Acts, Chapter 21
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all
rights reserved
Acts 21:1-2
1 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:
2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we
went aboard, and set forth.
Please notice that Luke
writes “we.” In most cases, but not all that indicates that Luke was with
Paul. We have seen it before, but this
may be the first time I have called your attention to that pronoun.
After they left the saints in
Acts 21:3-4
3 Now when we had discovered
4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through
the Spirit, that he should not go up to
They passed by
They stayed there for 7 days after finding some disciples there. It was there that Paul was first warned about
going to
Acts 21:5-7
5 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.
6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they
returned home again.
7 And when we had finished our course from
The group stayed with the
Christian brothers and their families for a few days, and then went on their
way to the city of
The timing was such as to put
Paul in
Acts 21:8-14
8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company
departed, and came unto
9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from
11 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.
12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought
him not to go up to
13 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
14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The
will of the Lord be done.
The next day, they traveled
from Ptolemais to
Philip had seven
daughters. They each Prophesied. Whether
by the office of the Prophet or by the gift of prophecy we are not told.
Most prophecy is spoken. Those women prophesied! The very thought of
women speaking sickens the ordained ignorant.
In Christ there is not male of female!
Gal 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Men, who are insecure in
their manhood, demand that women subjugate themselves to them. They are SPIRITUALLY
IGNORANT!
They stayed in Philip’s home for several days, and then a Prophet from
Agabus prophesied by taking Paul’s belt and tying his own
hands and feet. Then he said, “Thus says the Holy Ghost, the Jews at
When those around Paul heard
that, they begged him not to go to
But Paul admonished them,
“Are you trying to break my resolve? I am ready not only to be bound, but also
to die at
They stopped pleaded only
when he could not be persuaded. Finally they said, “The will of the Lord be
done!”
Why did the prophecy come
forth?
Was it to tell Paul not to
go, OR was it to tell him
what would happen when he went?
Obviously it was to tell Paul
about the events that would follow his going to
Acts 21:15-17
15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and
went up to
16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought
with them one Mnason of
17 And when we were come to
After that Paul’s group
packed their bags and left for
Some disciples from
Verse 17 tells us that “the
brethren received us gladly.” If the
Church leaders had come to meet him, the Bible would have told us.
Acts 21:18-24
18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto
James; and all the elders were present.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had
wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 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:
21 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.
22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come
together: for they will hear that thou art come.
23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on
them;
24 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.
The following day, we find
the introducing of the Church leadership into the story. There was a “progress
report” about things among the Gentiles.
James in his need to show the
working of grace showed Paul how many Jews had come to the faith and how they
were zealous in the law. Sadly, they had little teaching concerning
grace, but they knew the law. Again,
today’s preachers teach a small amount of grace heavily flavored with law.
James may have done what was
needed in the past, but he had fallen back into a law-based religion and had
given up on the Christian grace-based relationship. That is sad!
Unfortunately, many today
attempt to be justified by keeping the Law!
First, it is impossible!
Secondly, it is invalid, because it was blotted out when it was nailed
to the cross! We are not saved by the Law…any Law, except the Law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus!
James reported a Jew-based
rumor that Paul taught the Gentiles to “forsake” Moses’ law, and forget about
traditional Jewish customs. Tradition,
Jew or Gentile, is the quickest way fall from grace.
Gal 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are
justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
The “multitude” came together
to admonish Paul. They charged him for
their foolish ceremonial extravagances including the men who “had” to have a
special vow. They were spiritually stupid!
It was a spiritual rip-off
perpetrated by Orthodox Judaism against grace-based Christianity. Paul, that great Apostle of grace, had been
caught up in a spiritual con-game.
This “game” had nothing to do
with grace. But, it does show us that the Jewish Church leaders had no
understanding concerning God’s grace.
They were bound up in legalism.
Later, Peter would write:
2 Pet 3:16
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are
some things hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other
scriptures, unto their own destruction.
It took Peter many decades to
finally come to the place where he knew that he did not know. We are unsure about James and the rest. They may never have come to even a small
understanding of grace. It is my opinion
that James never understood the concept of grace. He continued to look to the
Law for his inspiration.
Rom 8:1-2
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:14 For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 6:14 For
sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye
are not under the law, but under grace.
Eph 2:8 For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God:
Christians are products of
faith through grace as administered by the Holy Spirit! We are not to be ruled by Moses’ law or
carnal license.
Acts 21:25-30
25 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.
26 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.
27 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,
28 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.
29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they
supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30 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.
As tough as I am on
legalistic Jews, they did serve a purpose.
Due to James’ intervention, they did not attempt to make Jews out of
Gentiles. But they attempted to make
grace of non-effect by telling Paul that he had to “play” at being an orthodox
Jew while the “brethren” were watching.
It was during that pretend
Jewish law-keeping demanded by the leaders in
Acts 21:31-40
31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came
unto the chief captain of the band, that all
32 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.
33 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.
34 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.
35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that
he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
36 For the multitude of the people followed after,
crying, Away with him.
37 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?
38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest
an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four
thousand men that were murderers?
39 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.
40 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,
The Jews were “about to kill”
Paul when the Romans came to the rescue.
Upon taking Paul into
custody, the Captain of the Roman guard spoke with him. At first, they thought that Paul was an
Egyptian rebel.
Paul asked to speak to the
mob after assuring the Romans that he was a Jew.