Acts 21:9-14 Paul in Caesarea, warned of captivity in Jerusalem

Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied, but a prophet from Judea came to give Paul the message that confirmed both what he knew and what had been told him in Tyre, with just a bit more detail. Agabus did not say that Paul should not go to Jerusalem, only what would happen when he got there. Then both Paul's traveling companions and the believers in Caesarea begged him not to go. This must have been quite difficult for Paul, but he was determined that the he was called to go there. He was prepared to make his life count to the uttermost, regardless of the personal cost.

          This degree of commitment is rare in our day, but not unknown. There are still missionaries who travel to lands to preach the gospel in difficult circumstances, knowing often that the personal cost will be high. The Deseret News listed, in 2005, the names of 177 Christian missionaries who had died in the period from 1999-2005. There is no focus geographically or culturally; the rejection of the gospel and the murder of those who proclaim it has continued from the earliest days of the church to the present. Hebrews 12:1 speaks of the great cloud of witnesses that surround us, as an encouragement to reject and overcome the temptation to sin. Revelation 17:6 describes the great harlot who is drunk with the blood of the saints and the witnesses. Paul describes his view of his own martyrdom in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, where he says

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Paul is careful not to say that he will receive a special reward because of being martyred. The crown of righteousness is laid up for all who love Jesus' advent (Gr. epiphaneian). But he says very clearly that he had contended in the excellent contest, he had finished the run, and he had kept the faith. Perhaps we can infer from this that these are the elements of the drive that he had to get to Jerusalem and bear Christ's name and the gospel there.

          It might be an interesting debate on why Paul had to go to Jerusalem. The gospel had certainly been preached there, definitely on the day of Pentecost, and subsequently in the first twelve chapters of Acts. But it was the springboard for his journey to Rome. Perhaps that was the ultimately purpose behind his journey to Jerusalem - that he would ultimately get to proselytize in Rome, which he could not do on his own.