Acts 21:26-36 Arrested in the Temple
“Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them.”
Remember those church leaders in Jerusalem who are still trying to compromise with the believers who are ultra-observant Jews? These men have virtually ordered Paul to undergo purification and to pay the ritual offering demanded for four men who have completed a vow and who are also undergoing purification with Paul. Sounds simple, right? But when Paul enters the temple with these men, hell is literally going to break loose!
“Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
Remember, Jerusalem is a cosmopolitan city, and Jews from all over the known world are gathering for the Feast of Pentecost. These Jews from Asia might not actually know much of anything about Paul; however, they’ve gotten hold of a bunch of vicious lies and are more than ready to persecute Paul. Perhaps some of these men have previously debated with Paul and lost while he was evangelizing in Asia. Now is their golden opportunity for revenge, and for proving that they can be more orthodox than those Jews in Jerusalem. Truth has nothing to do with this situation. Their minds are made up; don’t confuse them with the facts!
“And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander came near and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and he asked who he was and what he had done. And some among the multitude cried one thing and some another.
So when he could not ascertain the truth because of the tumult, he commanded him to be taken into the barracks. When he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, “Away with him!”
It’s never difficult to assemble a mob in Jerusalem, and this time is no exception. Some of these men truly believe they are honorable Jews punishing a heretic. Others in the crowd might simply be hangers-on in the market place, ready for any kind of excitement. Still others might be getting some money to shout more loudly.
When the Roman commander gets word of the mob action, he organizes swiftly, taking armed soldier and centurions and running to where the mob is beating Paul. As Paul is suffering, does he remember standing by while Stephen was being stoned? The mob has become so violent that the Romans bind Paul with chains and physically carry him into their barracks where nobody else dare penetrate. Even so, those attacking Paul follow the soldiers all the way to the barracks, screaming for Paul’s blood.
Acts 21:37-40 Addressing the Jerusalem Mob
Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I speak to you?”
He replied, “Can you speak Greek? Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?”
But Paul said, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city; and I implore you, permit me to speak to the people.”
So when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.”
The Romans have confused Paul with some Egyptian who has previously led a rebellion involving four thousand men. Many of the Jews in Jerusalem don’t really know Paul but they are certain he must be some heretic from Asia, since it’s the Asian Jews who have raised an outcry. Evidently, Paul addresses the Roman commander in fluent Greek, immediately getting his attention. This commander likely speaks excellent Latin, Greek, and possibly a few more languages as well, depending on where he has previously been stationed. When Paul informs the commander that he is a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, the commander immediately realizes that Paul must be a Roman citizen. Now the commander is concerned, for Roman citizens are not to be bound with chains without a fair trial. Who knows what political connections Paul might have? And unlike the mob, Paul addresses the commander courteously, using the form of address appropriate for the commander’s rank and position.
Being stationed in Jerusalem to keep peace among the Jews is no plum assignment for a Roman commander. These people are forever picking fights over theology and then demanding the Romans settle the matter for them. Some Romans follow the Roman traditional religions while many soldiers follow the cult of Mithraeus or sacrifice to the god Mars, the Roman god of war. Most Romans have little or no understanding of traditional Judaism, nor do they really care about the Jewish God. Throughout the Roman Empire, there are all kinds of local deities. The key thing is to demonstrate sufficient respect that local people will not riot while maintaining one’s own belief systems.
Most commanders long for the day they can return to Italia, perhaps to some desirable property in the peaceful Italian countryside. But this man Paul is a Roman citizen from Tarsus in the province of Cilicia and he seems like a decent fellow. The commander is inclined to investigate Paul further; besides, many of these Jewish religious leaders have made no pretense of their scorn for the Romans. Why satisfy these men who have behaved so arrogantly?
When we are in trouble, we must remember that God is the One who orchestrates our circumstances. Here, it is the hated Romans who rescue Paul from the ultra-religious Jews. The Roman commander might be fascinated by Paul, for Paul is obviously well-educated, well-spoken, and does not appear to be a threat to anybody. By now, the commander has undoubtedly gotten a full report of the incident in the temple and realizes that this mob scene has little to do with truth and everything to do with someone jumping to conclusions. Psalm 37:23-24 tells us, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Even though this mob in Jerusalem is screaming for Paul’s blood, God is using them to bring Paul into Roman custody. God wants Paul in Rome and the Romans are going to transport him there.
Sometimes we might find ourselves embroiled in all kinds of controversy that is not of our making. Someone in our situation has made major mistakes and is now attempting to divert attention from themselves by accusing us of things we have never thought of, let alone done. As long as our consciences are clear, we can relax, knowing that God is the One who will orchestrate everything. Lies might have long legs; however, the legs of truth are longer and stronger. May God help us to trust in His mercy and grace, so that we remain calm when unjustly accused!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, deliver us from the need to justify ourselves! You are the One who justifies. You are the One who promotes. Help us to trust in You, even when we cannot see. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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