‘And when it came to about that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara, and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.' The suspense continues. The ship continued slowl... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo.' Soon they passed by Cyprus on their left, and then continued on to Syria, landing at Tyre because it was there that the ship was to unload its... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days, and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.' There at Tyre they spent the customary ‘seven days' and it was here that Luke mentions for the first time the prophecies concerning what was to happen t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when it came about that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way till we were out of the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, and bade each other farewell, and we went on board the ship, but they... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.' The voyage from Tyre brings them to Ptolemais (now Acre) where they probably landed for the last time. From now on it will be on foot. Here again they greeted the bret... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And on the morrow we departed, and came to Caesarea, and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him.' Leaving Ptolemais they arrived in Caesarea, where they went to stay with Philip the evangelist, one of ‘the seven' of the early days (Acts 6:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now this man had four virgin daughters, who prophesied.' Luke then explains that Philip had four virgin daughters who were apparently official prophetesses (compare Acts 2:17; 1 Corinthians 11:5). This was probably to be seen as an indication of his continued godliness and flourishing faith. It had... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.' Due to having made good time they were able to stay in Caesarea for a time and have fellowship with the church here. Perhaps Paul's Gentile companions were able to have good fellowship with Cornelius a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And coming to us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this girdle, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.” ' Agabus deliberately sought them out and then took Paul's belt... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.' The result of the prophecy is that his companions, including Luke, together with the church at Caesarea pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ' But Paul rebuked them. He knew that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and told them that their pleas were just making it har... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” ' One they recognised that he believed that it was God's will for him to be bound in Jerusalem, and that nothing would change his mind, they declared ‘The will of the Lord be done.' Compare Luke 22:42, ‘not My w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And after these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem.' Their time at Caesarea coming to an end they took up their baggage (which included the Collection) and went up to Jerusalem. The verb ‘took up our baggage' may indicate that they used horses.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there went with us also certain of the disciples from Caesarea, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.' They were accompanied by certain disciples from Caesarea, together with Mnason who was from Cyprus, but had a house where they could lodge. He... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.' Arriving in Jerusalem Paul and his companions were ‘received gladly' by the whole church. Their welcome was friendly and genuine as befitted fellow-Christians. It is probable that at this stage these people knew nothing about th... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL PROVES HIS TRUE DEDICATION IN JERUSALEM AND HIS CONFORMITY WITH THE LAW AND DOES NOTHING THAT IS WORTHY OF DEATH BUT THE DOORS OF THE TEMPLE ARE CLOSED AGAINST HIM (21:17-30).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the day following Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.' On the next day the Gentile representatives arranged to meet James, along with all the elders. Paul also went with them. The fact that all the Jerusalem church elders also made themselves present meant that it w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had saluted them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry.' Then Paul greeted them and gave them a full account, item by item, of all that God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry (and that of his companions). This... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they, when they heard it, glorified God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands (literally ‘tens of thousands') there are among the Jews of those who have believed; and they are all zealous for the law.” Their response was that they glorified God. They truly rejoiced to he... [ Continue Reading ]
“And they have been informed concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk after the customs.” For some had been informed that Paul was teaching Jews who became Christians to cease being Jews, not to... [ Continue Reading ]
“What is it therefore? They will certainly hear that you are come.” These elders knew that it was inevitable therefore that some of these prejudiced Jewish Christians would hear of Paul's arrival and probably become incensed, and angry at his presence in Jerusalem. It seemed therefore a good idea t... [ Continue Reading ]
“Do therefore this that we say to you. We have four men who have a vow on them. These take, and purify yourself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads, and all will know that there is no truth in the things of which they have been informed concerning you, but that you... [ Continue Reading ]
“But as touching the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication.” The repetition of these stipulations may well have resulted from something said by Paul, for... [ Continue Reading ]
“Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.” It should be noted that there is no suggestion that Paul saw any objection to this at all. It woul... [ Continue Reading ]
“And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and moreover he broug... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.' Gracious Luke then tries to find some excuse for them. He finds their total evil hard to understand. And he points out that they had earlier seen Paul with the Gentile Tr... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And all the city was moved, and the people ran together, and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple, and straightway the doors were shut.' The effect of the malicious cries of these people was to ‘move' others, so that many people ran together and ‘all the city' was involved (cl... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL IS ARRESTED AND SPEAKS TO THE CROWD GIVING HIS OWN TESTIMONY. THEY REPLY ‘AWAY WITH HIM' (21:31-22:29). At this point begins the remarkable account of Paul's imprisonment, trials and treatment at the hands of men in Jerusalem and Caesarea (from Acts 21:31 to Acts 26:32). It could well have been... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as they were seeking to kill him, news came up to the chief captain (chiliarch) of the band, that all Jerusalem was in confusion, and at once he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down on them, and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating Paul.' ‘As they were... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then the chief captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and enquired who he was, and what he had done.' Breaking through the crowd, and aware that he might be dealing with a dangerous criminal, the chief captain seized him and then commanded that he b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And some shouted one thing, some another, among the crowd. And when he could not know the certainty for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle.' The inexcusable nature of the situation comes out in that most of the crowd quite frankly did not know why they were beating Paul. The... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he came on the stairs, so it was that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd, for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him.” ' His strategy was necessary. For the incensed crowd, _even though we have already learned that they did not know... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as Paul was about to be brought into the castle, he says to the chief captain, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek?” Are you not then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?” Pau... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Paul said, “I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city, and I beg you, give me leave to speak to the people.” Paul then informed him of who he really was, and did so with the intention of impressing him, for he wanted an opportunity to speak ‘A citizen of no mean city.' This w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand to the people, and when there was made a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,' Recognising Paul's quality, and deeply intrigued, the chief captain gave his permission. This was cle... [ Continue Reading ]