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 commander estimated the Egyptians followers at 4,000, which was probably nearer the correct size, given Josephus tendency to exaggerate.). . That he had such citizenship will come out only later (22:25). "and she shall remain in the blood of her purification for sixty-six days.". Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. To have, hold, possess. . Purification was effected by bathing and washing the clothes ( Leviticus 14:8 Leviticus 14:9 ); by washing the hands ( Deuteronomy 21:6 ; Matthew 27:24 ); washing the hands and feet ( Exodus 30:18-21 ; Hebrews 6:2 , "baptisms", RSV marg., "washings;" 9:10 ); sprinkling with blood and water ( Exodus 24:5-8 ; Hebrews 9:19 ), etc. [d], 10On the eighth day he[e] must take two flawless male lambs, one flawless yearling female lamb, three-tenths of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a grain offering mixed with olive oil,[f] and one log of olive oil,[g]. We as readers of Acts already know the accusation is false. By welcoming Paul, the leaders seemed to be aiding and abetting the apostate Paul. chapter 15). The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. NKJV - 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, . Paul was not partaking in the full ritual only the final part. These believers were all zealous for the law and the Jewish religious customs, as Paul had been (Galatians 1:14). Acts 21:26, NASB: Then Paul took along the men, and the next day, after purifying himself together with them, he went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them. Lukes account is hazy on exactly what Paul did. oremus Bible Browser : Acts 21 3. At the time that. Jesus cleansed himself when he had no need to do so when he was baptised by John. And these discussions were not mere passing allusions, as were Peters brief references to the Gentiles in Acts 2 (which he did not comprehend at the time, cf. where he is apprehended, and in great danger, but by the chief captain is rescued; and requests, and is permitted to speak to the people. This would be done so that the Jews in general might see that Paul was walking orderly, observing the law. Gentiles, of course, were under no such constraints, as indeed the conference in Jerusalem had established (chapter 15). Not only were the four purified, but so was Paulthough likely not for the same reason. 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. Very good results were obtained in both groups. Gently, the Jerusalem brethren explained to Paul that thousands of Jews had believed, i.e., they had been converted to Christ. He himself read the decrees to a number of churches. But Pauls inner conviction to go to Jerusalem was stronger. At Patara, Pauls party changed ships and boarded a large merchant vessel that would travel non-stop to Tyre, a distance of about 400 miles (644 kilometers). His hair would be cut and sacrificially burned, also at the temple. It is even more difficult to understand how Paul, the writer of the book of Galatians, could go so far as to take the vow referred to in this 21st chapter of Acts. We never find Paul submitting himself to the practices of shadow day forms and ceremonies after the turning point referred to inActs 28:28. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, s entered the temple t to announce the 7 expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. In the same way that Paul purified himself even though he had no need to do so. The Jerusalem garrison is thought to have consisted of some equivalent number of troops. If Paul is indicted of sin, so are James and the Jerusalem elders, for they asked him to do what he did. We will soon learn that his name was Claudius Lysias (23:26). 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). John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 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; 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. Another Jew might associate himself with a Nazirite by paying for his offering, something that was regarded as a devout deed. following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. Paul was at one with the rest of the Jewish Christian element of the church. Why did Paul purify himself at the Temple? Acts 21:26 - New International Version (1984 Edition) - The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. The idea of uncleanness was not peculiar to the Jew; but with all other nations simple . Who was the father of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ? Rather, Pauls teaching on the abolition of the law had been clear and definitive (cf. Paul was a Jew and was entitled to pass beyond the dividing wall into the inner courts. (See additional comments on 10:1.). Then, at that time. Samson was a Nazarite for a lifetime, not just for seven days like Paul (Acts 21:27). The title the Seven was complementary to the Twelve, and perhaps they had a special ministry to Hellenistic Christian Jews. The Jews seized Paul and began shouting, Help us! This urge on the part of Pauls brethren seems to have been divinely designed to test his obedience to that inward moving of the Holy Spirit which bound him to witness again in Jerusalem. He had him bound with two chains and demanded who he was and what he had done. Some of the confused Jews cried one thing and some another and when he could not find out who Paul was and what he had done because of the tumult he carried him as a prisoner unto the castle. A Jewish woman had to be purified following the birth of a child (cf. offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. 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. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus, an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple). The united urge of these brethren brought a definite response from the apostle Paul. (The mob said Paul had brought Greeks into the temple, that is, more than one. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural. Acts 21:22 What is it therefore? take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave, heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but. 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. Less than $5/mo! Many of the Old Testament prophets had begun their oracles with the words, Thus says the Lord (Isaiah 3:16;Jeremiah 2:31;Ezekiel 4:13;Amos 3:11;Nahum 1:2;Haggai 1:6;Zechariah 1:16). Does Jesus forgiving sins mean that he is God? This reference to warnings of the Spirit picked up the thought that in every city the Holy Spirit had been warning Paul of the hardships awaiting him in Jerusalem (20:23). 21. Surprisingly, everyone quieted down. 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. 