Acts 21:17-36 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Acts 21:17-36

• How do you feel about speaking in front of crowd of people?
• Context:
• Paul has made it to Jerusalem, he is back from his last missionary trip that took 5 years.  Remember he has traveling with him Luke and the men from the Gentile congregations in Greece and Asia in charge of the offerings from their congregation to deliver to the church in Jerusalem.  
• What does Paul know that the Spirit has revealed waits for him in Jerusalem?
• Acts 21:17-19
• 17 When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly. 18 The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
  • What does the use of “we” indicate?
    • That Luke is with Paul.  So we have eye witness testimony of what is happening here.
  • Why does Paul want to see James?  Who is this James?
    • This is the half-brother of Jesus an elder in the church at Jerusalem…Why see him?
      • 1) Paul reported in detail what God had done among the gentiles.
      • 2) To give the collection from the gentile churches to help the poor in Jerusalem.
  • Do you remember the last time Paul met with James?
    • It is back in Acts 15 where it was decided what to do about the Gentile Christians; will they be required to becomes Jews as well…the decision put nothing else on the Gentile Christians.
  • How do the Christians in Jerusalem receive Paul and those with him?
    • Warmly…with open arms.  What news does Paul share with them? What God is doing among the Gentiles in Asia and Greece.  Notice it is in detail…maybe Luke read from his notes. Paul has been gone for 5 years so this may have taken awhile.  James and the elders would have a sense of how the gospel is going into all the world. How the gospel was changing pagan culture.
  • Do you think the news and offering brought would have been encouraging to James and the elders in Jerusalem?
• Acts 21:20-26
• 20 When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands 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 are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to live according to our customs. 22 So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you’ve come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay for them to get their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that what they were told about you amounts to nothing, but that you yourself are also careful about observing the law. 25 With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.” 26 So the next day, Paul took the men, having purified himself along with them, and entered the temple, announcing the completion of the purification days when the offering would be made for each of them.
  • What problem do the elders inform Paul of?
    • See verses 20-22  …You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.   There are malicious rumors about Paul and his ministry circulating in Jerusalem.  If Jewish Christians believe this about Paul it could cause a real problem in the church.
  • What do these Christian Jews zealous for the law think Paul is doing?
    • Changing their ancestral customs. Keeping Jews from being Jewish. Remember the Jews were conquered by the Romans but they were allowed leeway to practice their religious traditions and customs which made them distinct from the rest of the Gentile world.
  • Was this rumor about Paul true?
    • No…but had Paul said and written somethings that could be misconstrued?
      • Galatians 5:2 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.  
      • Galatians 5:6 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
  • What did Paul reject about the O.T. Law?
    • As a means of being made righteous before God…justification only comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
  • Did Paul believe that Jews that became Christians had to give up circumcision, kosher food, and holy day celebrations?
    • No…but that these things did not bring salvation and should not be put as a requirement on others.
  • Does salvation remove cultural distinctions between people?
    • No, it transcends them but does not remove them… 
  • What do the elders suggest to counter the malicious reports about Paul?
    • See verses 23-24 There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.  
  • What is going on here?
    • The elders think Paul should be proactive…by assisting four Jewish Christians in the completion of their Nazirite vow. Paying for the sacrifices and head shaving. What is interesting Paul himself had taken the same vow at Corinth recorded in Acts 18:19.  Paul agrees to do this.
  • After asking Paul to do this the leaders of the church do something interesting look at verse 25… What do they recommit too?  “As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
  • Note: Before Paul could participate in the ceremony of these 4 men he had to be ceremonially clean.  Having come from the Gentile Territories he needed to undergo 7 day purification ritual which meant he had to go inform the priest of the ceremony.
    • Do you find it strange this apostle Paul who writes and preaches about being saved by grace who would never think of putting any of the Jewish custom on the Gentiles still participates in the rituals of Judaism?  Paul never wanted to offend his Jewish country men. He also knew these things did not bring salvation but were part of who he was. Remember he was raised in this all his life.  There is nothing wrong with keeping a vow before the Lord.
  • Note: Paul never gets chance to carry thru his plan…Paul would have needed to make several trips into the temple courtyard in order to carry out certain rites for purification.  On one of these trip everything changed…
• Acts 21:27-36
• 27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. What’s more, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 As they were trying to kill him, word went up to the commander of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in chaos. 32 Taking along soldiers and centurions, he immediately ran down to them. Seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander approached, took him into custody, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. Since he was not able to get reliable information because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul got to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mass of people followed, yelling, “Get rid of him!”
  • Jews from the province of Asia what would they have against Paul?
    • They probably have heard him preach they recognize him.  Remember Paul preached and argued for the gospel in many synagogues in Asia.  Jews did not think much of Paul they were very jealous of Him.  They were already plotting to kill him back in Corinth.
  • What was the two charges against Paul?
    • See verse 28 “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 
  • How serious were these accusations?
    • Very serious the 1st is something that was already being rumored… What was the charge that was laid on Stephen the 1st martyr?  It was the same.  The 2nd charge is even more serious…Paul was in the court of Israel which had a sign posted death to Gentiles that cross over into here.  The Romans took capital punishment from the Jews but this is one thing the Romans would enforce for the Jews. If this is proven true they would have no problem executing Paul.
  • How come the crowd reacted so violently and quickly?
    • Are they trying to bring Paul to the authorities or kill him?  They want to kill him.  Was a Gentile with Paul? No…but that did not matter to the mob.
    • The Romans soldiers save Paul from the crowd and put chains on him…remember they are there to keep the peace.
  • Do they presume Paul is innocent?
    • How hard was it for them to get Paul out of the temple?  Since it speaks of a plurals number of officers (Centurions) probably 200 soldiers.
• TAKE AWAY
  • Were the Holy Spirit’s predictions true?
  • What might we learn from this?
  • The elders of the church were concerned about the rumors about Paul but they were also concerned about reconciling and proving the rumors false.  Do you think they were concerned about peace in the body?
  • Do you think Paul was concerned about doing nothing that would further aggravate the situation?
  • When do we decide to bend for the sake of others and when should we stand for your principles?
    • Depends we should not compromise the truth but we are given liberty we can compromise.