The Book of Acts Chapter 21
Originally posted
General Comment: Throughout Luke's report of
Paul's missionary travels we read of numerous occasions of hospitality
(table fellowship) offered to Paul and his companions. Although such
hospitality was (and is) an inherent feature of Semitic culture, it also became
the vehicle by which Jewish Christianity spread so quickly from village to
village in Palestine and then to larger communities. The initial mission of the
evangelists was to the people of Israel, in accordance with Jesus'
commissioning of the Eleven (1:6-8).
Ironically the cultural norm of hospitality by the Jewish people
would promote the new religion they would ultimately reject. A number of
years ago one of the members of our evangelism team developed a ministry in her
neighborhood. On certain days she would invite friends to have coffee and
dessert with her in her kitchen. She would take the opportunity to speak of her
church and what it meant in her life and that of her family. She
would always include an invitation to her Sunday class and worship, an invitation
that was frequently accepted. This is how the church grows, at the table (LK 10:5-9). This is how the church is
sustained, at the Table (MK 14:22-24).
Acts Chapter 21:1-16 Paul's
Journey to Jerusalem
Our
eyewitness provides us with a detailed account of Paul's final journey from
Ephesus to Jerusalem. A number of coastal cities are named: Cos, an island
near the southwestern coast of Asia Minor; Rhodes, an island south of Cos and
the location of the huge, 120 foot bronze statue of Apollo,
the Colossus of Rhodes; and Patara, a port city of Lycia on the southern
coast of Asia Minor. At this port Paul changed ships, from the smaller coastal
vessel to the larger vessel used for open sea travel. They sailed on
the open sea, passing Cyprus on the left and landing at Tyre in eastern
Syria, a journey of more than three hundred miles. Here there was an
established Christian community and Paul stayed among the believers for
seven days. From Tyre Paul sailed south to Galilean Ptolemais, finally
ending his sea travels in Caesarea Maritima. Here Paul stayed several
days with Philip the evangelist who had led the early mission among the
Samaritans (8:4-8, 14-17) and
had converted the Ethiopian Eunuch (8:34-38).
Caesarea was also the city where the first Gentile was converted to
Christianity (10:44-48).
Luke
mentions Philip's four virgin daughters who have the spiritual gift of prophecy
as an introduction to Agabus, the prophet from Jerusalem whom we first met in
Antioch where he had predicted (in the Spirit) the widespread famine during
Claudius' reign (11:27-30). He
appears in Caesarea specifically to speak about Paul. In an acted prophesy he
takes Paul' belt and binds his hands and feet. Using an introduction similar to
the ancient prophets of Israel (Thus says the Lord), Agabus says "Thus
says the Holy Sprit." Through his actions he predicts that Paul will be
bound by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles. The use of these
words is meant to reflect the conditions under which Jesus was handed over
to Pilate by the Temple authorities. Knowing this to be the case, the believers
fear for Paul's life and attempt to persuade him not to go to
Jerusalem. He will have none of this tearful display of concern. He
is prepared to suffer anything including his own death in Jerusalem on
behalf of the name Jesus (as a witness to faith in Jesus). Such a
sentiment was a hallmark of the early Christian attitude toward
martyrdom. Paul will one day write of his many sufferings and, as did
Peter, he will rejoice that he was considered worthy to suffer as Christ did (5:40-42). No doubt Paul understood that
his continuing mission would one day come to this and he had steeled himself
for that moment.
After
several days Paul, and with a number of believers from Caesarea accompanying
him, he set out on the overland route to Jerusalem where he was to stay with
Mnason of Cyprus.
Acts Chapter 21:17-26 Paul
Visits James at Jerusalem
The
day after Paul's arrival in Jerusalem he paid a visit to James and the church
Elders. He gave a full report of his mission work among the Gentiles.
There were some present who were concerned about how many of the Jewish
Christians would react to Paul being in the city. Paul was widely seen in
the light of Gentile (Hellenistic) culture and his close proximity to
it. There was a difficulty in separating the Jew from the cultural association.
In addition, these Jewish Christians were "zealous for the law." They
had heard rumors that Paul was trying to convince the Jews of the Diaspora to
forsake their traditions, specifically circumcision of male children
and the dietary laws (a charge made by the authorities against Stephen).
In order to head off any public criticism the Elders recommended that Paul
make a clear demonstration of his own adherence to the law, that he does
"observe and guard the law." There were four men under a Nazarite vow
(Num. 6:1-5) who were ready for
its completion and for the required rite of purification before the
priest (Num. 6:13-20). If Paul
would go through this rite with them and pay for having their hair cut,
this would convince the skeptics of his steadfast piety. Paul had no problem
with such a proposal. He was a Jew and in his own life he practiced his Judaism
and had never preached among the Jews any doctrine of the abandonment of their
tradition. Of course he understood that such adherence was of no consequence
with respect to one's entry into God's Kingdom, but it was the tradition that
defined a people and their history neither of which should be forsaken. So
the next day Paul and the four men purified themselves (through a ritual bath).
He entered the Temple precincts with them, made offering to the
priest for the cutting of their hair, thereby releasing the men from their vow.
Acts Chapter 21:27-36 Paul's
Arrest in the Temple
Pentecost
was a one of the three pilgrimage festivals and Jews would gather from
Palestine and the Diaspora. Some of those who attended were from Macedonia,
Greece and Asia (western Asia Minor). Among them were a number of pilgrims who
heard Paul preach in their Synagogues and had strongly rejected his message (19:8-10). When they saw Paul walking in
the Court of the Israelites they began to shout and draw attention to Paul as
the one who had been teaching against Moses, the law and the Temple. Not
only that, they said he had brought Greeks into the Temple. Of course he
had not done any of these things and the Greek was a Gentile
believer from Ephesus that they had seen with Paul in the City, not the
Temple. All truth laid aside, the uproar was afoot. Paul was dragged out
of the court and the huge doors were shut.
Fortunately
for Paul the attempts to kill him were interrupted by the opportune
intervention of the Roman soldiers who were garrisoned in the barracks of
the Antonia Fortress overlooking the Temple area. Once the Tribune (commanding
officer) was informed he sent a large detachment of soldiers and their
Centurions to quell the riot and get Paul out of harms way. The Tribune had
Paul arrested and chained, assuming he was the instigator of the
violence. The Tribune asked the crowd who this man was and what
he had done but there was so much shouting he couldn't get any clear
answers. He ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. The press of those
still trying to kill him was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers as
the rioters followed shouting their threats.
(Acts Chapter 21:37-39 is an
integral part of Chapter 22)
No comments:
Post a Comment