The public course of the apostle was closed so far as scripture informs us. The remaining chapters of the Acts are occupied almost entirely with the personal history of the apostle, especially his collision with the Jews publicly, and through them with the Gentiles. In the first and last of these chapters we have a little of his relations with the Christians. The book closes with him, the Lord’s prisoner, in Rome, though not without liberty to see all who sought him, to whom he preached the kingdom of God and taught the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Considerably later traces appear in the last of His Epistles. It was important in the mind of the Spirit to give us the early ministry of Peter, chiefly in Judaea and Samaria, as well as in opening the door to the Gentiles. After that Paul fills up the entire scene to the close of the book.
“And when it came to pass that we were parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the next day unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara; and, having found a ship crossing over into Phenicia, we went on board and set sail; and as we had sighted Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we sailed unto Syria and landed at Tire, for there the ship was to unlade her cargo. And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven days; and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. And when it came to pass that we had completed the days, we departed and went on our journey, and they all with wives and children brought us on our way, till we were out of the city, and kneeling down on the beach we prayed and took leave of one another, and we went on board ship, and they returned home. And when we had finished the voyage from Tire, we arrived at Ptolemais and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day” (Acts 20:1-71And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. 2And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5These going before tarried for us at Troas. 6And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 7And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:1‑7)).
Such is the succinct account of the voyage. On the day after (as we shall see) they took their land journey through Palestine; in the previous verses now before us, it was sailing. Nothing more simple; yet on the journey of such a man and his companions the Spirit of God loves to dwell, and that we should dwell. We wrong His grace in thinking that the Holy Spirit has only to do with extraordinary matters, as striking utterances, strange tongues, miraculous signs, and sufferings still more fruitful when unostentatiously borne. Undoubtedly He is the power for all that is good and worthy of Christ; but as Christ Himself lived much the greater part of His life in the utmost obscurity as regards man, perfectly doing the will of God, before and to Whom not a moment was lost, so does the Spirit of God enter into all the details of life in those who are Christ’s. Surely if anything could give dignity to the passing circumstances of each day, this must; but do God’s children, do we, believe it? If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit; let us not be vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another. Let us associate the commonest things with Christ’s will and glory. Certainly there is nothing more closely approaching the animal than eating and drinking; yet the word of God would have us appropriate even these things to the highest purpose; and there is no way so simple and sure as by that faith which, looking upward, partakes of them in His name. “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Thus shall we give no occasion of stumbling either to Jews or to Greeks, or to the church of God. Grace avoids questions, as it abhors sin and teaches us to please all men in all things, but not with a view to one’s own profit, but rather in divine love to the many that they may be saved. It was so Christ walked in the ungrieved power of the Spirit; it is so we are called to walk, though alas! we too often grieve Him. But there is no rule of life so true, so full, and so direct; and here therefore the path becomes of deep interest. “To me to live is Christ underlies what we are told of the great apostle.” And when it came to pass that we were parted from them.” The last verb may be softened down sometimes; but the natural meaning implies a wrench. Christian affection is a reality on earth: in all the narrative what an absence appears of turning aside for objects of natural interest! “We came with a straight course unto Coos, and the next day unto Rhodes.” We may be sure from the character and the capacity and the attainments of the apostle, that he had an eye for natural beauty, and a mind for every historic association that presented itself here below. “But this one thing I do” was not more his word to others than his own life “to me to live is Christ.” The claims of the new creation altogether outweighed those of the old. So when we saw him alone at Athens, with ample leisure to look around on the remains which have attracted men of the old world as well as moderns beyond most spots here below, what was the effect on him? His spirit was provoked within him, as he beheld the city full of idols. It was not sculpture that enchained him, nor architecture that blinded him. He measured all around by the glory of Christ, and yet none could show more tact in discoursing to them. If he probed their idolatry to the bottom, he availed himself of the least point of truth which the vain city confessed—the altar with the inscription, “To God unknown.” Truly he walked by faith and not by sight: should not we? Is it really come to this, that, because we have not apostolic authority or miraculous powers, we are to abandon the life of faith? Is not the Holy Spirit sent down, and sent down to abide with us forever? It were humbling indeed to answer like the twelve men at Ephesus (who could not speak truly otherwise): “We did not so much as hear whether there is a Holy Spirit.” If we Christians say so now, it is guilty unbelief of the sure and standing privilege of God’s church. All we want is to judge ourselves and walk in faith, truth, and love: He will then manifest His gracious power.
