Bible Commentaries

D.—CONCLUSION OF THE JOURNEY, AMID ANXIOUS FOREBODINGS

Acts 21:1-16

1And it came to pass, that after we were gotten [had torn ourselves away] from them, and had launched [set sail], we came with a straight course [after a quick voyage] unto Coos¹ [Cos], and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: 2And finding [there] a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth [set sail]. 3Now when we had discovered [come in sight of] Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into [to] Syria, and landed² at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden [its cargo]. 4And finding [And having found the³ ] disciples, we tarried there seven days: who [these, οἵτινες] said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to [go to⁴ ] Jerusalem 5 And when we had accomplished those [spent the (τὰς)] days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with [all accompanied us, with their] wives and children, till we were out of the city: and [then] we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed 6 And when we had taken our leave [( Acts 21:5) prayed, ( Acts 21:6) And took leave⁵ ] one of another, [;] we took ship; and they returned home again [but they returned to their homes]. 7And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came [But we finished the sea-voyage, and came from Tyre] to Ptolemais, and [om. and] saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day 8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company [And the next day we⁶ ] departed, and came unto Cesarea; and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which [who⁷ ] was one of the seven; and abode with him 9 And the same [This, τούτῳ δὲ] man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy [who prophesied]. 10And [But] as we tarried there many [several] days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus 11 And when he was come [He came] unto us, he [om. he] took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own⁸ hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall [Thus, οὕτω, will] the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall [will] deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles 12 And [But] when we heard these things [this, ταῦτα], both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem 13 Then [But] Paul answered⁹, What mean ye to weep and to [What are ye doing (ποιεῖτε), that ye weep and] break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus 14 And [But] when he would not be persuaded, we ceased [we forbore], saying, The will of the Lord be done 15 And after those [these, ταύτας] days we took up our carriages [we prepared ourselves¹⁰ ], and went up to Jerusalem16[But, δὲ] There went with us also certain of the disciples of Cesarea, and brought with them [in order to bring us to] one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Acts 21:1-3. And it came to pass, that after we were gotten [had torn ourselves away] from them.—Ἀποσπαςθέντες indicates that the apostle’s final separation from his Ephesian friends must have been excessively painful. [“Pass 1 aor. avellor, divellor.” (Wahl.).—Tr.]. Cos was the first island which the party reached, on proceeding to the south. [“The distance is about forty nautical miles.” (Conyb. and H. Vol. II:226.—Tr.]. After sailing somewhat more than fifty miles beyond it, they reached the well known island of Rhodes, opposite to the south-western corner of Asia Minor (Caria). Patara, the next station, was an important sea-port on the extreme southern projection of the province of Lycia. The vessel which brought the company from Troas to this place, appears to have been hired by them. They left it at Patara, and embarked as passengers in a merchantship, which was going to Phenicia. [“It seems evident from the mode of expression, that they sailed the very day of their arrival; this is shown not only by the participle ἐπιβάντες, but by the omission of any such phrase as τῇ ἐπίοίση, or τῇ ἐχομένη; comp. Acts 20:15.” [Conyb. etc. II:233, and note1).—Tr.]. They then came in sight of Cyprus, but passed it on the left hand, that is, to the north, as they were proceeding in a south-eastern direction to Syria; (ἀναφαίνεσθαι frequently occurs as a nautical term, referring to land which comes into view). [“Αναφανéντες τὴν Κύπρον, when it became visible to them, i.e., ἀναφνεῖσαν ἔχοντες τὴν Κ.” (Winer: Gr. § 39. l).—Tr.]. The geographical name Syria is here employed in the Roman sense, according to which Phenicia and Palestine were considered parts of the province of Syria. Γόμος (φορτίον) is the freight, the cargo of the vessel; ἐκεῖσε, that is, the vessel was to deposit the cargo at Tyre (ἦν ἀποφορτιζόμενον). [See Winer: Gr. § 455.—“The distance between these two points (Patara and Tyre) is three hundred and forty geographical miles.” (Conyb. etc. I:233.).—Tr.]

