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Studies in Acts

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey (Acts 21:1-16)

Paul’s Third Apostolic Journey: Tyre, Ptolemais, Caesarea, Jerusalem

By now it was three years since Paul had left Antioch in Syria for his long journey, but this time he was not returning there. Earlier, along with Barnabas, he was sent out by Antioch. This time, he was sent by the Holy Spirit, and was therefore not accountable to Antioch, even though after previous journeys he had brought them a report of what the Lord had done through him (Acts 14:27; 18:22). Part of his purpose was to strengthen, by means of his reports, the unity between Jewish and Gentile believers.

He travelled to Jerusalem as one “bound by the Spirit” (Acts 20:22). The Spirit had already been telling him that “bonds and afflictions” awaited him in every city (Acts 20:23). He knew that he would be free for only a short time, but he did not yet know that an imprisonment of four years awaited him, two years in Caesarea, and two years in Rome. Nevertheless, he did not hesitate to travel to Jerusalem, as a follower of Christ. “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1) and in the power of the Spirit. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

From Miletus to Tyre

On this last leg of his journey, Paul was accompanied by at least eight brothers: Luke, Timothy, and the six representatives of the Greek and Macedonian churches who were bringing the collection for the poor (Acts 20:4). After tearing himself away from the elders in Ephesus, Paul evidently travelled by means of a small coastal vessel, which would drop anchor in the latter part of the night or earlier in the evening if the wind died down. In that case, the farewell occurred perhaps in the latter part of the night, and the elders saw him depart in the darkness. The ship set a direct course toward the island of Cos.

The next day it reached Rhodes, and the third day, Patara, an important port on the southwest coast (of modern Turkey). From there, larger sailing ships left for Syria and Egypt. Here they found a ship that would be sailing not by way of the time-consuming detour along the coast, but directly across the open sea to Phoenicia (modern Lebanon). This was some 650 km, which could be done in five to seven days, depending on the wind. The trip would not have been very comfortable, since at that time, ships had hardly any passenger accommodation. Most of the time, sea travellers had to supply their own provisions, and slept under their own travel blanket on deck.

What memories would have been running through Paul’s mind during this voyage! Behind him, the coast of Asia Minor was disappearing into the distance. Several days later, the mountains of Cyprus rose on the horizon. Here nine years ago, Paul, together with Barnabas and Mark, had proclaimed the gospel to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was converted at that time. The ship did not stop at the island but passed southward and sailed to Syria. It was carrying freight heading for Tyre, which for centuries had been one of the great commercial centres of the Levant (cf. Ezekiel 26:17-18). Refugees from Jerusalem (Acts 11:19) had proclaimed the gospel and established a church in the very city where Jezebel had come from! Psalm 87:4 was being fulfilled:

“I will record Rahab and Babylon
among those who acknowledge me—

Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush— 

and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion”!

In this little church of Tyre, he remained for a week. Perhaps because the ship was anchored there for seven days, or because it had to wait that long for the arrival of another ship. The Christians in Tyre enjoyed having him in their midst. Here too, were believers with prophetic gifts, through whom the Holy Spirit communicated that Paul was en route to prison. More than this the Spirit did not communicate. But the church members went a step further. They deduced from this—surely with good intentions—the erroneous conclusion that the apostle must not continue travelling to Jerusalem. Paul did not agree with them, however. He heard no prohibition against going to Jerusalem, but a confirmation of what the Spirit had communicated to him earlier (Acts 19:21; 20:23).

Why such an early announcement? Of course, it was for Paul’s own benefit, to provide opportunity to prepare for that difficult time, but the same was true for the churches. Otherwise, the report of Paul’s imprisonment would represent a terrible shock and setback for them, but now they would realize that Paul’s arrest was a part of Jesus’ plan!

Similarly, the Lord Jesus had announced to his disciples that they would be banned from the synagogue, and some would be martyred. “But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you” (John 16:4; cf. Matthew 24:25). After his ascension, with that in mind, he gave in the book of Revelation an expanded “prophecy” of “the things that must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1, 3).

Farewell on the beach

Paul’s eight companions and the Christians in Tyre had not met each other before now. But after that week, the bonds of faith and love toward one another had become so strong that the entire church brought them to the ship. Men, women, and even children walked along with them to the small beach beyond the city wall. On their knees, they lifted one another and the concerns of his kingdom up to the Lord. Then they bade farewell in the realization that the apostle was heading for a difficult time and that they probably would never see each other again. Paul and his companions boarded the ship.

Ptolemais and Caesarea (Acts 21:7-14)

From Tyre, the ship travelled another 40 km southward to the port of Ptolemais (i.e., Akko). Here too there was a church, probably established by believers who after Stephen’s death had fled the persecution in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19). Seven years ago, Paul had visited this place after his first apostolic journey (Acts 15:3). He remained there for one day. The next day the nine brothers left, presumably by ship, for Caesarea, the beautiful capital city of the Roman province of Judea, and the residence of the governors. Here Peter had baptized the officer Cornelius and his household. Paul had been here more often (Acts 9:30; 18:22). Within a few weeks he would be put in prison here.

The voyage from Miletus to Caesarea had apparently gone so well that he did not need to hurry to reach Jerusalem in time for Pentecost. He had time to spend a few days with the evangelist Philip, formerly one of the seven Greek-speaking deacons (Acts 6:1-6). This man had four daughters, who had received from the Holy Spirit the gift of prophecy (see 1 Corinthians 14:3). Luke does not tell us what they may have prophesied during Paul’s stay. They were unmarried, whereby they could devote themselves completely to the Lord’s service (1 Corinthians 7:34). They had a lot to talk about together. It had been twenty years since Philip had baptized the first African believer, the treasury minister of Ethiopia. At that time Paul was still a fearsome persecutor before whom Philip had fled (Acts 8:4-5). And now that persecutor of the church turned church planter was sitting in his home, talking about the churches that the Lord had established through his ministry in Pisidia, Galatia, Ephesus, Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. Would Luke also have taken notes at this time from the reports of Philip, which we now read in Acts 6-8?

