Jesus allowed himself to be baptised for the remission of sins, even though he had none and had zero need to be baptised of John, but for the sake of his mission. (The commander estimated the Egyptians followers at 4,000, which was probably nearer the correct size, given Josephus tendency to exaggerate.). His hair would be cut and sacrificially burned, also at the temple. Paul reported in great detail on his missionary journeys and the impact of the gospel among the Gentile populations. A completion, fulfillment, accomplishment. 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. With some minor adaptation, we will introduce the follow material from our commentary, The Acts of the Apostles From Jerusalem to Rome. Luke had left Philip at Caesarea at the end of a missionary tour some two decades earlier (8:40), and this is his only reappearance in the book. Their testimony is as followsAnd when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done (Acts 21:14). 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. Fare ye well. Paul apparently had ceased teaching the importance of at least one of the four regulations. Most likely the church would have liked to help Paul, but it was powerless to intervene. 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. Acts 21:26-28. Other Translations of Acts 21:26 King James Version. 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. Agabus came in, took Pauls girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles (Acts 21:8-11). 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. Acts 21:27-29 MSG When the seven days of their purification were nearly up, some Jews from around Ephesus spotted him in the Temple. Then, on the next day he left on a rugged trip into the next town, Derbe. (His attempted defense before the Sanhedrin in 23:1-9, a fourth speech, never really got under way.). Luke again demonstrated his accuracy in details. [b] Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven days. 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. Its possible Paul initially objected to the elders suggestion of participating in the purification ritual. And like the Jerusalem leaderships response to Peters defense of his Gentile initiative, we find the brothers giving glory to God, (11:18), which is Lukes signal for a recognition of Gods visitation. This question being settled, Pauls company took up their luggage and went with him unto Jerusalem. Join us in the auditorium for a time of praise and singing and the study of Gods Word. New Living Translation So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. But quite the opposite had happened; he had been accepted. This was a Nazarite vow, This wasnt a requirement for all Jews to perform only those wishing to become a Nazarite (which could be from 30 days-to a lifetime). And they entered the temple to give notice when the days of purification (the ending of each vow) would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented . The charter still stood, with the exceptions set down at the conference. How did Paul get his letters out of jail? The, the definite article. Another Jew might associate himself with a Nazirite by paying for his offering, something that was regarded as a devout deed. For the sake of unity and to help the Jerusalem church, Paul agreed to follow its urging and join the purification rites of the four believers. When Paul was given a license to speak, he beckoned with his hand unto the people. In order to put this matter into proper focus, some background relative to the passage needs to be considered. But due to Lukes silence, we do not know for sure. . Acts 21:26 Context. It was a popular port-of-call for large vessels plying such eastern Mediterranean areas as Macedonia, Achaia, Asia, Syria, Judea and Egypt. Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular. undergo an eight day purification - Num 6:9-12 3. Paul and a delegation from Antioch had earlier met with Christians in Phoenicia (and presumably in Tyre) on their way to the Jerusalem council (15:3). The Tarsus of Pauls day was an important center of Hellenistic culture. The Acts of the Apostles From Jerusalem to Rome, 1 Peter 1:22 You Have Purified Your Souls, The Law of Moses: Some Metaphors Considered, An Instructive Episode in the Ministry of Paul, Some Character Traits of Paul, the Apostle. Who said, canst thou speak Greek? He himself would have to undergo a separate purification rite. The commander then decided to take Paul into the Antonia barracks (21:34). He correctly described the stages of a coast-hugging ships journey, as well as sea travel in general of those times. While the church leaders received Paul and his delegation warmly (21:17), many Jerusalem disciples apparently still had some doubts about him. 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). - 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. In the final analysis, I must say this. Community answers are sorted based on votes. 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. Earlier, the disciples at Tyre had also strongly urged Paul not to go (21:4). By welcoming Paul, the leaders seemed to be aiding and abetting the apostate Paul. Paul was not partaking in the full ritual only the final part. Report, November 23 2019 We will learn later that the Roman military contingent in the city could afford to send some 470 soldiers to escort Paul to Caesarea, so it must have been at full strength (23:23). 1.b. Here is Lukes record of the incident in question. Deepen your knowledge of Scripture. 18-19). Acts 21:26. /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 . http://netbible.com All rights reserved. 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. But since Paul had been accused of defiling the holy temple, the mob was not interested in discussing the finer points of the law. James and the elders recognized that Gods direction had been present in Pauls work, and Luke wanted to point this up. He had him bound with two chains and demanded who he was and what he had done. Some of the confused Jews cried one thing and some another and when he could not find out who Paul was and what he had done because of the tumult he carried him as a prisoner unto the castle. Acts 21:20 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: So this is the elders speaking to Paul. As a commander (Greek,chiliarchos), Lysias was the leader of a thousand or the head of a cohort. At full strength, the cohort would have consisted of a thousand troops, including foot soldiers and horsemen. Mnason must have been a well-to-do member of the church. A biblical analysis here, . Now surely Paul . Agabus had appeared in Lukes account when he prophesied of a severe famine that would eventually touch much of the Roman world (11:27-28). This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. At this point, in a roundabout way, the prophecy of Agabus had come true (21:11). now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Meanwhile, some in the mob were still trying to get at Paul, so he had to be carried by the soldiers into the fortress (21:35). 5:2ff). What could be done to defuse this volatile situation? Lead to, tender, treat. So it was the will of the Lord that Paul go to Jerusalem but through the holy spirit he was warned of what would happen once he got there, in order to prepare him for such consequences. Paul had not opposed observing certain elements of the law provided the intent was not to seek justification on that basis. 