Acts 21:4-6. And finding disciples [And having found the disciples].—The verb ἀνευρεῖν presupposes that a search had been made; hence they knew, or at least conjectured, that they would find Christians there, without, however, being acquainted with their names and residences. [“Observe the article in τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς” (Conyb. I:236. n3).—Tr.]. This delay of a whole week, although the apostle had exhibited such haste in Asia Minor, was doubtless occasioned by the circumstance that the vessel occupied this time in discharging the cargo [“it may have brought grain from the Black Sea, or wine from the Archipelago” (Conyb. I:235.—Tr.], and getting ready to sail again. Ἐξαρτίζειν τὰς ἡμ. is explere, absolvere; see Steph. Thes.

Acts 21:7-9. And when we had finished our course.—The words τὸν πλοῦν διανύσαντες are not to be connected with ἀπὸ Τύρου, since the former refer to the actual termination of the entire sea-voyage from Macedonia. The last part of the voyage extended only from Tyre to Ptolemais, or Acco (Acre) the best harbor on the Syrian coast, at the mouth of the small stream called Belus, in sight of Carmel. [Ptolemais, the ancient Accho ( Judges 1:31), Akre or Acre, is thirty miles below Tyre, and eight miles north of Mount Carmel. It is now called St. Jean d’Acre by Europeans.—Tr.]. From this point the travellers proceeded by land, as it seems, and at length reached Cesarea which was only thirty-six Roman miles distant, that is, not more than a day’s journey. [“This is the third time that Paul has been at Cæsarea. He was there on his journey from Jerusalem to Tarsus ( Acts 9:30), and again on his return to Antioch from his second missionary progress ( Acts 18:22); see on Acts 8:40.” (Hackett).—Tr.]. Here they met with Philippians, who is already known from Acts 6:5, to which passage Luke refers in the words ὄντος ἐκ τῶν ἑπτά. We were informed in Acts 8:40 that he travelled from Philistäa northward as an evangelist, until he came to Cesarea, and here we now find him as a resident, and described as an εὐαγγελιστής. The latter title immediately follows his name, since he continued to labor as a herald of the Gospel, without being confined to a particular congregation, and his office in Jerusalem, as one of the Seven, had ceased in point of fact after the death of Stephen. The interpretation according to which εὐαγγελιστοῦ is connected with ὄντος, in the sense: “He was the evangelist among the Seven,” is forced, and not well sustained. [For the omission of τοῦ before ὄντος, see note7 above, appended to the text.—Tr.].—The fact that he had four daughters who were virgins, and who had received from the Spirit the gift of pronouncing edifying discourses, is quite incidentally introduced, in connection with the name of their father; it stands in no immediate connection with the events which are here related, and no intimation whatever is given that they uttered in the presence of Paul any prediction respecting his future lot. From this circumstance, however, and from the fact that Eusebius [erroneously] relates, on the authority of Papias (Hist. Eccl. III:39 [and III:31; V:24]), that the apostle Philip had four daughters who prophesied, Gieseler concluded (Stud. und Krit. 1829. p140), that Acts 21:9 is an interpolation, which originated with some one who confounded the evangelist Philip with the apostle of the same name. But he is entirely in error; for who can prove that it was not Papias himself who confounded the two persons? Indeed, it is not here that we find the first historical notice which is not essentially connected with the events related by the historian.

Acts 21:10-11. A certain prophet, named Agabus.—It is, on the other hand, somewhat singular that Agabus is here introduced as if he had hitherto been entirely unknown to the reader, whereas he is already mentioned in Acts 11:28, and there too described as a prophet. That passage appears to have passed unnoticed, when the present words were written.—Agabus fully conforms to the manner of the prophets of the old covenant by setting forth the matter of his prediction not only in words, but also in a symbolical action, which he performs on his own person. [Comp. 1 Kings 22:11; Isaiah 20:2; Jeremiah 13:1 if.; Ezekiel 4:1 ff; Ezekiel 5:1, etc. (Alf.).—Tr.]. He took the girdle which confined the upper garment of Paul, bound his own hands and feet with it in the presence of the apostle and of the other Christians, and then made the following statement, which he declared to be a prophecy of the Spirit (corresponding with the formula נְאֻם יְהוָֹה in the Old Testament [see Rob. Lex. p637.—Tr.]): that the Jews in Jerusalem would bind the owner of the girdle in like manner as he (Agabus) was now bound, and would deliver him to the Gentiles. The words παραδώσουσιν εἰς χ. ἐθν. bear a close analogy to those which Christ employs when he predicts his own sufferings. Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:19.

