July 2nd

By Randall L. Broad

Read: 2 Kings 20-22:2; Acts 21:18-36; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 18:9-10

In today’s reading of the Book of Acts, Paul goes to report to James and the Jerusalem Church all the things he had accomplished amongst the Gentiles.

This narrative in the Book of Acts draws our attention to significant problems within the church during the first century. In Jerusalem, Christianity was seen as a Jewish sect; but it was a growing sect threatening the leadership of the Jewish temple. The Roman’s viewed Christianity as a “cult” but they were alarmed by the growing tension within Jerusalem and Judea. Interestingly, the terms “cult” and “culture” are derived from the verb “to cultivate”–which means “to grow”. Christian culture was growing throughout the region, but today’s reading highlights two significant obstacles the church faced in the first century. Many Jewish Christians were uncomfortable with the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Kingdom of God and secondly, many of the Jews outside of Jerusalem were concerned about the things Paul was teaching regarding the Law of Moses.

In the verses preceding today’s reading, Paul is warned against even returning to Jerusalem (Acts 21:1-16) after completing his third, and what will be his final missionary journey (Acts 18:23-19:20). We sometimes forget Paul was a controversial figure when he was alive. Many remembered the persecutions of Saul that scattered the disciples following the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1), and now they are uncomfortable with his “self-proclaimed” mission to carry the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles. Paul is warned by the Holy Spirit through the prophet Agabus about the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and what was to happen upon his return.

¹⁰After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “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.’ ”

Acts 21:10-11

Despite their warnings and prophecies Paul goes willingly to Jerusalem aware the Jews are against him. Ironically, these verses tell us the ones who opposed him were not the Sanhedrin and the Scribes who crucified Jesus, but rather the Jewish Christians meeting in the temple–followers of Christ. Paul reports to James (vv. 18-19) who praises his efforts but shares the concerns of the Jewish believers in the temple:

²⁰ After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the Law of Moses very seriously. ²¹ But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. ²²What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Acts 21:20-22

James offers Paul a way to prove himself to his doubters.

 ²³so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. ²⁴Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.

Acts 21:23-24

Paul goes to the Temple as he is instructed by the church leaders, does what he is told, but as he goes back to complete the purification ritual trouble begins. The remainder of today’s reading describes the accusations of the Jews from Asia, the riots that follow, and Paul’s arrest by the Roman authorities.

²⁷ The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, ²⁸ yelling, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Temple—and even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles.” ²⁹(For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.)

³⁰The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. ³¹While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. ³²He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

³³The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. ³⁵When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. ³⁶The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”

Acts 21:27-36

Today’s Christianity reflects the refinement of Paul’s thought and theology but in his time the unity between the Christians meeting in the temple and the Gentiles was very fragile. Gentiles were not allowed in the temple and the Jewish Christians could not imagine worshipping God anywhere else. The Jewish converts in Jerusalem envisioned a new faith built on the Laws of Moses and traditional Jewish customs.  It was difficult for them to see how the Gentiles were to be included in the practice of the new faith. Paul was teaching a Christ-centered message powered by the love of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit that embraced all nations and people. Theology and practice were in conflict with each other as the early Christians struggled with defining the continuities and discontinuity of the teachings of Jesus and the traditions of their religious past. In hindsight, we know the Kingdom Jesus promised is a universal faith but it was not going to be possible to include both groups while the church was still meeting in the temple.

In our reading today all these forces clash in Jerusalem and the result is a riot and the intervention of the Roman authorities subsequently leads to Paul’s arrest. His arrest sets in motion events that will eventually lead to his martyrdom and the destruction of the temple. During Paul’s captivity he will write some of his deepest theological works on the spirit-filled life in what become known as the “Prison Epistles” which includes Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Today’s reading also represents a point in the Book of Acts where the Roman authorities unintentionally become participants in the building of the church. In today’s reading, they save Paul’s life. In time through the persecutions of Agrippa they will scatter the church and in A.D. 70 they will destroy the Jewish temple. There has never been a central temple since. God in his wisdom replaced it with the church and the synagogue–distinct places for Jews and Christians to respectively worship God in their own way.

Walk with the Lord …

Ephesians 1:17

(RLB230702)

© Copyright 2018: Randall L. Broad

Disclaimer: This commentary is written by Randall L. Broad. It is in no way affiliated with or represents any denomination, university, church, or pastor. Any errors or omissions are purely my responsibility.