It is not altogether clear as to how and why Paul was to be purified. ( Acts 21:24 Acts 21:26) we are not informed. To go in, enter (originally: I shall go in). The elders would have also needed to reaffirm the exceptions, which they did (21:25). Grace Bible Church get to know the Bible better! 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. The us referred to Luke and the delegates from the Gentile churches who had brought the relief fund to the mother church. Share Acts 21:3Now 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. The Jerusalem saints were delighted at the success of Pauls ministry, and they kept on praising God (imperfect tense) for the salvation of lost souls. Paul calls at the house of Philip, whose daughters prophesy. Jeremiah shattered a clay jar to show how God would cause Jerusalem to be destroyed (19:1-13). lustration. 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. To signify the accomplishment of the days of purification . The commander of the fortress was a Roman military officer, the chief Roman authority in Jerusalem. One of these Greek notices was found by C.S. There may have been a greater good (the unity of Jew/Gentile relations) to be accomplished in this case, than whatever negative impressions might have resulted from Pauls offering of a sacrifice. As Jesus himself attested to when he said that Moses wrote of him. Paul agreed to the suggestion. . At this point, in a roundabout way, the prophecy of Agabus had come true (21:11). Perhaps it was Luke who was repeating the four regulations as a literary device for the benefit of his readers. (The commander estimated the Egyptians followers at 4,000, which was probably nearer the correct size, given Josephus tendency to exaggerate.). Fourth, is it possible that Paul went through this ritual as a matter of expediency in an attempt to relieve a tense situation? The Holy Spirit seemed to be expressing a neutral position regarding whether he should or should not go to Jerusalem. So it was a well known fact that Paul was teaching against following the customs of the law. the events of his labors among the Gentiles, giving all glory to God (vv. The mob apparently began beating Paul, probably in the outer court of the temple. CompareColossians 2:14-17. Of Latin origin; Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle. A biblical analysis here, . She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. This decision on the part of the elders in Jerusalem was accepted by the apostle Paul. And they entered the temple to give notice when the days of purification (the ending of each vow) would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented . This position has an obvious weakness. Acts 21:26 Context . Anyway as with every verse that is taken on its own and used to prove a point we need to examine the verse in context and understanding and not simply take a verse on its own and apply our own interpretation into that said verse. In Acts 2:1-13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. This test came through a certain prophet named Agabus, who came down from Judaea. 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" (Acts 21:18-26). 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. Here was the problem: a report had been circulated widely that Paul went about constantly teaching that Jews, especially those who lived in Gentile lands, should forsake, (apostasia cf. In particular, for Paul to participate by: a. Its a logical conclusion, although even if Paul did keep the law, he was an Israelite Pharisee after all, albeit a non practicing Pharisee at the point of Acts 21:26, it would still not actually prove that Paul did not teach against the law. Paul had earlier stated that the Holy Spirit had warned him that he faced prisons and hardships in Jerusalem (20:23; 21:4). 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. Over the seven-day period of his purification in the temple (verse 27) Paul attracts the attention of some 'Jews from Asia', who presumably visit Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost, . They apparently had concluded that Paul opposed any sort of connection with the Hebrew system, which was not true. Rather, Pauls teaching on the abolition of the law had been clear and definitive (cf. They will certainly hear that you have come NIV. Acts 21:26-28. The Jerusalem garrison is thought to have consisted of some equivalent number of troops. Luke again demonstrated his accuracy in details. Jesus was not baptised through need but to fulfill righteousness. To the weak became as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Paul continued this method of being all things to all men that he might by all means win some throughout his book of Acts ministry. Paul may have thought that Judaizers in the church would now claim that he and James had gone back on their agreement. /Cleanliness in the Bible and see if we can date set by Days of Purification between point A to point Z by looping Days of Purification to our time line . Today, we would put such information in a footnote. How was it received? Agabus, foretelling what should befall him at Jerusalem. 4And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. He especially emphasized a few speeches Paul delivered as well as his harrowing sea voyage to Rome. Pauls decision was apparently in his own hands. "Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them" (Acts 21:26). Although it is often stated that Paul offered a sacrifice after the sacrifice of Jesus, a nazarite vow did NOT necessarily involve a sacrifice for sin at all. 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. Inspiration, Authority, and Reliability of the Bib Timeless Truths in Cultural Clothing, by Michael M Is there a Best Version of the Bible? The burden of his heart was the preaching of the truth and he did not count the cost. 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; and they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after their customs. Jesus cleansed himself when he had no need to do so when he was baptised by John. This was the fifth (and final) time Paul had visited the city since he left on his journey of persecution for Damascus (9:1ff). Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. What is it therefore? the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all, this I do for the gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with. 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.. English Standard Version. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. From Pauls epistles, it seems that presenting the offering personally was the chief reason for his going to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1-4;Romans 15:25-27, with 2 Corinthians 8-9). Neither is it clear why the crowd, which was in a hysterical frame of mind, would have even listened to a word of what Paul had to say. With. ( Please subscribe to this page and our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7zBKawK9iRYdUgxIiIbZJg. 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, While it is the case that even an apostle could sin, as indicated above (cf. 8 "The one being cleansed[ a] must then wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water, and so be clean. And like Jesus, Paul declares his willingness to die in Jerusalem for the name of his Lord (21:13). Acts 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: So this is the elders speaking to Paul. Luke continued to reflect the emotional scene surrounding Pauls departure by saying the travelers had to tear themselves away from the elders (21:1). BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. By now he had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (21:9). Moses stands for the Old Testament economy. 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. When they arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received them gladly (Acts 21:15-17). Perhaps the commander thought Paul was an uneducated foreigner, but Paul spoke Greek like a native, without the accent common in Judea. It does not appear, therefore, that this episode can be explained upon the basis of the apostles limited knowledge. It was near the time for that ritual to be consummated by a purification ceremony in the temple. A sacrifice for sin under the law of Moses would only be required if the Nazarite was unclean at the time he was taking the vow. Though these multitudes had become Christians, they had not arrived at the full realization that the introduction of Christianity made the law of Moses inoperative as a redemptive system. Aramaic was the language of Judea, and of those in the eastern Roman Empire who did not speak Greek. , yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Either of those who had accepted Christ as their Messiah or those that had not. When the rioters saw the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul. These believers were all zealous for the law and the Jewish religious customs, as Paul had been (Galatians 1:14). Did the apostle violate the law of God in purifying himself in that ritual? It should be noted in passing that ceremonial purification did not necessarily involve atonement for personal sin. Isaiah walked about naked and barefoot to demonstrate how the Assyrians would humiliate the Egyptians and take them captive (20:2-4). Paul however wasnt forsaking Moses. Could the apostle have purified himself, strictly in conformity to nationalistic Judaismwith no intent whatever of substituting an animal for the precious sacrifice of the Lamb of God? No doubt these were some of the same Jews who had been so hostile to Paul in Ephesus (19:9; 20:19). This decision on the part of the elders in Jerusalem was accepted by the apostle Paul. - 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. 21. 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. Given Lukes tendency for trying to show that Pauls Gentile mission and the Jerusalem church marched together, it seems odd that he would not discuss the offering. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. He correctly described the stages of a coast-hugging ships journey, as well as sea travel in general of those times. 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