And we, having completed the voyage, arrived from Tyre at Ptolemais, and having saluted the brethren, we remained one day with them.
Paul's ship follows the Syrian coast from Tyre and puts in at Ptolemais. There he and his companions find believers already living in the town. Luke records the stop in one sentence. Yet it shows how Paul spent that day: with the Christians of the port.
An old harbour under a new name
The port Luke names had a long past before the gospel ever reached it. A Bible dictionary traces the history packed into that one place-name:
A seaport on the Mediterranean, about 30 miles south of Tyre. It fell to Asher's share, but Asher failed to take it. The Old Testament mentions it only in Judges 1:31. During the era of the Ptolemies one of them captured it and called it PTOLEMAIS… The Crusaders later besieged and took it, and called it ACRE.
A town Israel once failed to take now holds a company of Christians. William Kelly notes both the name and the mood of the visit:
They arrived at a port called Accho in days gone by, now St. Jean d'Acre. It was only for one day, but how gladly they spent it with the brethren! For there were believers at Ptolemais, apparently already known.
Believers in every port
Paul plants no church here. He finds one. Another writer shows how far the gospel had already spread along this coast:
Paul's party take ship once more, following the Syrian shore to Ptolemais, which we now call Acre. Again they find disciples there. Few towns were now without them, no doubt.
Why he kept stopping
Kelly sees purpose in the run of short stays on this journey, and an example for readers who travel far more easily than Paul could:
The apostle had so many hindrances in the way. We can understand how he might feel the comfort of these repeated stays — seven days in one place, seven days in another, as we have seen. They clearly show the desire of his heart for fellowship, and for strengthening their souls. This is what we find in this blessed man's course. In our small measure it surely ought to be so with us.
The greeting and the name
The ESV says they greeted "the brothers." Older translations read "the brethren," and one writer lists this verse among examples of how Christians spoke of each other:
In apostolic times, Christians generally knew one another by the name "brethren"… "we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren and abode with them one day" — Acts 21:7… "All the brethren greet you" — 1 Cor. 16:20.
One day, then on to the storm
One writer follows the party from this one-day stop to their next rest:
Reaching Ptolemais, they stayed one day with the brethren. Then they moved on by land to Caesarea. Under the roof of Philip the Evangelist they found rest, hospitality and surely a most hearty welcome. Here they stayed many days — a rest for Paul after all the tiring travel of the voyage, and a little time of quiet before facing the storm at Jerusalem.
What the fellowship of saints did for Paul
Later in the same book Paul reaches Puteoli, where believers meet him and cheer him. One writer draws the lesson for anyone who thinks maturity outgrows the need for other Christians:
He was a spiritual man, in close touch with God and dependent on Him. Even so, he was not above thanking God and taking courage from the love and fellowship of saints, whose spiritual stature may have been much below his own. It is striking to see this, and very encouraging for us. Let us be very careful not to despise, or even underestimate, the value of the fellowship of saints.
Summary
- Harbour. Ptolemais was old Accho, a town Asher failed to take (Judges 1:31). Later rulers renamed it. Now it held a company of believers.
- Found. Paul planted nothing here. He found disciples already in place, for few towns were now without them.
- Greeted. "Brothers" was the ordinary name Christians used for one another. This verse is one of the clearest examples.
- One day. The stop was short, but they gladly gave it to fellowship. Paul stopped like this all along the way, for fellowship and to strengthen souls.
- Courage. Such visits were no luxury, even for a great servant. Paul himself thanked God and took courage from believers of smaller stature — days before the storm at Jerusalem.