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B.—THE JEWS FROM ASIA MINOR MAKE AN ATTACK ON PAUL, IN CONSEQUENCE OF WHICH THE ROMAN TRIBUNE INTERFERES; HE SAVES PAUL’S LIFE
Act_21:28-29. This is the man.—Certain Jews from Asia Minor, particularly those from Ephesus and its vicinity, who had there known Paul, and who hated him, now perceived, and, on a closer inspection ( èåᾶóèáé ), recognized him. The very circumstance that this supposed despiser of the temple should be seen in the temple [“the inner court which was forbidden to Gentiles” (Alf.).—Tr.], so greatly provoked them, that they stirred up the multitude against him. They seized him, with loud cries for help, as if he were the assailant, and as if it were necessary to protect the sanctuary against him ( âïçèåῖôå ). This accusation of the apostle on the part of the unconverted Jews, differs from that to which the Judæo-Christians had listened, in one point, which is usually overlooked. The fanatics from Asia Minor here charge him with assailing not only the law and the temple, but also the people of Israel ( ôïῦ ëáïῦ ). Now this specific charge had been brought neither by the Judæo-Christians against Paul, nor, at an earlier period, by the Jews against Stephen. It was doubtless connected with his active labors among the Gentiles ( ðÜíôáò ðáíôá÷ïῦ äéäáóê .), which were maliciously so represented, as if they were intended to excite the latter against Israel. They alleged, moreover ( ἔôé ôå êáὶ ), as a second charge, that Paul had introduced pagans into the temple, and thus defiled the sanctuary. [“Greeks, not in the national or local sense, but in the wider one of Gentiles, so called from the general and almost universal use of the Greek language among all known nations. Hence the perpetual antithesis of Jews and Greeks in the New Testament.” (Alexander).—Tr.]. The word ̔́ Åëëçíáò [plural] represents a single occurrence as a common one; the accusers employ it with a hostile purpose, in order the more effectually to excite the people, although only one man, Trophimus, could be meant, and he, moreover, had not entered the temple. They acted on a mere supposition, a groundless suspicion, that Paul had brought the latter with him into the temple, which word here designates the court of Israel.—The words ðñïåùñáêüôåò ῆ ̓ óáí signify; “they had seen him previously,” although Meyer objects to this interpretation [“ ðñïïñᾶí never occurs in this sense; the words mean; they had seen before them; comp. Act_2:25, and see Sturz: Lex. Xen. III. p. 690 f.” (Meyer).—Tr.]. The philological correction by Otto (Gesch. Verhaeltnisse der Pastoralbriefe, 1860, p. 285), satisfactorily establishes the correctness of our interpretation.
Act_21:30. And all the city was moved.—The multitude, after having quickly and tumultuously assembled, dragged Paul out of the court of the temple, probably because they were conscious that such acts of violence as they contemplated, would in truth pollute the sanctuary. The act of closing the gates of the temple, which was. performed by the Levites, was certainly not intended to prevent Paul from availing himself of the right of claiming an asylum, and from finding a place of refuge in the temple (Bengel, Baumgarten), for the multitude had already, effectually prevented him from enjoying such an advantage. It is more probable that the gates were closed in order to prevent the courts of the temple from being defiled by the shedding of blood (de Wette, Meyer), and, possibly, too, because it was supposed that the court of the temple had already been polluted by the entrance of a heathen, and needed purificatory rites before it could be reopened.
Act_21:31-33. And as they went about to kill him.—The fact that a disturbance had arisen was soon known at the military posts that were established at various points in the city during the festivals; the intelligence was at once conveyed to the commander of the Roman garrison in the tower of Antonia, which was situated to the north of the temple, and rose above it ( ἀíÝâç öÜóéò ). [See Joseph. Jewish W. i. 5. 4, and especially v. 5. 8.—Tr.]. The name of the commander—a military tribune of the cohort ( óðåῖñá )—was Claudius Lysias, as we learn from Act_23:26. When he received tidings of the tumult, he proceeded without delay to the temple, accompanied by officers and soldiers. As soon as he was seen at a distance, the maltreatment to which the apostle was exposed, ceased. When the Roman reached the spot, he commanded his people to conduct the apostle away, as well as to bind him with chains. [Two chains, “See Act_12:6. He would thus be in the custody of two soldiers. (Alf.).—Tr.]. Claudius assumed that Paul was a criminal, and expected to ascertain at once both his name, and the nature of the crime committed by him. Ôß ἂí åἴç , oratio obliqua; ôß Ýóôé ðåðïé ., oratio recta. [For ἀí before åἴç , see note 4, above, appended to the text.—“That the accused had committed some crime, was certain, or was at least assumed to be certain by the speaker. Ôß ἐóôé ðåðïéçêþò refers to the fact, which is admitted—to the object of ðåðïé .; but who the man might be, ôßò ἂí åἲç , he could not yet clearly perceive.” (Winer, § 41. 4. c).—Tr.]
