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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 21:8 - 21:8
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On the morrow (tēi epaurion). Another and the more common way of expressing this idea of “next day” besides the three in Act 20:15 and the one in Act 21:1.
Unto Caesarea (eis Kaisarian). Apparently by land as the voyage (ploun) ended at Ptolemais (Act 21:7). Caesarea is the political capital of Judea under the Romans where the procurators lived and a city of importance, built by Herod the Great and named in honour of Augustus. It had a magnificent harbour built Most of the inhabitants were Greeks. This is the third time that we have seen Paul in Caesarea, on his journey from Jerusalem to Tarsus (Act 9:30), on his return from Antioch at the close of the second mission tour (Act 18:22) and now. The best MSS. omit hoi peri Paulou (we that were of Paul’s company) a phrase like that in Act 13:13.
Into the house of Philip the evangelist (eis ton oikon Philippou tou euaggelistou). Second in the list of the seven (Act 6:5) after Stephen and that fact mentioned here. By this title he is distinguished from “Philip the apostle,” one of the twelve. His evangelistic work followed the death of Stephen (Acts 8) in Samaria, Philistia, with his home in Caesarea. The word “evangelizing” (euēggelizeto) was used of him in Act 8:40. The earliest of the three N.T. examples of the word “evangelist” (Act 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2Ti 4:5). Apparently a word used to describe one who told the gospel story as Philip did and may have been used of him first of all as John was termed “the baptizer” (ho baptizn, Mar 1:4), then “the Baptist” (ho baptistēs, Mat 3:1). It is found on an inscription in one of the Greek islands of uncertain date and was used in ecclesiastical writers of later times on the Four Gospels as we do. As used here the meaning is a travelling missionary who “gospelized” communities. This is probably Paul’s idea in 2Ti 4:5. In Eph 4:11 the word seems to describe a special class of ministers just as we have them today. Men have different gifts and Philip had this of evangelizing as Paul was doing who is the chief evangelist. The ideal minister today combines the gifts of evangelist, herald, teacher, shepherd. “
We abode with him” (emeinamen par' autōi). Constative aorist active indicative. Par autōi (by his side) is a neat idiom for “at his house.” What a joyful time Paul had in conversation with Philip. He could learn from him much of value about the early days of the gospel in Jerusalem. And Luke could, and probably did, take notes from Philip and his daughters about the beginnings of Christian history. It is generally supposed that the “we” sections of Acts represent a travel document by Luke (notes made by him as he journeyed from Troas to Rome). Those who deny the Lukan authorship of the whole book usually admit this. So we may suppose that Luke is already gathering data for future use. If so, these were precious days for him.