Verse 17: “Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.” Though a Christian “of the sect of the Nazarenes,” Paul still identifies with his people and his nation. For Paul bringing a gift from the Gentile Christians to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, compare I Corinthians 16:1ff; II Corinthians 8:1-9:15; Romans 15:25ff.
“Representatives or messengers of Gentile churches accompanied Paul on his last visit to Jerusalem as delegates bearing the contributions of their respective churches.”
Paul had not been in Jerusalem long enough to raise a rebellion. Additionally, if Paul worships the God of (the Jewish) fathers, if he believes the things written in the law and in the prophets, if he exercises himself to have a conscience void of offence toward God & men, and if he came to Jerusalem to bring alms and offerings – how very unlikely and very unbelievable that he would seek to profane the temple![1]
Verse 18-19: What the Jews found (“me purified in the temple”) versus what they charged (“gone about to profane the temple”). The “certain Jews from Asia” who found Paul purified in the temple “ought to have been” present before Felix to present their testimony and objections to his behavior. They were not.
Verses 20-21: Those present could not personally testify to that original charge. They were not at the temple. They were not eyewitnesses. Then let them testify specifically to any wrong they have witnessed that Paul has done. What he did before the council (who they are and represent) was to cry, “Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.” There was nothing criminal about that.
[1] “As it
was for a benevolent and pious purpose that he went up to Jerusalem, it was
very improbable, perhaps he would suggest, that he would seek to profane the
temple.” Acts of the Apostles, Ripley, p. 302.
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