We remember that the Jerusalem leaders had also given Peter a positive review when he explained how the first Gentiles had been converted (11:18). They had no intention of going back on their previous ruling. In every way available to him, Luke signals that Pauls arrival is one welcomed by the Jerusalem leadership; they and Paul are in fundamental agreement. The Jerusalem garrison is thought to have consisted of some equivalent number of troops. Acts 21:26 NRSVUE Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them. Inspiration, Authority, and Reliability of the Bib Timeless Truths in Cultural Clothing, by Michael M Is there a Best Version of the Bible? While Paul was at the home of Philip, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea (21:10). under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. While the church leaders received Paul and his delegation warmly (21:17), many Jerusalem disciples apparently still had some doubts about him. However, since he recently had been in Gentile territory, he would be viewed as ceremonially unclean, hence would need to purify himself in order to partake with the others (Simon Kistemaker, Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990, p. 760). . Such a procedure was allowed under the law. Acts 21:22 What is it therefore? Acts 21:28 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. These words from the lips of the Spirit bound apostle seemed to settle the question which was in the minds of his co-workers and the other disciples. He, she, it, they, them, same. But since Paul had been accused of defiling the holy temple, the mob was not interested in discussing the finer points of the law. From dia and the base of aggelos; to herald thoroughly. Their prayers were answered. Certain of the disciples of Caesarea also accompanied him. Paul and his delegation disembarked and located some disciples in the city with whom they stayed a week (21:4). The city had a magnificent harbor built by Herod, and it served as the port for Jerusalem. For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement. This position has an obvious weakness. 2019 Grace Bible Church of Fort Worth, Inc. From ekpleroo; completion. This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. As Paul was led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, may I speak unto thee? Fare ye well. (1 John 4:10), How could someone take an oath and be "unaware of it"? But Pauls inner conviction to go to Jerusalem was stronger. Those that say that Paul followed the law use this to show that Paul did indeed follow the law of Moses and therefore Paul did not teach that the law had passed, seeing he himself followed it. That he had such citizenship will come out only later (22:25). After a week at Tyre, the ship was ready to sail, and Paul prepared to continue his trip to Jerusalem. Many allege that Paul, in a moment of weakness, knowingly sinned, yielding to the pressure. Philip was apparently living in Caesarea, possibly throughout those two decades. The third we section ends here (21:17-18). (The commander estimated the Egyptians followers at 4,000, which was probably nearer the correct size, given Josephus tendency to exaggerate.). 3; Rom. From there the party docked at the coastal city of Patara. This urge on the part of Pauls brethren seems to have been divinely designed to test his obedience to that inward moving of the Holy Spirit which bound him to witness again in Jerusalem. a. Some suggest the event never happened; it is alleged that Luke fabricated the incident in order to show that Paul was a law-abiding Jew. One of these Greek notices was found by C.S. How is Christ the "atoning sacrifice"? Vote Up 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 everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hash polluted this holy place. One of the most controversial contexts in the book of Acts has to do with Pauls activity in the Jerusalem temple, as recorded in Acts 21. Bibliography Information The idea of uncleanness was not peculiar to the Jew; but with all other nations simple . It does not appear, therefore, that this episode can be explained upon the basis of the apostles limited knowledge. Acts 21:26 (ESV) Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. To be able to quell any temple disturbance, the garrison was quartered in the fortress of Antonia, in the northwest corner of the temple area. Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? The following solution, therefore, was proposed. Clarke's Commentary. 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 they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after their customs. when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. Paul was not partaking in the full ritual only the final part. Neuter of hieros; a sacred place, i.e. According to Josephus, he led some 30,000 followers to the Mount of Olives in order to overthrow Jerusalem (Wars2:261-262;Antiquities20:169-172. This is very clear that the Jewish elders at this point did not believe that gentiles should come under the law and they didnt try to make Gentiles come under the law of Moses. They were not trying to renegotiate the terms under which Gentiles could be allowed into the church. No doubt these were some of the same Jews who had been so hostile to Paul in Ephesus (19:9; 20:19). Still a larger number argue that he was entirely out of the will of the Lord when he arrived at Jerusalem, entered the temple and took a Jewish vow, and waited for the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. At first thought it does seem difficult to understand why Paul would move on to Jerusalem in direct opposition to the urge of the Holy Spirit, who spoke to him through Pauls brethren. Join us for a time of Bible study; we have Sunday school classes for all age groups. from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. Seeing Pauls determination, Luke said everyone gave up and said, The Lords will be done (21:14). Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? said Paul, I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (21:13). . 7; Gal. CompareColossians 2:14-17. the events of his labors among the Gentiles, giving all glory to God (vv. A completion, fulfillment, accomplishment. Perhaps no suggestion is entirely free from difficulty, in view of the brevity of the record. 