act 21v18 26 Why Did He Do It
WHY DID HE DO IT?
Acts 21:18-26
James and the elders at Jerusalem
persuaded Paul that in order to conciliate the Jews and put an end to the
scandalous reports they had heard about him, he should give public approval to
the observance of ceremonial law of Moses. They
compelled Paul to go with four men who had taken a Nazarite vow (Num. 6:2, 13)
into the temple and offer a sacrifice of purification. And Paul did it! Without
question, this was contrary to Paul's own doctrine (Rom. 6,14-15;
7:4; l0:4; Gal. 2:3, 11; 3:1-3, 24-25; 5:1-2; Col. 2:16-23; I Tim. l-9). Why,
then, did he submit to this legal ceremony? Such action could only encourage
others to continue in their legalism, confuse and dishearten the Gentile
believers, and give the legalists of future generations an excuse for holding
God's people in bondage to the law. We must understand that the Jewish
believers of that day had not yet seen the destruction of the temple. They were
still living in a period of transition. Most continued to observe the customs
of the law and still worshipped in the temple. God virtually had to break their
hands to get them to let go of Moses. But why did Paul, who knew better, submit
to this legal ceremony? I am sure there are two reasons:
(1) HE WAS TRYING TO BE
CONCILIATORY TO THE JEWS WHO WERE YET WEAK IN THE FAITH (I
Cor. 9:19-23). This is commendable.
We should patiently bear with weak believers. We must do nothing to offend
them. We should refrain from any action that would cause a weak brother to
stumble. But we must not, even for the sake of nurturing the weak, do that
which is contrary to the gospel and contrary to our own consciences. If we join
with others in committing evil and compromise the gospel in the name of
charity, we will not help the weak, and we are likely to hinder others. Paul's
action here is strikingly similar to the action for which he strongly upbraided
Peter (Gal. 2:11-16).
(2) The other reason for Paul's action was that HE WAS SIMPLY
TIRED OF FIGHTING WITH HIS BRETHREN OVER THE LAW. He finally gave in. Yes,
even the great apostle Paul was just a man. He had already been through this
battle before (Acts 15); and it seemed that his Jewish brethren just would not
give up their legal practices.