[See on the passage Winer: Gr. N. T. § 242, and § 315.—Tr.]. The chief object of these disciples in accompanying Paul and his travelling companions, accordingly, was to introduce them to Mnason, with whom they, the Christians of Cesarea, were acquainted, and to conduct them to him as his guests. Ἀρχαῖος μαθ. is equivalent to ἀπ̓ ἀρχῆς μαθ. He was undoubtedly a Hellenist by birth. [“He was possibly converted during the life of our Lord Himself, and may have been one of those Cyprian Jews(“of Cyprus”) who first made the Gospel known to the Greeks at Antioch, Acts 11:20.” (Conyb. and H. II:241.—Tr.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The Christians at Tyre desired that the Apostle should not go to Jerusalem, Acts 21:4; they spoke διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, by the inspiration and the illumination of the Spirit. It is here, however, necessary to make a distinction. That Paul would be exposed to severe sufferings in Jerusalem, they knew by the illumination of the Spirit. The prophecy of Agabus, Acts 21:11, and the language of the apostle himself in Acts 20:23, show that it was simply the knowledge of such an issue, in case Paul went to the city, which was conveyed to them by the illumination of the Spirit. The entreaty itself, that Paul should not visit Jerusalem, where such dangers awaited him, was not dictated by the Holy Ghost, but was prompted solely by human opinions and affections. That which was human here at once connected itself with that which was divine, error with the truth, the flesh with the Spirit. Song of Solomon, too, the well meant, but unholy, dissuasion of Peter, connected itself with the Redeemer’s first prophecy of his sufferings, Matthew 16:21-23. Nothing is more apt to lead us astray, or is more dangerous, than that mixtela carnis et Spiritus which may so easily and so insidiously occur in our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

2. The prophecy of Agabus is also remarkable, in so far as we can by means of it, measure, as it were, the degree in which the revelations which Paul received respecting his impending sufferings, became clearer and more definite, the nearer he came to Jerusalem, and the more rapidly the time of the fulfilment of that prophecy approached. Such, indeed, was the course of Revelation, both under the old and under the new covenant; for prophecy corresponded in the degree of its fullness and distinctness to those normal forms or processes of development in time, to which the counsel and the work of God always adapt themselves.

3. The obscurity which attends the circumstances that occurred at Tyre ( Acts 21:3-4), is removed at Cesarea ( Acts 21:8; Acts 21:11 ff.). Agabus, as the organ of the Holy Ghost, predicts that the apostle will be arrested and delivered up at Jerusalem. For this reason, the travelling companions of the latter, together with the Christians who resided in Cesarea, urgently and with tears implore the apostle to make no attempt to proceed to Jerusalem. And yet the united request of an entire assembly of Christians, comprising enlightened men, who labored faithfully and successfully for the kingdom of God, such as Philippians, Timotheus, and others, exercised no decisive influence on the apostle. The will of the people, and even the unanimous wish and will of genuine Christians, cannot always be regarded as the will of God. The servant of the Lord does not exhibit a stoical indifference; the earnest entreaties and hot tears of his friends melt his heart. Still, he does not change his purpose; his resolution to suffer imprisonment and even death for the sake of Jesus, is unaltered; he speaks and acts with a calm and resolute spirit.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Acts 21:1. After we were gotten [had torn ourselves away] from them, and had launched [set sail]. True friends do not separate without sorrow; still, he who cleaves to God rather than to men, is willing to depart, when he receives a divine intimation.—It is our duty to yield submissively to the guidance of God, and to believe that he will execute his will through us as his instruments, whether the path before us be easy, or be encumbered with difficulties.—Our whole life is like a voyage; fair winds at times attend us, but they may be succeeded by storms and tempests. (Starke).—The words which the Master spoke: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem,” etc. ( Luke 18:31 ff.), might now be repeated by his disciple.

Acts 21:2. And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, etc.—“Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.” Isaiah 60:9. The allusion is doubtless to merchant ships. The traders in that ship little thought that the freight which their Jewish fellow-traveller brought on board, was more precious than the purple of Tyre, the spices of Arabia, and the amber of the Hyperboreans—the precious pearl of the Gospel that saves men.

