November 7, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 1 Kings and Acts? Here’s today’s reading:
Acts 21 (NIV)
On to Jerusalem
1 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria.……Continue Reading
Hard not to recognize the parallels between Paul’s ministry and Jesus here. Paul is making his way to a city that likely wants him dead and is so at peace with God’s will being done in his life. He is being warned but presses on. He is telling others that he is aware of what might happen and still presses on. Ultimately, the welcome he recieves also quickly turns into an angry mob cheering for his death without any cause or crime. When we think about the idea of taking up Jesus’ cross daily, that is exactly what Paul did and I do not come close to this. Humbling and convicting but also inspiring and encouraging. I pray for more boldness in my testimony and more evidence of Jesus’ example in my daily life!
The first thing to point out is that scholars are torn as to whether Paul should have gone to Jerusalem. It is interesting the detail that Luke gives about the account and how honest he is about all the Spirit led people that told Paul not to go. We very much respect Paul’s bravery and dedication to Jesus to be willing to suffer and die for the sake of Him, but seeing how Paul’s itinerant ministry ends here, it is tempting to think he should have listened to those who said don’t go. It is also suspect that Paul involves himself in this vow when the suggestion is predicated on false information. It would be better if these people were zealous for Jesus and the gospel than being zealous for the law and the traditions of it. We all have to be careful of the legalistic patterns we can fall into where we add things to things the Bible expressly commands and put them on an equal plane. And it is legalism that fuels this crowd as well….who would have killed Paul if not for the protection God affords through the Romans. So Paul continues to be brave and determined to share the gospel, whether he should have been there or not…
Acts 21
Acts 21
Psalm 24; Acts 21; Jeremiah 4
Acts 21
I was thinking the same thing as Pastor (and other scholars I guess!), if there were consistent legitimate prophecies of what would happen, why did he go? Although I suppose if it’s a prophecy, it’s going to happen! Perhaps God was just preparing Paul for what was to come. Jesus does tell Ananias, “I will show him how much he will suffer for my name.” The situation leads to the preaching of the gospel.