Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

1. Paul’s seven days were almost over. Having accommodated James for the sake of the Jewish believers, Paul paid for the purification of himself and four other Jewish believers (Act 21:23-24).

2. The words “almost” also apply to Paul’s situation of “almost” avoiding persecution. Jews from Asia, possibly from Ephesus, were likely there for the Feast of Pentecost. Paul had been in Ephesus for three years (Act 20:31), Trophimus lived there, some Jews were hardened and slanderous (Act 19:9), and Paul was blamed for discontented relations between the Jews and Greeks (Act 19:33-34). These Jews stirred up the crowds and laid hands on Paul.

B. Jews Accuse Paul of Temple Defilement (28-29)

1. These men called upon the help of all other Jews because to them Paul was a blasphemer who needed to be apprehended, if not killed. They had falsely accused Paul of preaching against the Jewish people (cf. Rom 10:1), their Law (cf. Rom 7:12-13), and the Temple (Mar 14:57-58; Act 6:13).

2. But Paul obviously was misunderstood, for he willingly observed certain feasts (Act 20:6, 16; 1Co 16:8), Sabbaths (Act 13:14; 18:4), the Nazarite vow (Act 18:18), and purification (Act 21:26).

3. Supposedly, Paul had brought Trophimus into the Temple grounds beyond the Gentile Courtyard. Warning signs had been placed by the Jews reading, “No Gentile shall enter within the partition and barrier surrounding the temple, and whoever is caught shall be responsible to himself for his subsequent death (The New International Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology).

C. Jews Provoke City (30)

1. The Jewish population in the city, which had been at the Temple, was “provoked” (kineō – motion, instigate, aroused) and “rushed together” (sundromê – lit. running together). They took hold of Paul and “dragged” (helkō tug, draw, or drag, Joh 21:6; Act 16:19) him out of the temple. They were attempting to more than merely drag Paul out of the Temple. They were seeking to kill him (Act 21:31).

2. The doors were shut immediately most likely by the Temple guards who obviously did not come to Paul’s aid.

II. INTERVENTION BY THE ROMAN COMMANDER (31-36)

A. Commander Stops Crowd from Killing Paul (31-32)

1. At the same time, a report was given to the Commander of the Roman cohort (speira - coiled, tenth of 6000, anywhere from 300-600 soldiers). “Commander” is the Greek word chiliarchos, which means commander of a1000 men that may have been prescribed during Jewish Feasts. Luke will record the Commander’s name in Act 23:26 as “Claudius Lysias.”

2. The report was that Jerusalem was in “confusion” (sugcheō – mixed up or thrown into confusion, Act 19:32).

3. The Roman cohort was stationed in the Fort Antonia in the northern section of the Temple Mount in order to keep peace.

4. When the Jews saw the Roman soldiers running toward them, they “stopped beating Paul.”

B. Commander Binds Paul in Chains (33)

1. The Commander took charge of the melee, arrested Paul, and had him bound with two chains. Paul was bound with two chains because he most likely was bound to two soldiers (cf. Act 12:6). No doubt this action saved Paul’s life

2. Here we have the fulfillment of Agabus’ prophecy (Act 21:10-11). Some, even some evangelicals have maintained that the prophecy of Agabus was inaccurate. Agabus said that the Jews would bind Paul with chains and would deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles and some suggest that it did not happen that way.

3. However, Paul was clearly in the possession of the Jews after they seized and beat him on the Temple grounds. The Jews ceased beating Paul when the Romans came and promptly delivered him over to the Romans to be bound. The Jews were responsible for Paul being bound and being delivered into the hands of the Romans (cf. Act 28:17 - paradidōmi). Hence, we have the complete fulfillment of the Holy Spirit’s prophecy through Agabus. Nothing in the text suggests that the early church ever thought Agabus to be anything other than completely accurate as a NT prophet on par with the OT prophets (Deu 18:21-22).

C. Commander Takes Paul to Barracks (34-36)

1. As the Commander was trying to ascertain who Paul was and what he had done, the crowd kept shouting contradictory answers.

2. Since the Jews were incited by Paul’s immediate presence the Commander took him to their barracks. The violence of the mob was such that Paul had to be carried up the stairs past them.

3. The vicious mob continued shouting, “Away with him” which was the equivalent of shouting that Paul be put to death (Act 9:22-23; Act 22:22). These were the very words that were railed at the Lord (Luk 23:18; Joh 19:15).

III. INQUIRY BY PAUL TO SPEAK (37-40)

A. Paul Asked to Speak to Commander (37-38)

1. Paul wanted to plead his testimony before the Commander and humbly asked if he could speak.

2. This alerted the Commander that Paul not only could speak Greek but also was intellectual, highly cultured, and possibly a Hellenistic Jew.

3. For certain however, the Commander now knew that Paul was not the Egyptian who had stirred up a revolt with four thousand men.

4. Josephus made reference to an Egyptian false prophet that was involved with the revolt of the Assassins (sicariōn – from sica – dagger, “Sicarii” – assassins by dagger) who infiltrated crowds and festivals to slay at will. The Commander recalled four thousand of them who were defeated and had taken heavy casualties. However, the Egyptian leader and others fled for their lives out into the wilderness.

B. Paul Asked to Speak to People (39)

1. Paul identified himself as a Jew from the Roman Province and significant cultural center of Tarsus in Cilicia. However, he did not reveal that he was a Roman citizen at this point.

2. Paul requested to speak to the people, that is, the Jewish mob before him.

C. Paul Addressed Jewish Crowd (40)

1. Paul will now give a “defense” (apologia – Act 22:1 “defense” - logical arguments for the faith, “Apologetics”). In fact, in chapters 21-28, we will see Paul give numerous apologias (Act 22:1-22; 23:1-6; 24:10-21; 25:8-11; 26:1-23, 25-29).

2. Paul was given permission to speak and he did so in the Hebrew dialect (cf. Act 22:2; 26:14). These passages refer to the Aramaic spoken at that time in Palestine (BDAG). He spoke this address to his fellow-countrymen in that Hebrew dialect, the Syro-Chaldaic or Aramaic, the mother-tongue of the Jews in Judea at that time. (Schaff)

IV. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Accept Suffering as Gods Will- If Paul has been in God’s will, and it was prophesied that Paul would suffer, then suffering was God’s will and purpose for Paul (Act 9:15-16). Therefore, Paul simply accepted it as God’s will. God has called believers to suffering and is pleased when they suffer for doing what is right (1Pe 2:20-21). God is in control of our suffering and we must accept it from His sovereign, loving, and all-wise Hand.

B. Follow in His Steps - With the cry “away with him” being the same phrase said to our Lord (Luk 23:18; Joh 19:15), the principle is highlighted, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (Joh 15:20; Mat 24:9; Luk 21:12; 2Ti 3:12). The cry is the unbeliever’s hostile response to Christ and His truth (Rom 8:7). It is a cry that we ourselves may someday hear.

C. Respond in a Christ-like Manner - Paul did not revile or fight back. That is not to say that Paul didn’t take opportunities to defend the faith or lay the groundwork for believer’s freedoms (cf. Act 16:37-40). However, Paul was like Christ, who, “who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously”.

Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516