Answers for a Study in the Book of Acts: Chapter 21

“Answers For A Study in the Book of Acts” is a weekly post in addition to the regular “Case for Christianity, Person of Interest” posts on the weekend. The original questions can be found at the bottom of the “Case for Christianity, Person of Interest” study the weekend before, and the answers appear here mid-week. This gives you time to do your own research, and then check your answers here. Keep in mind these will be basic answers with a little depth, but you can go much deeper for discussion if you’d like.

Note: The answers will focus on what the text of the Bible says, and commentaries and speculative answers will be noted as such. There are many scholarly commentaries out there but it will be important, as students of the Bible, to keep the text of the Bible as our first source. Commentaries can be used, keeping in mind that they are human thoughts about God’s Word.

The Goal for the notes, questions and answers: Share and reuse to lead your own Bible study!

Bible Study

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Read Acts Chapter 21: Then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions.

NOTE: The New American Standard Version (NASB) is the Bible being used here, unless otherwise noted. Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite sources to share with your group.

Farewell to Ephesus; Paul at Jerusalem; Paul Seized in the Temple

1. Read Chapter 21:1-14 with your table group

In the first part of this chapter, Paul finishes his third missionary journey:

a. Going Deeper: Summarize Paul’s third missionary journey by listing all the places he went (chapter 18:23 through 21:14). You can use any maps or charts that you might have. Discuss any interesting places you might have noted on this journey.

From gotquestions.org:

“In Paul’s third missionary trip, he got the chance to touch back with many of the churches he’d established his first two trips, and he started a couple of new churches.

The account of Paul’s third missionary journey begins in Acts 18. Paul spent some time at his home church in Syrian Antioch before going northwest over land again and traveling through Galatia and Phrygia in Asia Minor, visiting the churches in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch—churches he’d established during his first trip (Acts 18:23). Meanwhile, in Ephesus, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor, Priscilla and Aquila met Apollos, an educated and eloquent speaker who enthusiastically spoke of Jesus. Unfortunately, he only knew the story up to John’s baptism. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside and taught him of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, and Apollos became a powerful Christian teacher, at times rivaling the influence of Paul (Acts 18:24–28; 1 Corinthians 3:4–5).

Apollos traveled to Corinth in Achaia, and Paul arrived at Ephesus where he spent three months teaching in the synagogue in Ephesus, reasoning from the Jewish Scriptures, but some in his audience not only rejected his message but they became abusive toward “the Way” (Acts 19:8–9). Paul took those who believed and moved from the synagogue to a school owned by a man named Tyrannus. There Paul preached daily to Jews and Greeks for two years (verses 9–10).
After his extended stay in Ephesus, Paul realized that the Holy Spirit was leading him to travel on. Continuing his third missionary journey, Paul sent Timothy and Erastus ahead to Macedonia (Acts 19:21–22). Paul went across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia where he traveled to Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea to encourage the churches there; then he went to Greece (Achaia) and spent three months there (Acts 20:1–3).

Paul had planned to board a ship in Corinth and set sail for Jerusalem via Syria, but he discovered that some Jews were plotting to waylay him on the voyage, so he returned to Macedonia by land. Paul retraced his steps from Corinth to Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi, where he caught up with Luke again and observed Passover. From Philippi, Paul and Luke set sail for Troas, arriving there five days later and meeting Paul’s traveling companions who had gone ahead of them: Timothy, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus, and Trophimus. These men represented various churches and were probably helping bring a monetary gift to the Jerusalem church (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:1). They all stayed in Troas for one week (Acts 20:1–6).

Instead of traveling inland to visit the established churches of Asia Minor or sailing more directly to Jerusalem, Paul continued his third missionary journey by taking a coastal route. Paul walked to Assos, while the rest of the party sailed to that port and picked Paul up there. Then they all traveled to Mitylene, Trogyllium, and Miletus, along the southwest coast of Asia Minor (Acts 20:13–15). Paul bypassed Ephesus because he knew if he stopped there he’d be kept longer than he liked, and he wanted to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost (verse 16). Paul asked the Ephesian elders to meet him in Miletus, and they did. Paul prayed with them, encouraged them, warned them against false teachers, and predicted the hardships he would face in Jerusalem (verses 17–35). After tearful good-byes, the Ephesian elders saw Paul to the ship (verses 36–38).

From Miletus, Paul and his entourage sailed to Patara, then to Tyre in Syria, where they stayed a week (Acts 21:1–6). The disciples there begged Paul, for his own safety, not to go to Jerusalem. But he sailed on, stopping briefly in Ptolemais before landing in Caesarea and staying with Philip the evangelist (verses 7–14). While in Caesarea, the prophet Agabus declared that Paul would be imprisoned if he went to Jerusalem, but Paul was resolute in completing his mission. After several days, a group escorted Paul to Jerusalem and to the home of Mnason, who hosted Paul and his companions (verses 15–16). Thus Paul’s third missionary journey came to an end.”

b. Whose house did Paul and his companions stay in when they arrived in Caesarea, and what do we already know about him? (Cite Scripture reference.)

Verses 8-9 tells us that Paul and his companions stayed with Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven. It also tells us that Philip had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.
Note, this is an example in Scripture where women have a spiritual gift that some wrongly say only belong to men. Other women in Scripture that had this gift were: Miriam (Exodus 15:20); Deborah (Judges 4:4); Huldah (2 Kings 22:14); Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14); Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8;3); and Anna (Luke 2:36-38).
This Philip is not the same Philip as the one who is part of Jesus’ 12 disciples, but we can find his story in Acts chapters 6 and 8. He is the Philip who helped the Ethiopian Eunuch receive Christ.

c. What did the prophet Agabus do and say about Paul? Did Agabus previously predict anything else? (Cite the Scripture reference)

“After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”” Acts 21:10-11

Agabus was predicting Paul’s captivity that would occur in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jewish leaders.
In Acts 11:28, Agabus had predicted the coming famine: “Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)”

d. How did Paul’s companions and the locals react to this prophecy, and what was Paul’s response back to them?

