Courage Born of Commitment

MEMORY VERSE: “Then Paul answered, 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.” —Acts 21:13

ACTS 21:7-14

AT the time of this lesson Paul was on his way to Jerusalem, stopping at various places to serve the brethren. “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church,” for he wanted to give them a farewell message. (Acts 20:17) Part of that message was, “Behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Spirit witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.”—Acts 20:22,23

To this Paul added, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24) The Holy Spirit continued to impart this information to Paul. When he reached Caesarea, still on his way to Jerusalem, he was entertained in the home “of Philip, the evangelist.” While Paul was there, a brother in Christ named Agabus came from Judea. Agabus “took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”—Acts 21:10,11

Luke, the historian, who was evidently one of those traveling with Paul at the time, observes, “When we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him [Paul] not to go up to Jerusalem.” (Acts 21:12) Here we find Paul in a position very similar to the situation which confronted Jesus a short time before he was crucified. Jesus also knew that afflictions awaited him at Jerusalem, and so announced to his disciples.

It was on this occasion that Peter tried to dissuade the Master from going to Jerusalem, even as later Paul’s friends did with him. Peter said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” Jesus replied to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matt. 16:21-23) Jesus knew that it was the will of his Heavenly Father for him to die as the Redeemer and Savior of the world. He knew, therefore, that Peter’s viewpoint was contrary to the will of God.

Likewise with Paul, the Holy Spirit had testified to him that bonds and imprisonment awaited him. Had he been going to Jerusalem simply on his own desire, he might easily have interpreted the message from the Holy Spirit as a warning to turn aside and thus avoid unnecessary trouble. We do not know, of course, just how Paul knew that it was the Lord’s will for him to go to Jerusalem at this time, but evidently he was sure that this was so, and he felt it important that he should arrive there before the day of Pentecost.—Acts 20:16

In view of this, Paul interpreted the messages of the Holy Spirit concerning the trouble that awaited him, not as warnings to keep him out of trouble, but as a test of his willingness to suffer and, if need be, to die in the service of his Master. So when Paul’s friends endeavored to dissuade him from continuing on to Jerusalem, he said, as in our memory verse, “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.”—Acts 21:13

One wonders if Paul, in this experience, may not have remembered the example of Jesus when he was confronted by death at the hands of his enemies in Jerusalem. Perhaps so. In any case he displayed the same zeal for the Father’s will that Jesus did and the same steadfast determination not to give heed to the pleadings of imperfect human reasoning.

The brethren who begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem under the circumstances, seeing that he was determined to go regardless of their wishes, ceased their pleading and said, “The will of the Lord be done.” Paul, of course, did find that bonds and imprisonment awaited him. He was placed in prison by the Romans, as a protective measure against the Jews, and later was taken to Rome in protective custody, and imprisoned there.

But he did not change his mind about being willing to suffer and die. While in the Roman prison, he wrote to the brethren at Philippi and said, “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” (Phil. 3:7,8) Paul knew that in order to reign with Christ it was necessary to suffer and die with him.—II Tim. 2:11,12

QUESTIONS

What great test confronted Paul on his last trip to Jerusalem?

In what way was this similar to Jesus’ experience?

How do we know that Paul remained faithful even though imprisoned?

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