Paul's Adherence to His Resolution to Visit Jerusalem; Acts 21:1-16 Part 6

Church History: Date: A.D. 53–57

He repeated his resolution to go forward, notwithstanding: "Why do you weep like this? I am ready to suffer whatever is appointed for me. I am fully determined to go, whatever comes of it, and therefore it is to no purpose for you to oppose it. I am willing to suffer, and therefore why are you unwilling that I should suffer? "I am prepared for it, by a clear conscience, a firm confidence in God, a holy contempt of the world and the body, a lively faith in Christ, and a joyful hope of eternal life. I can bid it welcome, as we do a friend that we look for, and have made preparation for. I can, through grace, not only bear it, but rejoice in it." You are told that I must be bound at Jerusalem, and you would have me keep away for fear of this. I tell you, "I am ready not only to be bound, but, if the will of God be so, to die at Jerusalem; not only to lose my liberty, but to lose my life." It is our wisdom to think of the worst that may befall us, and to prepare accordingly, that we may stand complete in all the will of God.7
The journey had been accomplished in time for the feast of Pentecost. This is made to appear by enumerating the days spent on the journey from Philippi. Leaving that city immediately after the days of unleavened bread, which was seven days after the Passover, he reached Troas in five days, where he spent seven (Acts 20:6). Four days were occupied in the passage from Troas to Miletus (Acts 20:13-15). Two are sufficient to allow for the stay at Miletus (Cmt. on Acts 20:17). In three he sailed from Miletus to Patara, which place he left the same day he reached it (Acts 21:1-2); and two more days, with favorable weather, would take him to Tyre. There he spent seven days, and three in the journey then to Caesarea (Acts 21:4-8). Allowing two days more for the journey from Caesarea to Jerusalem, we have enumerated only forty-two of the forty-nine days intervening between the Passover and Pentecost, leaving seven for the stay at the house of Philip (Act 21:8). That the feast of Pentecost did transpire immediately after his arrival in Jerusalem, is indicated by the immense multitude of Jews then assembled there, and the presence of some from the province of Asia, who had known Paul in Ephesus (Acts 21:27). Nothing but the annual feasts brought together in Jerusalem the Jews from distant provinces.