Acts 21 · The Lantern

After we had torn ourselves away from them, we sailed directly to Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

"And they accompanied them," it says, "unto the ship. And it came to pass, that after we had torn ourselves from them" - so much did they love him, such was their affection towards him - "and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara." Methinks Paul also wept.

"And when it came to pass that, being parted from them, we set sail, we came with a straight course to Coos." Then, as though violently parted from them, they came to Coos; and moving on to Rhodes and Patara, passing through Phenice and Cyprus, they came all the way to Tyre. Having found some disciples there, Paul stayed with them for seven days.

Luke uses a strong expression, saying "having parted from them" ("torn away from them"). And this is quite expressive, because after the tearing away they could not put out to sea. What does "we came with a straight course" mean? It means that they passed by all the other places without stopping at them.

Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail.

"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." He came to Lycia, and having left Cyprus, he sailed down to Tyre.

This is what happened: Not finding a ship bound for Caesarea but for Phoenicia, I boarded that one. [CHRYSOSTOM]

"Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia." Perhaps this ship had its anchorage here, in Patara; and they, not finding a ship departing for Caesarea, but finding a ship sailing to Phoenicia, set out on it and left Cyprus and Syria to the side, since the expression "leaving on the left" was not added without purpose, but to show that they did not even think of approaching…

After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

We sought out disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

"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." They too prophesy of the afflictions. It is so ordered that they should be spoken by them also, that none might imagine that Paul said those things without cause, and only by way of boasting.

He does not say that he made the urging through the Spirit, but that, being guided by the Spirit, they knew. For he did not merely foretell dangers to him, but that he must not go up, sparing him. [CHRYSOSTOM]

If the Spirit commanded Paul, then why did he resist? For the disciples spoke, knowing from the Spirit about the dangers threatening him. Yes, they did not persuade him "by the prompting of the Spirit," they did not directly predict the dangers awaiting him, but, sparing him, they simply said "that he should not go to Jerusalem."

But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.

And there again they part from each other with prayer. "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.

"Completed those days." The verb "completed" [ἐξαρτίσαι] is used in place of πληρῶσαι. For after the days had been completed, that is, after the days of unleavened bread, they came to Troas five days later. [CHRYSOSTOM]

We set out, being escorted by wives and children, etc. The prophecy which sings of the Church is fulfilled: The daughters of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the rich among the people (Psalm XLIV), and the rest, up to the end of the Psalm. For no city received, held, or dismissed the Apostle with greater sweetness.

And after we had said our farewells, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.

Leaving the next day, Paul and his companions went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven.

He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

In this epistle [to Victor, the bishop of Rome] he [Polycrates] mentions him [John] together with the apostle Philip and his daughters in the following words: "For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the last day, at the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall seek out all the saints.

"And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy." But it is not these that foretell to Paul, though they were prophetesses; it is Agabus.

It should be noted that the daughters of the deacon Philip were prophetesses, so that it is possible for one who partakes in service to minister in marriages. Note also that his prophetic daughters were virgins, and that they practiced this more out of holiness, so that they were deemed worthy of prophecy.

After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

When Agabus, making use of corresponding action too, had foretold that bonds awaited Paul, the disciples, weeping and entreating that he would not venture upon going to Jerusalem, entreated in vain. As for him, having a mind to illustrate what he had always taught, he says, "Why weep ye, and grieve my heart?

Agabus, the one who long ago foretold the famine. But the troubling thing is that they will hand him over into the hands of Gentiles. And see that when Paul heard that he would suffer countless terrible things, then he was hastening. And Agabus did not say that they would bind Paul, so as not to seem to speak from an agreement; but "the man whose belt this is."

This is that Agabus who earlier predicted the famine. But bitter is the fact that "they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." Notice: as soon as he heard that he was about to endure many sufferings, he begins to hasten. Agabus did not say that they would bind Paul, lest they think he was speaking by prior arrangement; no, he said: "the man whose belt this is."

