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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Acts 21:27 - 21:27
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The seven days (hai hepta hēmerai). For which Paul had taken the vow, though there may be an allusion to the pentecostal week for which Paul had desired to be present (Act 20:16). There is no necessary connexion with the vow in Act 18:15. In Act 24:17 Paul makes a general reference to his purpose in coming to Jerusalem to bring alms and offerings (prosphoras, sacrifices). Paul spent seven days in Troas (Act 20:6), Tyre (Act 21:4), and had planned for seven here if not more. It was on the last of the seven days when Paul was completing his offerings about the vows on all five that the incident occurred that was to make him a prisoner for five years.
When they saw him in the temple (theasamenoi auton en tōi hierōi). First aorist middle participle of theaomai (from thea, a view, cf. theatre) to behold. In the very act of honouring the temple these Jews from Asia raise a hue and cry that he is dishonouring it. Paul was not known by face now to many of the Jerusalem Jews, though once the leader of the persecution after the death of Stephen and the outstanding young Jew of the day. But the Jews in Ephesus knew him only too well, some of whom are here at the pentecostal feast. They had plotted against him in Ephesus to no purpose (Acts 19:23-41; Act 20:19), but now a new opportunity had come. It is possible that the cry was led by Alexander put forward by the Jews in Ephesus (Act 19:33) who may be the same as Alexander the coppersmith who did Paul so much harm (2Ti 4:14). Paul was not in the inner sanctuary (ho naos), but only in the outer courts (to hieron).
Stirred up all the multitude (sunecheon panta ton ochlon). Imperfect (kept on) active of suncheō or sunchunō (̇unnō), to pour together, to confuse as in Act 2:6; Act 9:22; Act 19:31, Act 19:32; Act 21:31 and here to stir up by the same sort of confusion created by Demetrius in Ephesus where the same word is used twice (Act 19:31, Act 19:32). The Jews from Ephesus had learned it from Demetrius the silversmith.
Laid hands on him (epebalan ep' auton tas cheiras). Second aorist (ingressive, with endings of the first aorist, ̇an) active indicative of epiballō, old verb to lay upon, to attack (note repetition of epi). They attacked and seized Paul before the charge was made.