Acts 21:1-40

St. Paul arrested at jerusalem

1. Were gotten] rather, ’had torn ourselves.’ Coos] or Cos, a fertile island off the Carian coast, producing silks, ointments, wheat, and wines.

Rhodes] a city, and large island, situated S. of Caria. The famous colossus was a statue of the sun-god, 105 ft. high, which stood at the harbour entrance. Erected 280 b.c., it stood for 56 years, when it was overthrown by an earthquake. Its fragments remained where they fell till 656 a.d. Patara] an important Lycian seaport. After Patara, D adds ’and Myra,’ an accurate geographical touch: see Acts 27:5.

3. Tyre] The greatest maritime city of the ancient world, claiming to have been founded as early as 2750 b.c. It produced glass and purple dye, but its chief wealth came from the fact that it almost monopolised the carrying-trade of the world. The Tyrian mariners were so skilled in astronomy, and constructed such accurate charts, that they sailed by night as well as by day, and made long voyages out of sight of land. They are known to have circumnavigated Africa—an extraordinary feat for the small ships of the ancients.

4. Disciples] RV ’the disciples.’

7. Ptolemais] Originally called Acco, its name was changed to Ptolemais by Ptolemy Philadelphus, when, after the death of Alexander the Great, it came into his possession. It is situated on the coast a few miles to the N. of the promontory of Carmel, and is now called Acre.

8. Philip] see Acts 6:5 and Acts 8. The Evangelist] Evangelists were itinerant officers, whose duty it was to break new ground, and establish new churches. They ranked below the prophets, and above the presbyters or pastors. Philip, originally a ’deacon,’ has now, through the success of his missionary work, been advanced to a higher dignity. The NT. never uses ’evangelist’ in the sense of a writer of a Gospel.

9. Prophesy] There were female prophets under the OT.: Miriam, Exodus 15:20; Deborah, Judges 4:4; Noadiah, Nehemiah 6:14; Huldah, 2 Kings 22:14 cp. Isaiah 8:3. See Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17

10. Agabus] see Acts 11:28. For his symbolic action, cp. 1 Kings 22:11; Isaiah 20:2; Jeremiah 13:1; Ezekiel 4, 5. For the fulfilment, see Acts 21:27.

15. Took up our carriages] rather, ’packed up our baggage.’

16. Brought with them one Mnason] A more probable translation is, ’brought us to Mnason,’ etc. Mnason’s house was probably half-way between Cæsarea and Jerusalem. D (Latin) reads, ’and when they had come to a certain town, we lodged with Mnason, an old disciple of Cyprus, and leaving there we came to Jerusalem.’