Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 21:4

"And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem." — Acts 21:4 (ASV)

And finding disciples. Christians. This is the first mention of Christians being at Tyre; however, there is no improbability in supposing that the gospel had been preached there, even though it is not expressly recorded by Luke.

Who said to Paul. . Their deep interest in his welfare, and their apprehension of his danger, was the reason they admonished him not to go.

Through the Spirit. There is some difficulty in understanding this. In solving this difficulty, we may remark:

1. It is evident that the Holy Spirit is meant, and that Luke means to say that this was spoken by His inspiration. The Holy Spirit was bestowed on Christians at that time in large measure, and many appear to have been under His inspiring guidance.

2. It was not understood by Paul as a positive command that he should not go up to Jerusalem—for, had it been, it would not have been disobeyed. Paul evidently understood it as expressive of their earnest wish that he should not go, as apprising him of danger, and as a kind expression regarding his own welfare and safety. . Paul was in a better position to understand this than we are, and his interpretation was doubtless correct.

3. It is to be understood, therefore, simply as an inspired prophetic warning that if he went, he went at the risk of his life—a prophetic warning joined with their individual personal wishes that he would not expose himself to this danger. The meaning evidently is that, by inspiration of the Spirit, they said he should not go unless he was willing to encounter danger and the consequent risk to his life, for they foresaw that the journey would be attended with this risk.

   Grotius renders it, "that he should not go, unless he was willing to be bound." Michaelis and Stolzius state, "They gave him prophetic warning, that he should not go to Jerusalem." Doddridge says, "If he valued his own liberty and safety, not to go up to Jerusalem, since it would certainly expose him to very great risk." The inspiration in this case was that of admonition and warning, not of positive command.

Paul was simply apprised of the danger and then left to the free determination of his own will. He chose to encounter the danger of which he was thus apprised. He did not despise the intimations of the Spirit, but he judged that his duty to God thus called him to encounter the risks of the journey.

We may be warned of danger in a certain course, either by our friends or by the word of God, and still, it may be our duty to meet it. Our duty is not to be measured by the fact that we shall experience dangers, however that may be made known to us. It consists in following the will of God and encountering whatever trials may be in our way.