Tag Archives: Acts 21-22

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2023 Bible Study — Paul Chose to Face Suffering for Christ

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Acts 21-22.

In yesterday’s passage, when Paul addressed the elders of the Ephesian Church, he told that that he was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, but  also that the Holy Spirit warned him in every city that hardship and prison waited for him in Jerusalem.  In today’s passage, Luke recounts how disciples in Tyre urged Paul through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem.  Then, how the prophet Agabus came down to Caesarea to warn Paul that he would be bound by the Jewish leaders and handed over to the Gentiles.  Paul refused to listen to any of the attempts to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem.  As I read this again and again, I become more and more convinced that Paul chose to go to Jerusalem in part because he sought the opportunity to suffer for Christ.  Each year I go through a debate within myself as to whether the repeated warnings which the Spirit gave Paul were intended to discourage him, or to make sure that he knew what he would face in Jerusalem.  The only evidence we have that the Spirit was guiding Paul to Jerusalem is his statement to the Ephesian Elders.  I am torn as to whether or not Luke agreed that Paul was interpreting the leading of the Holy Spirit correctly.  In either case, we should strive to emulate Paul’s willingness to face suffering and persecution in order to remain faithful to God.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2022 Bible Study — Even Paul Considered Himself Answerable To Others

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Acts 21-22.

I find it interesting that when Paul arrived in Jerusalem he gave a detailed report of his ministry among the Gentiles to James and the elders of the Church.  I realized the Paul did the same thing every time he went to Jerusalem.  Peter did something similar after visiting Cornelius’ house.  In this case, Paul further accepted their plan to reassure Jewish Christians that he was not teaching Jews to abandon the Law of Moses when they accepted Christ.  As I read this I get the impression that Paul accepted the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem as having authority over the entire Church; he appears to have held himself accountable to them.  One could interpret this as lending credence to the Catholic Church’s claim that the Pope has authority over the Church in a line which reaches back to Peter, except for one thing, James the brother of Jesus led these councils to whom Paul, and earlier, Peter, reported.  So, to whatever degree the Apostolic Church had an individual who was THE leader of the Church, that leader was James the brother of Christ, not Peter.

I am not sure what exactly this means for us, but it does show us that even Paul acknowledged a need to be answerable to other Believers about what he believed and taught.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2021 Bible Study — Paul Chooses To Suffer For His Faith

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Acts 21-22.

As Paul was traveling towards Jerusalem, God revealed to him through various prophets that he would be arrested and imprisoned if he went to Jerusalem.  As I have read the passages concerning these warnings over the years I have wondered if God was telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem.  I have come to the conclusion that God was giving Paul a choice.  He could continue to Jerusalem, be arrested, and eventually face martyrdom.  Or, he could choose not to go to Jerusalem, continue to travel around, preaching the Gospel, and, perhaps, avoid martyrdom.  Paul chose the road to suffering on behalf of his faith.  Not all Believers have that choice, some of us will have to choose either faithfulness and suffering, or denying our faith (I have not, so far, been faced with that choice).  If you are one of those given that harder choice, I pray that you find inspiration and comfort from Paul’s example.  I want to note that while it appears that God gave Paul the choice to avoid the suffering awaiting him in Jerusalem, there had been previous occasions where the only choice Paul was given to avoid suffering was to deny his faith.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2020 Bible Study Embracing Suffering For the Sake Of Jesus

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 21-22

Today’s passage continues with Luke recounting how the Holy Spirit inspired someone at almost every stop on Paul’s journey back to Jerusalem to prophecy that he would be arrested if he returned there.  Some years ago I became convinced that the Holy Spirit was warning Paul to not go to Jerusalem, that God gave Paul the choice to avoid the persecution he suffered after arriving there.  I, also, believe that Paul knew he had that choice.  Nevertheless, he chose to go to Jerusalem.  Paul did not go to Jerusalem, knowing he would face suffering if he did so, because God directed him to go there.  He went to Jerusalem because he embraced suffering for serving Jesus.  Paul could have remained faithful to Christ and avoided the suffering he experienced, but his faith was such that he embraced the suffering in service to Christ.  We may be given similar choices.  The greatest joy will come to those who, like Paul, embrace the suffering.

 

 

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2019 Bible Study — Embracing Persecution and Suffering For Christ

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 21-22

As Paul was traveling to Jerusalem, several prophets warned that he would be imprisoned if he went there.  Paul expressed a willingness to be imprisoned, and even to die, in service to Christ.  We should emulate Paul in this.  However, at no point in his account does Luke explain to us why Paul felt that he had to go to Jerusalem.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit was directing Paul to Jerusalem. or perhaps Paul was going to Jerusalem for his own reasons.  We should be willing to do God’s will even if it means persecution and suffering, but we need not seek out persecution and suffering.  Having said that, sometimes the fact that persecution and suffering will result from certain actions is evidence that God desires us to take those actions.  Which is complicated by the fact that sometimes the reverse is true.  We should not seek out persecution and suffering for their own sake, but we should embrace them when they result from doing God’s will.  In summary, I am not convinced that it was God’s will for Paul to go to Jerusalem to be arrested, but Paul was not acting counter to God’s will by going to Jerusalem.

