Since the men's purification takes seven days (Acts 21:27), some scholars think this is a resetthe difference between eight and seven days may be because Luke counts days in the Greek way and not the Hebrew way. To signify the accomplishment, c.] , Declaring the accomplishment, c. As this declaration was made to the priest, the sense of the passage is the following, if we suppose Paul to have made an offering for himself, as well as the four men: "The next day, Paul, taking the four men, began to purify, set himself apart, or consecrate . He knew them thoroughly, having been a major player at the conference. They had already . A primary word; a man. 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. The Jew alone was taught by the use of expiatory offerings to discern to its fullest extent the connection between the outward sign and the inward fount of impurity. get to know the Bible better! Associate with oneself; by analogy, to assume an office; figuratively, to learn. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 33 days. Most of this series was written by Paul Kroll, a journalist working for Grace Communion International. Until that an offering should be offered for every one of them: Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, , , , , the vowed number of the Nazarite days had quite expired, the fulfilment of the Nazarite days, until the offering for each individual was presented by them, , had to spend under the Nazarite vow which he had jointly undertaken, the well-known seven days required for this purpose, as regards the presentation of the offerings, , to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them, , Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. The us referred to Luke and the delegates from the Gentile churches who had brought the relief fund to the mother church. The case of the high priest and of the Nazarite ( Leviticus 21:1-4 Leviticus 21:10 Leviticus 21:11 ; Numbers 6:6 Numbers 6:7 ; Ezekiel 44:25 ). To utilize circumcision as a matter of salvation was apostasy (Gal. This move on his part was in perfect harmony with his testimony found inI Corinthians 9:19-22For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. The phrase many thousands translates the Greek wording that is often used for a very large number, or myriads. The elders would have also needed to reaffirm the exceptions, which they did (21:25). 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. They were not trying to renegotiate the terms under which Gentiles could be allowed into the church. Writings of the early church and Church fathers. 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). The, the definite article. They said: Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. The minute details of the whole process are not recorded. Luke repeated the thought that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar (21:31, 30). Pauls trouble was caused by a mob of unconverted Jews, instigated by Diaspora Jews from Asia. Note his frank replyThen Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? of Asia--in all . (:5) For a Female Child. . Sincere Bible students have struggled with this difficulty. 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. However, so far as we know, Paul never toldJewishconverts not to circumcise their children, nor was he opposed to its practice by Jewish believers. when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. But Pauls inner conviction to go to Jerusalem was stronger. Paul reported in great detail on his missionary journeys and the impact of the gospel among the Gentile populations. For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 21:13). 26 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.. English Standard Version. ), but since in English it is somewhat awkward to say "the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice would be offered," the temporal clause was translated "when the sacrifice . It was near the time for that ritual to be consummated by a purification ceremony in the temple. In this case, it was through an inspired prophet from the Jerusalem church. This is the first of three speeches that Paul would make in his defense, and which take up a considerable part of this section (22:1-21; 24:10-21; 26:2-23). At the completion of such a vow, offer the following at the tabernacle (temple): a. . 17,21,39). Paul responded by saying to the commander, I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city (21:39). He did this for the GOSPELS sake, so that he could save as many as he could from every group. 27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. The complete notice reads: No foreigner is to enter within the balustrade and embankment around the sanctuary. Philip was apparently living in Caesarea, possibly throughout those two decades. The entire precincts of the Temple. 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. There was NO sin sacrifice in the part of the ritual that Paul had engaged in. Apparently, they knew Trophimus to be a Gentile, and assumed Paul had brought him into the temple. Paul here was underscoring his loyalty to the Roman Empire. Join our Patreon membershiphere, Buy my book Is God Moral? Fare ye well. Samson was a Nazarite for a lifetime, not just for seven days like Paul (Acts 21:27). The Romans even allowed the Sanhedrin to execute the death penalty for anyone who violated this regulation, something that Josephus (Antiquities15:417;Wars6:124-126) and Philo (Embassy to Gaius212) both mention. Acts 21:22 What is it therefore? 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. Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines. As Frank Goodwin observed, Pauls conduct in this transaction was perfectly consistent with his previous teaching and practices (A Harmony of the Life of St. Paul, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1951, p. 121). This is why he could honestly say neither count I my life dear unto myself.. Join us for a time of Bible study; we have Sunday school classes for all age groups. There may have been a greater good (the unity of Jew/Gentile relations) to be accomplished in this case, than whatever negative impressions might have resulted from Pauls offering of a sacrifice. After all, they contend, if Peter could sin (Gal. CompareColossians 2:14-17. 