0 responses Pauls decision was apparently in his own hands. Paul chose to go to Jerusalem, and was willing to suffer the consequences of his actionwhich he did. 20And 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; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. Philip was apparently living in Caesarea, possibly throughout those two decades. The term believed is employed to summarize their obedience to the gospel. He took some soldiers, and they ran into the crowd to disperse it (21:32). For example, individuals journeying by sea would have to find available ships and accept delays caused by loading and unloading cargo. of Asia--in all . Being purified with the men - Ac 21:24 1) Not as the vow keepers; Nazarite vows were 30 days . Paul had just arrived in Jerusalem, against the advice of disciples in Tyre who were led by the spirit to warn Paul. Bible Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Purification, Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Bible Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Purification, Bible Dictionaries - Smith's Bible Dictionary - Purification, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Purification, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Acts (1) Related Phrases. 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. From hagnizo; a cleansing, i.e. Most of this series was written by Paul Kroll, a journalist working for Grace Communion International. He would have also taken care of the offering to be made by each of the four men. Paul had admonished Timothy to do the work of an evangelist in supervising the affairs of the growing church at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). . That is, until the Jews as a nation were set aside according toActs 28:25-28. All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED. All rights reserved. Join us for a time of Bible study; we have Sunday school classes for all age groups. touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written, concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from. The remaining chapters of Acts will be devoted to about four years of Pauls life, all of it spent as a prisoner of the Roman government. The shout was similar to that which greeted Jesus in about the same spot over a quarter of a century earlier (Luke 23:18;John 19:15). It is not altogether clear as to how and why Paul was to be purified. The commanders conclusion that Paul was that Egyptian is perhaps not too unreasonable, given the circumstances. The elders reaffirmed the Gentiles freedom by pointing out the same four regulations that had been part of the earlier decree (21:25). He was not disappointed. 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. Acts 21:27 The Voice (VOICE) 27 The seven days of purification were almost completed when some Jews from Asia recognized Paul in the temple. Paul also asked the commander for permission to speak to the people, which he received. All rights reserved. After silencing them he spoke in the Hebrew tongue. 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, out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all. Jesus was not baptised through need but to fulfill righteousness. Paul began his defense in Aramaic, which caused the crowd to be even more attentive (21:40). Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural. The fact that he had the name Claudius probably means that he received his citizenship under the reign of this emperor, and took his name as a token of honor. May 09 2019 It is not a sin to record the commission of a sin. Did Paul sin when he purified himself in the Jerusalem temple, according to the record in Acts 21?. Since Paul seemed to be the focus of the disturbance, the commander arrested him, and ordered that he should be bound with two chains (21:33). Paul quickly identified himself as a Jew. 26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Though these multitudes had become Christians, they had not arrived at the full realization that the introduction of Christianity made the law of Moses inoperative as a redemptive system. 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; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law of Christ), that I might gain them that are without law. It was decided and agreed upon that they were NOT to be compelled to come under the Jewish law. 23 And this I do for the gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. . The Nazirite vow, unless it had a specified time, normally lasted 30 days. Chapter 28 Pauls Last Message to National Israel (Acts 28:16-31), Chapter 27 Sailing With Paul (Acts 27:1-28:15), Chapter 26 Paul Speaks For Himself Before Agrippa (Acts 26:1-32), Chapter 25 Paul Before Festus (Acts 25:1-27), Chapter 24 Paul Before Felix (Acts 24:1-27), Chapter 23 Paul Brought Before the Chief Priests (Acts 23:1-35), Chapter 22 Paul Addresses the Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-30). Not only were the four purified, but so was Paulthough likely not for the same reason. that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. First, the notion that Luke invented this narrative to buttress his personal agenda is unworthy of any consideration. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. Then he told Paul: The Holy Spirit says, In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles (21:11). The following solution, therefore, was proposed. According to traditions the church historian Eusebius preserved, Philip and his daughters later moved to Hierapolis in the province of Asia. Numbers 6:3He shall separate himself 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. Very good results were obtained in both groups. for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. , 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: For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. See how Acts 21:26 ranks against other Bible verses and view it in context with surrounding scriptures in several versions. This showed that Luke knew about the offering (how could he not know about it, since he was part of the delegation?). Then he suffered him. He did not want to dishonour the temple of the Jews who still were under the law. The Seven Days of Purification. Why he should have been startled to hear Paul speak Greek is not clear, since it was the lingua franca of the Roman world at the time. apostasy) Moses. Acts 21 is the twenty-first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. Could the apostle have purified himself, strictly in conformity to nationalistic Judaismwith no intent whatever of substituting an animal for the precious sacrifice of the Lamb of God? Paul was actually preaching the Messiah, Jesus, who was encompoused in Moses. The Voice translation 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society To offer a sacrifice redemptively would have been wrong; but there is no proof that such was Pauls intention. But the zealous Christian Jews of Jerusalem were concerned lest the rumors were true, that Paul was telling Jews to stop observing their ancestral customs. Either of those who had accepted Christ as their Messiah or those that had not. for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Clarify 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. If the apostle could circumcise Timothy as an expediency, with no design of associating the ritual with salvation (as was sometimes done Acts 15:1), why could he not have done the same with reference to a sacrifice? Jesus was not baptised through need but to fulfill righteousness. 2:11ff), one ought to be very careful in charging Paul with an overt sin in the absence of explicit testimony. When the rioters saw the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul. 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. 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