It’s amazing how people are able to trump up stories against others to make their opponents look stupid or even criminal. We see this in politics across the planet. Journalism at times can be of a paparazzi nature, creating the sensational. In big business there tends to be cut throat ethics to out maneuver the competition. A popular candidate in the next USA presidential election refers to most accusations against him as “fake news”. Certainly some of it is … but is all of it? Stories poison … whether they are half-truths or total lies. Please read through a longer section today. We shall chip away at it over a few days:
Ac 21:26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. 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. 27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.) 30 The 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. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He 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. 33 The 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. 34 Some 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. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!”
In introducing this section we recall leaving off in verse 26 yesterday. Paul fulfilled his agreement to James and the elders by taking the men under the Nazirite vow, with him to the temple to make the arrangements regarding the purification ceremony on both the third and seventh day.
Nu 19:12 He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean.
1) Visiting Jews from around the known world for Pentecost.
Ac 21:27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple.
The period of cleansing is almost completed and Paul is in the temple court with these men under the Nazirite vow, when he is seen by Jews from Asia. These are the Jews who tried to kill him because of his Gospel Ministry that drew their synagogue members away and into Christianity. Their ministry base had eroded significantly and their anger to rid the earth of Paul was huge … yet he seemed to escape them each time. Maybe the largest contingent was from Ephesus. Because of being unable to deal with Paul in their environment, they used the opportunity in Jerusalem where the Roman Authorities were more sympathetic to the Jewish Faith.
2) Mass mobilization.
Ac 21:27 They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him.
“To stir up” means to disturb the mind … to cause a loud confusing noise. All the voices shouting and screaming, comingled together created pandemonium resulting in the Asian Jews seizing Paul. The word “seizing” means to arrest as a prisoner. This shows how intent they were in their confused, worked up stupor. They could not do their dirty work alone … they needed help:
Ac 21:28 shouting, “Men of Israel, help us!
They cried out with a loud voice for help. The word “help” implies the hearers need to run towards the cry and bring aid. They can’t deal with Paul alone. They need the resident Jews to assist them.
3) Muscling support. This is where my introduction comes in. Often to gain support, wicked and evil methods are used against your opponent or enemies.
Ac 21:8 This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.
There are four matters here that are fabricated to gain support against Paul.
(1) Paul teaches people against the Jews.
(2) Paul teaches people against the “law” of the Jews.
(3) Paul teaches people against the temple … “the place”.
(4) The last one deals with Paul bringing a non-Jew into the temple.
See how this is a type of paparazzi journalism … a fabricated story to stir those who read (in this case listen)? Where it came to the first three charges, Paul never spoke against the Jews as a people (nation), the law as a unit of God’s Word or against the temple. His teaching was against believing that animal blood could achieve pardon and salvation and against circumcision as an assurance that should Jesus’ Blood Sacrifice be lacking, it would “top” it up. Then he abided by the directives of Acts 15, provided by the elders as requirements for Gentiles becoming Christians. The last was that of the most serious crime against the Jews:
Ac 21:29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
What is referred to here is the area known as the Court of Israel where Jewish men who were not priests or Levites might be admitted. There were notices on the entrance, in both Greek and Latin declaring that should a Gentile, knowingly or unknowingly enter this court, he would be responsible for his own death. This would be one of the most serious crimes against the Jewish Faith. The word “assumed” means “to deem, think or suppose”. Was Luke being gracious here or was their assumption actually crafted lies to suit their purpose and convince the crowd? These were Jews who brought the accusations against Paul. They knew they were not telling the truth … after all … one of their own directives for holy living was:
Ex 20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
May we be a people who gather all the facts before we speak against someone. Rather withhold speaking if we cannot substantiate the veracity of our “facts”.
Our Father You are Truth and truthful in all You do. May we be a people of truth, living with in Your Truth, for Your glory. Amen.