A Study of Acts: Paul Visits Philip the Evangelist
Acts 21:7-14 - The Will of the Lord is of paramount importance, even if friends are concerned about the path we might take in this life.
“When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brethren, we stayed with them for a day. On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. As we were staying there for some 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, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging 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 bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!””
Acts 21:7-14 NASB1995
The third missionary journey is nearing the end. The group finishes the voyage from Tyre and arrive in Ptolemais. They spend a day there with the brethren. The next day they arrived in Caesarea. This map below from Bibleatlas.org shows all three locations (Tyre, Ptolemais, Caesarea) along the coast of what would be present-day Lebanon and Israel.
In Caesarea, the group enters the home of Philip the Evangelist, not to be confused with Philip the Apostle. When we last met this Philip, who was one of the seven picked to care for the Hellenistic widows, he was evangelizing the Ethiopian eunuch. He settled in Caesarea and now has four virgin daughters who could prophesy. Interestingly, none of the daughters provide a warning to Paul about his fate in Jerusalem. It seems that a prophet named Agabus, from Judea, comes to visit after the group has been at Philip’s house for several days. He takes Paul’s belt from him and binds his own hands and feet and says that the Holy Spirit has told him that the Jews in Jerusalem will bind Paul with that belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. The group begs him not to go, which is not from the Lord, but Paul knows that he is intended to follow this path. The commentary from Enduring Word is very good on this passage:
Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven: Acts 8:40 tells us that after Philip’s work in bringing the Ethiopian eunuch to faith, he preached through the costal region and ended up in Caesarea. Many years later he was still there.
It’s a wonderful title: Philip the evangelist. He was known by the good news he presented to other people, the good news about who Jesus is and what He did for us.
Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied: It’s interesting that with these four daughters who had the gift of prophecy, none of them seemed to tell Paul anything about his upcoming time in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit could have used them, but He chose to use someone else.
According to ancient records, “The daughters, or at least some of them, lived to a great age, and were highly esteemed as informants on persons and events belonging to the early years of Judean Christianity.” (F.F. Bruce)
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A certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea: In the spirit of Old Testament prophets, Agabus acted out his message to Paul – that certain danger awaited him at Jerusalem.
So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles: The prophecy of Agabus was true, and genuinely from the Holy Spirit. But to this true word, they added a human application (they pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem). That additional word was not of the Lord, otherwise Paul would have been disobedient to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:12 shows that even Luke and Paul’s traveling companions tried to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem (both we and those from that place pleaded with him).
Paul had received several prophetic words on this very topic. This is God’s custom with such a remarkable prophecy, that there should be a great deal of confirmation, as there was in Macedonia (Acts 20:22-23), in Tyre (Acts 21:4) and now in Caesarea.
Paul tells the group in no uncertain terms to stop their weeping and crying and that he is quite prepared to be bound and even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. The group falls silent, saying “The will of the Lord be done”. Here is the commentary for this last part of the passage from Enduring Word:
The will of the Lord be done: Paul companions – including Luke – came to the understanding that God’s will would be done. They came to trust that even if Paul was probably right, and even if he was wrong, God would use it.
Again, the warnings of danger came from the Holy Spirit and were meant to prepare Paul. The request to turn back was understandable, even logical; yet it wasn’t of God. They recognized as much when they here attributed Paul’s insistence to go to Jerusalem despite the danger as the will of the Lord.
It is easy to do – and a source of trouble – when we add our interpretation or application to what is thought to be a word from God, often thinking that it is also from the Lord. We often find it too easy to judge God’s will for someone else.
How difficult is it to brush aside the concerns and warnings of others when obeying the will of God? God has not called me to martyrdom (yet), but His will should not be subject to someone else’s interpretation or softening of the message. If we can emulate Paul and his convictions even in the small things, then that is a step closer to the Lord.
My next devotional examines Acts 21:15-26 - Paul arrives in Jerusalem.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please guide me, every day, into aligning with Your will for my life. Grant me courage and conviction, just like Paul, to move forward even if the path appears difficult. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
The Bibleatlas.org was accessed on 1/7/2024 to review maps for Acts 21:7-14. The maps and information in that atlas are created through this license.
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.