21:1 And 1 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:
(1) Not only ordinary men, but even our friends, and such as
are endued with the Spirit of God, sometimes go about to
hinder the course of our calling: but it is our part to go
forward without any stopping or staggering, after we are
sure of our calling from God.
21:4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who
said to Paul through the a Spirit, that he should not go
up to Jerusalem.
(a) They foretold through the Spirit what dangers were
about to befall Paul, and this they did as prophets:
but they misdirected him away from Jerusalem because of
a fleshly affection.
21:8 And 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 b seven;
and abode with him.
(b) He speaks of the seven deacons which he mentioned
before in (Ac 6:1-7).
21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did c
prophesy.
(c) They had a peculiar gift of foretelling things to come.
21:142 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying,
The will of the Lord be done.
(2) The will of God bridles all affections in those who
earnestly seek the glory of God.
21:193 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly
what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his
ministry.
(3) God is to be praised, who is the author of all good
sayings and deeds.
21:204 And 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:
(4) In things indifferent (of which sort the traditions of the
Pharisees were not, but rather the ceremonies of the Law,
until the time when Christian liberty was more fully
revealed to the Jews) charity exhorts us to conform or
apply ourselves willingly so far as we may, to our brethren
who do not stubbornly and maliciously resist the truth (but
are not thoroughly instructed), especially if the question
pertains to a whole multitude.
21:24 Them take, and d purify thyself with them, and e 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.
(d) That is, consecrate thyself: for he does not speak
here of the unclean, but of those who are subject to
the vow of the Nazarites.
(e) That it may be known that you were not only present at
the vow, but also a main participator in it: and
therefore it is said afterwards that Paul declared the
days of purification: for although the offerings for
the Nazarites offerings were appointed, yet they might
add somewhat unto them; see (Nu 6:21).
21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself
with them entered into the temple, f to signify the
accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an
offering should be offered for every one of them.
(f) The priests were to be informed of the accomplishment
of the days of the purification, because there were
sacrifices to be offered the same day that their vow
was ended.
21:275 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews
which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple,
stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
(5) A preposterous zeal is the cause of great confusion and
great troubles.
21:316 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto
the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in
an uproar.
(6) God finds some even amongst the wicked and profane
themselves, to hinder the endeavours of the rest.
21:38 Art not thou that g Egyptian, which before these days
madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four
thousand men that were murderers?
(g) Concerning this Egyptian who assembled thirty thousand
men, read Josephus, book 2, chap. 12.
