The Acts of The Apostles

Acts was taught by Dr. James Modlish

 

Chapter Twenty One
(21:1-40)

Vs. 1-7

Luke is still with Paul, we (vs. 1) They continue on their journey by "making connections". He leaves Ephesus for Coos and Rhodes, etc. They land at Tyre where there is a local church (vs. 4). Here he meets certain disciples who warn Paul "through the Spirit" (capital "S") not to go to Jerusalem. (Acts 2O:23; 21:4,11; 22:18,21)

Paul is disobeying a direct order because of an inward burden for his own people (Rom. 9:1-3). His move is a fleshly move against the direct revealed will of God, and God overrules Paul's decision (Acts 23:11). (Rom. 8:28)

Vs. 5

Paul would pray anywhere ... good example.

Vs. 8-17

The entourage travels to Caesarea and stays at Philip's (Acts 6:3,5 and 8:40) home.

Evangelist - (Acts 21:8; Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5)

Vs. 9

Prophets and prophesy - (Lk. 2:36; 1 Cor. 11:3-5,22,29,34; Acts 19:6; 1 Thess. 5:20; Rev. 19:10)

Vs. 10

Agabus - Acts 11:27. Agabus' daughters are not prophesying in a church assembly, but in their father's house (vs. 8). Agabus uses an object lesson. (Isa. 20:2; Eze. 4:1; Hos. 1:2; 3:1)

Vs. 11

Thus saith the Holy Ghost. See (Acts 20:23,28; 2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:2; Jer. 45:1; Lk. 1:70; Eze. 2:2)

Vs. 12

Paul's companions plead with him not to go.

Vs. 13

Even though Paul is out of God's will, he shows his consecration, "I am ready ... to die."

Vs. 14

The disciples see they are getting nowhere and say, "The will of the Lord be done."

Vs. 15

Carriage - baggage - suitcases

Vs. 18-26

James, the Lord's brother (Acts 15:13) is still at Jerusalem.

Vs. 19

(Acts 14:26)

Vs. 21

Paul has been slandered again. (Gal. 6:15) James has a plan to present Paul in the temple, as a "good little Jewish boy." Although Paul see no necessity for performing the vows and rituals, he does so because he sees an opportunity again to preach coming up. (1 Cor. 9:20,21)

Vs. 24

"Be at charges with them" - share the expense of the offering. The vow - Nazarite, (Num. 6:13,15). Paul does the same thing he rebuked Peter for: (Gal. 2:11-14). Why? He was already out of God's will.

Purify and purification - Do not occur anywhere in (Num. 6:13-21) and this is the passage used by the major commentators to comment on the passage, not Num. 6:10-13. Every time these two words occur in the Old Testament (Num. 19:9,17; 31:19,20; Job 41:25; Lev. 8:15; Neh. 12:30; Eze. 43:26; Isa. 66:17, etc.) or in the New Testament (James 4:8; 1 Pet. 1:22, 1 Jn. 3:3; Jn. 2:6; 3:25) it is a reference to a cleansing from defilement of sin; dedication or vowing is only an after thought.

Men who had a vow upon them were expected to show up at the temple to cleanse themselves. As far as the Jews were concerned, Paul was defiled. Paul had been eating and associating with Gentiles for quite some time. In the eyes of the Jews, Paul has defiled his separation (Acts 23:1) and needs cleansing before entering the temple. Paul obliges.

Vs. 27-31

The Jews build their case on supposition and circumstantial evidence. The Jews are furious. They seize Paul and drag him out of the temple. The city is in an "uproar". The chief captain responds to the riot.

Vs. 32-40

The "jig is up" as the Roman military arrives on the scene and the Jews for fear of being accused of taking the law into their own hands, releases Paul and pretends nothing has happened. The chief captain is probably Lysias of (Acts 23:18; 22:29; 23:26).

Vs. 34

The accusers can't get their stories straight, so the captain places Paul in protective custody. The soldiers had to literally carry Paul out for his safety.

As Paul is removed the crowd follows and before entering the castle, he asks permission to preach again, "to speak unto the people." The captain allows him to (license) and Paul preaches in Hebrew aiming his remarks at the Jews while Roman soldiers protect him from them. God certainly has a sense of humor.

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