Devotional # 29
“And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me” Acts 20:22-23.
Before sharing his burden for the church at Ephesus with the Church elders, Paul shared with them what weighed upon his heart. He said he was bound in the spirit (that is in his spirit) – (Acts 20:22). Also, in the previous chapter “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit…” (Acts 19:21).
After completing his missionary work in Corinth, he came to Ephesus along with Priscilla and Aquilla. He reasoned with the Jews for a little while and moved on to Jerusalem to keep the feast, (Acts 18:21) . Thus interpreted, he had a great desire to keep returning to persuade Jews in Jerusalem. Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, called to be a vessel unto the Gentiles (Acts 9:15), preached to both Jews and Gentiles wherever the Holy Spirit had taken him, “… everyone that believeth; Jew first and also to the Greek” Romans 1:16.
Paul carried a great burden in his heart towards his countrymen. In another place in the same book, he says “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from the Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh” Rom 9:1-3.
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them” Rom 11: 13-14.
“And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law that might gain them that are under the law” 1Corin 9:20.
Paul thought, his apostolic work would be magnified if he brought the Jews also to salvation. He preached to the Jews first, carried heaviness in his heart that the Jews should also believe in the Lord and be saved. His conscience was bearing testimony in the Holy Spirit towards this end.
Earlier in his journey, while he was in Ephesus after he reasoned with the Jews in their synagogue for a little while, they asked him to tarry long. But he left for Jerusalem saying that he must keep the feast in Jerusalem, Acts 18:21. Paul chose to go to Jerusalem despite the Jews in Ephesus requesting him to stay there for more time. He wanted to keep the feast in Jerusalem. His purpose in participating in the feast was to appease Jews and convince them about the salvation offered by the Lord Jesus. After participating in the feast in Jerusalem, he spent some time in Antioch and passed through Galatia and Phrygia and returned to Ephesus. He spent about two years reasoning with the disciples in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9,10). Again, he purposed in his spirit to visit Jerusalem (Acts 19:21), but he could not proceed as trouble erupted in Ephesus.
Paul speaking with the elders of the Ephesus Church (whom he called to meet him at Miletus) said, “I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem” Acts 20:22. After his journey to Corinth and before coming to Ephesus, he went to Cenchrea, had his head shorn, for he had a vow (Acts 18:18). Paul’s burden towards his own people had weighed in his heart even at the peak of his thriving ministry at Ephesus. He left Ephesus saying that he wanted to keep the feast in Jerusalem. While preaching to the Gentiles his message was all those who believed in the Lord Jesus were made free from the law and Old Testament. Howbeit he, himself continued to participate in the feasts and made a vow that he knew was not necessary.
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