Act_21:34-36. Commanded him to be carried [led] into the castle [barracks].—The ðáñåìâïëÞ is not the tower [castle] of Antonia itself, but only a certain part of it, namely, the permanent quarters [“barracks” (Alf., Alex.).—Tr.] of the Roman garrison stationed at the tower of Antonia. The ἀíáâáèìïß , Act_21:35; Act_21:40 (Jos. Bell. Jud. v. 5. 3., ἀíáâÜóåéò ), are stairs or steps, [leading from the temple-area to the tower.—Tr.]. The fortress communicated with the northern and western porticos of the temple area, and had flights of stairs [“descending into both; by which the garrison could at any time enter the court of the temple and prevent tumults.”] Robinson: Bibl. Res. II. 71 ff. [Germ, ed.; I. 432. Amer. ed.—Away with him!—“The same shouts which, nearly thirty years before, surrounded the prætorium of Pilate. Comp. Luk_23:18; Joh_19:15.” (Conyb. etc. II. 262.).—Tr.]
Act_21:37-38. May I speak [say something] unto thee?—The apostle is desirous of addressing the people before he enters through the gate into the tower, and is withdrawn from their sight, and hence, in courteous terms, asks a question of the commander ( åἰ ἔîÝóôé etc.). The latter, surprised at being addressed in Greek, asks in his turn: Ἑëëçíéóôὶ ãéíþóêåéò ;—he inquires whether his prisoner is not then [ ὰñá ] the Egyptian insurgent, as he had obviously hitherto supposed; he formed a different opinion on hearing Paul speak Greek. [“It was notorious (it would seem) that the Egyptian was unable to speak that language.” (Hackett).—Tr.]. The Roman commander could the more easily confound Paul with that Egyptian, as those Sicarii (so called from sica, a dagger [or short sword, worn beneath their clothing.—Tr.], and known as professional murderers and insurgents) were accustomed to mingle with the multitude at the festival, as now at Pentecost [Act_20:16], and then commit the crimes with which they were familiar ( ìÜëéóôá ἐí ôáῖò ἑïñôáῖò ìéóãüìåíïé ôῷ ðëÞèåé , etc. Jos. Jewish War . ÉÉ . 13. 3). That Egyptian was, according to the account given by Josephus (Jew. War . ÉÉ . 13. 5) a sorcerer, who pretended that he was a prophet. He gained many adherents during the reign of Nero, whom he led from the wilderness to the Mount of Olives; he promised his followers that, at his word, the walls of Jerusalem should fall, and that they should enter the city over the ruins (comp. Jos. Antiq. xx. 8. 6). The procurator Felix, however, attacked them with great success; he defeated the insurgents, of whom 400 were slain, and 200 made prisoners; but the Egyptian himself escaped ( äéáäñÜóáò ἐê ôῆò ìÜ÷çò ἀöáíὴò ἐãÝíåôï , loc. cit.).—The Roman commander here speaks of 4000 Sicarii, whom that insurgent led into the wilderness. Josephus, on the other hand, relates that about 30,000 men, who put faith in his false pretensions, gathered around him. This latter statement, however, obviously refers to the whole number of the adherents of the man; Luke, on the other hand, speaks only of his armed followers, and Josephus himself distinguishes (loc. cit.) between these and the aggregate of the adherents of the Egyptian. Hence the two accounts [of Luke and Josephus] may be easily reconciled, and, in other points, the several statements of Josephus strikingly agree with the passage before us. [Alford, who adopts the view of Meyer, de Wette, and especially of Tholuck (Glaubwuerdigkeit, p. 169), says: “It is obvious that the numerical accounts in Josephus are inconsistent with our text, and with one another (Ant. xx. 8. 6, and Bell. Jud. ii. 13. 5.). This latter being the case, we may well leave them out of the question. At different times of his (the Egyptian’s) rebellion, his number of followers would be variously estimated, etc.”—Tr.].
