St Paul's third journey : from Miletus to Tyre

[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team: 

REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.

ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]

 

Acts XXI :  1-7

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[1] And when it came to pass that, being parted from them, we set sail, we came with a straight course to Coos, and the day following to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara. 

[2] And when we had found a ship sailing over to Phenice, we went aboard, and set forth. 

[3] And when we had discovered Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed into Syria, and came to Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. 

[4] And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 

[5] And the days being expired, departing we went forward, they all bringing us on our way, with their wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and we prayed.

[6] And when we had bid one another farewell, we took ship; and they returned home. 

[7] But we having finished the voyage by sea, from Tyre came down to Ptolemais: and saluting the brethren, we abode one day with them.

[1] Cum autem factum esset ut navigaremus abstracti ab eis, recto cursu venimus Coum, et sequenti die Rhodum, et inde Pataram. [2] Et cum invenissemus navem transfretantem in Phoenicen, ascendentes navigavimus. [3] Cum apparuissemus autem Cypro, relinquentes eam ad sinistram, navigavimus in Syriam, et venimus Tyrum : ibi enim navis expositura erat onus. [4] Inventis autem discipulis, mansimus ibi diebus septem : qui Paulo dicebant per Spiritum ne ascenderet Jerosolymam. [5] Et expletis diebus, profecti ibamus, deducentibus nos omnibus cum uxoribus et filiis usque foras civitatem : et positis genibus in littore, oravimus. [6] Et cum valefecissemus invicem ascendimus navem : illi autem redierunt in sua. [7] Nos vero navigatione expleta a Tyro descendimus Ptolemaidam : et salutatis fratribus, mansimus die una apud illos.

Notes

    1. being parted. The Greek verb employed (ἀποσπασθεντας) denotes a painful separation. St John Chrysostom remarks that St Luke “ shows the violence of the parting by saying, “ Having torn ourselves away.” St Paul and his companions parted with great regret from the ancients of Ephesus (“ Non sine desiderio magno,” — Bengel).

    we set sail. The “ we ” included St Paul, St Luke, Trophimus (verse 29), and Aristarchus.

    Timothy probably returned with the ancients to Ephesus. He was there while St Paul was in Macedonia. Cf. As I desired thee to remain at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia (1 Tim. i. 3).

    with a straight course. See Annot. on xvi. 11.

    Coos. A small island off the coast of Asia Minor, now known as Stanchio. It is about forty miles south of Miletus, and the voyage in fair weather would take six hours.

    Rhodes. An important mountainous island, lying south-west of the peninsula of Asia Minor, and opposite Caria and Lycia.

    Patara. The ancient port of Xanthus, situated on the southern coast of Lycia.

    2. when we had found a ship. They now exchanged the coasting vessel, in which they had voyaged from Troas, for a merchant ship which would take them direct to Tyre.

    Phenice. See Annot. on xi. 19. This district is also mentioned in ch. XV. 3.

    3. when we had discovered Cyprus. (ἀναφανεντες.) Lit. “having been shewn” Cyprus. St Luke uses the correct nautical term for sighting land.

    on the left hand. They sailed southward, which proves that the weather was fine and the wind favourable. In bad weather, ships passed between Cyprus and the mainland of Asia Minor (see infra, xxvii. 4), which was a much longer route.

    The direct course from Patara to Tyre was about 450 Roman miles. Sailing at the rate of 125 miles every twenty-four hours, the voyage would take about four days.

    Syria. The strip of country between Cilicia and Egypt, comprising Phœnicia and Palestine, which together formed the Roman province of Syria.

    came to. Lit. “ put into ”

    Tyre. An ancient seaport of Phoenicia, celebrated for its cedar wood and dyes. It was very flourishing in the days of Solomon, but when St Paul visited the city its glory was eclipsed by the cities of Antioch and Cesarea.

    4. And. Better, “ But ” ( δε ) while the vessel was unlading, St Paul sought out the disciples.

    finding disciples. The Greek verb signifies “having sought out the disciples ” (ἀνευροντες δε τους μαθητας). As the Jews on disembarking at a port always sought out their compatriots, so now St Paul and his companions sought their Jewish converts. They were probably of the lower classes and not numerous, hence it was necessary to seek for them.

    St Paul had passed through this district after his conversion, in company with Barnabas (supra, XV. 3 and 41). Also at an earlier date, when the persecution arose on account of St Stephen, some of the brethren went about an far as Phenice (xi. 19), consequently there were both Jewish and Gentile converts in this region. (See xi. 19-23.)

    seven days. The time to unlade the vessel and to take in a fresh cargo. St Paul was thus able to spend one Sabbath-day with the brethren.

    who said to Paul, etc. This confirms what is recorded in ch. xx. 23. The revelations concerning the trials awaiting St Paul in Jerusalem were not made directly to him, hut through various prophets of the Christian churches.

    that he should not go. The Holy Spirit revealed to them the danger, and they judged that the apostle should avoid it. St Paul, however, knew by the same Spirit that it was God’s will that he should go up to the holy city ; hence, like, his Divine Master, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, (St Luke ix. 51). In a vision which was granted to the apostle in Jerusalem, our Lord shewed His approval of the step taken by St Paul (see infra, xxiii. 11).

    5. the days being expired. These, words evidently refer to the completing of a period of time, i.e. of the seven days spent in Tyre.

departing we went forward. Better, “having gone forth, we were going on our way” ( ἐξελθοντες ἐπορευομεθα). St Luke represents the little band wending its way to the beach.

    they all. This confirms the inference that the disciples of Tyre were not very numerous, otherwise all would not have accompanied.

    wives and children. This is the first definite allusion to whole families, including children, having been counted among the Christian converts, although from the references to the conversion of whole households (see supra, xvi. 15 and 33) we might infer this to be the case.

    kneeled down on the shore. The Jews often resorted for prayer to the riverside or the seaside, and they built oratories on such sites (see Annot. on xvi. 13). There was nothing unusual in their praying thus in public.

    6. we took ship. This was the last stage of their sea journey.

    7. Ptolemais. A town known as Accho to the Israelites (see Judg. i. 31). The tribe of Aser were unable to subdue it. It was named Ptolemais after one of the kings of Egypt, but the more modern name is Acre. As a seaport it was superseded by Cesarea, which was about forty-four miles further south.

    the brethren. They were probably those who had been converted by the ministry of Philip the deacon, who evangelized in this district.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.