Acts 21:20-40 That all may Know That You (Paul) Keep the Law

[Study Aired August 27, 2023]

Act 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:
Act 21:21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  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.
Act 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 things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Act 21:26  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.
Act 21:27  And 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,
Act 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.
Act 21:29  (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
Act 21:30  And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
Act 21:31  And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Act 21:32  Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
Act 21:33  Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
Act 21:34  And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
Act 21:35  And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
Act 21:36  For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
Act 21:37  And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
Act 21:38  Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
Act 21:39  But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
Act 21:40  And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

We will begin this study with the last three verses from our last study to give us some context:

Act 21:17  And when we were come to Jerusalem, [from Caesarea] the brethren received us gladly.
Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

Act 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:
Act 21:21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

When James tells Paul, “The multitude must needs come together; for they will hear that you are come” it is obvious that James is not speaking of unbelieving Jews “coming together” with believing Jews. James is speaking here of the “Many thousands of Jews which believe, and they are all zealous of the law.” It was the believing Jews who had been the victims of all the lies being told by other believing Jews against Paul. Their zeal for the law of Moses made them willing to consider those lies which included the lie that Paul was not walking orderly himself, and that he was teaching the Jews who were among the Gentiles to forsake the law of Moses. It was all a lie, but it was Paul’s own ‘zeal for the law’ of Moses which led him to persecute the church. He understands this, and as we will see, he acknowledges this to his accusers:

Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Being zealous for the law of Moses is the negative application of the word ‘zeal’, and even the Jewish Christians are still hearing Moses in the synagogues every sabbath day:

Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence [G2919: ‘krino’, judgment] is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day [for the Jewish believers in Christ].

A reformation is under way. We have all experienced “the time of reformation” when the Lord begins to drag us out of the churches of Babylon.

Heb 9:10  Which [symbolism of the law of Moses] stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

We each live that experience as we are dragged out of the doctrines and customs of Babylon. Every reformation takes time, and the time required to “take down the middle wall of partition between” the Jews and the Gentiles has not yet arrived when Paul went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea here in Acts 21. The ‘taking down’ of that ‘wall of partition’ between the Jewish and Gentile believers will later be proclaimed in Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, but it will require the destruction of the temple to make it stick with many Jewish believers.

Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was [G2192: ‘echo’, has] yet standing:

Every verb in those two verses of Ephesians two is in the aorist tense except for the “so making peace”, which is the present tense. Taking down the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles typifies the wall of partition between the Lord’s elect and the churches of Babylon while they and their doctrines still ‘have standing’ in our lives with all their “carnal commandments [and] traditions of men.” It is very instructive that the Greek word translated as ‘was’ in Hebrews 9:8 is in the present tense, and is the word ‘echo’, which is most often translated as ‘have’ or ‘has’. The way into the holiest of all is not made known while the doctrines of “the synagogue of Satan”, the doctrines of “Babylon the great” still ‘have standing’ within our hearts and minds. Taking that wall down is a process which takes place in each individual life of the Lord’s elect in every generation of mankind since Christ. The Lord is ‘making both one.’ He is ‘breaking down the middle wall of partition between us, and He is abolishing in His flesh the enmity’ and He is making in Himself of twain one new man…” “The time of reformation” is a process we must all experience in every generation of those who come to know the Lord in ‘this present time’ (Rom 8:18).

That “wall of separation” was still firmly in place for even the believing Jews in Acts 21, including Paul, who must demonstrate that those accusing him of not “walking orderly and keeping the law” are liars, and James wants Paul to do just that in this way:

Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  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 [as a Jewish believer] walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Act 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 things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Paul had no problem with this because that was what he had been doing all along. This “wall of partition” was “the decrees of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem” we read of in Acts 15. They were also the decrees of the holy ghost (Act 15:28). Those decrees agreed that the Jews were still under the law of Moses, and the Gentile churches gladly accepted the fact that it was so and that “they observe no such thing” (Act 21:25).

Paul had circumcised Timothy soon after the Jerusalem conference, and “as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the apostles and elders” who had decreed that the Jews were still under the law even while also decreeing that the Gentiles were not under the law.

Act 16:1  Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Act 16:2  Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Act 16:3  Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
Act 16:4  And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

At that time there was no question whether the Jews were expected to be circumcised and keep the law. The trial at that time was whether the Gentiles had to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. The law of Moses had decreed that anyone seeking to attach himself to the promises made to Abraham had to be physically circumcised.

