Day 278: Acts 21:15–25

How many thousands of Jews there are who have believed. . . . But they have been told . . . that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses (vv. 20–21).

Over the objections of the other believers, Paul set his face to go to Jerusalem. But if his arrival in Jerusalem had been a performance, he certainly would have received mixed reviews.

1. Paul met acceptance. What blessed words these are: “When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly” (v. 17 hcsb). Don’t miss Luke’s terminology: “When we reached Jerusalem.” After being unsuccessful in their attempt to plead with Paul to avoid going there, one would not be surprised if Paul’s companions had said, “You go ahead if you want. The rest of us refuse to be so foolish.”

Nearly thirty years earlier, Christ’s disciples also tried to talk Him out of going back to Judea when they knew trouble awaited Him. When He could not be dissuaded, Thomas said, “Let’s go so that we may die with Him” (John 11:16 hcsb). Neither group was called to give their lives in association with their leader at this point, but surely God acknowledged their willingness.

What a sigh of relief must have come when Paul and his associates were greeted with warmth and approval by the believers in Jerusalem. Only one verse attests to Paul’s testimony to James, the elders, and the others (Acts 21:19 hcsb), but you can assume he talked for some time as “he related one by one what God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.” The hearts of James and the others are evident in their reception of his testimony: “they glorified God” (v. 20 hcsb). Notice, they did not praise Paul. Unfortunately acceptance was not the only response Paul met.

2. Paul met apprehension. After hearing Paul’s wonderful news, James and the elders had good news of their own, and a little bad news. They gave Paul the good news first: “how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed” (v. 20 hcsb). What glorious words! What could Paul have wanted more? According to Romans 9:3, absolutely nothing! He would have agreed to be cursed forever if the Jews would accept Christ. I wonder if Paul immediately began shouting hallelujah and dancing and praising God. Regardless, they jumped quickly to the bad news.

They almost seemed to be sparing his dignity. Yes, many had believed in Christ, but James and the elders observed, “All of them are zealous for the law. . . . But they have been informed that you . . . [tell] them not to live according to our customs” (vv. 20–21). In other words, they’re saved—but they’re mad. Talk about throwing a bucket of ice water on a warm reception.

This dilemma draws compassion from my heart for both James and Paul. I feel compassion for James. We have all been in his position. He was caught in the middle of anger and disagreement between people he cared about. Just imagine the gnawing in James’s stomach as Paul was giving a detailed account of all God was doing among the Gentiles. James knew he would have to tell Paul about the Jews.

I also feel compassion for Paul. He expected opposition from unbelievers, but to be hit immediately in Jerusalem by the disapproval of fellow believers must have drained his energy and excitement. Furthermore, much of what they were saying about him wasn’t even accurate. He never told Jewish Christians not to circumcise their children. He told them not to insist that Gentile Christians circumcise theirs! He was trying to make the point that circumcision had nothing whatsoever to do with salvation.

Perhaps you know how Paul felt when he met disapproval among his own and found he had been misunderstood. Have you ever thought, “I expected this kind of thing from unbelievers, but I wasn’t expecting this from my own fellow believers”? If so, you are part of a large fraternity, with Paul as a charter member.

James and the elders immediately suggested that Paul join four men in their purification rites, so that all would see he still respected the customs. Paul submitted to their authority and did as they asked. His point regarding the ancient Hebrew customs was to practice them when wise or observe them as a reminder but not to live under them as a burden and a means of salvation.

Several times in Paul’s ministry he was placed in a similar position with both Jews and Gentiles. He explained his actions in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23. He said that though he was free in Christ, he made himself a slave to everyone so that he could win as many as possible. He said he became like a Jew to the Jews in order to win the Jews, and like a Gentile to the Gentiles in order to win the Gentiles. Paul’s great summary statement challenges every believer: “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22 hcsb).

Like Paul, each of us must seek common ground with those who do not know Christ. We can respond legalistically and shun harmless practices, but if we do, we risk alienating the very people we want to reach.