Acquiescence

Text: Acts 21:15-26

Theme: Paul was unusually quiet and accepting of the Jewish leaders’ plans for him.

Key verses: “When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly. The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, ‘You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses…What should we do?…Here’s what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow. Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony…Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws…As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.’ So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end…” (v. 17b-26a).

What I believe God said to me: There are some important insights to glean and contemplate in this story. Keep in mind that it wasn’t the narrator’s goal to pass judgement or explain the motives behind the actions. He simply tells what happened and leaves it to his readers to interpret and draw conclusions. Look at what you know for sure: 1) The “brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed” them warmly, 2) Paul gave a detailed account of what I had accomplished through his ministry to the Gentiles, 3) After hearing it, they “praised God,” 4) “And then they” expressed some concerns regarding the Jews, saying, “They all follow the law of Moses very seriously,” and “They have been told that” Paul was teaching Gentiles to “turn their backs on the laws of Moses.” 5) They asked Paul what they should do, but then proceeded to tell him what they wanted him to do. 6) They asked him to participate in a nazarite purification ceremony, which Paul had done before. 7) They reminded Paul that the Gentile believers “should do what we already told them to do,” including the Jewish laws of abstaining from eating food offered to idols and from consuming blood or meat of strangled animals. 8) Paul went to the Temple the next day where he publicly announced when their vows would end. What you may infer from this account: 1) The Jews that met with him were friendly and generally supportive of Paul. They weren’t envious or jealous of his successes. 2) Paul was clear and forth-telling in his description of his Gentile ministry. 3) The Jewish church elders received his story well and didn’t dispute or disparage it. 4) After expressing praise, they immediately proceeded to share their concerns about the many Jews who still kept the laws of Moses and had heard Paul was teaching against those laws. 5) They seemed insincere in asking him what they should do, for they quite immediately told him what they wanted him to do. Perhaps they had already devised this plan before they had even seen or spoken with Paul. 6) Paul had participated in the Nazarite custom before (Acts 18:18), so it may have seemed reasonable to the leaders to ask him to do it again. 7) Yet, based on Romans 14, Paul clearly wasn’t fond of telling Gentiles what they could and could not eat. Were those Jewish leaders unaware of his writings? Did Paul hold back in telling them everything he had been teaching, including not insisting on keeping certain Jewish laws? He was obviously much further along in his understanding and maturity of the Gospel than those Jewish Christians. He had reached a spiritual status of leadership and authority they had not. Did they not recognize or realize that? 8) This begs the question: Why did Paul go along with them so quickly, without even questioning or pushing against their directives? The answer to this question will require more knowledge and comprehensive understanding of Paul than you currently have, Dwayne. Don’t assume what you type into this post will settle these questions or give clarity to all that happened in this story. What you can (at least) take away is that sometimes my premiere leaders and servants just end up going along with the majority rule. Sometimes it’s best not to push against the tide, but rather to humble oneself and go with their wishes. As church leaders, you need to listen carefully, research fully, and keep up with what I am doing among those in your world. Had those Jewish Christian leaders done that, perhaps they wouldn’t have insisted that Paul put himself in such a dangerous situation. Bottom line is that no one was without some fault in this story. Everyone involved, including Paul, could have spoken and responded a bit differently and more wisely. As Matthew Henry writes about this account, “Integrity and uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincere compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.” Nonetheless, at the end of the day, my will was accomplished and I was glorified. Even through less than perfect circumstances, my plan for Paul and for the Gospel was carried out. That is what you need to keep in mind and trust.

What I said to God: Thank You, my Lord and Savior. You are awesome and holy. Please forgive me for allowing my thoughts to stray at times and for not putting my complete focus on You every minute of every day. I admit I don’t really understand this passage, although I’ve studied and meditated on it for several days now. Please help me better discern what took place here and why Paul responded as he did to those Jewish Christians. This account seems to go contrary from what I’ve learned and seen in Paul previously in Acts and in his letters. But, as You reminded me, Your will was done in the end. No man is perfect, but You are perfect and never-changing in all Your ways. We must look to You and not to any person on this earth for direction and for the best example of godliness and perfection. Praise You!