3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at 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. (Acts 21:3-4 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The divine providence is not more signally discovered in governing the motions of the clouds than it is in ordering the spirits and motions of his ministers. The motion of the clouds is not spontaneous and from themselves, but they move as they are moved by the wind; neither can the ministers of Christ choose their own stations, and govern their own motions, but must go when and whither the Spirit and providence of God directs and guides them; as evidently appears by St. Paul’s present voyage to Jerusalem; though the journey was full of danger, yet his spirit was fully bent and set upon it: I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem.
It was happy for the apostle, and his great advantage, that the will of God was so plainly revealed to him concerning his journey to Jerusalem; for no sooner did he prepare himself to obey the call of God and to undertake the journey than he is presently assaulted by many strong temptations to decline it. The first rub he met with on his way, was from the disciples at Tyre, who spake by the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
But did not the Spirit of God then contradict itself, in bidding the apostle go, and then speaking to him by those disciples not to go?
Not at all; St. Paul by extraordinary revelation was commanded to go to Jerusalem; these disciples by a spirit of prophecy, only foretold the difficulties and dangers that would attend him in his journey, and so, through kindness and human affection, they dissuaded him from undertaking it.
We must distinguish between the prediction of trouble and the counsel of safety.
The prediction of trouble; so they said through the Spirit that it would be dangerous for Paul to go to Jerusalem.
The counsel of safety proceeded from their private love and affection to him; whereby they dissuaded him from going to Jerusalem.
Learn from hence, 1. That divine precept, and not providence, is to rule our way to duty.
Learn, 2. That no discouragements or hindrances whatsoever will justify our neglect of a commanded duty. Whatever difficulties or discouragements lay in the way of the apostle’s duty, he overcame them all with a heroic and truly Christian resolution, saying, ver. 13. I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of Jesus.