" And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people." - Acts 21:22-39
Paul has arrived in Jerusalem, and as is his wont, makes no delay in presenting himself to the church elders there, recounting his experiences, and glorifying God! the church elders join him in approbation, but soon their attention is drawn to the issue of what to do with him now... and beginning here, we will see how the enemy uses lies half-truths, and confusion to stir up opposition to the people of God.
1. Half-truth - Paul is subverting the Jews
" And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. "
This is what is infuriating and causing even right-minded Jews to be led astray into opposing Paul and the Gospel. It was what got Jesus killed, because He told his disciples that the "Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." Truly, new wine, cannot be put into old bottles, as the ritualistic, traditionalistic mind, cannot comprehend the deeper spiritual truths of the Gospel... the Law is to be written in the HEART, not abolished, but fulfilled ! The Temple in Jerusalem was soon going to be destroyed, preventing ALL the Levitical customs from being observed. What would be left, would be the moral and civic laws... which should have been enough to regulate the nation of Israel.
For the Gentiles, and new believers, ALL they were required to do, was to observe Jesus' commandments, abjure idol worship, blood drinking and adultery. From what we have seen of Pagan justice, and civil law (in the judicious decisions of Pilate, Gallio, and the townclerk of Ephesus), the greeks did not need to be taught civic sense. The Roman Centurion praised by Jesus, or the Syro-Phoenician woman, did not need to be taught faith. Cornelius did not need to be taught Charity. Even Paul, wrote,
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; " - Rom 2:14-18
The Gentiles are AS righteous as the Jews, having the Law ALREADY in their hearts (the Conscience given to all men), and by obeying their Conscience, they KNOW GODS WILL, and UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXCELLENT already! To this observance, the early church wisely instructed them about things that they were ignorant about - idolatry, blood, and adultery - that would bring down the wrath of God on them! Conversely, the Jews, by focusing on circumcision and traditions to the EXCLUSION of Love and Mercy, were missing the mark on a daily basis!
2. A Lie - Paul has brought Gentiles into the Temple
"For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) "
Along with the half-truth about Paul, the Jews from Asia in Jerusalem, added the charge that Paul had brought greeks into the temple. "This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. " The basis for this accusation was that they had earlier seen Paul with Trophimus the Ephesian, in the city, and putting 2 and 2 together, made 10!
Desecration of the temple was a charge sure to fan the flames of hatred, among educated, and uneducated alike, and it was the most potent accusation that they could have used to create a riot! That is what we see ensuing, and "all the city was moved, and the people ran together:". This went viral before the term was coined!
3. Confusion & Mistaken Identity
"Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? "
The Chief Captain of the temple guard was brought down by the riot, and was under the impression that Paul was another person entirely. Josephus, in Jewish Antiquities, 20.8.6, recorded an event that occurred three years before this riot at the temple. An Egyptian came to Judea and told people if they joined him at the Mount of Olives, he would destroy the walls around Jerusalem, and they could rebel against the occupying Roman forces. Felix, the governor, found out and sent horsemen and footmen who attacked the would-be revolutionaries. They slew 400 and took 200 alive, but the ringleader disappeared. Apparently, the Captain was familiar with the events at that time, and seeing a full blown riot breaking out, supposed that the same person was back stirring up other people!
What was Paul actually doing?
"Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. "
He was trying to follow the Law!!!
This is a classic example of how even the best intentions of pious people can be subverted by lies, half-truths, & confusion. This is how churches that start out with doctrinal purity, slowly veer away from the straight & narrow, and get mired down with busyness, tradition, and legalism.
Paul will make the first of many arguments in his defence, beginning with his declension on the steps of the temple to the assigned multitude recorded immediately after our text above -- as per the prophecy of the Elders - "the multitude must needs come together" - for Pauls witness to them as a testimony....
.... However, the chains that bind him will now not come off till he leaves this earth. In the remaining chapters of the book of Acts, we see how the civil authorities react to Paul - The chief Captain (Claudius Lysias was his name) , A centurion, the Jerusalem High Council, Felix, Porcius Festus, & Herod Agrippa.
Pauls last journey is to Rome, which is recounted in Acts 28, where one last appeal is made to the Jewish leadership in Rome, but his words fall on deaf ears. The book closes, with Paul living under house arrest in Rome.
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. - Acts 28:30-31
Thus ends the saga of Paul/Saul, a man who shows what it is to be born again, how the Grace of God can use even His most violent opponents to become ministers of His Gospel! His life is an exemplar of the Christian walk, serving in anonymity in Tarsus/Antioch, being called of the Spirit to a work, faithfully discharging his mission, and persevering to the end! Beyond what is recorded in Acts, the fragrance of his life and thoughts are memorialized in his letters to the Church, and it is evident how God had shaped him from his birth -- from instructing him in the law at the feet of Gamaliel, being of the tribe of Benjamin (A son of consolation indeed, if ever there was one), and an able minister to Jews, Greeks, Romans, and the entire earth!
Hallelujah!!