“And having found a ship crossing over unto Phenicia, we went on board and set sail.” It is good to notice the providential dealings of the Lord. The same heart that abides wholly unmoved by, the most violent and dangerous storm, ought to be thankful for a fair wind and a quiet journey; and so it was and is. Circumstances never create faith, though God may use unlooked for facts to deal with conscience. But the same simple faith it is, which, in rough weather or in smooth, can alike give thanks to God. Certainly it is not indifference; but the known will of God is always good, and acceptable, and perfect; and the heart is kept up in the confidence of His love. So His hand would be seen in their finding a ship crossing over to Phenicia. It would appear that the vessel in which they first set out did not proceed beyond Patara in the desired direction; and now, having found one bound for Phenicia, “we went on board and set sail.” Thus in the outward but gracious ordering of God there was no loss of time.
“And when we had sighted Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tire, for there the ship was to unlade the cargo.” No doubt the term “sighted” is technical for mariners; but can we conceive that the apostle passed the island without recalling the scene of his early ministry, and of his elder brother Barnabas, and his younger, John Mark, whom they once had as their attendant? We have already had proof of the goodness of Barnabas, and the Holy Spirit has pronounced upon it; and it was proved at a still later day, when he left Antioch, from the midst of an active work of the Lord, to seek for Saul of Tarsus, and brought him to labor with himself at that great city of Christian blessing. But Barnabas and Mark had parted from the apostle; yet the apostle’s heart sought them both, and felt a love that rose above all their failings, as he proved, not only by word, but by deed to the last.
And surely Syria and Tire where they landed must have recalled deep reflections to the apostle. Here the Lord Himself had withdrawn daring His earthly ministry, and from those borders came to Him the woman of Canaan who drew out from Him, not merely an answer of mercy that she wanted for her daughter, but that praise of her own faith which will never be forgotten.
Here the delay of the ship was no less ordered of God at Tire than the finding it at once had been at Patara. The unlading of the cargo gave the apostle and his companions the time, not exactly to find disciples as in the A. V., but to find “out” the disciples. We cannot as in the Greek idiom say, “found up,” though we do say “hunted up.” It would appear hence that they were the object of search, not of casual discovery. They were the disciples, and “so they tarried there seven days.” This we have seen before and remarked on, as giving an opportunity to spend at least one Lord’s day for the communion of the Lord’s Supper.
From an incidental statement we learn how full the early church was of the power of the Spirit. “And these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.” Assuredly the apostle lacked not warning, as he said himself to the elders from Ephesus, “Behold, I go bound in the (that is, my) spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Spirit testifieth to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.” Evidently however the apostle regarded it rather as a note of danger that awaited him, than of personal direction which he must obediently follow. His own mind was made up, whatever the danger, whatever the suffering, to go through with it; as the Master had done in matchless perfection for His infinite work at all cost.
“And when it came to pass that we had completed the days, we departed and went on our journey; and they all with wives and children brought us on our why, till we were out of the city, and kneeling down on the beach we prayed and took leave of each other; and we went on board ship, but they returned home” (Acts 21:5-65And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. 6And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again. (Acts 21:5‑6)). It is another beautiful peculiarity of divine affection—the family as well as social character of Christians in early days. This ought to be of great price now, if we are wise. In this cold world the saints are peculiarly exposed to grow chilly, if kept from fleshly excitement and worldly frivolity.
“And when we had finished the voyage from Tire, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we saluted the brethren and abode with them one day” (Acts 21:77And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. (Acts 21:7)). Here at a port called Accho in days of yore, now St. Jean d’Acre, they arrived; and though it was but for one day, how gladly they spent it with the brethren, for such there were at Ptolemais, apparently already known.