the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Acts 21:1-14
Brotherly love shows itself throughout this journey (vv. 1, 6, 12 . . .). At Tyre, as at Miletus, Paul takes leave of his brethren after having knelt down and prayed with them on the shore (v. 5; Acts 20:36-37). The Spirit here emphasizes the presence of children, so desirable at meetings.
At Caesarea, Paul goes into the house of Philip who had made his home there after having preached in every town from Azotus to Caesarea (doubtless in Lydda and Joppa – see the map – Acts 8:40; Acts 9:32; Acts 9:36). His daughters performed a great service for the Lord which, however, they did not practise in the assembly (1 Corinthians 14:3; 1 Corinthians 14:34).
What motivates the apostle all through this journey is his affection, always very much alive, for those of his own people. He was the bearer of gifts from the assemblies of Macedonia and Achaia and rejoiced to be able to bring them himself to Jerusalem (Romans 15:25). Consequently he does not take account of either the warnings of the Spirit (v. 4) or those of the prophet Agabus (v. 13; Acts 11:28) or the entreaties of his brethren (v. 12). We should not judge him. But this account is given to us to teach us that in only taking heed of his own feelings, however good they are, even an apostle can stray from the path of dependence. This is a serious lesson for each one of us.