“When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”” Acts 21:12-14

Paul’s companions pleaded with him not to go, but when they realized he would not be dissuaded, they said “the Lord’s will be done.”
Paul knew his mission from the Lord and was not going to be dissuaded from that mission, even though he knew the prophecy was to be fulfilled.
Note: Paul had his eyes on eternity, and his mission here on earth was always for the glory of the Lord, and to share the Gospel with everyone. How often do we forget to keep our eyes on our eternal home, and share that awesome truth with others?!

2. Read Chapter 21:15-26 with your table group

In this part of this chapter, Paul arrives in Jerusalem:

a. When Paul first got to Jerusalem who did he meet with, what did he report, and what did they tell him was being said about him?

“When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.” Acts 21:17-21

When Paul first arrived in Jerusalem he met with the brothers and sisters (the Believers/Christians) and then James and the elders.
Paul reported what God had done among the Gentiles in detail (many had come to the faith).
The Believers in Jerusalem told Paul that the Jews who were living among the Gentiles were reporting that Paul was teaching to “turn away from Moses” and to not follow the law of circumcision and other Jewish customs.

b. What did the elders in Jerusalem suggest for Paul to do, and why? Did he do it?

^“What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.” Acts 21:22-26

The elders told Paul to go to the Temple and do the purification rights to let the Jewish leaders know he was not in opposition to Jewish tradition.
Paul did do everything they suggested – but it would not turn out well for him in the long run…

c. Where in Scripture had the elders already written a few rules “concerning the Gentiles who believed” and what were those rules? Why was this an issue at this time?

In verse 25 it says, “As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

This “decision” is referred to as the decision at the “Jerusalem Council” and can be found back in Acts chapter 15. These were common-sense guidelines and did not have anything to do with salvation. It included abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.
This had been an issue because many of the Jewish believers were saying that Gentiles had to covert to Judaism before they could become Christians and receive salvation, and this included circumcision, which was in contrast to the teaching of the acceptance of the Gospel for salvation. This had particularly been a problem in Galatia where Judaizers had tried to influence new believers, and continued to be a problem in many of the other new churches as well.

d. Discuss: Why do you think Paul followed the customs of the Jews when, as a saved Christian, he would not have needed to do? Would we, or should we, ever conform to customs of the society we live in?

Paul did not need to be in opposition to Jewish tradition to teach the Gospel. He did, however, teach that Jesus was the “way” to salvation, by grace not works, nor traditions or rituals.
In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Paul says:

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

We don’t have to be in opposition to traditions, just in opposition to tradition or rules being the way to salvation. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to eternal life and our home with the Father.
Paul models a good apologetic here because he shows how we can meet people where they are by listening, understanding and at times even participating in their culture and traditions (within reasonable limits of course), and then we are better prepared to share the Gospel of Jesus with them.

3. Read Chapter 21:27-40 with your table group

In the last part of this chapter, Paul is seized in the Temple:

a. Why was Paul seized, and what did they do to him?

“When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.” Acts 21:27-30

Paul was seized because they made the claim (wrongly) that he preached against the Jews, the Law and the Temple, and that he had even brought Greeks into the Temple (which he had not done, yet they assumed because they had seen an Ephesian with him in the city).
They took hold of Paul and dragged him out of the Temple, and were planning on killing him right then, but…

b. Who rescued Paul (even though they still bound him), and what was the misunderstanding about who Paul was?

“While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and he began asking who he was and what he had done. But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another, and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. When he got to the stairs, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting, “Away with him!” As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.”” Acts 21:31-39

The Commander of the Roman Cohort and some soldiers and centurions rescued Paul, yet bound him until they could find out what the uproar was all about.
The crowd didn’t even know why Paul was dragged out of the Temple as some were shouting one thing and some another.
The Roman Commander thought Paul was an Egyptian who had previously stirred up a revolt, but when Paul spoke to him in Greek and told him he was a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, as we will see in chapter 22, the Commander would then let him speak.
Note: It is amazing to see the level of uproar and anger that the Jews were expressing, far beyond what might be a regular reaction, and this shows the spiritual dimension of what was happening here, just as it did when Jesus was arrested and unjustly accused. We must be aware of the same spiritual warfare that surrounds us today, and especially attacks on Christians when they are doing the work of the LORD. This should be part of daily prayer that includes protection for us and others who are committed to growing closer to the LORD, and doing His work.

c. Discuss: What can we say about Paul’s boldness and passion to share the Gospel so far, and how have we seen him use Apologetics?

Paul’s commitment to his mission here in this life is a model for all Christians as he understood that to live here on this earth is the opportunity to share the Gospel for Christ, and that death is even better for a Christian because we are then in the presence of the LORD! This focus allowed Paul to be bold and confident in his ministry, no matter what happened to him.
Paul’s use of Apologetics included: 1) recounting Israel’s history and God’s promise (Covenants); 2) The prophecies of a coming Messiah fulfilled in Jesus; 3) The sharing of the evidence of Jesus’ ministry, including his death and resurrection; 4) Paul’s sharing of his personal story and encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.

Please continue to join us in making our “Case for Christianity, Person of Interest” along with a study in the book of Acts, and share it with others!

Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study question are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) are posted mid-week.

———————————————————————

You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15