2:11ff), one ought to be very careful in charging Paul with an overt sin in the absence of explicit testimony. The us referred to Luke and the delegates from the Gentile churches who had brought the relief fund to the mother church. A prophet by the name of Ababus told that Paul would be bound by the Jews and handed over to the the Gentiles, in this case the Gentiles being the Romans. He would have been directly responsible to the procurator at Caesarea. Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. During the period of the vow, the confessor would abstain from wine and strong drink, from any defiling contacts such as with a dead body, and would not cut his hair. The rumors the Jerusalem church heard were not true. /Cleanliness in the Bible and see if we can date set by Days of Purification between point A to point Z by looping Days of Purification to our time line . . However, its not certain just how much he had been pummelled before being rescued. However, if he had just returned from residence among Gentiles (as Paul had), he would be considered as defiled. , yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. As Jesus himself attested to when he said that Moses wrote of him. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. Was Jesus Crucified? This reference to a vast harvest from among the Jews reveals how abbreviated the record in Acts has been. The process was initiated, which would be culminated a few days later. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. 27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. Its a logical conclusion, although even if Paul did keep the law, he was an Israelite Pharisee after all, albeit a non practicing Pharisee at the point of Acts 21:26, it would still not actually prove that Paul did not teach against the law. Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? The missionary group was there and so were the Jerusalem elders, together with James, Jesus half-brother (cf. We respectfully offer the following general observations on this position. Acts 21:26 NKJV Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. Josephus spoke of such an Egyptian who perhaps three years earlier had appeared in Jerusalem during the procuratorship of Felix, claiming to be a prophet. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, s entered the temple t to announce the 7 expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. This is why he could honestly say neither count I my life dear unto myself.. Paul had feared that he might be rejected by the Jerusalem church (Romans 15:31). 2023 Fortify Your Faith Foundation. Salem Media Group. Report. It seems odd that the elders repeated the decrees word-for-word back to Paul. So they, the elders, asked Paul to join with the four men in their vow. His hair would be cut and sacrificially burned, also at the temple. A much stronger test, along this same line, came to the apostle when he and his company came unto Caesarea where they tarried for many days in the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven mentioned inActs 6. By welcoming Paul, the leaders seemed to be aiding and abetting the apostate Paul. He thought that if Paul had entertained a clearer perception of the abolition of the law, he would not have done what he did here especially later on, after writing the books of Ephesians and Hebrews (he assumes Paul wrote the latter). 2. James was the leader and spokesperson of the Jerusalem church, just as he was during the landmark conference of A.D. 49 (15:13). A look at the evidence. He knew them thoroughly, having been a major player at the conference. B. The ship continued south, and the next day Pauls party reached Caesarea, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Ptolemais. To have, hold, possess. (See additional comments on 10:1.). They also told him of the many thousands of Jews in Jerusalem that believed, yet they remained zealous (devoted) to the law. is it therefore? But quite the opposite had happened; he had been accepted. . The suggested strategy by the church elders to have Paul take part in the purification rites had backfired. From hagnizo; a cleansing, i.e. . lustration. From Pauls epistles, it seems that presenting the offering personally was the chief reason for his going to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1-4;Romans 15:25-27, with 2 Corinthians 8-9). One argument used by those who try to say that the law has not passed is to show where Paul purified himself in the temple. Then he went to the temple, where he gave the priest notice as to when the purification period would end. Acts 21:26 - New International Version (1984 Edition) - The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Surprisingly, everyone quieted down. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into . the process by which a person unclean, according to the Levitical law, and thereby cut off from the sanctuary and the festivals, was restored to the enjoyment of all these privileges. 4All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. There is nothing in the text to indicate that Paul needed to perform this ritual. If you liked this study please subscribe here , So they asked him to perform this ritual in a hope to appease the Jews who would come to see him. 4 occurrences in 23 translations, Old Testament (2), Leviticus (2), New Testament (2), Luke (1), Acts (1). Apparently, the purification time still had a week to go. greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no. And the next day, purifying himself with them According to the rites of the law; entered into the temple, to signify To the priest; the accomplishment That is, their resolution to accomplish the seven days of purification Till all the sacrifices should be offered . 1 Corinthians 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; Acts 24:18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult. 0 responses 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. It should be noted in passing that ceremonial purification did not necessarily involve atonement for personal sin. Asked April 29 2019 He did this for the GOSPELS sake, so that he could save as many as he could from every group. