Understand the meaning of Acts 21:26 using all available Bible versions and commentary. 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. This was the fifth (and final) time Paul had visited the city since he left on his journey of persecution for Damascus (9:1ff). The united urge of these brethren brought a definite response from the apostle Paul. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell. (They were in Jerusalem for Pentecost, as in 2:5.) of Asia--in all . The following solution, therefore, was proposed. Not only were the four purified, but so was Paulthough likely not for the same reason. Is it wrong to use our own supplies or money to advance Jesus mission? The Jews from Asia stirred up the people BEFORE the 7 days were complete and Paul was ceased. The Gospel According to Jesus: A Faith that Restores All Things, The Voice Bible: Step Into the Story of Scripture, The Voice Bible, New Testament: Step Into the Story of Scripture, The Voice, The Voice of Mark, Paperback: Let Them Listen. 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. But Pauls inner conviction to go to Jerusalem was stronger. It must be added that these Jerusalem leaders probably did not have a completely accurate view themselves as to what Paul was practicing and teaching. This was a reference to the letter that the Elders had written years earlier where at the council of Jerusalem it had been disputed whether the gentiles who were coming to Christ should be made to conform to the Jewish law. 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. 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). Their testimony is as followsAnd when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done (Acts 21:14). From ekpleroo; completion. At the time that. He did this for the GOSPELS sake, so that he could save as many as he could from every group. 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). Earlier, when Paul penned his letter to the saints in Rome, he asked for their prayers to the end that upon his arrival in Jerusalem, the ministration, i.e., gifts of benevolence, might be acceptable to the saints (Rom. oremus Bible Browser : Acts 21 3. The apostle himself had circumcised Timothy in order to prevent offense to the Jews (16:3). the events of his labors among the Gentiles, giving all glory to God (vv. Richard Longenecker writes, They were saying to Paul, We can accept this gift from the churches and so identify ourselves with your Gentile mission, if you will join with these men and identify yourself openly with the nation. Thus they were protecting themselves against Jewish recriminations while at the same time affirming their connection with Paul and his mission (Acts,The Expositors Bible Commentary,page 520). Inspiration, Authority, and Reliability of the Bib Timeless Truths in Cultural Clothing, by Michael M Is there a Best Version of the Bible? 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. take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave, heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but. It should be noted in passing that ceremonial purification did not necessarily involve atonement for personal sin. Acts 21:26 - New International Version (1984 Edition) - The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. On the following day there was a special meeting. The fact that the four men were to have their heads shaved at the end of their vow period indicates they were undertaking a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1-21). Perhaps the elders had heard about what amounted to Pauls departure from the agreement. The Voice (VOICE). Although he himself did not require any purification of the law. 2023 Fortify Your Faith Foundation. In any case, the request of James and the elders had nothing to do with the way Paul was carrying out the Gentile mission. Caesarea was in the province of Judea, but the city was not considered part of the Jews land because of its Gentile population and outlook. By now he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (21:9). 2:11ff), one ought to be very careful in charging Paul with an overt sin in the absence of explicit testimony. Associate with oneself; by analogy, to assume an office; figuratively, to learn. 1. . But quite the opposite had happened; he had been accepted. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. 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). He wrote in his letter to the church in Corinth that there was nothing wrong in eating food sold in the meat market, although most such meat had previously been sacrificed to an idol (1 Corinthians 8:4). 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 on behalf of . where he is apprehended, and in great danger, but by the chief captain is rescued; and requests, and is permitted to speak to the people. There is nothing in the text to indicate that Paul needed to perform this ritual. 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). How did sprinkling an unclean person with the ashes of an "heifer" provide sanctifying and purifying of the flesh? Mnason must have been a well-to-do member of the church. For less than $5/mo. Paul reported in great detail on his missionary journeys and the impact of the gospel among the Gentile populations. 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. 8The one being cleansed[a] must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. The day following their arrival in Jerusalem, Paul went in with his co-workers unto James; and all the elders were present. However, his being ritually unclean after a long residence in Gentile lands seems to explain this adequately. chapter 15). Share NKJV - She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. The burden of his heart was the preaching of the truth and he did not count the cost. Who said, canst thou speak Greek? Acts 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from thingsoffered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. 23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; 24 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. The Jerusalem garrison is thought to have consisted of some equivalent number of troops. In the Mosaic rites of purification is their expiatory character. . lustration. Rather, Pauls teaching on the abolition of the law had been clear and definitive (cf. Several views have been offered relative to this matter. In conclusion it may he observed that the distinctive feature. It was near the time for that ritual to be consummated by a purification ceremony in the temple. There are probably logical explanations for both situations, but Luke chose not to discuss these things in order to keep his account brief and moving along. The group then made preparations for the final leg of the trip to Jerusalem. "THE BOOK OF ACTS" Paul's Perplexing Purification (21:17-26) . And when the days of purification were fulfilled according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord: 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. 12:1ff; Lk. For example, individuals journeying by sea would have to find available ships and accept delays caused by loading and unloading cargo. 8 "The one being cleansed[ a] must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. As Paul was led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, may I speak unto thee? While Paul was at the home of Philip, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea (21:10). Verse Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.- World English Bible - American English Edition - without Strong's Numbers The Image of God in the Bible, by Michael Morrison, Studies in Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians, Studies in the Pastoral Epistles and Philemon, Preaching in the Book of Acts Part 1: Peter, Preaching in the Book of Acts Part 2: Paul, A Harmony of the Conversion and Commission of Paul, Christians and the Law of Moses: A Study of Acts 15, Decree of the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) Part 1: The Literary Flow of Acts 15, Decree of the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) Part 2: The Decrees Purpose, A Harmony of the Conversion and Commission of Paul - Acts 9:1-30; 22:3-21; 26:9-20, Decree of the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). Certain of the disciples of Caesarea also accompanied him. Neuter of hieros; a sacred place, i.e. The commander of the Roman troops quickly heard about the rioting. 2019 Grace Bible Church of Fort Worth, Inc. 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. Then, at that time. Here was the problem: a report had been circulated widely that Paul went about constantly teaching that Jews, especially those who lived in Gentile lands, should forsake, (apostasia cf. Then he suffered him. As the Jews went about to kill the apostle, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar (Acts 21:31). 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. 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