Act_21:39-40. I beseech thee, suffer me.—The apostle describes himself to the tribune as a totally different person from the criminal with whom he had been confounded, and then asks for permission to address the people. In view of the explanation which he gave, and also of the fact that no person came forward who in the least degree confirmed the original suspicion of the Roman, it is by no means strange that the latter, who possessed full authority to decide, should grant the request; (the opposite opinion of Baur, paulus, p. 208 f., is untenable). It is, further, by no means incredible, that when Paul indicated to the multitude by a gesture that he desired to address them, they should become silent, and listen to him. [“The silence was probably occasioned by the presence of Roman officers and soldiers; by the sight, if not the hearing, of what passed between the Tribune and his prisoner; by Paul’s unexpected presentation of himself upon the stairs and offer to address them; but above all by the circumstance recorded in the last clause, that he spake in Hebrew, etc.” (Alex.).—Tr.]. The Hebrew dialect [ ôῇ ἙâñáÀäé äéáëÝêôῳ ] of course means here the living language, the Aramæan dialect [Syro-Chaldaic] spoken at that time in Judea.
2. It is an evidence that Paul possessed a holy disposition, and was filled, with the Spirit of Christ, if, at a time when ho had been most unmercifully treated, by the Jews, and had barely escaped with his life, he still possessed such composure, such moral strength, and such love to his people, that he could address the latter without the least bitterness of feeling. His heart is humbled under a sense of his own guilt, for he had once dealt with others as the Jews now dealt with him, and it was solely the grace of Him, who on the cross prayed for the forgiveness of his murderers, that had changed him (Luk_23:34).
Act_21:28. This is the man.—An upright servant of Christ is made so well known by the blessing which attends his official labors, that the enemies of Jesus can easily distinguish him among a thousand false and unfaithful zealots, and say: “This is he! Seize him !”—And hath polluted this holy place.—Here the apostle had the honor of being assailed, in the same tumultuous manner, by the same false accusation, and with being treated with the same animosity and severity, with which Jesus Christ had formerly been treated. When the servant finds that he thus resembles his Lord, and is walking in His footsteps, how easy and welcome the yoke becomes! (Ap. Past.).—And Paul, no doubt, thought of Stephen, too, who was once exposed to a similar storm.
Act_21:29. For they had seen, etc.—When God has appointed a season of suffering for us, the slightest circumstance may introduce it.—How closely the servants of Christ are watched, and what reason they have to be circumspect in their walk! The world notices also the company which we keep, and even decides respecting the personal merit of the pastor in accordance with the character of his intimate friends. The Lord grant that we may be without blame in all points! (Ap. Past.).
Act_21:30. And all the city was moved.—Men who can scarcely creep forward, when a good cause claims their aid, eagerly hasten forward to defend one that is bad, Jer_4:22. (Starke).—Drew him out of the temple, etc.—They wished to murder him, and yet not pollute the temple; they strained at gnats, and swallowed camels, as they had indeed done in the the case of the Lord Himself, Joh_18:28. (Williger).
Act_21:31. Tidings came unto the chief captain.—When a servant of Jesus is in great distress, he need not seek for patrons, nor need he implore men to be his advocates; God sends him aid at the proper time, without waiting for his prayers. (Ap. Past.).
Act_21:32. And when they saw the chief captain, etc.—It is one of the wonderful ways of God in governing the world, that those who do not belong to His kingdom, are often controlled by opposite interests, views and purposes, and thus either one sword forbids the other to leave its scabbard, or the children of His kingdom obtain aid from one of the parties, which did not design to furnish it. (Rieger).
