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FINALITY OF THE THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY (Act 21:16-26)
03/20/16 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GOD’S WILL (16-17) A. [Act 21:16] - Paul’s commitment and fearlessness to
God’s will emboldened those accompanying him (Act 21:15) as well as the disciples
from Caesarea to go to Jerusalem with him. B. Those disciples took Paul and his
companion to the house of Mnason of Cyprus for lodging. Mnason was a “disciple
of long standing.” The Greek word is archaios from which we get
our English word archaic. Mnason was a disciple from the earliest
times. It could be that he was a convert on the Day of Pentecost. However,
most likely he was one of the disciples among the crowds that followed Jesus
(Mat 28:10; cf. 1Co 15:6). It is quite possible that Mnason helped Luke with
some historical details and events. C. [Act 21:17] - When they arrived in Jerusalem the
brethren received us gladly (asmenōs - joyfully). Paul had
finally accomplished this part of God’s will. In a sense, it was a long time
in coming and was laden with difficulties. 1. Paul’s third missionary journey began in aprox. AD 53 and
ended in AD 57-58 encompassing Acts 18:23-21:17. 2. He had been taking collections for the
Jerusalem church since the early part of his journey (cf. 1Co 16:1-4). 3. He had been rerouted from a direct course
to Jerusalem because of an attempt on his life by the Jews at Corinth (Act
20:3). 4. He had endured the strong warnings not to
go to Jerusalem from well-meaning believers (Act 21:4, 12). 5. Paul’s heart was glad, having
accomplished God’s will (Pro 13:12), and the Jerusalem brethren were grateful
that they had brought the donations from the Gentile churches. 6. Once we start on God’s will, we must be
committed to finishing it. We must be faithful until the Lord calls us home.
This is the believer’s fullness of joy (Mat 25:21). II. ACCOLADES TO GOD’S GRACE (18-20a) A. [Act 21:18] - The
next day they all went to see James. This is James, the brother of the
Lord (1Co 15:7), whom Paul saw after his conversion (Gal 1:19), who was one
of the leaders of the Jerusalem church (Gal 2:9; Act 12:17), who played a
major part in the Jerusalem Council (Act 15:13), and was the author of the
epistle of James (Jam 1:1). B. They most likely went to give James and
the elders the donations from the Gentiles churches. C. A transformation of church government had
taken place. At first the “apostles” were the sole leaders (Act 4:35, 37). In
Acts 6:2-5, the apostles realized they needed assistance of Deacons. Then at
the Jerusalem Council, Paul met with the “apostles and elders” (Ac 15:2).
Here in Acts 21:18, James is the only apostle there, and the elders are the
main leadership. Peter calls himself a “fellow elder” (1Pe 5:1).By the time
Paul writes 1 & 2 Timothy (AD 62-63), he lays out the principles and
qualifications for “elders” as the church leadership. D. [Act 21:19] - Like numerous times before and to
numerous churches Paul related the great things that happened in his ministry
to the Gentiles (Act 14:27; 15:4, 12). It was a detailed account of events “one
by one.” E. It was fitting for Paul to relate the
ministry among the Gentiles since he was the apostle to the Gentiles
(Act 9:15; Gal 2:8-9). F. However, the noteworthy phrase is the “things
which God had done.” Paul gave all praise and accolades to God for the
great work wrought among the Gentiles. Paul indeed mentions that he had a
part in that ministry, but Paul knows the source of his grace (1Co 15:10). G. [Act 21:20a] - Having heard Paul’s report, James and the
elders appropriately began glorifying God. James and the elders, who
themselves were involved in ministry, realized the source of their grace. God
gets all the glory because God has supplied all the grace. H. Salvation (Psa 27:1; Jon 2:9) and sanctification
(Php 1:6; 2:12-13) are God’s work. Paul humbly gave the praise and credit to
Whom it was due (2Co 12:9-10; 1Co 1:26-31). III. AGGRESSION OF FALSE TEACHERS (20b-22) A. [Act 21:20b] -
This was the glorious side of Paul’s visit to Jerusalem. From this point on
it would become full of misunderstanding, persecution, chains, and
imprisonment. In fact, beginning with Act 21:27, Paul will virtually be an
“ambassador in chains” (Eph 6:20) until the end of the book of Acts. B. After giving glory to God, James and the
elders began sharing some concerns of the Jewish believers. There had been at