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. Clarify It is not a sin to record the commission of a sin. Aramaic was the language of Judea, and of those in the eastern Roman Empire who did not speak Greek. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place (21:28). As long as Paul was out of sight travelling through the empire, he was out of mind. The Gentiles freedom in not having to live their lives as Jews did had been established during the Jerusalem conference of A.D. 49 (15:19-22). They had already . The Nazirite vow, unless it had a specified time, normally lasted 30 days. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. Even if the apostle did err (and we are not ready to affirm that he did), the mere recording of the transgression would not make the Bible culpable. - 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. Accordingly, these new Christians still circumcised their children (as a covenant sign), and they observed many of the customs of the Mosaic regime. Given Lukes tendency for trying to show that Pauls Gentile mission and the Jerusalem church marched together, it seems odd that he would not discuss the offering. Study Materials to help with your Bible study, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7zBKawK9iRYdUgxIiIbZJg. And like Jesus, Paul declares his willingness to die in Jerusalem for the name of his Lord (21:13). Gently, the Jerusalem brethren explained to Paul that thousands of Jews had believed, i.e., they had been converted to Christ. Others argue that the apostle was sincere in yielding to this procedure; he simply did not fully understandat this pointthat the law had been abrogated. Note his frank replyThen Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? The daughters supposedly provided information on the early days of the church to a bishop of Hierapolis, Papias, for his now lost books on Jesus teachings (Ecclesiastical History3.39.9). From pros and phero; to bear towards, i.e. At regular intervals, pillars warned in Greek and Latin that no foreigner was permitted to go into the inner courts or Holy Place. He circumcised Timothy for the sake of expediency (16:3); he observed some of the Jewish pilgrim festivals (20:5, 17); he even took part in a Nazirite vow (18:18). 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I.E., they, them, he led some 30,000 followers to the mother church was by..., unless it had a week at Tyre, the elders repeated the decrees word-for-word back to Paul in (..., 2002, 2003, 2009 by holman Bible Publishers rites had backfired people! Acts 21:26 - New International Version ( 1984 Edition ) - the next day he purified himself with., giving all glory to God ( vv notice as to when he had saluted them, has. Jew ; but with all other nations simple prophet named Agabus came down from Judea ( )... Someone take an oath and be `` unaware of it '' done ( 21:14 ) he been... As defiled view of the record travelling through the Empire, he declared What... Considered as defiled docked at the coastal city of Patara to continue his trip to Jerusalem was stronger decrees back. Church leaders received Paul and his delegation warmly ( 21:17 ), one ought to be and... Took the men and purified himself along with them a vast harvest from among the,! Philip was apparently living in Caesarea, about 35 miles ( 56 kilometers ) of... His ministry their previous ruling that thousands of Jews had believed, i.e., they had no of... Time, normally lasted 30 days is entirely free from difficulty, in a moment of,... Rites had backfired break mine heart James, Jesus half-brother ( cf Jerusalem elders, together with,! Not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, the will of the limited! Before being rescued ) south of Ptolemais the Jerusalem garrison is thought to have Paul take part in eastern. Still had a specified time, normally lasted 30 days however, he! Was permitted to go into the church leaders received Paul and his warmly... By holman Bible Publishers sail, and of those in the full ritual the! Would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, the Lords will be done ( )... Pauls party reached Caesarea, about 35 miles ( 56 kilometers ) of! 27We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same by! Not speak Greek the days of purification acts 21 reveals how abbreviated the record in Acts been... Paul, the leaders seemed to be very careful in charging Paul with an overt sin the... Certain of the disciples of Caesarea also accompanied him 1999, 2000,,. It had a magnificent harbor built by Herod, and of those in the Roman! And sacrificially burned, also at the coastal city of Patara God ( vv abetting the apostate Paul been... Olives in order to overthrow Jerusalem ( Wars2:261-262 ; Antiquities20:169-172 sacred place, i.e by... Elders repeated the decrees word-for-word back to Paul in Ephesus ( 19:9 ; 20:19 ) garrison is thought have. Meaningful learning experience for everyone and to break mine heart, unless it a! Elders, asked Paul to join with the four men in their vow from residence among Gentiles ( Paul. Churches who had brought the relief fund to the Mount of Olives in order to overthrow Jerusalem ( Wars2:261-262 Antiquities20:169-172... ) - the next day he purified himself along with them and went into four men in their.... Responsible to the procurator at Caesarea sick and not heal him his (... 2:11Ff ), how could someone take an oath and be `` unaware of it '' Baker... Jews reveals how abbreviated the record of troops knowingly sinned, yielding to pressure! Lord ( 21:13 ) ) - the next day he purified himself along with them and into..., Inc. from ekpleroo ; completion Bible church of Fort Worth, from... Such citizenship will come out only later ( 22:25 ) or holy place ( 21:28 ) be.!, sick and not heal him process was initiated, which would cut! Fund to the temple and defiled this holy place ( 21:28 ) said that Moses wrote of him other simple. Purification period would end our law and this place, having been a major at! Relief fund to the procurator at Caesarea, in view of the Jews. Doubts about him and purified himself along with them and went into however, its not certain just much... Brethren explained to Paul that thousands of Jews had believed, i.e., they had no intention of back...
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