And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” (NKJV)
The apostle Paul took everything seriously, starting with his misguided, lethal persecution of Christianity. He wrote of himself, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9). Paul noted some of the same confession in Acts 26:9-11.
Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
This apostle further admitted, “For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13). “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church…” (Philippians 3:6). He wrote to one of his fellow laborers, “Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent [violent and injurious (Vine’s)] man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13).
Luke, the historian of the first-century, emerging church (Acts 1-2) recorded, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).
The apostle Paul was Enemy #1 to Christianity – the Lord’s church and those who comprised it – in the early first century. He did what he did to some of the first Christians – beatings, imprisonment and murder – wholeheartedly or all in, without holding back. Yet, then known more widely by his Jewish name Saul, he conducted himself in “all good conscience.” “Then Paul [the equivalent name in Greek and Latin for “Saul,”] looking earnestly at the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day’” (Acts 23:1). He earnestly thought that he was doing the right thing by persecuting Christians to death and that he was a true servant of God. [His sincere religious error appears throughout historical annals and persists to this day, evident by current ongoing world events. Unfortunately, this religious error also persists even within the churches of Christ, today – resulting in internal, congregational conflict, often leading to disruption of fellowship between Christians, as well as to church splits.]
Upon Saul’s (Paul’s) conversion (Acts 9, 26, 28), he became as passionate a promoter of Christianity – the church of Jesus Christ – as formerly he was an opponent of it. He noted about himself as a strong proponent for the Lord’s church, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Remarkably, even the most harmful enemy of the church of our Lord, if he is sincere, can be converted into a soul winner for Jesus.
Currently, though, we turn our attention to the apostle Paul’s statement of conviction, “For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Albert Barnes commented, “This was the true spirit of a martyr. This spirit reigned in the hearts of all the early Christians.” Adam Clarke wrote, “He was resolute and determined…” Robertson observed, “Paul’s readiness to die, if need be, at Jerusalem is like that of Jesus on the way to Jerusalem the last time.” Vincent emphasized in Acts 21:13, “I am ready.” “Literally, ‘I hold myself in readiness.’”
Truly, if we Christians put spiritual things first in our lives, as Jesus commanded in Matthew 6:33-34, we will be predetermined, should it become necessary, to experience suffering or to be killed, while we resolutely hold on to our confidence and commitment to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We, like the apostle Paul, need to hold ourselves in a state of “readiness.”
The Holy Spirit inspired New Testament warned first century Christians of the pending dangers of being Christians in an ungodly world (1 Peter 3:12-17). The Philippian letter pronounced:
Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me [the apostle Paul]. (Philippians 1:27-30)
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 emphasis added).
The apostle Peter composed, “For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:19-20). Later in the same epistle, he penned, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16).
Jesus Christ announced concerning the selection of Paul to be an apostle that his would be a ministry characterized by suffering (Acts 9:16). The apostle Paul accepted suffering for the cause of Christ. He wrote, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Before Paul, our Lord had warned His initial selection of men to be apostles of the suffering and death that they would face in their ministries (Matthew 10:16-26).
The apostle Paul exclaimed, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me” (Acts 20:22-23). “Among the disciples at Tyre were some who warned Paul of the dangers that awaited him at Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had already told Paul that bonds and affliction awaited him at Jerusalem. (Acts 20:23.) At this time Paul is warned by the disciples not to go to Jerusalem; they did not want Paul to suffer the persecutions that awaited him” (Boles). The apostle and other brethren were made aware by the Holy Spirit of the impending incarceration lying ahead for Paul. “They were simply warning him not to go on the basis of their prophecies about what would happen” (Keener). “Evidently Paul interpreted the action of the Holy Spirit as information and warning although the disciples at Tyre gave it the form of a prohibition. Duty called louder than warning to Paul even if both were the calls of God” (Robertson’s). “While the knowledge of sad things to befall the apostle at Jerusalem was of the Spirit, the entreaty not to go there was of themselves [Christians in Tyre]” (Jamieson).
Just as forewarned by the Holy Spirit through first century prophets (Acts 21:4, 10-14), the apostle Paul was bound and imprisoned in Jerusalem. He was arrested in the Temple and falsely charged with corrupting Judaism and defiling the Temple (Acts 21:26-34; 22:22-29). Roman soldiers rescued Paul from an angry mob, bound him with two chains and later with thongs in preparation for scourging. Due to his Roman citizenship, Paul avoided scourging and was imprisoned. “But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound” (Acts 24:27).
The apostle Paul taught and preached the Gospel, even while chained and imprisoned. He said, “‘King Agrippa [Agrippa II], do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.’ Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains’” (Acts 26:27-29).
Later, after Paul had been taken to Rome as a prisoner, he was able to invite an audience of Jews to visit him in prison.
And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death. But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation. For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you. But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.” So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. (Acts 28:17-24)
Though bound with chains and in a Roman prison, Paul wrote letters, many of which are preserved in the New Testament. To Timothy, he penned, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:8-10). To Jewish Christians in a general epistle, Paul spoke both of abuse leveled toward them as well as toward him.
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. (Hebrews 10:32-34)
Paul wrote to Ephesian Christians and referred to himself as “the prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:1), “the prisoner of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:1) and “an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20).
The sacrificial ministry of the apostle Paul resembled the sacrificial earthly ministry of Jesus Christ Himself. “When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor” (Matthew 27:1-2).
How should we apply what we have learned to ourselves? “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” The apostle Paul told Philippian Christians, “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:19-21).
Irrespective of what we face in life, even circumstances that may take our lives from us, there remains a great consolation.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)
The apostle Peter viewed mortal life as a process of transformation from the physical/spiritual beings that we are to an unshackled spiritual existence. He scribed, “Knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me” (2 Peter 1:14). Take to heart and apply Paul’s Holy Spirit divine advice to Christians at Rome. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Can you say with conviction, like the apostle Paul, “I am ready not only to be bound but also to die”? If we are willing to die for the Christ, as Peter avowed (Luke 22:33), shouldn’t we also be willing to live for our Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God? “And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Works Cited
Barnes, Albert. Barnes’ Notes. Electronic Database. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2014.
Boles, H. Leo. A Commentary on Acts of the Apostles. Electronic Database. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1989.
Clarke, Adam. Adam Clarke’s Commentary. Electronic Database. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary. Electronic Database. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2014.
Keener, Craig S. IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Electronic Database. Westmont, Illinois: InterVarsity P., 1993.
Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament. Electronic Database. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament. Electronic Database. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words. Electronic Database. Nashville: Thomas Nelson P., 1985.
