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Should Paul have gone to Jerusalem?
In this study, we’re going to see what a huge difference a comma can make. Did you know that the original Greek texts, from which the New Testament is translated, did not contain punctuation at all? None! In fact, those original texts were written with all capital letters with no spacing, not even between words. No hyphens, when a word was continued on the next line. No small letters, all caps. No periods, no commas. No verses, no chapters, no paragraphs.
All chapters, verses, punctuation were added by translators, based on their understanding and interpretation of where the chapters, verses and punctuation should go. Were these translators inspired by God? Were they ordained by God to do the correct translation and interpretation of His Word? Well, that is up to you to decide!
II Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
This inspired Word of God gives you and it gives me the right to divide the Word of God ourselves. I have the God-given right to endeavor to find the right place where the punctuation should be. You have the God-given right and responsibility to choose for yourself how His Word should be understood and lived, and you’ll stand approved before God based on how well you do that. Abdicating that responsibility by blindly accepting another’s interpretation, without conscientious decision on your part, is contrary to the will of God. If you decide it’s right just because Pastor So-and-so says it, you’re in the wrong, and you will miss out on wonderful spiritual growth and fruitfulness in your life as a result.
In this study, we will take a look at a part of Paul’s final journey before his capture in Jerusalem, which resulted in his being sent to Rome. This record is found in Acts 20 & 21. I suggest you begin your reading at the beginning of Acts 20, but we’ll start in verse 22. Paul is speaking to the elders of the church of Ephesus, who traveled overland to Miletus (about 25 miles!) to meet with Paul.
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Paul wanted to get to Jerusalem by the very important Jewish (and also Christian) feast of Pentecost. He carried with him money he had collected from the Gentile believers throughout this missionary journey, destined for the saints of Jerusalem. Paul’s heart was the unity of all believers; that in Christ there was neither Jew nor Gentile, but rather a new man. Paul’s ministry was the proclamation of this mystery of Christ, and in his mind and heart, his presentation of the Gentile believers’ financial gift to the Jewish believers would go a long way in making that mystery a living reality.
Acts 20:22-24 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; Save that the Holy Spirit witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 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.
Bound in the spirit seems to indicate a spiritually influenced constraint on Paul’s thinking or on his feelings. We will see that Paul fought against this spiritual constraint.
Here’s a question for you. How did the Holy Spirit witness to Paul that bonds and afflictions were waiting for him? ………. That’s right, through the lives and words of other believers.
Here’s another question for you. Why did the Holy Spirit witness “in every city?” Why wasn’t once, maybe twice enough?
Here’s another question. Why did the Holy Spirit witness to Paul at all that bonds and afflictions were waiting for him?
As you think about these things, perhaps a realization will begin to dawn upon you that in truth, God did not want Paul to go to Jerusalem.
Do you think the believers, the ministers, the writers of the Word of God of the first century were perfect men? Without sin? Somehow better in their own natures than you are? Do you think they were above temptation, being deceived and falling to sin? Perhaps you should read Galatians 2:11-14, where the Apostle Peter was in the wrong.
The amazing reality of grace is that to receive it requires only faith, and not perfection or even prior transformation; rather, it is grace itself that does the transforming. The exact moment you begin to try to earn it, or to work to deserve it, grace is gone.
And so let us continue the record of Paul’s trip to Jerusalem. He has sailed from Miletus, on the western shore of Asia Minor (present day Turkey), and arrived on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, in present day Syria.
Acts 21:4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days; who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
Who told Paul that he should not go to Jerusalem? God did. Either you believe that someone speaking “through the Spirit” is speaking the will of God, or you don’t. The will of God is very clear here. “Hey Paul, do not go to Jerusalem.” How persistent was God? In every city, he let Paul know bad stuff was going to happen if he went to Jerusalem. Very specifically, out of the mouths of many believers, He told Paul not to go.
Acts 21:8, 9 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, who was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, who did prophesy.
What do you think these women prophesied? What’s the context? I believe it was something along these lines. “Hey Paul, do not, under any circumstances, go to Jerusalem, because bad things are going to happen to you there if you go. I repeat, DO NOT GO TO JERUSALEM !”
Acts 21:10, 11 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Boy, God just doesn’t give up, does He? But, sadly, neither does Paul.
Acts 21:12 13 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean you to weep and to break my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Okay, just so we’re clear, we have believers in every city that Paul went to, we have prophets and others who prophesied, we have everyone who traveled with Paul (including Luke, who wrote the book of Luke, as well as this, the Acts of the Apostles), we have God, via His Holy Spirit …… all telling Paul not to go to Jerusalem! And who’s on the other side? Paul and his courage and his very good intentions.
Good intentions are no guarantee of truth. Sincerity is no guarantee of truth.
Acts 21:14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
After all the roadblocks that God is throwing up to dissuade Paul from doing what He (God) does not want him to do, the translators decide that Paul must have been in the right. They did this by adding commas.
The above verse seems to say, “When we couldn’t persuade Paul to not go to Jerusalem, we stopped trying to persuade him; instead, telling him to go do the will of the Lord.” WHAT ?????? How could the will of God change like this? The answer is, it didn’t. The commas were added by man, based on his theology that Paul could do no wrong.
Let’s read verse 14 with no commas.
And when he would not be persuaded we ceased saying the will of the Lord be done.
Me? I remove a single comma in that sentence……..the second one.
And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased saying, The will of the Lord be done.
Now the verse fits with all those which have come before. We stopped trying to persuade Paul to do the will of God. A very touching passage, because even though Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem contrary to God’s will, not one single believer stopped loving Paul and desiring the best for him. On the contrary, you can see the tremendous care and compassion they had for this man who had helped transform their lives. And that care and compassion was not diminished in the least by Paul’s decision to pursue his own course in this situation.
Paul went to Jerusalem. Everything God had foretold came to pass. Paul was captured, almost killed on several occasions, imprisoned and otherwise confined for the next several years. Through all this time, God never left Paul. He never stopped desiring Paul’s benefit, his fruitfulness. Believers continued to love and minister to him, and he to them.
Yet the move of God’s Word suffered greatly. From here to the end of the Book of Acts, there is no more mention of a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, of people being saved, of the church growing greatly. The move of God’s Word suffered because Paul went to Jerusalem, and yet God’s love for Paul did not suffer. Because of the writing of Ephesians and Colossians, which occurred during these years of captivity, we have today the greatest revelation found in God’s Word.
God loves you….He will never leave you. You cannot earn His love and acceptance, and you can do absolutely nothing to cause Him to cease His love and acceptance……of you.
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See study:
Cole’s Question – was the Apostle Paul arrogant?
The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24
