NOTES for Act 21:12-13

¹²And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³Then 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.

The Christian history knows many examples of martyrdoms. It can seem at first sight that Christians are not original in this regard: the martyrdom for an idea or for convictions is known to many. And there is all the same an essential difference between the martyrdom of the Christian and of any other one. It is necessary to be a hero to suffer or, even give his life for an idea or for convictions. Poverty is necessary in order to suffer and even give his life for Christ. The same biblical or evangelic poverty, about which had already spoken Isaiah of Jerusalem, but which also mentions Jesus in the sermon on the Mountain, proclaiming the bliss of the poor. It is not of course about the material poverty, although in itself, it can’t be of course an obstacle neither to the martyrdom, nor to confession. It is about the spiritual state, which is indicated in the biblical books by this word.

Of this state that puts hope only on God and on none more or on nothing more. And the understanding of this simple fact that in the fallen world there is not and can’t be a reliable support for man, even if something seems to be such. Actually, only such a relation to the world makes man a real poor: because having nothing and wishing fervently to obtain what you do not have, you will not become a poor man in the biblical sense. And Christianity can be considered as a perfect expression and realization of this biblical poverty: because Christianity is the life in the Kingdom and according to the laws of the Kingdom, and not according to the laws of the fallen world.

But it is possible to live according to the laws of the Kingdom in the fallen world only by refusing completely inside any attempts to retain at least a part of what this fallen world calls life. Indeed, the Kingdom occupies entirely the living space of man, without rest. And the martyrdom turns out for the inhabitant of the Kingdom not the loss of life for an idea, as for the inhabitant of the fallen world, but the preservation of that fullness of the life of the Kingdom, for which it is not regrettable parting with what this world calls life.

It is difficult and painful to part from his. It is not regrettable parting with what is strange. The more man considers this fallen world as his, the more it is difficult to part from it. The poor has nothing to lose: because he gave everything to God, he has nothing in the genuine sense of the word his. And the inhabitant of the Kingdom by his life is not at all connected to the fallen world, although he dwells there, testifying of the Kingdom. And he has nothing which would hold him in this world.

Other notes

For Act 21:1-26

¹And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:

²And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

³Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

⁴And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

⁵And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

⁶And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.

⁷And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

⁸And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

⁹And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

¹⁰And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

¹¹And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, 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.

¹²And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³Then 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.

¹⁴And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

¹⁵And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁶There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.

¹⁷And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

¹⁸And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

¹⁹And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

²⁰And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

²¹And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

²²What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

²³Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

²⁴Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

²⁵As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

²⁶Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purifcation, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

Paul has no doubts about what will cause the persecutions and sufferings awaiting him in Jerusalem. He knows that... Read more

Paul has no doubts about what will cause the persecutions and sufferings awaiting him in Jerusalem. He knows that he will have to endure all this for the name of Jesus, since the Jews had long been indignant at his preaching of freedom in Christ, beside which devotion to the Mosaic law ceased to be the most important matter. In addition, he associated openly with Gentiles, entered their homes, and spoke to them about salvation in Christ without requiring them to live according to the law.

Hatred of Paul in Jerusalem had reached such intensity that even the Jerusalem Christians who continued to observe the law treated him with distrust and suspicion. Yet Paul not only declares his readiness to die for Christ; he also shows us a most important example of evangelical peacemaking. For the sake of peace among Christians and Jews he is ready to submit to the law, complete the required days of purification according to the law, and offer sacrifice in the Temple. Truly, in our age of indifference on the part of some and fanaticism on the part of others, this example of faithfulness to Christ, even unto death, is extremely important for us, and at the same time an example of love for brothers by blood and by spirit, and of consent to the existence of other patterns of life and religion.

For Act 21:1-16