Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
CHAPTER XXI.
THE VOYAGE CONTINUED.
1. “And when it came to pass that we embarked, having been farewelled by them.” Cos is an
island near the coast, celebrated in Grecian history for the temple of Æsculapius, the founder of the
medical art. Rhodes is a beautiful island, celebrated for the brazen statue of a man, manufactured by
Phidias, so large that it actually strode the entrance into the harbor, ships passing in under it beneath
its feet, and we are not astonished that it was celebrated as one of the seven wonders of the world.
2-4. Sailing on, they passed the great island of Cyprus, the home of Barnabas on the left, arriving
in Syria and landing at Tyre, where they spend seven days with his disciples, who, under the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost, warn Paul not to go up to Jerusalem, like all others in vain, as the
Spirit was leading him thither, despite the terrible persecutions that awaited him.
5-8. “....Going out we departed, all accompanying us, along with the women and children, even
without the city, and, putting down our knees on the sand, praying, we bade each other adieu.” Lord,
rebuke our pride, too stiff and haughty anon to kneel on a nice carpet or clean camp-meeting straw
or sawdust, when Paul and the Tyrian saints mutually knelt in the sand on the dirty seashore.
Arriving in Ptolemais they spend one day with the saints, taking their final departure from the sea
and walking overland [now in Palestine] to Cæsarea, where they are delighted to find Philip, the
evangelist, of whom we have had no record in twenty years. Chapter 8. tells us when the Spirit
caught him away from the Ethiopian eunuch in Southern Palestine he traveled up the coast,
preaching in many cities, till he arrived in Cæsarea. It seemed that he settled there, making this city
headquarters of his evangelistic work.
9-14. God has been good to him, giving him four daughters, all happily endued with the gift of
prophecy, and efficient helpers in his evangelistic work. While Paul and his comrades enjoy the kind
hospitality of the prophet’s mansion seven days, the same prophet, Agabus, mentioned in Chapter
11, eighteen years ago having come from Judea, meets Paul, taking his girdle, binding his feet and
hands, said: “These things, saith the Holy Ghost, the man whose girdle this is will the Jews in
Jerusalem thus bind and deliver into the hands of the Gentiles.” This prediction powerfully stirred
the saints at Cæsarea importunately to plead with Paul to desist from going up to Jerusalem, till he
finally begs them no longer to break his heart with their tears, because he is ready “even to die in
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Then they acquiesced, saying, “Let the will of the Lord
be done.”
15, 16. Now they proceed to go up to Jerusalem, taking along with them a certain Mnason, a
Cyprian, an old disciple, i.e., one of the first disciples of the Lord Jesus when He began His ministry,
“with whom we may lodge,” i.e., this man Mnason had the financial ability to furnish a lodging in
Jerusalem for Paul, Luke and comrades.