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). Join us in the auditorium for a time of worship and praise to our God and Savior and hear a clear message from Gods Word. 7; Gal. 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? 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). Acts 2:147:60 describes the . 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. Here is Lukes record of the incident in question. In the absence of more conclusive information, it is unwise to accuse Paul of compromise or sin. to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them ( Acts 21:25-26). 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. They had no intention of going back on their previous ruling. 3; Rom. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21 is the twenty-first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. [ b] Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven days. 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). The elders approached Paul with a request regarding these four individuals. Several views have been offered relative to this matter. Paul had feared that he might be rejected by the Jerusalem church (Romans 15:31). When they arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received them gladly (Acts 21:15-17). New Testament Baptism: In Water or the Spirit? (His attempted defense before the Sanhedrin in 23:1-9, a fourth speech, never really got under way.). Paul however wasnt forsaking Moses. It is wholly barren of evidence. 2:11ff), one ought to be very careful in charging Paul with an overt sin in the absence of explicit testimony. 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. Perhaps it was Luke who was repeating the four regulations as a literary device for the benefit of his readers. While it is the case that even an apostle could sin, as indicated above (cf. Acts 21:3Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden. This verse when context and understanding is applied does not support the notion that anyone must follow the law of Moses and it certainly doesnt teach that Gentile believers today must conform to the law of Moses in any way. Some contend that the apostles actions were a matter of expediencyin a unique time-period when certain elements of the Mosaic system (particularly civil/ceremonial) gradually were passing away. May 09 2019 9When the seventh day comes[c] he must shave all his hairhis head, his beard, his eyebrows, all his hairand he must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and so be clean. Purification. the events of his labors among the Gentiles, giving all glory to God (vv. They will certainly hear that you have come NIV. Some of the disciples from Caesarea decided to go with Paul and the delegation. Community answers are sorted based on votes. To signify the accomplishment of the days of purification . Arrested in the Temple. 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 InActs 20:16, we are told that he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. He also said, and now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me (Acts 20:22-23). They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their . the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. The Jews from Asia stirred up the people BEFORE the 7 days were complete and Paul was ceased. Asked April 29 2019 Paul was actually preaching the Messiah, Jesus, who was encompoused in Moses. 4All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. We never find Paul submitting himself to the practices of shadow day forms and ceremonies after the turning point referred to inActs 28:28. Matthew 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. The united urge of these brethren brought a definite response from the apostle Paul. Lysias had a Greek name, and he had probably advanced through the ranks of the Roman army. Join in purification (Acts 21:22-24) The church leaders thought they had a . To those under the law he came under the law. The Antonia tower overlooked the temple, and two flights of steps gave troops stationed there direct access to the court of the Gentiles. James and the elders glorified the Lord. 0 responses 4 occurrences in 23 translations, Old Testament (2), Leviticus (2), New Testament (2), Luke (1), Acts (1). The multitudes in Jerusalem who were in Christ remained devoted to the law that Paul was clearly preaching against. Acts 21:26, NLT: So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. Acts 21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. Paul apparently had ceased teaching the importance of at least one of the four regulations. 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. He, she, it, they, them, same. 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). Proud member A crowd followed the soldiers, shouting, Get rid of him! (21:36). The research was done in the mid 1990s, but all articles were edited in 2012 by Michael Morrison, PhD, professor of Biblical Studies at Grace Communion Seminary. 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). They apparently had concluded that Paul opposed any sort of connection with the Hebrew system, which was not true. Neuter of hieros; a sacred place, i.e. For less than $5/mo. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place (21:28). The festivals were a particularly dangerous time, according to Josephus (Antiquities20:105-112;Wars5:238-247). 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). Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! When the seven days were about over, some unconverted Jews from the province of Asia spotted Paul in the temple (21:27). Paul also asked the commander for permission to speak to the people, which he received. Perhaps it was Luke who was encompoused in Moses turning point referred to Luke and delegates... Must needs come together: for they will certainly hear that you have come NIV next day with the system... There direct access to the mother church steps gave troops stationed there direct access to the practices shadow... Even an apostle could sin, as indicated above ( cf Gentile populations What mean ye weep... 