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2019 Bible Study — Willing to Suffer in Jesus Name

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 21-22.

    While Paul and his companions were staying with Philip the Evangelist in Caesarea, Agabus, whom Luke tells us had the gift of prophecy, told Paul that he would be bound by the Jewish leaders and turned over to the Gentiles in Jerusalem. In yesterday’s passage, Paul told the elders of the Ephesian Church that prophets in city after city were inspired by the Holy Spirit to tell him that jail and suffering were ahead for him. Paul repeatedly expressed his willingness to face imprisonment and suffering for the name of Christ. In fact, he seemed almost eager to face such things. I believe that we should share that eagerness. One thing which troubles me each time I read this is the sense that the repeated warnings from the Holy Spirit may have been intended to lead Paul to change his plans about going to Jerusalem. I will note that in yesterday’s passage, Paul expressed the belief that he was bound by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. So, perhaps the warnings were merely meant to provide us with an example of Paul’s willingness to face suffering for the name of Jesus. Paul did not go to Jerusalem unaware of the fate he would come to there, but he willingly went anyway. Since Christ faced suffering in order to bring us salvation, we should be willing to face suffering in order to serve Him.

    I have written previously about how on Paul’s missionary journeys people stirred up trouble for him by slandering him to non-believers. In today’s passage, we discover that some believers had come to believe some of the slander against Paul. The elders of the Jerusalem Church decided to address the issue by having Paul demonstrate his adherence to the Law of Moses, which led to further problems. I am not sure that what the elders asked Paul to do was wrong, but it does fall into a pattern that often brings problems just like the one we encounter here. Catering to those who allow rumor and innuendo to shape their opinions about someone often leads to trouble and we should never form an opinion of someone based on rumor and innuendo.
    When Paul was in the Temple, people who hated Paul and the message he preached allowed their hatred of him to shape their perception of him. They assumed that because they had seen Paul elsewhere in Jerusalem showing a Gentile around that he had brought the Gentile into the Temple with him. Then a little later in the passage we realize that the people rioting had different ideas about the reason for the protest. The Roman commander, having extracted Paul from the mob, reached the conclusion from what they were saying that Paul was an Egyptian revolutionary. The crowd itself was shocked into silence by Paul speaking in their language.

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2017 Bible Study — Mistakes and Misunderstandings

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I am on a business trip over the weekend and into next week, so my posts may be somewhat abbreviated.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 21-22.

    I have wondered for several years if the multiple prophecies which Paul received about what would happen when he arrived in Jerusalem this time were a warning for Paul not to go to Jerusalem, which Paul ignored. All of the sermons and teachings I have heard or read about Paul going to Jerusalem suggest that Paul is to be admired for going to Jerusalem despite knowing what would happen if he did so. However, I wonder if the success of Paul’s ministry after his arrest does not more represent God making use of us when we are faithful, even when we make mistakes.
    Certainly, the advice given to Paul by the Church leaders when he got to Jerusalem was a mistake. There were Jewish believers who continued to follow the Law of Moses and had heard, and believed, rumors that Paul taught Jews to stop following the Law of Moses. In order to show these believers that Paul approved of Jews continuing to follow the Law they asked him to accompany some believers who were completing a Nazirite Vow (a vow of dedication to God set forth in the Law of Moses). Unfortunately, some Jews from Asia saw Paul in the Temple and believing that Paul did not honor the Temple concluded that he had defiled it by bringing a Gentile tourist into the Temple with him.

Daily Bible Study

November 20, 2016 Bible Study

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 21-22.

Luke tells us that as Paul was traveling to Jerusalem he repeatedly met with people who prophesied that he would be bound and imprisoned if he completed his journey as planned. Despite these warnings, Paul was determined to complete his journey. I have often heard people speak and write about Paul’s great faith demonstrated here. Paul said that he was willing to be imprisoned for his faith, even to die for it. We should certainly have faith similar to Paul’s in this regard. However, I wonder if the Holy Spirit was inspiring these prophets in order to guide Paul to changing his plans. Before you reject that idea I want to point out that the Bible contains many examples of the failings of great men of God. Having made that point, I still believe that Paul’s willingness to face imprisonment and death should serve to inspire us to be faithful in the face of whatever opposition we meet.