Paul’s road to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-16)

Luke describes the journey from Miletus to Jerusalem, which can be followed on an atlas. It was a sea journey of several hundred miles, followed by a journey overland. In Tyre, the travelling party found disciples with whom they spent a week. These disciples were aware through the Spirit that trouble faced Paul in Jerusalem and so they urged him not to go. But he went on.

Later in the journey, they came to Caesarea where they stayed many days with Philip who had gone there about twenty years previously after the incident with the Ethiopian treasurer. During that time a prophet called Agabus arrived and acted out the same information about Paul being arrested in Jerusalem. Again he was urged not to go, and again he went on.

Luke’s brief account of the journey highlights important details. One is the willingness of Christians to provide hospitality to travelling Christians. Paul and his friends were shown hospitality in Tyre, Ptolemais, Caesarea and Jerusalem. 

Another detail concerns the four daughters of Philip, each of whom had the gift of prophecy. We are not told where they exercised this gift, but their possession of it was a fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel about the age of the Spirit that Peter quoted in his sermon recorded in Acts 2:17-18.

A third detail is one that puzzles some who are confused by Paul’s response to the information revealed to the disciples in Tyre and to Agabus by the Holy Spirit concerning his arrest in Jerusalem. They wonder if Paul refused to heed the warnings of the Holy Spirit. We should note that the Spirit had already told Paul that he would suffer in Jerusalem (Acts 20:22-23). Also, the details revealed to the disciples and Agabus was initially information that they chose to interpret as a warning whereas it could have been given to them so that they would pray for Paul. After all, information and interpretation are not the same thing. Paul regarded the information as preparation for what was ahead of him and not as a reason that he should not go to Jerusalem.

Paul’s response reveals his outlook on life. He was devoted to serving Christ, that was his priority. As for whether he lived or died, he left that outcome with the Lord. So also did his friends, and that is where we should leave every matter.