John Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: December 22

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John Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: December 22


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Forewarnings

Act_21:1-17

The vessel in which Paul had embarked touched next at Coos, the largest of several small islands (the Sporades), off the coast of Caria, and the birth-place of Hippocrates the physician. The island of Rhodes, at which they next touched, looks like a large piece broken off from the south-west corner of Asia Minor, lying only nine miles from the nearest point of its coast. This large island was of remotely ancient renown as a seat of commerce, navigation, literature, and art. The climate was delightful, the soil fertile, the scenery picturesque, and at this time of the year the air was perfumed with the fragrance of its flowers. We have all heard of the huge colossus, 105 feet high, which bestrode the entrance to the harbor of the city of Rhodes. But Paul’s vessel did not sail between its legs, as the vast image had been prostrated many years before by an earthquake. Note: “About the end of Olymp. 138, or at the beginning of Olymp. 139, in the reign of Euergetes, (Rhodes) was almost wholly destroyed by an earthquake, during which the colossus was overthrown, which was never set up again.” Niebuhr, Lectures on Ethnography, 201. This date corresponds to about B.C. 225. Indeed, it is doubtful whether they entered the harbor at all, as there was good anchorage in the roadstead; or that they landed, seeing that they seem merely to have laid to there for the night. It is still, however, usual for vessels from and to Caramania, and from or to Syria and Egypt, to touch at Rhodes for pilots or information.

From Rhodes the vessel proceeded to Patara, on the southern coast of Asia Minor, upon a bay into which the river Xanthus flows. It is about ten miles from the city of that name, upon the same river, whose interesting monuments have been of late years brought to light, and are now preserved in the British Museum. Patara was in some sense the port of Xanthus. The vessel seems to have finished its voyage at this port, or was proceeding to some place farther east on this coast, than suited the design of Paul to be at Jerusalem by Pentecost. He was therefore glad to find in the harbor a vessel just about to sail across the open sea to Phoenicia. They forthwith went on board, and took their departure—perhaps the same evening—as even the timidity of ancient navigation did not refuse, with a fair wind, to pass by night over this safe and unobstructed piece of water. At that rate they might, with a good wind—and the wind is always fair for their course at that time of the year—reach Tyre in two days. Their course was direct for that port, passing the island of Cyprus rapidly on the left. The advantage of finding at Patara a vessel ready to sail at once for Phoenicia, and the quick passage thither, not only relieved Paul from any anxiety as to being in time for the Pentecostal feast at Jerusalem, but left him several surplus days. He concluded, therefore, to remain at Tyre, for the edification of the church in that place, for the few days which the vessel required to remain there in order to discharge her cargo, and perhaps to take in another, before proceeding to her final destination.

A church had been founded at Tyre soon after the death of Stephen, and it is in every way probable that Paul himself had been there once, if not oftener, before, as it lay in the track of some of his previous journeys by land and sea. In refreshing intercourse with the Christian friends in this city, Paul and his companions remained for a week, during which he so established himself in the affections of the brethren, that, when he departed, they all, with their wives and children, accompanied him out of the city gate down to the seashore. They there knelt down upon the beach, and employed in prayer the few last moments they could spend together; and then, with a warm embrace, parted from each other—the travellers proceeding on board, and the Tyrian brethren slowly and mournfully returning to their homes. They feared that they should meet no more; for some of the brethren who were prophets had announced that Jerusalem would be a scene of great danger to him. This was in accordance with the conviction he had himself expressed at Miletus; but none of these things moved him, for he felt that he was in the path of duty, and could leave the rest to God.

The vessel might, and probably did, reach Ptolemais the same day, the distance being but twenty-eight miles. Here the sea voyage terminated, either because the vessel proceeded no further, or because Paul preferred to make the rest of the journey by land. There were disciples at this place, and affectionate greetings were exchanged with them; but the stay here was but for one day, as, although there was abundance of time for being at Jerusalem by Pentecost, the apostle wished to spend some days at Caesarea before proceeding to the holy city. The next day Paul started for Caesarea, which lay upon the coast, forty-four miles south of Ptolemais, so that it might be reached in two days’ easy travel. Here a Christian society had long ago been established by Philip the evangelist (Act_8:40), and it still flourished under his auspices, for he had settled there with his family. To his house Paul repaired on his arrival at Caesarea, and tools up his lodging with him; and happy, doubtless, were the days which he was enabled to spend under this roof, with Philip and his four virgin daughters, “which did prophecy,” a fact mentioned perhaps to intimate that they were commissioned by the Spirit to intimate to Paul the risk and danger of the path he was pursuing. This was more distinctly declared to him by Agabus, the same prophet who had years before predicted the famine. He was at Jerusalem when the news came that Paul was staying at Caesarea; but he hastened down to the coast, and went to Philip’s house, where, on seeing Paul, he deprived him of his girdle, and binding therewith his own hands and feet, declared—“Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles!” On this very plain intimation, all the disciples present, both those that came with Paul, and those resident in the place, implored him with tears to abandon his intention. He was not moved by this assured view of peril to himself; but he was affected by the grief they felt on his account, and he cried, with deep emotion, “What mean ye, to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am ready, not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Finding that his resolution was not to be shaken, they ceased to distress him by their entreaties, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

If we feel some surprise at Paul’s persistence in the face of this authoritative intimation, we may reflect that, although warned of danger, he was not forbidden to proceed. Nor can we say that he did wrong, when we consider that although all this came to pass, yet the result was in accordance with his own ulterior views, by transferring his services to Rome, which he had so long been desirous of visiting, and was at this time actually intending to visit.

When Paul arrived at Caesarea, it was still twelve days to the day of Pentecost, three of which would be required for the journey of seventy-five miles to Jerusalem. Thus, there was nine clear days before the feast, which he was at liberty to spend either at Jerusalem or at Caesarea. He chose the latter probably from some regard to his safety; for although determined to spend the Pentecost at Jerusalem, he was not the man to expose himself to needless danger; and he could not but be aware that every day in Jerusalem would be dangerous to himself and perhaps to others.

At length it was time to proceed. And now the party had become so large that, with its baggage, it formed a little caravan; for it received the addition of brethren of Caesarea, who went up with them, partly in token of their respect and affection for the apostle and his friends, and partly to provide for their entertainment there, by introducing them to their friend Mnason of Cyprus, an early convert, now resident at Jerusalem, who, as they knew, had the means of affording them accommodation in his house, and as they were sure, or had ascertained by letter, had the will to do so. This was an important matter at that time, when Jerusalem was usually crowded with visitors. To Mnason they accordingly repaired on their arrival, and were most cordially received by him and other brethren, who had perhaps assembled to meet them.