Daily Scripture Reading Acts 21:7-26
One of the points of contention in modern Christianity has to do with the role of women in church. There are verses in the New Testament which say women should be silent in church. That is quite contrary to our culture’s current vibe which downplays and sometimes denies any differences between male and female.
One of the verses used to justify allowing women full participation in church is Acts 21:9 which mentions the existence of female prophets. However, the existence of female prophets does not mean females spoke in church.
When we stopped reading yesterday, we were in the middle of reading about Paul’s journey from Greece to Judea. Paul was hoping to arrive in Jerusalem before Pentecost. After crossing the Mediterranean Sea, Paul and his companions landed at Tyre, where they visited the disciples for seven days. before re-boarding their ship to resume their journey.
Acts 21:7 ¶ And when we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brothers, we stayed with them for a day.
Acts 21:8 And on the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.
The phrase “one of the seven” refers to the seven men listed in Acts 6:5 who were appointed to serve the widows so that the Apostles could devote themselves to the Word and prayer.
It is about 30 miles / 50 km from Ptolemais to Caesarea.
Acts 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
The term “this man” refers to Philip, the evangelist, one of the seven.
This verse clearly tells us there were female prophets. Some people use this fact to argue that women should be able to speak in church and be church leaders. They claim this verse shows women spoke in church in the 1st century AD; therefore, we do not need to obey the verses in the Bible that say women should be silent in church. However, that is not a correct understanding of prophecy or this verse.
First, let’s define a prophet. Suppose a father tells his oldest son to go to the playground and tell his younger brother to come home for supper. When the older brother tells his younger brother to come home, he is speaking in his father’s name. That is what prophets did. They spoke in God’s name. They delivered messages on behalf of God. When a prophet spoke, his message was exactly what God would have spoken if God had spoken Himself.
God used the four daughters of Stephen to deliver some of His messages. That does not mean the daughters spoke in church. Prophecy was something that happened both in church meetings and outside of church meetings. Male prophets were able to prophecy anytime. Female prophets were restricted to prophesying outside of church. Stephen’s daughters could have done their prophesying without ever speaking in church.
Acts 21:10 And as we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.
Note that Agabus is identified as being a prophet.
Acts 21:11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
This prophecy was in accord with earlier messages delivered to Paul. Acts 20:23 tells us the Holy Spirit had told Paul that chains and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem. Then Acts 21:4 indicates the Holy Spirit had told the believers in Tyre that trouble awaited Paul in Jerusalem.
This verse helps define prophecy. First, Agabus was not guessing that Paul would be bound. Nor was he using written scripture to predict that Paul would be bound. Instead, the Holy Spirit told Agabus that Paul would be bound, and included details of how he would be bound and what would happen to him after the arrest. Then Agabus delivered that specific message to Paul and Paul’s companions.
Second, Agabus did not do this during a church service. This tells us prophecy was something that could happen outside church. This means the existence of female prophets did not negate the prohibition against women speaking in church.
Acts 21:12 And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem.
Take note of the word “begging”. Paul’s companions strenuously tried to talk Paul out of going to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, crying and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Paul knew he was a servant of Jesus. He was willing to do anything, even die, in order to serve Jesus.
Many people desire life to be meaningful and full of purpose. The best way to find meaning is to pursue something that is worth dying for. It is not worth dying in order to accumulate more money; therefore, money does not being fulfillment to life. However, Jesus is worth dying for; therefore, serving Jesus does bring purpose and meaning to life.
Acts 21:14 And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, saying, “The will of the Lord be done!”
Acts 21:15 ¶ Now after these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem.
It is about 54 miles / 87 km from Caesarea to Jerusalem. That journey would have taken at least two days.
Acts 21:16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple with whom we were to lodge.
Acts 21:17 ¶ And after we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.
Acts 21:18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
Acts 21:19 And after he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.
Acts 21:20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;
This verse tells us thousands of Jews became believers. Note the phrase “zealous for the Law”. The Jews continued to obey the Mosaic Law even though they were servants of Jesus.
Acts 21:21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
One of the issues that was debated in the early church was whether or not Gentiles had to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses. The answer to that was clearly no.
A related debate was whether Jews who became Christians had to continue to follow the Law. Apparently, many Jews believed Paul was teaching that believing Jews no longer had to obey the Law of Moses.
Acts 21:22 What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Acts 21:23 Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Acts 21:24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.
I gather from this verse that Paul continued to observe the Mosaic Law. Acts 18:18 gave us an indication of this because that verse tells us Paul cut his hair because he had been under a vow. That indicates Paul was still observing the Mosaic Law.
Acts 21:25 But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should keep from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality.”
Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.
Here we see hard evidence that Paul was still observing the Mosaic Law.
The daughters of Philip were able to serve Jesus via prophecy without ever speaking in church because prophecy is something that can happen outside of church.
What are ways Christian women in the 21st century can serve God without ever speaking in church?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”