The Book of Acts, lessons, commentary and study guide from the church of Christ

The Book of Acts

Why Did Paul Do This?

Introduction:

The apostle Paul had met with the Ephesian elders, gave them instructions, and bid them farewell.  (Acts 20:17-38)  He and his companions departed by ship for the last leg of the third missionary journey.  When he arrived in Jerusalem, he did something unusual.

Text:  Acts 21:1-26

Body:

I.  The Last Leg of His Journey  Acts 21:1-17

·  Paul sailed from Miletus to Patara probably on a small coastal vessel. Cos and Rhodes were both islands.  Paul boarded a much larger, sturdier vessel for the 400 mile voyage to Tyre in Syria.  Acts 21:1-3 “Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.  And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.  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.”  NKJV

·  They found disciples there and stayed for seven days.  They told Paul, through the Spirit, not to go on to Jerusalem.  But Paul had been clearly told by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem.  The disciples may have misinterpreted the meaning.  The saints in Tyre escorted Paul to the ship and had a “prayer meeting.”  No doubt they prayed for a safe journey.  Acts 21:4-6 “And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days.  They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.  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.  When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home.” NKJV

·  They went from Tyre to Ptolemais and greeted the brethren there.  Then they traveled on to Caesarea where they stayed with Phillip the evangelist, one of the seven servants appointed in the Jerusalem church to care for the Grecian widows.  He had four virgin daughters who had the gift of prophecy.  (I Corinthians 11:5) “But every woman who prays or  prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head,, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.”  NKJV

·  During this time period, Agabus, a prophet, came down from Judea.  He prophesied concerning Paul being delivered to the Gentiles.  The brethren pleaded with Paul not to go.  But Paul says that he is ready to give up his life for the Master’s cause.  They stopped pleading and left it in the Lord’s hands.  See Acts 11:27-28.  “And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.  Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.” NKJV  Acts 21:7-14  “And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day.  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.  Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.  And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  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.’  Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.  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.’  So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, ’The will of the Lord be done.’ ” NKJV

·  Paul left and went “up” to Jerusalem, about 65 miles.  Mnason, an early disciple, possible from the day of Pentecost, was with those who were with Paul at Jerusalem.  Acts 21:15-17 “And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem.  Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.  And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.” NKJV 

II.  Paul’s Purification  Acts 21:18-26  “On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.  When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord.  And they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.  What then?  The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.  Therefore do what we tell you:  ‘We have four men who have taken a vow.  Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.  But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.’  Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.” NKJV

·  When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the church received him and his companions gladly.  It was a time of great rejoicing.  The next day they met with James and the elders.  Paul went over one-by-one the things God had done among the Gentiles.  He gave God all the glory.  They were very happy at the success of Paul’s ministry and praised God at the salvation of souls.

·  But James and the elders have a concern.  Thousands of Jews have believed and obeyed the gospel.  While being converted to Christ, many were still “zealous” for the Law of Moses even though it was no longer in force.  (Romans 7:1-6) “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?  For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives.  But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.  So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.  Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another – to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.  For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.  But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.” NKJV  They still observed many of the “customs” of the Law.  They had heard that Paul taught that they should “forsake” Moses which wasn’t true.  Remember he had Timothy circumcised.  (Acts 16:3) “Paul wanted to have him go on with him.  And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.” NKJV  There was nothing wrong with someone being circumcised as long as it was not done to seek justification or as an act of righteousness.  (Galatians 5:2-4) “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.  And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.  You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” NKJV

·  So James and the elders proposed a solution to resolve this dilemma.  Four Jewish men had taken a vow, possible a Nazirite vow.(Numbers 6)  It was about time for that ritual to be consummated by a purification ceremony.  So Paul was to identify with them, pay their temple fees, and purify himself along with them.  So why did Paul go along with this idea and do it?

·  We must remember first that the temple had not yet been destroyed.  Possibly Paul did this as an act of expediency.  (I Corinthians 9:19-23) “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.  Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” NKJV  Of course it was sinful to do this to obtain righteousness or forgiveness of sins.  (Galatians 2:16) “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” NKJV

 It is also possible that Paul was simply wrong in doing this and should not have taken part in it.

Conclusion:  We know one thing for sure – any who seek to be justified by the Law are fallen from grace.  (Galatians 5:4) “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” NKJV

Bobby Stafford  August 21, 2016 

Acts:  Lesson 45  Acts 21:1-26