PAUL ARRIVES IN JERUSALEM

Acts 21:15-17 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

Prior to arriving in Jerusalem we find Paul being accompanied by the elders of the church of Christ of Ephesus that, at his request, met with him in the city of Miletus. Immediately after bidding them an emotional farewell, he departed (Acts 20:36-39). The ship on which he boarded came with a straight course unto Coos, ...unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara (Acts 21:1). Here Paul debarked and entered another ship bound for Phenicia, which sailed around, but within sight of, Cyprus, then ...landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unlade her burden (Vss. 2-3).

We are not told specifically when, and by whose influential gospel preaching, a church of Christ was established in Tyre. However, verse 4 tells us that finding disciples (Christians) in Tyre, Paul, as he did with the Christians in Troas (Acts 20:6), met with them for seven days, which, no doubt, included a fellowship and worship service on the first day of the week. We also find that the Christians in Tyre were very concerned for Paul's safety, because, realizing his desire to go there, they warned him that he should not go up to Jerusalem. This admonition was evidently not a command from God. Had it been so, Paul most assuredly would not have gone up to Jerusalem. It appears to merely be a warning to Paul of the persecution that awaited him at the hands of the unconverted, anti-Christian Jews of Jerusalem. It was of this number of Jews that Paul had once been a member and, under the direction of their leaders, he was directed to persecute all that had been converted to Christianity.

After a week's stay in Tyre, many disciples from the church of Christ of that city accompanied Paul, and his fellow laborers in Christ, to a ship, which they boarded and sailed to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day (See Vss. 5-7). Here Paul met with the members of another body of Christ, of which we have no record of how, when, and by whom it was established. It is interesting to note that one of the Ptolemies of Egypt had this city on the Mediterranean Sea restored, expanded, and from whom it received its name. Also it was here at Ptolemais where Paul ended the portion of his third missionary journey, which he traveled by a ship at sea.

For the remainder of his journey to Jerusalem, Paul traveled over land. Traveling with his company, Paul walked or rode (we are not told how they traveled) for approximately thirty or forty miles inland and came unto Caesarea, and we entered into the house of Philip, the evangelist (which was one of the seven), and abode with him (Vs. 21). This man, Philip, was one of the seven that were chosen by the apostles to serve the physical needs of members of the early church of Jerusalem (Acts 6:5). This was done in order that the apostles could give themselves completely to preaching, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the gospel message of salvation through Christ Jesus to the people of the Jewish nation.

Philip was also the man that left Jerusalem, at the stoning of Stephen, and came to Samaria where he preached the gospel of Christ to the people of that nation, confirmed it with many miracles, and brought salvation to all that accepted Christ as their Savior (Acts 8:5-8). However, the event we most remember about Philip was being directed by an angel of the Lord to seek out the Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza, teach him God's plan of salvation, and, after the eunuch's confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, baptizing him for the remission of his sins (Acts 8:26-39). After this, Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea (Acts 8:40). It is possible from that time, until Paul entered his house, according to the text above, that Philip taught the word of God in the city of Caesarea.

And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy (Vs. 9). From this we know that the Holy Spirit of God did not restrict the gift of prophecy to men. Quoting the Old Testament prophet, Joel, Peter assured all of this fact in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Through God's inspiration Peter said, And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy (Acts 2:17-18).

"The last days," wherever used in the New Testament, always refer to the beginning of the Christian dispensation - the beginning of the church of Christ that took place in the first century after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It was miracles such as these that confirmed God's plan of salvation to be true, and allowed Christianity to become established through obedience to His will. In Christ Jesus, His apostles, and other chosen men of God, as well as in the virgin daughters of Philip, and other women of the New Testament era, we find this truth of prophesy being fulfilled. Just how this gift of prophecy was demonstrated through these virgin daughters of Philip, is not revealed. Most assume that, as it was with their father, Philip, so it was with them. Through their ability to interpret the will of God, they taught others to accept God as the Author of eternal salvation, believe Jesus Christ to be His Son, and to submit to water baptism into His body for the remission of their sins.

While Paul, and those of his company, remained in Caesarea, a certain prophet, named Agabus, came into their presence. He took Paul's girdle, that is, the sash by which his clothing was bound about him, and, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, prophesied that, in like fashion, Paul would be bound and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles (Vss. 10-11). Hearing and understanding the meaning of this prophecy, those that were with Paul besought him not to go up to Jerusalem (Vs. 12). Paul's answer to them was that they should not be concerned for his well-being. Refusing to give in to their warnings, Paul indicated that if it were the will of God, he was, not willing to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (Vss. 13-14).

This brings us to the lesson text. It was after those days (in the city of Caesarea), that Paul, his fellow laborers in Christ, and certain of the disciples of Caesarea, took carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. As the lesson text continues, it seems that, a disciple named Mnason, accompanied them on their journey. There is much debate over this Christian disciple. Some say that he was an elderly man, while others say that he had been converted to Christianity for a long time. It is possible that he was converted and baptized into the body of Christ by the apostles on the Day of Pentecost when the church of Christ was first established. Some say that he did not accompany Paul and those that traveled with him to Jerusalem, but awaited them at his home in that city. Some bible scholars argue the he was converted to Christianity when the gospel of Christ was preached on the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:4-12). Others say that he was among those Cypriot Christians that came to Antioch and preached the Lord Jesus (Acts 11:20). With all of thems opinions of men being mere speculation, of this we are assured: Mnason was of Cyprus, he was an old disciple, and he had a home in Jerusalem in which we (Paul and his companions) should lodge.

And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. The members of the church of Christ in Jerusalem joyfully received Paul. They knew of the missionary work, which he was called by the Holy Spirit to do, in Greece and Asia Minor. They knew that he was called specifically to carry the gospel message of Christ Jesus, not only to the Jews that were scattered abroad, but also to all Gentiles that desired to obey God's calling and enjoy the hope of eternal salvation. No doubt they desired to sit at his feet and hear of his journeys and the successfulness of the gospel of Christ which he delivered to all that were willing to hear, believe, accept, and obey. Thus, Paul had once again come to Jerusalem.