15-16. “And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Cæsarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.”
A lovely spirit was displayed in those who companied with Paul! They earnestly begged him not to go to Jerusalem, but when he refused their pleas, they ceased trying to persuade him, though they didn’t cease journeying with him. The Lord Jesus will never leave us. Do we display this same spirit towards our dear brethren who may not always heed our advice?
17. “And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.”
Though their reception at Jerusalem was very sweet, it was not God’s mind that Paul be there. The fellowship and love of our brethren are not substitutes for obedience to the will of God. “What saith my lord unto his servant?” and “What saith the scripture?” must ever be our guides.
18-19. “And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.”
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.”
“The fear of man bringeth a snare.” Here we see the first of the influences which caused Paul to lose his liberty large numbers filled with religious zeal. Though spiritually free from “the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:11Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)), the Apostle’s deep love for the Jews brought about his physical imprisonment. We must not allow “numbers” or “misguided religious zeal” to hinder the precious truth we are to live and preach.
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.”
The second influence was the pressure of Jewish prejudice to adapt the gospel of grace to the demands of the law “forsake Moses... walk after the customs.” Today there is great pressure to preach a popular gospel palatable to the flesh. Love and grace are emphasized at the expense of righteousness and truth. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (who is “the way, the truth and the life”) and that in perfect balance (John 1:14,1714And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)).
22. “What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.”
The third influence which led to Paul’s imprisonment was peer pressure “the multitude... will hear... thou art come.” The word spoken by Peter is to be our guide “we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:2929Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)) never the demands of the multitude.
23-24. “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.”
These influences brought an appeal for compromise, associating the liberty Paul enjoyed in Christ with the bondage of Jewish ordinances (“vow... keepest the law”). Spiritual leaders pressed the issue. The compromise even required that Paul pay the expenses of their vows (see JND translation)!
The grace of God is a free gift (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)). How great the cost when we compromise the gospel with man’s religion, which makes demands of the flesh.
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.”
The Jewish disciples were correct as far as they went. But they did not fully understand the truth that in Christ there was no more Jew or Gentile, but one body (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)). Christ had brought both together in one new man (Eph. 2:14-2214For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having 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; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:14‑22)).
26-27. “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. 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.”
28. “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 hath polluted this holy place.”
These who stirred up the people used religion as their excuse, but they were without faith in and love for the God they claimed to honor. They were concerned about (1) the people, (2) the law, (3) this place (the temple), and (4) exclusivity (brought in Greeks). Such principles of legality mark those who reject the person of Christ and His truth, while holding to a mere outward religious veneer of form.
29. “(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)”
How quick we are to judge appearances. “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:2424Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24)).
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.”
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.”
When Philip preached the gospel to the outcasts in Samaria, there was “great joy in that city” (Acts 8:88And there was great joy in that city. (Acts 8:8)). When Paul tried to accommodate Jewish demands and prejudice in Jerusalem, the result was an uproar. We cannot mix man’s religion with God’s gospel. Only through the Word of God, spoken in truth by the power of the Spirit of God, can blessing be brought through the grace of God to lost souls.
Ed.