Acts 21:3-4. And landed at Tyre.—And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days.—The discovery of disciples was one of the principal topics which the journals of the travelling apostles introduced. While learned men, naturalists, and lovers of the arts, inquire, when they travel, after rare objects in nature, or those which belong to art and science, the servant of Jesus, on the other hand, inquires after rare objects belonging to the kingdom of Jesus, and he is never happier than when he meets with God’s children. (Ap. Past.).—Detentions which we experience on our journeys, are often specially ordered by divine Providence for our own salvation, or for that of others. (Starke).—As the duties of the crew of the vessel detained them for some time at that spot, Paul found a favorable opportunity for strengthening the disciples at Tyre. Trade and commerce induced men to search for America, and God thus conveyed the Gospel of His Son to that country. (Rieger).—Why did he remain precisely seven days? Without doubt, because it gave him pleasure to observe a sabbath and partake of the Lord’s Supper in company with the disciples. A servant of God is far better pleased when he can spend his time among the disciples of Jesus, than when he is with the people of the world. (Ap. Past.).

Acts 21:5. They all brought us on our way, with wives and children.—Parents ought to conduct their children to those places where they may be encouraged to pray and to do good in general, but not to those where they may be corrupted.—The meeting and the parting of Christians should not take place without prayer and good wishes. (Starke).—It is worthy of notice that this is the first occasion on which children are expressly mentioned in the Acts. “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength.” Psalm 8:2. These little worshippers on the Tyrian shore remind us of Luther’s remark concerning the auxiliary army “consisting entirely of heroes,” from whom he and his associates derived aid in their conflict with the enemy. (Besser).

Acts 21:6. And when we had taken our leave, etc.—Our intercourse in this world, even with those who are most dear to us, is but of short duration; the hour of parting soon comes. But in that blessed world, in which the children of God will meet with joy, they will never be separated from one another. 1 Thessalonians 4:17. (Starke).

Acts 21:7. We … saluted the brethren, etc.—The religious conversations of Christians strengthen their faith, increase their love, confirm their hopes, and cheer the hearts of those who have been bowed down by afflictions, 1 Thessalonians 5:11. It is an unusually great pleasure, when we meet on a journey with devout persons. (Starke).

Acts 21:8. Philip the evangelist, etc.—It is indeed an appropriate title which this faithful teacher here receives. When we examine the historical statements which are made respecting him in Acts 6:5, and Acts 8:5; Acts 8:26; Acts 8:40, namely, how impressively he preached the name of Jesus, and how admirably he explained the fifty-third chapter of is, we readily perceive that his fitness to be an evangelist was demonstrated by the gift which he had received of proving distinctly to men, from the revelations of the old and new covenant, that Jesus was the central point of the Gospel. May Jesus qualify us more and more perfectly to be such evangelists. (Ap. Past.). Which was one of the seven.—Here observe that Philippians, an officer of the church at Jerusalem, who fled when Saul made havoc of it ( Acts 8:3-5), is now the host of Paul and of the seven who accompanied him, and who were bringing to the poor saints at Jerusalem the gifts of love which their brethren of the Gentiles had contributed. What devout conversations were held in the house of Philippians, in which Paul and the seven who accompanied him, abode! What praises they offered to the Lord, when they considered his wonderful ways! (Besser).

Acts 21:9. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.—The house of the evangelist Philippians, whose office as a deacon expired after the persecution ( Acts 8:1 ff.), became, in consequence of the fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel, Acts 2:28, the honored central point of the Christian congregation of Cesarea. His four daughters, who had received the gift of prophecy and of interpretation, and who, as pure virgins, represent the chastity of the daughter of Zion, furnish new and clear evidence that all believers alike enjoy the privileges of children; and even the earlier instances of the prophetesses Miriam, Deborah, etc, prove that there is no difference in the kingdom of grace between male and female, Galatians 3:28. (From Leonh. and Sp.).

