I Am Ready To Be Bound and Die

Acts 21:1-36

Key Verse 21:13

Then Paul answered, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'

In verses 1-16, what stops did Paul make on his journey to Jerusalem? What kind of fellowship did he have with the believers? How strongly did they tell him not to go to Jerusalem? (4, 10-14) Why might the Holy Spirit have warned Paul so many times about what was going to happen to him?

** He found and met with other believers. These believers were not his “sheep” or in areas he had pioneered. But they are noted as being believers who listen to the Holy Spirit. 

** They prayed together and talked about God’s work at the time, particularly Paul going to Jerusalem. Paul received encouragement and through prayer and the fellowship with spirit-filled believers as he went to the difficult mission. 

** In verse 4, the disciples in Tyre urged Paul not to go “through the Spirit.” In Caesarea, after Agabus prophesied about what would happen to Paul in Jerusalem, the believers there, including Paul’s traveling companions, “pleaded” with him, weeping. They showed their heart for Paul and didn’t want him to suffer and even possibly die in Jerusalem. It must have been a very difficult fellowship for Paul to endure, testing his heart whether to listen to the Spirit’s direction to go to Jerusalem.

** It was to prepare him. In chapter 19, Paul had decided to go to Jerusalem. In chapter 20, he confirms that it was the Spirit compelling him to go, but he also says that he did not know what would happen to him there, only that the Spirit had warned him of hardships and prison awaiting him. Now, in chapter 21, after times of fellowship and prayer, he came to know what would happen—at least he would be bound and handed over to the Gentiles. The Holy Spirit was preparing his heart and solidifying his resolution and faith.

Read verse 13. What do the following statements in Paul's reply show about him:

1) "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?"

2) "I am ready not only to be bound, but also die in Jerusalem"

3) "for the name of the Lord Jesus"

Do you think all Christians should have the same attitude as Paul? Why? (Consider Gal 2:20) How did the believers finally respond to Paul? (14)

** 1) Here we see how difficult it was for Paul. His heart was breaking. They had loved Paul and Paul loved them. 

** 2) When Paul said he was ready, it meant that he had accepted the Lord’s direction for him. Paul’s faith is very commendable for he went in obedience without knowing what would happen. But now his actions are even more commendable for he knew what was awaiting him and still he decided to go to Jerusalem. He was following Jesus’ example of laying down one’s life in obedience to God. 

** 3) He was going for Jesus’ name’s sake. It was not for his ambition, pride, zeal, or even good idea or good-mindedness. This statement also tells us that he had submitted to Jesus fully, even for suffering and death. How did Paul get “ready”? What was the qualification? It was when he submitted fully to the Lord that he was “ready”.  What mattered here was Paul’s submission to the Lord. Actually, getting arrested turned out to be the Lord’s provision to him. In this way, the Lord provided Paul a free ticket to Rome where the Lord wanted him next to be, and gave him the opportunity to witness of Jesus before many kings, rulers, soldiers, officers, and many, many people. So, being bound or not was not the issue, but Paul being ready and submitting to the Lord was most important.

** Yes, it is because Jesus is the Lord of all believers and they are to live for him fully, following his example of laying down his life and submitting fully in obedience to the Lord. In fact, Galatians 2:20 teaches that we died, and it is Christ who lives in us. So we must live for Christ and by faith in Christ and according to his will. (Gal 2:20 reads, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

** They could not dissuade Paul, so finally they left the matter in God’s hands and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” So through this event they also learned to submit to God’s will over their own feelings.

What issue overshadowed Paul's report? (17-22) What was Paul asked to do? (23-25) Do you think their solution was good? Why? How did this lead to Paul's arrest? (26-27)

** The elders in Jerusalem were more concerned about answering the controversy regarding Paul’s teaching to Jews in the Gentile regions, particularly that Paul was teaching them to abandon Moses and their Jewish customs, such as circumcision. 

** To join in the ceremonial ritual at the temple for four other Jewish brothers. And in so doing show himself to be in obedience to the law as a Jew.

** Their advice is focused on appeasing the many people concerned about Paul’s teaching, rather than focusing on what God had done through Paul, which was reported in detail. Paul did not teach against the law or for the law, rather, Paul taught Jesus who was crucified and raised from the dead, Jesus who fulfills the law. He taught how all, Gentiles and Jews, can fulfill the law through Christ, such as loving God and loving each other in humble service. 

** Through going to the temple, Paul was noticed and then the crowds attacked him.

What did they accuse Paul of? (28-29) How great was the attack against Paul? How did Paul respond to his attackers? What do you learn from his example?

** They accused Paul of great crimes against them: he teaches “all men everywhere” against the people, the law, and this place (which refers to the temple). He had become an enemy against all that is Jewish. And they accused him of bringing a Gentile into the temple. All of these charges were false.

** It was fierce. People came from all directions. Paul was seized and dragged from the temple. They were trying to kill him. “The whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.”

** He did not respond to them, he submitted to their attack. Although he was falsely accused, he did not try to defend himself, stop the attack, or tell them that they in fact were the ones doing wrong. He resembles Jesus who was quiet while falsely accused and crucified, all in submission to God.

** We learn that Paul submitted fully to the Lord, even in sufferings and death. When Paul submitted his life fully to the Lord, he became a truly reliable and useful servant. The Lord could give him any direction and he would listen. When we follow his example, we too can become reliable and useful servants of the Lord.