The prophecy of Agabus

After several days, the prophet Agabus came from Judea for a visit. He was the man who had announced that the entire Roman empire would be affected by a severe famine (Acts 11:27-28). Now he was coming with the final and clearest confirmation of what the Lord had revealed to Paul several times during the recent weeks. In the style of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, he illustrated his message with a symbolic action. He came up to us, Luke reports, grabbed the linen belt that Paul had around his waist, with which he first tied up his ankles, then his wrists, and said: “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Agabus said nothing more. He limited himself respectfully to the message given him by the Holy Spirit, without supplementing it with his own counsel. In so doing, he acted with more humility than the believers in Tyre, who gave the urgent advice that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.

All those present were unnerved by the realistically portrayed prophecy. Luke writes: “When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.” This reaction testified to a well-intentioned concern for the wellbeing of the beloved apostle and for the cause of the Lord. We can imagine what they were saying to Paul: “Turn aside from this threat! The Spirit is warning you for a reason. Didn’t we hear the same warning already back in Tyre? Perhaps this will cost you your life, and we can hardly do without you. Jesus himself said, did he not: ‘When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next’? (Matthew 10:23). You want to make it to Rome and Spain, don’t you? The representatives of the Greek churches can bring their collection by themselves, can’t they?” In this way, they all pleaded with him with tears in their eyes (v. 13) not to go to that fatal city. In so doing, they were making the same mistake as the brothers in Tyre. They too confused the communication of the Spirit with their own explanation of it. They understood the prophecy of Agabus as a negative travel warning, when in fact it served to prepare Paul and them for difficult times ahead.

Meanwhile, Paul was the only one who kept his head and held his feelings in check. In the tears and pleas of the believers he discerned a temptation to abandon the call of the Master. In a friendly way, he corrected them: “Why are you trying to break my heart with your tears? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” This was how he had spoken to the elders of Ephesus: my ministry is more important than my life (Acts 20:24; cf. Philippians 1:20-21; “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”). Then after some time of imploring him, it was clear that he was not to be dissuaded, so they stopped. Just as an entire group often surrenders to the resoluteness of a single person, they exhorted each other and finally acknowledged with a recovered strength of faith: “Let the will of the Lord be done.” The matter was decided.

This episode simultaneously constitutes a confirmation and explanation of Paul’s precept: “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said” (1 Corinthians 14:29). The messages that the Spirit had given him throughout this journey required from him his own evaluation. And this had to be based on what the Spirit had revealed to him earlier. In that connection, the disciples in Tyre and Caesarea were unintentionally making it more difficult for him, whereas the modest and respectful Agabus left him the needed room.

Shortly after this, the Lord Jesus appeared to him in an encouraging vision, where he assured Paul that he was on the right path (Acts 23:11). The Lord wanted him to bear witness to him in Jerusalem and later in the palaces of “Gentiles and kings” (Acts 9:15). As a prisoner he would receive opportunities to do just that, opportunities that he would never have received as a free man. Moreover, the prophecy of Agabus was fulfilled not literally but substantively. The Jews wanted to kill Paul. To prevent that, the Romans put him in chains (Acts 21:31-33).

Up to Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-16)

The end of Paul’s journey was now approaching. Paul and his companions had to take leave of Philip and his daughters, as well as the church in Caesarea. Were they afraid that this was their final farewell? None of them knew that twelve days later, Paul would be back in Caesarea again – but as a prisoner of the Romans, confined to the palace of Herod (23:31-35; 24:11). The luggage was packed, and the nine brothers prepared for the last stage of their long trip. The danger that Paul would encounter did not keep the faithful brothers from accompanying him. The distance between Caesarea and Jerusalem was about 100 km. People could travel that distance in two or three days.

Just as with his departure from Berea to Athens (17:15), Paul received an escort. Several students from Caesarea accompanied the travellers to Jerusalem, perhaps in part to protect the collection. Among throngs of pilgrims who were travelling to Jerusalem for Pentecost, the company arrived in the temple city. His guides brought him to Mnason, who like Barnabas was an early disciple. Because he was a Greek-speaking Cypriot, his household was a suitable lodging place. The representatives of the churches in Asia and Greece were mostly of Gentile descent, and thus were uncircumcised. A law-abiding Jew would probably have had difficulty hosting them, but the Hellenist Mnason provided this special group lodging.

Luke’s account of the final weeks of Paul’s third journey:

First week:     Departure from Philippi after Easter Journey to Troas: five days (20:6).

Second week: Seven days in Troas (20:6).

Third week:   Journey to Miletus: four days (20:13-16).

Fourth week: Journey from Miletus to Tyre: presumably seven days (21:1-3).

Fifth week:     Seven days in Tyre (21:4).

Sixth week:    Journey to Ptolemais: one day (21:7). Stay of one day in Ptolemais (21:7). Journey to Caesarea: one day (21:8).

Seventh week: Various days in Caesarea (21:10, 15). Journey to Jerusalem: two or three days (21:15). Arrival in Jerusalem (21:17).

Questions:

Assess the part that encouragement played in the life and ministry of Paul. What might this teach the church today?

How is the situation in Caesarea different from what Paul experienced in Philippi and Thessalonica? Jesus himself said: ‘When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next”? (Matthew 10:23).

– Alida Sewell