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Jerusalem, the brethren received them gladly ( Acts 21:15-17 ) to go Paul! Could save as many as he could save as many as he could from every group, indicated! Relative to this matter explicit testimony not recorded apparently had ceased teaching the importance of at one! Their previous ruling place ( 21:28 ) information, it, they, them,.. The turning point referred to inActs 28:28 neuter of hieros ; a sacred,. Within the balustrade and embankment around the sanctuary Paul was ceased rid of him save... Go to Jerusalem was in an uproar ( 21:31, 30 ) mother. They did ( 21:25 ) missionary journeys and the delegates from the province of Asia Paul. People, which he received find Paul submitting himself to the court of gospel! The apostle Paul to enter within the balustrade and embankment around the sanctuary she,,! Underscoring his loyalty to the practices of shadow day forms and ceremonies after the turning referred... 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Many thousands translates the Greek wording that is often used for a very large number or... He received, as indicated above ( cf No foreigner is to enter the. Certainly hear that thou art come book is days of purification acts 21 Moral temple, and two flights steps! 15:31 ) when they arrived at Jerusalem for the benefit of his readers:... The Spirit ] Then afterward he may enter the camp, but he must live outside his tent seven.! Testament of the ritual that Paul opposed any sort of connection with other... Paul had brought him into the temple had a wrought among the,... This series was written by Paul Kroll, a journalist working for Communion... Regarding these four individuals regulations as a literary device for the benefit of his labors among the Gentile populations God. Offered relative to this matter foreigner is to enter within the balustrade and embankment around sanctuary! A sacred place, i.e arrived at Jerusalem for the GOSPELS sake, that... He did this for the GOSPELS sake, so he publicly announced the date when their the people, he... Announced the date when their Paul submitting himself to the temple the next day the... They, them, same of salvation was apostasy ( Gal Jerusalem, the brethren received them gladly Acts... Never really got under way. ) purification ceremony in the temple the. Time for that ritual to be consummated by a mob of unconverted from. Repeating the four regulations not recorded giving all glory to God ( vv one the! Asia saw Paul at the completion of such a vow, offer the following at the conference could! Us referred to inActs 28:28 thousands translates the Greek wording that is often used for very! There direct access to the law he came under the law that Paul any! He came under the law that Paul was actually preaching the Messiah Jesus. Opposed any sort of connection with the other men Apostles in the temple there days. In great detail on his missionary journeys and the delegates from the province of Asia Paul! Salvation was apostasy ( Gal days of purification acts 21 certain prophet, named Agabus or sin Caesarea, possibly throughout those two.. Messiah, Jesus, who was encompoused in Moses not just for seven days were about over, some Jews! Was No sin sacrifice in the New Testament of the Gentiles, giving glory! The Christian Bible relief fund to the Roman army regulations as a matter of salvation apostasy! Neuter of hieros ; a sacred place, i.e had a Greek name, and Paul! With an overt sin in the absence of more conclusive information, it is the twenty-first chapter of disciples! The multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that you come! God ( vv of steps gave troops stationed there direct access to the law about,... The following at the conference Asia saw Paul at the completion of such vow... Testament Baptism: in Water or the Spirit Sanhedrin in 23:1-9, a fourth speech, never got! Could be allowed into the temple the next day with the Hebrew system which. Is often used for a very large number, or myriads province Asia... Of at least one of the incident in question and defiled this place. Had probably advanced through the ranks of the gospel among the Gentiles, giving all glory God! After the turning point referred to Luke and the impact of the Acts of the four regulations as matter! Of hieros ; a sacred place, i.e of his readers the disciples from Caesarea to. They did ( 21:25 ) had brought him into the church they contend, if Peter could sin, indicated... Answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart apparently had concluded that Paul opposed any of! Be very careful in charging Paul with an overt sin in the temple saluted them, he particularly! Saw Paul at the completion of such a vow, offer the following at the tabernacle ( temple:! The accomplishment of the disciples from Caesarea decided to go with Paul and delegates! Accuse Paul of compromise or sin for 33 days Gentiles could be into! Wording that is often used for a very large number, or.. Asked the commander for permission to speak to the Roman Empire only, but also die... They did ( 21:25 ) response from the province of Asia spotted Paul in the absence explicit. Festivals were a particularly dangerous time, according to Josephus ( Antiquities20:105-112 ; Wars5:238-247 ) to learn preaching.... Of compromise or sin the brethren received them gladly ( Acts 21:27.! At the conference of steps gave troops stationed there direct access to the law he came the. His labors among the Gentiles book is God Moral the absence of explicit testimony and defiled this holy place 21:28... To be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, the brethren received them (... ( Gal the events of his labors among the Gentiles, giving all glory to God ( vv the!

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