When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

After these days, we packed up and went on to Jerusalem.

Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot, an early disciple.

When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.

The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.

This was the Bishop of Jerusalem; and to him Paul is sent on an earlier occasion. This James was brother of the Lord; a great and admirable man. To him, it says, "Paul entered in with us." Mark the Bishop's unassuming behavior: "and the elders" were present.

The following day Paul went in with us to James. This James was the brother of the Lord, that is, of Mary, the sister of the Lord's mother, whom John the Evangelist mentions, and he was her son. Immediately after the passion of the Lord, he was appointed bishop by the apostles and ruled the Church in Jerusalem for thirty years, that is, until the seventh year of Nero.

"On the next day Paul came with us to James." James was the bishop of Jerusalem; this is the brother of the Lord, a great man and worthy of admiration. Paul tells them what happened among the Gentiles, not out of vainglory, but wishing to show God's love for mankind.

Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

Now, if the apostle had even absolutely permitted marriage when one's partner has been lost subsequently to (conversion to) the faith, he would have done (it), just as (he did) the other (actions) which he did adversely to the (strict) letter of his own rule, to suit the circumstances of the times: circumcising Timotheus on account of "supposititious false brethren; "and leadin…

It is quite clear, I think, that James gave this advice in order to show the falsity of the views supposed to be Paul's, which certain Jews who had come to believe in Christ, but who were still "zealous for the law," had heard about him, namely, that through the teaching of Christ the commandments, written by the direction of God and transmitted by Moses to the fathers, were to…

These thousands of Jews who believed were from those who cried out: "His blood be on us and on our children" (Matt. 27:25). Yet the Lover of mankind accepted many both from them and from their children and granted them innumerable blessings.

But they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.

Then also a third cause is given: "And they all," it says, "have been informed of thee" - they say not, "have heard," but have been instructed, that is, so they have believed, and have been taught, "that thou teachest apostasy from Moses to all the Jews which are among the Gentiles, by telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs."

Thus the apostles and the holy disciples of the Savior, in the beginning, allowed converts from Judaism to the life of the gospel to be circumcised according to the law of Moses in order that they would just believe in the Lord.

But they have heard about you, that you teach the Jews among the Gentiles to depart from Moses, etc.; that is, they claim that you say that what was administered to the fathers by Moses should be condemned as sacrilegious and not commanded by God due to the doctrine of Christ.

What then should we do? Certainly a multitude will gather, for they will hear that you have come.

Therefore do what we advise you. There are four men with us who have taken a vow.

He therefore made some concession, as was necessary, for a time; and this was the reason why he had Timothy circumcised, and the Nazarites introduced into the temple, which incidents are described in the Acts.

He shows that it was not necessary to do this upon principle - whence also they obtain his compliance - but that it was economy and condescension. This vow appears to have been the Nazarite vow described in Numbers 6:1-21, taken by the apostle as an accommodation to Jewish prejudices and to allay the suspicions of the legal party in Jerusalem.

Many kinds of vows existed: some promised sacrifices, others – money, still others – themselves, and a fourth group – not to drink wine and not to cut their hair for a certain number of days. To this last category these men belonged. The hair was a symbol of mortification, because it, like the dead, does not feel pain.

Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but that you also live in obedience to the law.

"Take these and be purified with them." They counsel him to make his defense by deed, not by word. They therefore say this: Provide the offerings prescribed by the law on their behalf, so that you may remove suspicion, and show that not only do you not teach outside the law, but that you yourself also observe what is in the law. [CHRYSOSTOM]

And all will know that what they have heard about you is false; but would have said, All will think: especially since the apostles had already decreed in Jerusalem that no one should compel the Gentiles to Judaize. However, they had not decreed that no Jew should be prohibited from Judaizing then, although even the Jews were already not compelled by Christian doctrine.