Acts 21:10-11. Agabus … took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, etc.—The knowledge of the facts which the Spirit had withheld from the daughters of Philippians, is imparted by revelation to Agabus, who is probably the same person, who, on a former occasion, Acts 11:28, was appointed to bring tidings of evils that were approaching.—The man that owneth this girdle, that is, who has devoted himself entirely to the service of the Lord Jesus and of His Gospel. The prophet purposely selects this image in order to represent the duty which the servants of Jesus are bound [comp. Jeremiah 13:1-11] to fulfil, namely, to crown the beginning of their course by a glorious termination. May the Lord daily remind us, that, as we have now assumed the girdle of His service, we may always be found with our loins girt, and ready to fulfil all His good pleasure. (Ap. Past.).—And shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.—The nearer the apostle approached the city of Jerusalem, the clearer were the prophecies which announced the sufferings that awaited him, even as Jesus spoke most clearly of his death on the cross during his last journey to the city in which he suffered. Our Lord is very faithful, for he does not conduct us to the scenes of our sufferings with blindfolded, but with open, eyes, and with hearts strengthened by faith. We are thus fully assured that all that befalls us, is in accordance with the holy will of the Saviour, and is intended for our own good. (Ap. Past.).

Acts 21:12. Besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.—Christians are required to contend not only with the infirmities, deceitfulness, and fears of their own hearts, but also with the tender feelings of their friends, Genesis 43:3-4. The purpose may be kind and affectionate, but does not always accord with the thoughts of God, John 20:17. (Starke).—When Luther was on his way to the city of Worms, he met with friends in every place, who warned him; and when he was near the city, his beloved friend Spalatin sent him a message, entreating him not to enter and expose himself to such dangers. His answer is well known: “Although there were as many devils in Worms, as there are tiles on the house-tops, I will still go thither.” (Besser).

Acts 21:13. What mean ye to weep and to break my heart?—The Lord, who wept at the grave of Lazarus, does not demand that his disciples should extirpate all natural feeling; but it is his will that grief, however natural and just, should yield to the power of a childlike faith and of victorious hope; and He Himself is mighty in the weak. (Leonh. and Sp.).—I am ready not to be bound only, etc.—The best means for dispelling all doubts and extricating ourselves from difficulties of any kind, is an honest and sincere purpose of the heart to submit with uncomplaining willingness to Jesus, and to obey, whatever our lot may be. (Ap. Past.).—The guiding principle of the apostle Paul is expressed in the words: “Being made conformable unto his death,” Philippians 3:10. He desires to know “the power of His resurrection,” only through the means of “the fellowship of His sufferings.” In his view, the only path which conducted to glory, was that of the cross. He lived only to suffer.—In this respect, the Christianity of our times should not only be improved, but be entirely changed. Where do men in our day seek after this conformity to the death of Jesus? Where is it known or understood?—Not the cross for the sake of the cross, but the cross for the sake of the Lord! He who desires the Crucified One without the cross, grasps at His shadow. A Christianity without the cross is a Christianity without Christ. (A. Monod).

Acts 21:14. The will of the Lord be done.—The love of believers to their shepherd must yield to the love of that shepherd to Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 11:1.—Whenever we can accomplish nothing by our own counsel and plans, we should submit the whole matter to God and His will, since He always knows better than we do, whether any course which we may desire to pursue will be profitable or injurious. (Starke).—The chief virtue of the Christian, and the source of all other virtues, is his readiness in all cases to do the will of God, even in opposition to his own will and desires, whether he is called to act or to suffer. (Rieger).—Blessed is he who submits to the will of God; he can never be unhappy. Men may deal with him as they will; they may expose him to death by fire or by water, may confine him in a dungeon or release him. He is without care; he knows that all things work together for good to him, Romans 8:28. (Luther).—The time will come when we shall rejoice not so much because we had been comforted in sorrow, and met with great prosperity, as because the will of God had been fulfilled alike in us and through us. Hence, we daily say in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” O how pure and serene is our life, when that will alone directs us, and when not a trace of our own will remains behind. With such a frame of mind we become like unto God. (St. Bernard).

Acts 21:15. And after those days, etc.—There is something emphatic in the word ἀποσκευασαμένους, which Luke applies to Paul and his travelling companions [but see note10 above, appended to the text.—Tr.]. They are, namely, released from all enjoyments, from all that is earthly, from all attachment to mere creatures. The term is specially suited to Paul. In this spirit he went to Jerusalem, and illustrated by his example all that he taught in 2 Timothy 2:20-21. May God impress those words on our hearts, so that we too may fulfil the duties of our office as men who are ἀποσκευασάμενοι. (Ap. Past.).

