he *said, ‘Do you know Greek?’”

The tribune was astonished by Paul's Greek, having believed him to be an Egyptian Jewish insurrectionist who had claimed to be a prophet three years prior.

Verse 38: “Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”

"Dagger men" is the literal translation of the Greek word rendered “assassins” and refers to the militant Jewish nationalists.

Verse 39: “But Paul said, ‘I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.’”

Tarsus was a culturally significant city, home to a university that rivaled those in Athens and Alexandria.

Verse 40: “And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,”

The stairs likely led from the temple area to the Antonian Fortress, which Herod the Great rebuilt and named after Mark Antony. This fortress was located on the northern edge of the temple platform. The term "Hebrew language" refers to Aramaic, the common language spoken by Jews in Palestine. While priests and Levites would have also known Hebrew, Greek was the predominant language throughout the Roman and Mediterranean world.