least 8,000 Jewish believers by Acts 4:4 (cf. Act 2:41) twenty some years
prior. Now there were “many thousands.” The Greek word is murias from
which we get our English word myriads. It actually is an indefinite or
number (Jude 1:14; Rev 5:11). C. Most of these Jewish believers were “zealous
for the Law (lit. “zealots of the Law”). We do not have to preclude from
this phrase that these Jewish believers were attempting to be righteous
through the Law. Instead, though trusting in Christ, they continued to carry
out the ceremonial aspects of their Jewish heritage (feasts, Sabbath regulations,
ritual vows (v. 23), and dietary restrictions). Though the apostles had
settled the issue that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised or follow
Jewish ceremonial laws (cf. Act 15:28-29), they had not forbidden Jewish
believers from practicing them as part of their Jewish heritage. D. [Act 21:21-22] - These Jewish believers had a jaded view
of Paul because of what they had been told. Most likely it had
been the Judaizers who were poisoning the well concerning Paul. The teaching
of the Judaizers had been overturned at the Jerusalem Council. However, the
Judaizers continued spreading polemic teachings against Paul (“told” -
katęcheō – teaching by word of mouth, drill, Eng. catechism). 1. They said that Paul taught Jewish believers to “forsake (apostasia)
Moses.” This was not a new accusation against Paul (Act 18:13). 2. They said that Paul taught Jewish
believers not to “circumcise their children.” Paul only forbade
circumcision for Gentiles in regard to salvation (Gal 5:2-3). For Paul had
Timothy circumcised for the sake of the ministry (Act 16:1-3). 3. They said that Paul taught Jewish
believers not to “walk according to the customs.” Paul himself was
Jewish and observed certain feasts (Act 20:6, 16; 1Co 16:8), Sabbaths (Act
13:14; 18:4), and the Nazarite vow (Act 18:18). 4. All of these accusations were false.
Nevertheless, the church was perplexed as to what to do when the Jewish
believers heard that Paul had come to Jerusalem. IV. ACCOMODATION FOR JEWISH BELIEVERS (23-26) A. [Act 21: 23-24] -
The leadership came up with a plan and it involved four Jewish believers who
were under a Nazarite vow (Num 6:1-18 cf. Act 21:24). Paul himself had
undergone the Nazarite vow at Cenchrea (Act 18:18). B. Paul was to purify himself along with
these other four Jewish believers. The reason for these four as well as Paul
to have to be purified is not completely clear. C. [A] … likely explanation is that Paul,
having returned to Israel from Gentile lands, was considered ceremonially
unclean. As their sponsor, Paul would participate in the ceremony marking the
culmination of the four men’s vows. But before he could do that, he would
have to undergo ritual purification himself. His willingness to do that would
show that he had no disdain for Jewish customs and tradition. (MacArthur in loc.) D. It was in this way that the Jewish
believers would know that the allegations against Paul were false. Though
Paul gave up the Law as a means of righteousness (Php 3:7-9), he did not
completely give up “keeping the Law” in regard to his Jewish heritage. E. [Act 21:25] - The leadership recognized and reaffirmed
what had been decided about the Gentiles at the Jerusalem Council. F. [Act 21:26] - Paul had no qualms with the church’s
proposal and submitted himself to the elder’s decision. They were all
purified according to Jewish law, waited the appropriate days of completion,
then made the corresponding sacrifices. G. Some commentaries have maintained that
Paul made a mistake in making such accommodations for the sake of the Jewish believers.
Yet, if Paul was wrong here then he was wrong in other places showing he was
confused about the Law and salvation. H. However, if anyone properly understood the
Law (Rom 3:20; Gal 3:24-25), salvation in Christ by faith (Rom 3:21, 28),
freedom in Christ (Gal 5:1, 13), and the difference between them, it was the
apostle Paul. I. Paul would do all things and become all
things to win both Jews and Gentiles to Christ (1Co 9:20-23). Yet he would
never violate God’s holiness or His Word. J. What about the sacrifices? There will be
sacrifices in the Millennium in the presence of Christ (Ezekiel 43:18-46:24).
Israel will have full understanding of the Reality and His shadow. |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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