'The Will of the Lord Be Done'

And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth. Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again. And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him. And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, - Acts 21:1-40

    Paul was en route for Jerusalem, knowing fully that upon his arrival there he would meet with vehement opposition because of the gospel he preached (20:22-24). But he would allow nothing to keep him from doing what he knew God had called and directed him to do. After his brief stop at Miletus (20:17-38), he sailed down the west coast of Asia Minor, stopping at Coos, Rhodes and Patara. From there he sailed around the island of Cyprus to Tyre in Syria. Finding disciples there, he and his companions stayed at Tyre for seven days (21:1-4).

    1. At Tyre, the disciples warned Paul not to go up to Jerusalem (21:4-5)

    Without question, they gave this warning 'to Paul through the Spirit'. Neither can it be doubted that Paul was 'bound in the Spirit' to go to Jerusalem (20:22). There is only one way to understand this apparent contradiction: these warnings given to Paul by the Holy Spirit were meant to test and prove his faith and faithfulness so that he might stand as an example to others. After the warning was given and Paul could not be dissuaded, the disciples at Tyre, with their families, prayed with Paul and bade him farewell, submitting to the will of the Lord.

    2. After leaving Tyre, Paul and his friends came to Caesarea, where they were the guests of Philip the evangelist (21:7-9)

    Philip was one of the original deacons (6:5). Later he became an evangelist. He is the one who was sent by God to preach the gospel to the Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. The last we saw of him, he was settled in Cresarea (8:40). Now, some twenty or more years later, he was still there, serving the Lord with a family of four daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

    This servant of God was a married man. Contrary to papal doctrine, which forbids the marriage of God's servants, almost all the pastors, deacons and evangelists of the New Testament were married men (1 Tim. 4: 1-5).

    Philip, being given to hospitality, graciously opened his home to Paul and his travelling companions. Grace makes people gracious and generous. Philip counted it an honour and privilege to have God's servants and his saints as guests in his home. Happy is the home and household where the servants of God and the people of God are frequent guests. Where God's servants and his people are lodged, blessings are lodged (Matt. 10:41-42; Heb. 13:1-2).

    Philip's virgin daughters prophesied. There is no indication that these girls had taken a vow of virginity! They were simply young women who were not yet married and were virgins, as all unmarried women should be. These young ladies had a gift of prophecy. That does not imply that they taught and explained the Scriptures, or preached in the public assemblies of the church. That would have been a direct violation of the Word of God (1 Cor. 14:34-35; 1Tim. 2: 11-12). When Luke tells us they 'did prophesy', he simply means that they had the gift to foretell future events by the Spirit of God. This was one of the many extraordinary signs of the fulfilment of Joel's prophecy in apostolic times (Joel 2:28). We can only guess what the subject of their prophecy was, but the context helps us. Like the disciples at Tyre (21:4) and Agabus (21:11), Philip's daughters probably warned Paul of the danger awaiting him at Jerusalem. Over and over again the Holy Spirit plainly told Paul the things he would face at Jerusalem. He knew that certain death awaited him (20:25).

    3. While he was still at Cresarea in Philip's house, Agabus came down from Judea and prophesied of Paul's imprisonment at Jerusalem (21:11-14)

    Paul had met Agabus fifteen or sixteen years earlier at Antioch. It was Agabus who had prophesied of the famine that came in the days of Claudias Caesar (11:28). Paul was familiar with this man and fully aware of his divine commission and gifts. Agabus publicly prophesied that Paul would be bound by the Jews and delivered up to the Romans. The disciples were heartbroken for Paul's sake. They tenderly and urgently begged him not to proceed with his plans, but Paul would not be dissuaded. He was committed to Christ and determined to obey that which he knew to be the will of God, even if it cost him his life (21: 13; 20:22-24). Seeing Paul's determination, all the disciples submitted to the will of the Lord. They would not be found in rebellion to God. This is the spirit of faith. It is the spirit of Christ (Matt. 26:42). All who believe God submit to the will of God, preferring his will to their own because his will is best.

    4. At last Paul went up to Jerusalem, where he was compelled by James to give approval to the observance of the Mosaic law (21:15-40)

    Acts 21:17-26 is one of the saddest paragraphs in the Bible. A terrible, tragic thing is about to take place. No man was a greater, or more consistent exponent of the believer's freedom from the law than Paul. Yet here he is about to go back under the yoke of bondage!

    James and the elders at Jerusalem persuaded Paul that, in order to conciliate the Jews and put an end to the scandalous reports they had heard about him, he should give public approval to the observance of the ceremonial law of Moses. They compelled him to go into the temple with four men who had taken a Nazarite vow (Num. 6:2, 13) and offer a sacrifice of purification—and Paul did it!

    Without question, this action was contrary to everything Paul taught (Gal. 2:3,11; 3:1-3; 5:1; Col. 2:16). By example and by association, Paul gave approval to legalism. His action could only encourage others to retain the spirit of legalism and both confuse and dishearten the Gentile believers. To this day, legalists point to this passage as an argument why we should live under the yoke of the law.

    Why did Paul submit to this legal ceremony? The believing Jews had not yet seen the destruction of the temple. During this time of transition, most Jewish believers continued to observe the customs of the law. God had virtually to break their hands to make them let goof Moses and the earthly ceremonies of the law. But why did Paul, who knew better, do this horrible thing?

    No doubt, he was trying to be conciliatory to the believing Jews who were yet weak in the faith (1Cor. 9:19-23). That is commend able. Those who are weak in the faith are to be borne with in patience. We must do nothing to offend them. But we must not, even for the sake of nurturing the weak, do that which is contrary to the gospel of Christ or in violation of our own conscience. We can do without wine or meat to keep a brother from stumbling, but we cannot, and must not, pretend to live by legal principles to keep from offending a legalist! If we join others in committing evil and compromise the gospel of grace in the name of Christian love, we shall not help them, and are likely to hinder many others. In addition to those things, Paul was probably simply tired of fighting with his brethren over the law. He finally gave in, but he regretted it. His strongest instructions about the believer's total freedom from the law in Christ were written after this incident.

    Besides, the compromise did not work (21:27-40). It never does! The Jews were not conciliated. It is a vain thing to imagine that men can be pleased and that their approval of the gospel can be won by compromise. However, it must not be forgotten that God graciously overruled even this sad blemish in Paul's life to accomplish his purpose. This too proved to be good for Paul, good for God's elect and for the glory of God. Had he not gone into the temple that day, he would not have been arrested, he would not have gone to Rome, he would not have written his prison epistles, he would not have been martyred for Christ. God brought good out of evil—and he still does!