Act_21:33. Commanded him to be bound with two chains.—Let not the servant of Christ depend with too much confidence on the aid which the world affords. Here the tribune rescues the apostle from the hands of murderous Jews, but nevertheless commands him, without hearing his plea, to be bound with two chains. (Ap. Past.).—But the prophecy of Agabus must needs be fulfilled.
Act_21:34. And when he could not know the certainty.—The man will always be disappointed, who expects to receive any trustworthy and valuable information from false teachers, and, indeed, in general, from the world. (Ap. Past.).
Act_21:35. And when he came upon the stairs … borne of the soldiers.—We have here an illustration of the manner in which God employs even enemies as the means for exalting his servants; the world, by its scorn and contempt, promotes us to honor. Many teachers would have remained in obscurity, if the envy and hatred of the world had not brought them forward, and given them celebrity. (Ap. Past.).
Act_21:36. Away with him!—Christ had heard the same cry, Luk_23:18; Joh_19:15.
Act_21:38. Art not thou that Egyptian …?—A striking instance of the false and absurd views which the deluded world entertains respecting the children and servants of God. We are regarded as idiots, madmen, deceivers, enemies of mankind, and, as if we were such, we are exposed to contempt and hatred. So, too, Christ was numbered with the transgressors [Isa_53:12]. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” [Luk_23:34]. (Ap. Past.).—Paul sustains the same relation to that Egyptian, which Luther does to Thomas Münzer [one of the “prophets of Zwickau.”—Tr.]. (Besser).
Act_21:40. And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, etc.—How little it was once thought that the steps which led to the Roman quarters would be the pulpit from which God would cause the Gospel of His Son to be proclaimed! (Rieger).—Beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, be spake, etc.—What a man he was! Able to beckon with calmness to this excited multitude! And, behold, there was a great calm, as when Jesus rebuked the stormy sea (Mat_8:26). We are never better prepared to proclaim the word of God, than when we bear in our bodies the marks of the cross and sufferings of the Lord Jesus [Gal_6:17], for then only does the Spirit of God supply us both with boldness to speak, and with words suited to the occasion. (Gossner).
ON THE WHOLE SECTION, Act_21:27-40.—The Lord delivers his servants from death: I. Paul is unjustly accused (a) as an enemy of the law, Act_21:27-28; (b) as a man who polluted the temple, Act_21:28-29. II. His own people reject him; (a) they cast him out of the temple, Act_21:30; (b) intend to slay him, Act_21:31. III. Heathens are obliged to protect him; (a) the tribune quells the tumult, Act_21:31-32; (b) saves the apostle’s life, Act_21:33. IV. The innocence of the persecuted man becomes apparent; (a) the charges against him are shown to be unfounded, Act_21:34-39; (b) he is allowed to defend himself, Act_21:40. (Lisco.)
The advantages of a well organized government, illustrated in the narrative of the arrest of the apostle Paul at Jerusalem.
The arrest of Paul at Jerusalem: I. A dark picture of human passions; (a) of folly and self-delusion; (b) of malice and hatred—on the part of the Jews, Act_21:28; Act_21:30-31; Act_21:36. II. A bright picture of Christian heroism; (a) of calmness and self-command; (b) of gentleness and patience—on the part of the apostle, Act_21:37; Act_21:39-40. III. An impressive illustration of the guidance of God; (a) of that omnipotence which protects His servants; (b) of the wisdom which employs even enemies as means of executing His counsels, Act_21:32-35; Act_21:37-40.
Paul in the temple of Jerusalem, or, Man proposes, but God disposes: I. God often conducts the well-meant counsels of his servants to an issue which differs from that which they had proposed, Act_21:27 ff., and comp. Act_21:22 ff. II. He also often conducts the malicious counsels of His enemies to an issue which differs from that which they had proposed, Act_21:30-40.
