Paul and the church at Jerusalem

Acts 21:18-26 encounter with the church at Jerusalem

 The celebration at Jerusalem is the feast of Pentecost. Cf. Acts 20:16 – “to be at Jerusalem [by] the day of Pentecost.” Some of the same disciples are now present who were present on the first Pentecost (in Acts 2) – yet there is not a “repeat Pentecost.” That first Pentecost after Jesus’s resurrection was unique.

Verse 18: Paul and those with him go to see James and all the elders of the church at Jerusalem.[1] The reception of verse 17 was apparently informal, while verse 18 indicates a more formal or deliberative meeting.

Verse 19: After greeting the brethren, Paul is given to floor to relate to them the work that God had done through him among the Gentiles. He “declared particularly,” that is, spent time explaining in detail. Probably during this time Paul presents the gift from the churches of the Gentiles. See Acts 24:17: “Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.” Compare also Romans 15:25-28 and I Corinthians 16:1-4.

Verses 20-21: James and the elders glorified the Lord for the work done among the Gentiles. They had played a part in the peaceful progress of extending the work of the church among the Gentiles (cf. Acts 15:22ff.). However, the reality of the local situation is that there was a fast-growing number of Jewish believers in Jerusalem, and “they are all zealous of the law.” Though they are now Christians, they lived in the cultural capital of their people and shared a cultural identity tied to the law of Moses. Paul had been ministering in a very different field.

It was widely rumored in Jerusalem and Judæa that Paul taught all the Jews that lived in Gentile regions to forsake (αποστασιαν) their culture, and even “not to circumcise their children.”[2] See HERE for notes on Paul’s “Jewishness.”

Verses 22-24: James and the elders devise a plan to alleviate the anxieties of the growing company of Jewish disciples at Jerusalem. They suggest a resolution and Paul resolutely follows it. The decisions made by James and Paul at this moment play into the fulfillment of the prophecies the Lord has already given. “Though he would not be persuaded not to go to Jerusalem, yet, when he was there, he was persuaded to do as they there did.”[3]

When “the multitude” hears that Paul has come to Jerusalem, they will come together. Inquiring minds want to know. The recommendation is this: Paul should take with him four men who have taken a vow. He and these four together should ritually purify themselves (and for the four this involved shaving their heads).[4] This included a seven-day purification ritual, concluding with an offering (cf. verses 26-27). Their awareness of these events would satisfy the Jewish believers’ concerns that the rumors they heard about Paul were not true – “that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing.” Seeing Paul go through the ritual with the other men would satisfy their question about how Paul conducts himself with his Jewish brethren.

“be at charges with them” “To be at charges” is an English idiom that means to be responsible for incurring or paying the cost or expenses of something. Compare I Corinthians 9, verses 7 and 18. Based on Numbers 6:14-15, the charges of four Nazarites would be 12 sheep of the flock (8 lambs and 4 rams), as well as food and drink offerings.

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[1] See “Which James?” Page 146. According to Josephus, this James was executed under the high priest Ananus (in what would have been about AD 62). “But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees…Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned...” Antiquities, Book XX, 9.1.
[2] Note in contrast to this, Paul circumcised Timothy, though he was only “half Jew.” His father was a Greek. See Acts 16:1-3. Compare also Galatians 6:15-16 and I Corinthians 9:20. This latter verse suggests we can “conform ourselves to different for the purpose of extending Christ’s Kingdom, so long as we do not violate the moral law of God or compromise salvation by grace alone” (Carlsen, Faith & Courage, p. 476).
[3] Henry, Commentary, Vol. VI, p. 280.
[4] Because of concluding with the shaving of the head, these men may have had a Nazarite vow. For example, see Numbers 6:18. Paul had previously taken a vow that included shaving the head, 18:18. Here though, it is the four men and not Paul who have the Nazarite vow. Paul’s ceremony involved purification, and to pay the charges of the Nazarite vow of the four men (“be at charges with them”). Cf. Josephus, Antiquities, Book XIX, 6.1.