Acts 21:16. Mnason … an old disciple.—We have reason to rejoice when aged disciples still survive, or men who have already, at a former period, found rich treasures in the word of God. (Rieger).

ON THE WHOLE SECTION, Acts 21:1-16.—The power of love to Jesus Christ: I. It unites those who had been strangers to one another, Acts 21:4 : II. It forewarns of possible dangers, Acts 21:4; III. It maintains Christian fellowship, Acts 21:5; IV. It humbles men before God in united prayer, Acts 21:5. (Lisco).

Paul’s readiness to suffer for the cause of the Redeemer, an instructive example, Acts 21:7—16. (id.).

The Christian’s pilgrimage to his home: I. Faith reveals to him its happy end; II. Love enables him to overcome the difficulties of the road. (id).

On fidelity to the Lord, ( Acts 21:8-14): I. Its nature; II. Its source; III. Its reward. (Langbein).

“The will of the Lord be done” —the Christian’s watchword on his journey through life, ( Acts 21:14): I. He is the Lord: II. His will is righteous and benevolent; III. It will be done, whether we obey or resist it. (id.).

The will of the Lord be done: I. The vow of an obedient spirit; II. The confession of a believing spirit; III. The testimony of a sanctified spirit. (Leonh. and Sp.).

What imparts true joy in seasons of affliction? I. Faith in the grace of God revealed in Christ Jesus; II. Love to Him who suffered on the cross for us; III. The hope of a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. (id.).

Faith, Love, and Hope, the three attending angels of the Christian during his pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem: I. A childlike faith, which, even when its path is dark, acts and suffers in submission to the will of God, Acts 21:13-15; II. Brotherly love, which imparts and receives consolation amid the toils of the pilgrimage, Acts 21:4-6; Acts 21:12-13; III. Victorious hope, which in joy and in sorrow unfalteringly surveys the heavenly goal, Acts 21:13-15.

The hour in which the children of God part on earth, ( Acts 21:1; Acts 21:5; Acts 21:15): I. It is an hour of deep mourning, admonishing us that here we have no continuing city; II. It is an hour of salutary trial, teaching us to sacrifice all to the Lord, in the obedience of faith; III. It is an hour of holy devotion, raising the soul above the influence of time and the grave, and animating our hope of a heavenly home, in which love perpetually endures.

The only bonds which the faithful servant of God recognizes as indissoluble: I. Not the bonds of his own flesh and blood—these he has already severed by the power of the Spirit; II. Not the bonds of human force and enmity (Paul bound at Jerusalem) —these cannot harm him in opposition to the will of God; III. Not the bonds of brotherly love and fellowship ( Acts 21:4; Acts 21:13) —he that loveth brother or sister more than the Lord, is not worthy of him; but, IV. Only the bonds of love to his Lord, to whom he is bound in gratitude and childlike fidelity, even unto death, Acts 21:13.

“What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?” ( Acts 21:13) —the impressive address of a Christian sufferer to those who surround him: I. Do not murmur against the Lord and his holy ways; II. Do not add to the severity of the conflict appointed unto the children of God; III. Do not deprive yourselves of the blessing which their example can convey.

“The will of the Lord be done!” —the saying which most effectually silences all our objections to the ways of God: I. Our wisdom (the predictions, Acts 21:4; Acts 21:11) must be silent before the thoughts of Him who alone is wise; II. Our power must submit to Him who alone is omnipotent, Acts 21:14; III. Our love must yield to the claims of Him, to whom we, with all that we are and have, belong, Acts 21:13.

[ Acts 21:8. Lessons taught by Paul’s visit to Philip at Cesarea (their earlier history—Saul the persecutor, Philip the fugitive, Acts 8:4; Acts 8:6.): I. The changes which time witnesses in our external condition (Paul, with his Christian companions— Philippians, with his family—both in a different city). II. The power of divine grace in changing the character ( Isaiah 11:6). III. The happy influence of religion on our domestic relations (Philip’s devout family). IV. The irresistible progress of the Gospel (which Paul had once expected to extirpate). V. The intercourse of Christian friends (abroad—at home—hospitality). VI. The course of events independent of the will of man.—Tr.]

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