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The book of Acts

The arrival of Paul in Jerusalem

Chapter 21:15 to 26

 

In Caesarea, Paul, Luke and their companions made ready and went up to Jerusalem, accompanied by some of the disciples from Caesarea. It was a walk of about eighty kilometres, which would take them three to four days.

Upon arriving at Jerusalem, the brethren received them with joy. The account of Paul's missionary journeys ends here, and the rest of the book deals with his imprisonment, trials in Jerusalem and Caesarea, his trip to Rome for trial in the court of Caesar and some events during his first two years in that city.

The next day Paul went with his companions to meet James, and all the elders joined them. James was the eldest son of Joseph and Mary, and humanly a half-brother of our Lord (Galatians 1:19). He had been prominent among the elders of the church of Jerusalem, being mentioned even before the apostles (Acts 12:17, 15:13 etc.). He also wrote the epistle that bears his name, considered the oldest of all. No mention is made about the presence of an apostle at that meeting, but they may have been included among the elders, or away on their mission to evangelize and make disciples.

Paul began by telling them what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry and testimony, which caused considerable joy to them and they praised God for it. In Romans 15:31, we find that Paul was apprehensive, so much so that he asked the brethren in Rome to strive in prayer with him that he might be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, that his service for Jerusalem might be acceptable to the saints and that he might come to be with them in Rome with joy by the will of God.  

The elders soon expressed the dissatisfaction that had appeared in Judea against Paul's ministry: thousands of Jews had believed the Gospel (see those who converted at the beginning - 2:41, 4:32.), but they were still zealous for the law, which means that not only did they continue to fulfil its precepts, but demanded that the other Christians also did it.

Worse still, in Jerusalem a rumour had spread that Paul taught all converted Jews who had gathered in churches with the Gentiles to forsake Moses, not to circumcise their children nor live according to the customs of the Jews. The Jews undoubtedly had twisted the reality because Paul did not teach such a thing.

The elders did not ask Paul to explain himself but, as all would soon know his presence, they advised him to show in a practical way that he still obeyed the rituals of the nation of Israel. They had with them four men who had taken a vow, and He could join them and be purified with them, also paying their expenses. It involved shaving his head, a visible evidence to everybody that he also walked orderly and kept the law, and so refuting that rumour.

This would not affect Gentile believers, as the elders in Jerusalem had already declared in a letter that the Gentiles were not required to submit to the Law of Moses, but should only abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality (15:20).

This passage has given rise to different explanations made by good Bible expositors to answer the question: Would Paul be acting against New Testament principles when he made a Jewish vote to God that involved a sacrifice?

The same grace of God, which enables the believer not to submit to the Law of Moses, also allows a Jew to continue to obey its precepts because he believes that in so doing he pleases God. We know that Peter, even after he was converted and filled with the Holy Spirit, still obeyed the customs of the law, and had to learn the lesson given in the vision of unclean animals before entering the house of the centurion Cornelius.

Paul explained the attitude that Christians should take with respect to this paradox as follows:

1. The mark of the nation of Israel (circumcision): “Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called... Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters" (1 Corinthians 7: 17-20).

2. Food: “food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse ... therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. " (1 Corinthians 8: 8,13).

3. Humility to avoid scandal and lead others to Christ: "though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more:

   • to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.

   • to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak.

   • I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some.

   • Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you" (1 Corinthians 9:19 to 23).

We do not know what was this vow was that the men made. In Numbers 6:1-21 we read of the Nazarite vow, and there we find the practice of shaving the head and offering sacrifices, but otherwise it does not seem to be the same thing.

The next day, Paul did what the elders had asked: after cleansing with those men, he entered the temple and declared the term for accomplishment of the days of purification and the offering that would be made individually for them.

It is not right to criticize Paul for doing what the elders of Jerusalem asked. It was God's grace that enabled Paul, a Jew, to win Jews to Christ, by giving up the freedom he had in Christ. If he were a Gentile, it would be questionable for him to adopt a custom of the Gentiles. On this basis, we understand the action of Paul.

What he did pleased the elders and Jewish brethren who preserved the Jewish customs for peace of conscience, showed his love and consideration for brethren who had vowed, and turned the Gospel a little more acceptable to the people. It was all for the glory of God and for the benefit of the Gospel.

It is an example of humility and dedication (to the detriment of self-esteem and spiritual pride), which is beneficial to us all.

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

15 And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem.
16 Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge.
17 And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

 

 

 

 

19 When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law;

 

 

21 but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.
23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.
24 Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.
25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality."
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.

Acts chapter 21, verses 15 to 26