The decrees of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem changed and reformed that law by decreeing that the Gentiles need not be circumcised or keep the law of Moses. Those decrees united the Jews with the Gentiles at that moment in time as the very next verse indicates:

Act 16:5  And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Paul himself took a vow and shaved his own head just before going up to Jerusalem to “keep the feast” near the end of His second missionary journey:

Act 18:18  And Paul after this [the insurrection made by the Jews against Paul in Corinth, Act 18:12] tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
Act 18:19  And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Act 18:20  When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
Act 18:21  But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

The Jewish apostles were keeping the law even as they delivered the decrees of the apostles and elders which stated that the Gentiles “observe no such thing” (Act 21:25).

Act 21:26  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.

Paul did not hesitate to prove that he was ‘walking orderly and keeping the law.’ It is at this point that the unbelieving Jews in Jerusalem apprehend Paul with every intention of killing him.

Act 21:27  And 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,
Act 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.
Act 21:29  (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

None of these accusations were true. Trophimus is one of the seven men who traveled back to Jerusalem with Paul and Luke, but Paul would never have taken a Gentile into the temple:

Act 20:4  And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

This is the fellow laborer whom Paul had “left sick at Miletum”, indicating that the Lord was cutting back on the many miracles, signs, and wonders which accompanied the establishment of the early church. Contrast this verse about Paul leaving Trophimus sick at Miletum, with all the verses which follow it concerning all the miracles, and signs and wonders and healings which had taken place in Christ’s ministry and in the early ministries of the apostles:

2Ti 4:20  Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

Joh 2:23  Now when he [Christ] was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

Joh 7:31  And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

Joh 11:47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

Mat 8:16  When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Mar 3:10  For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

Act 2:43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

Act 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

Act 21:30  And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

“All the city” means that these are mostly unbelieving Jews who have never believed in Christ and who have never believed that the holy spirit sent Peter to the home of a Gentile Roman centurion to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. These Jews did not believe that Jesus of Nazareth struck Saul of Tarsus down and blinded him on the road to Damascus converting him to become a follower of Christ. All these Jews think they know is what the “Jews of Asia” have told them, and what those liars have told them are the lies of verses 27-29:

Act 21:27  And 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,
Act 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.
Act 21:29  (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Paul would not have even thought about bringing an uncircumcised Gentile into the temple. Paul was living by the decrees of the apostles and elders agreed to by those apostles and elders and the holy ghost in Acts 15:

Act 15:19  Wherefore my [James] sentence [Greek: ‘krino’, judgment] is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day [To the Jewish believers in Christ].

Act 15:24  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

When James says, “For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him”, he is referring to the ministry to Jewish Christians. At this stage, the Jewish synagogues were not yet seen as ‘synagogues of Satan’ – the great harlot of Isaiah 1:21 and Revelation 17-18.

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

It is the very Jews to whom James referred as “of old time… in every city… in the synagogues… every sabbath day” who wanted the apostle Paul dead:

We now have a situation which demonstrates that even wicked men are “ordained of God [as] the minister of God to [us] for good…”

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation [Greek: ‘krino’, judgment].
Rom 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Act 21:31  And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.
Act 21:32  Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
Act 21:33  Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
Act 21:34  And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
Act 21:35  And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
Act 21:36  For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

“Away with him” had a certain finality to it for those who were “going about to kill him.” The use of the phrase “the multitude” indicates that these were, for the most part, unbelieving Jews. Still the apostle Paul asks the chief captain permission to speak to the multitude who want him dead:

Act 21:37  And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
Act 21:38  Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?

Any thinking person would notice that this chief captain’s mistaking Paul for an Egyptian demonstrates that the ethnic Jews of that day were outwardly indistinguishable from Egyptians. It can be conceded that the chief captain was referring to an Egyptian Jew, but the outward appearance of both native Jews and Egyptians is indistinguishable. Both are dark-complected middle easterners.

Act 21:39  But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

Paul spoke to the chief captain in a very respectful and humble spirit, and the chief captain was persuaded to do as he asked.

Act 21:40  And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

This concludes the 21^st chapter of Acts. We will wait until next Sunday to hear Paul’s witness for Christ to the Jews who want to kill him. It is very instructive for us that Paul very much wants to witness for Christ, even to those who want him dead. Paul has learned from decades of experience that most of the Jews in every city he ever visited were not receptive of the gospel. Twice he resolved to “turn to the Gentiles”, first in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch and later in Corinth:

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you [Jews]: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Act 18:6  And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Just as Peter preached to the Samaritans, whom Christ had originally told the apostles to avoid, Paul also continued to witness to his own people because he loved his own:

Mat 10:5  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

Act 8:14  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Act 8:25  And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Rom 9:1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Rom 9:3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: