Acts 21:8

Tuesday, 17 October 2023

On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Acts 21:8

The Greek reads, “And on the morrow, they about Paul having gone out, came to Caesarea. And having entered into the house of Philip, the evangelist – being of the seven – remained with him” (CG).

In the previous verse, the missionaries had completed their voyage from Tyre to Ptolemais. Having arrived there, they greeted the brethren and stayed one day with them. Next, it now says, “And on the morrow.”

It is the completion of the one day spent with the brethren in Ptolemais. At this point, various manuscripts read differently in the next words. In some, it says, “they about Paul,” meaning those who accompanied him on the journey. In other manuscripts, those words are not included.

If the words belong in the text, it is telling us that not everyone who is mentioned in the previous verse would continue the travel. Maybe some who had accompanied him to Ptolemais were staying there, or it may simply indicate that those they visited in Ptolemais would not be accompanying the team when they departed. Regardless, now that the missionaries were heading to Caesarea, those who were his companions on the journey continued the travel toward Jerusalem. That is seen in the words, “they about Paul having gone out, came to Caesarea.”

This is now Paul’s third recorded visit to Caesarea. His other visits were in Acts 9:30 and Acts 18:22. Once they arrived in Caesarea, it next says, “And having entered into the house of Philip, the evangelist.”

It is the first of three times the term “evangelist” is seen in the Bible. The other two times are in Ephesians 4:11 and in 2 Timothy 4:5. It indicates one who shares the good news, meaning the gospel. More specifically, however, it is the person’s vocation. This then would include preaching the entire message about salvation in Christ. In Ephesians 4, it says this, demonstrating that evangelists are an integral part of what God has ordained in order to meet the goals of the church –

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16

Of Philip, it says, “being of the seven.” This is referring to the seven chosen deacons of Acts 6. After being a deacon, he was part of the dispersion after the death of Steven in Acts 8:5, having gone to Samaria to preach the gospel there. Later in Acts 8, he was the one told by the angel of the Lord to preach to the Ethiopian eunuch. After that, Acts 8 finished with these words –

“But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.” Acts 8:40

As for their arrival at the house of Philp, it next says that they “remained with him.” The duration of the stay is not stated, but they will eventually leave the area in verse 21:15.

Life application: It is the duty of every Christian to share the gospel. However, only some make it their full-time vocation. It is a calling of the Lord, and when He calls, He will supply what is needed for the person to accomplish his mission. This was true of Philip. It should be noted, though, that Paul was present at the time of Stephen's death, condoning his execution.

The meeting here between Paul and Philip shows that truly all things are new in Christ. Philip fully received Paul as an apostle. His work as an evangelist would not make any sense if he preached forgiveness and salvation through Christ, but he then failed to forgive Paul himself. There is new life in Christ.

Even if you are not an evangelist, if you are a believer in Christ, it is your ever-present duty to tell others about your faith in Him. If not you, then who?

Glorious God, help us to forgive what should be forgiven. Help us to speak what should be spoken. Certainly, this means that we should never withhold the news about the love You have displayed in the giving of Your Son for our sins. Help us to be bold and to speak. May it be so to Your glory. Amen.