Daily Thoughts from Acts: Rejoicing to Suffer Dishonor (Acts 21:1-16)

And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo. And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day. On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.  (Acts 21:1-16 ESV)

It appears that though Paul is in Syria he does not go to Antioch, his sending church, but continues to make his way south to Jerusalem.  But in Tyre he stays 7 days and “through the Spirit” the disciples there are telling him not to go to Jerusalem.  Why doesn’t Paul obey?  Paul knows already that chains await him, and when he reaches Caesarea and the house of Philip, Agabus again prophecies that he will be bound, but he doesn’t believe this is contrary to what God wants for him.  Agabus does not claim that the Spirit has told Paul not to go, only what will happen if he does.  So it is probably best to understand the disciples of Tyre as having received similar prophetic indications of Paul’s imprisonment and begging him, like Paul’s companions did, not to go.  Had they told Paul that the Spirit told him not to go that would have contradicted what the Spirit told Paul, that he would be imprisoned (Acts 20:23).

Paul’s courage is commendable.  He is willing to die for Jesus and has been so willing, as we have seen throughout Luke’s account of his travels.  He has been stoned once and probably did die, but God raised him.  At other times he has been restrained from entering a fray that likely would have cost his life.  But he trusts in the power of God and knows the mission Christ has set for him.

Jesus took much the same trip to Jerusalem though certain death awaited him.  Jesus’ disciples can expect no less than their Master received, the hatred of the world.  But it is our privilege to share in Jesus’ sufferings and be viewed the same way he was.  The attitude of the earliest disciples still models for us what our own should be, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name” (Acts 5:41).