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). the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation, the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put. Each (of more than two), every one. Tools. Is God omnipresent? Paul and his delegation disembarked and located some disciples in the city with whom they stayed a week (21:4). There may be a third reason why the elders repeated the four prohibitions stated in Acts 15. There were four Hebrew men who had placed themselves under a vow (likely a Nazarite vow). After all, they contend, if Peter could sin (Gal. 2. Allusions to this rite are found in Psalms 26:6 ; 51:7 ; Ezekiel 36:25 ; Hebrews 10:22 . "But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation;". 27 Now when the seven days were almost ended, u the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and v laid hands on him, By now he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (21:9). It is not altogether clear as to how and why Paul was to be purified. 1. It was decided and agreed upon that they were NOT to be compelled to come under the Jewish law. (The Acts of the Apostles,372). Paul had admonished Timothy to do the work of an evangelist in supervising the affairs of the growing church at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural. Community answers are sorted based on votes. CompareColossians 2:14-17. Agabus came in, took Pauls girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles (Acts 21:8-11). Verse Acts 21:26. We would offer, however, the following observations. Thats when the riot began. Paul was telling the commander he was no uneducated anarchist from Egypt, but came from elsewhere, a cultured city of the empire. This position has an obvious weakness. A look at the evidence. After silencing them he spoke in the Hebrew tongue. Acts 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. 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. But Paul was adamant that he was going to Jerusalem and would not only be willing to be bound for the name of the Lord but he was willing to die for it. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. They grabbed him. McGarvey contended that the apostles understanding was limited at this point New Commentary on Acts of Apostles, 1892 Reprint, Delight, AR: Gospel Light, II, p. 208). Acts (1) Related Phrases. . 8The one being cleansed[a] must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. We have a new and better covenant that is not guided or ruled over by the traditions of man. Isaiah walked about naked and barefoot to demonstrate how the Assyrians would humiliate the Egyptians and take them captive (20:2-4). One of the most controversial contexts in the book of Acts has to do with Pauls activity in the Jerusalem temple, as recorded in Acts 21. Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular. from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Pauls girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. When the period of the vow was over, the vow-taker would present an offering in the temple. Numbers 6:3He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. It was also the Roman provincial capital of Judea. And like Jesus, Paul declares his willingness to die in Jerusalem for the name of his Lord (21:13). For example, the case of the leper ( Leviticus 1314 ,14), and of the house defiled by leprosy ( 14:49-53 ; see also Matthew 8:2-4 ). Acts 21:26 NRSVUE Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them. apostasy) Moses. Lead to, tender, treat. Acts 21:26. The multitude followed, crying, away with him. This reminds us of the cry against Jesus Christ. Luke continued to reflect the emotional scene surrounding Pauls departure by saying the travelers had to tear themselves away from the elders (21:1). No doubt, he was also an elder in any church that might have existed in the Caesarea area. We have already been told in Acts that Paul does not teach against the Jewish Torah in and of itself. Luke was pressing the similarity and wanted readers to note it. But people were shouting different things, and with the din of the crowd, confusion reigned. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their . This is why he could honestly say neither count I my life dear unto myself.. It was the Diaspora Jews from Asia who started the riot. 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 The Voice Update. Still a larger number argue that he was entirely out of the will of the Lord when he arrived at Jerusalem, entered the temple and took a Jewish vow, and waited for the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. At first thought it does seem difficult to understand why Paul would move on to Jerusalem in direct opposition to the urge of the Holy Spirit, who spoke to him through Pauls brethren. 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). At the completion of such a vow, offer the following at the tabernacle (temple): a. . Here is the problem: Why would Paul, knowing that the Mosaic regime was obsolete, submit to a purification ritual, that would appear to convey the impression that Christs blood was insufficient as a medium of cleansing? The idea of uncleanness was not peculiar to the Jew; but with all other nations simple ablution sufficed: no sacrifices were demanded. sanctify. 1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Such a procedure was allowed under the law. The following day the apostle, along with the four men, went to the temple where the sacrifices would be offered. in its legal and technical sense, is applied to the ritual observances whereby an Israelite was formally absolved from the taint of uncleanness. Was it David or Elhanan? Fare ye well. Why the commander allowed Paul to speak is not clear. Luke again demonstrated his accuracy in details. A series of four treatments was performed at 14-day intervals in both groups. The death penalty was applicable only to a Gentile who had violated the ban. He could go to Jerusalem or not. He did this for the GOSPELS sake, so that he could save as many as he could from every group. He correctly described the stages of a coast-hugging ships journey, as well as sea travel in general of those times. Paul also asked the commander for permission to speak to the people, which he received. The us referred to Luke and the delegates from the Gentile churches who had brought the relief fund to the mother church. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. a. In any case, in another situation at Lystra Paul apparently had been stoned into insensibility, but was still able to get up and go into the city (14:14). Numbers 6:13-20 And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: . Some speculate that Lukes silence means that the offering was rejected, and the attempt to demonstrate unity failed. Now 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. Clarke's Commentary. Paul Arrested. While Paul was at the home of Philip, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea (21:10). undergo an eight day purification - Num 6:9-12 3. The process was initiated, which would be culminated a few days later. 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 . The Tarsus of Pauls day was an important center of Hellenistic culture. It was near the time for that ritual to be consummated by a purification ceremony in the temple. 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