"Taking them, purify yourself with them, and take upon yourself the expenses for the sacrifice for them." That is, he says, the sacrifices which, according to the law, must be offered for them, provide yourself, in order to destroy every suspicion. Defend yourself, it is said, by deed, not by word.

As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he entered the temple to give notice of the date when their purification would be complete and the offering would be made for each of them.

But if while preaching the Jewish doctrines, he suffered thus, had he preached the doctrines of the glory of Christ, how would they have endured him? While "purifying himself" he was intolerable, and how should he have been tolerable while preaching? What lay ye to his charge? What have ye heard? He spoke nothing of the kind.

And to do this in Jerusalem is attainable. Do this then here, so that it may be possible for you to do that abroad. Then he was persuaded by them, and he shaved himself and fulfilled all the Jewish rites. [AMMONIUS]

Paul had his hair cut and fulfilled all the Jewish rites, but not because he changed his opinion (for that would have been a thing impure from vice), but because love is condescending. "He declared the completion of the days of purification," that is, he himself declared about himself that the purification was completed.

When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

"And when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia" - for his arrival most keeps times with theirs - "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 everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the t…

And when the seven days were nearly completed. These days were not yet completed, but their course was ongoing, the completion was awaited. Hence it is more clearly said in Greek: When the seven days were beginning to be completed.

Notice God's arrangement: after some were dissuaded, others, out of fear that the rest might also be dissuaded, attack Paul. Their restless character is visible everywhere.

crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”

For they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman regiment received a report that all Jerusalem was in turmoil.

Immediately he took some soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

Some in the crowd were crying out one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.

When Paul reached the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob.

For the crowd that followed him kept shouting, “Away with him!”

"Seize him." It is the custom among the Jews to use this cry against the righteous, as also against the Lord, "Seize him," instead of "Raise him up from the living." Others say it therefore, that is, those who speak according to our Roman usage: "Cast him into the pits." [AMMONIUS]

"Then Paul took the men, and the next day, being purified, entered with them into the temple." Paul, gladly taking the above-mentioned advice, took the four brethren, purified and with their heads shaved, and boldly entered the synagogue on the following day.

They say "Away with him!" in accordance with Roman custom, since it was customary among the Jews to shout this phrase against the righteous, as they also shouted against the Lord: "Away with Him" (Luke 23:18).

As they were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I speak to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied.

“Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the Assassins into the wilderness?”

The Sicarii are called robbers who make use of small swords, in size somewhat like the daggers of the Persians, but curved and similar to the dagger [σίκαις] called by the Romans, from which the title was taken by those who robbed. Others said they were some sect among the Jews. [JOSEPHUS]

Four thousand men of the Sicarii. There is no controversy to be held between the tribune who spoke these things and Josephus who wrote about the Egyptian. For it could happen that he first came with a few, the same secretly leading a tyranny, but later joined many to himself by public deceit.

"Are you not that Egyptian?" There appeared a certain Egyptian, an innovator, a rebel, a deceiver, and a sorcerer. The devil flattered himself with the hope of using this man and presenting both Christ and the apostles as participants in those crimes which were committed by the followers of this Egyptian.

But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”

Observe how, when he discourses to those that are without, he does not decline availing himself of the aids afforded by the laws. Here he awes the tribune by the name of his city.

A townsman from Tarsus in Cilicia, a not unknown city. The Apostle was indeed born in the town of Giscala in Galilee. When it was captured by the Romans, he moved with his parents to Tarsus in Cilicia. From there, sent to Jerusalem for the study of the law, he was instructed by Gamaliel, a very learned man, as he himself recounts later.

We, Christians, are the true Jews, as those who profess the true faith, because the name "Judah" means "confession." Since the commander asked whether he was that Egyptian, Paul first of all deflects him from this suspicion. And so that he would not think that he was a Jew by origin, he then declares his faith. So what then? Did he deny it? By no means!

Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:

Acts21