Paul, in the storm which raged at Jerusalem. It was so ordered that the apostle should subsequently encounter a fierce storm at sea, Acts 27, but it was scarcely more dangerous than the one which he here experiences on land, within the strong walls of Jerusalem, in the midst of his own people. But in each case the mighty hand of God protects and rescues him. Let us consider, I. The outbreak of the storm. Like many a storm in nature, this storm suddenly arises in the minds of men. Paul had apprehended such a tempest, when he was at Miletus (Act_20:22 ff.); on his way, its approach was announced to him with increasing solemnity (Act_21:4-11); it burst forth at a time when it might have been least expected, and in a spot where none would have looked for it
in the sacred enclosure of the temple, while Paul was seeking to satisfy the zealots of the law (Act_21:27). II. The raging of the storm. The madness of this storm of human passions increases every moment; the popular fury rages like the stormy ocean, and threatens to ingulf the servant of God (Act_21:28-31; Act_21:36). III. The calming of the storm. He who on the lake of Gennesaret rebuked the winds and the sea, so that there was a great calm, now says to this raging sea: “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further” [Job_38:11]. The Roman tribune is the agent who guides the apostle to a harbour, in which he is saved, and he himself, with great calmness beckons to the people, and they listen in silence (Act_21:31-40).
Paul’s memorable sermon at Jerusalem: I. The preacher—in chains, Act_21:33. II. The pulpit—the stairs conducting to the Roman quarters, Act_21:40. III. The deacons who attend him—soldiers, Act_21:35. IV. The psalms which precede his sermon—malignant cries for his death, Act_21:36. V. The congregation which he addresses—an infuriated multitude, Act_21:30-34. VI. The unction with which he nevertheless speaks—the Spirit of the Lord, as a Spirit of faith, of love, of wisdom, and of power, Act_21:13; Act_21:37; Act_21:39-40.
The weapons of the man of God in perilous times: I. Justice and the law, which should protect him, as long as they have power themselves, Act_21:32-33. II. The peace of a good conscience, which remains undisturbed amid the storm of passions, Act_21:37-39. III. The power of a sanctified character, which never fails to make an impression even on a rude multitude, Act_21:40. IV. The presence of God, to whom he belongs, whether he labors or suffers, whether he lives or dies, Act_21:13.
Footnotes:
Act_21:28. [ ðáíôá÷ïῦ , of text. rec., occurs in G. H.; the less usual form, ðáíôá÷ῆ , in A. B. C. D. E. Cod. Sin., is adopted by Lach., Tisch., and Alf.—Tr.]
Act_21:31. [ óõãêÝ÷õôáé , of text. rec. in E. ( óõíêÝ÷ .) G. H.; óõí÷ýííåôáé in A. D. and Cod. Sin.; in the last, a later hand (C) corrected to óõíêå÷õôáé ; óõã÷ýíåôáé in B. The first is adopted by Alf.; the third by Lach., Tisch. and Born.—C. omits Act_21:31—Act_22:20. Vulg. confunditur.—Tr.]
Act_21:32. [ ἑêáôïíôÜñ÷ïõò . of text. rec., in G. H.; ἑêáôïíôÜñ÷áò (from the nom.— çò ), in A. B. D (orig.). E. Cod. Sin. The latter form is adopted by Lach., Tisch., and Alf.—Tr.]
Act_21:33. [ ἂí before åἴç , of text. rec., with E. G. H., is retained by Alf., but dropped by Lach. and Tisch., in accordance with A. B. D., and also Cod. Sin.—Tr.]
Act_21:34. a. Four uncial manuscripts [A. B. D. E., and also Cod. Sin.] exhibit ἐðÝöþíïõí , while ἐâüùí [of text. rec.] is more feebly supported [by G. H. The former is adopted by Lach., Tisch., Born., and Alf.—Tr.]
Act_21:34. b. [ ìὴ äõíÜìåíïò äÝ ã . of text. rec., is the reading of G. H.; that of A. B. D., adopted by Lach., Tisch., and Alf., is: ìὴ äõíáìÝíïõ äὲ áὐôïῦ ã . The latter is found also in Cod. Sin.—Tr.]
Act_21:36. [ êñᾶæïí , the reading of text. rec., is found in D. G. H. “It is a grammatical correction.” (Alf.). ÊñÜæïíôåò , in A. B. E., is adopted by Lach., Tisch., and Alf., and is found also in Cod. Sin.—Tr.]
Act_21:37. [ ôé after åἰðåῖí , of text. rec., is found in A. B. E. Cod. Sin. and Vulg. (aliquid); it is omitted in D. G. H. Syr.—Lach. retains it.—Tr.]