Acts 21:17-40
17-19. the brethren received us gladly—the disciples generally, as distinguished from the official reception recorded in Ac 21:18.
18. Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present—to "report himself" formally to the acknowledged head of the church at Jerusalem, and his associates in office. See on Ac 15:13. Had any other of the apostles been in Jerusalem on that occasion, it could hardly fail to have been noted.
19. he declared particularly—in detail.
what God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry—as on previous occasions (Ac 14:27; and see Ro 15:15); no doubt referring to the insidious and systematic efforts of the Judaizing party in a number of places to shrivel the Church of Christ into a Jewish sect, and his own counter-procedure.20-25. they glorified the Lord, &c.—constrained to justify his course, notwithstanding the Jewish complexion of the Christianity of Jerusalem.
21. they are informed . . . that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles—those residing in heathen countries.
to forsake Moses, &c.—This calumny of the unbelieving Jews would find easy credence among the Christian zealots for Judaism.20-25. they glorified the Lord, &c.—constrained to justify his course, notwithstanding the Jewish complexion of the Christianity of Jerusalem.
23. we have four men—Christian Jews, no doubt.
which have a vow—perhaps kept ready on purpose.24. be at charges with them—that is, defray the expense of the sacrifices legally required of them, along with his own, which was deemed a mark of Jewish generosity.
25. touching the Gentiles . . . we have written and concluded that they observe no such things, &c.—This shows that with all their conciliation to Jewish prejudice, the Church of Jerusalem was taught to adhere to the decision of the famous council held there (Ac 15:19-29).
26. to signify—that is, announce to the priest.
the accomplishment of the days of purification, &c.—(See on Nu 6:14-21).27-30. the Jews . . . of Asia—in all likelihood those of Ephesus (since they recognized Trophimus apparently as a townsman, Ac 21:29), embittered by their discomfiture (Ac 19:9, &c.).
29. Trophimus—(See on Ac 20:4).
30. took Paul, and drew him out of the temple; and forthwith the doors were shut—that the murder they meant to perpetrate might not pollute that holy place.
31. tidings came—literally, "went up," that is, to the fortress of Antonia, where the commandant resided. See on Ac 21:32. This part of the narrative is particularly graphic.
32. the chief captain—"the chiliarch," or tribune of the Roman cohort, whose full number was one thousand men.
33. commanded him to be bound with two chains—(See on Ac 12:6).
34. some cried one thing—The difficulty would be so to state his crimes as to justify their proceedings to a Roman officer.
to be carried into the castle—rather, perhaps, "the barracks," or that part of the fortress of Antonia appropriated to the soldiers. The fort was built by Herod on a high rock at the northwest corner of the great temple area, and called after Mark Antony.35, 36. Away with him—as before of his Lord (Lu 23:18; Joh 19:15).
37-40. Art not thou that Egyptian, &c.—The form of the question implies that the answer is to be in the negative, and is matter of some surprise: "Thou art not then?" &c.
38. madest an uproar, &c.—The narrative is given in JOSEPHUS [Wars of the Jews, 2.8.6; 13.5], though his two allusions and ours seem to refer to different periods of the rebellion.
39. a citizen of no mean city—(See on Ac 16:37).
40. stood on the stairs—"What nobler spectacle than that of Paul at this moment! There he stood, bound with two chains, ready to make his defense to the people. The Roman commander sits by, to enforce order by his presence. An enraged populace look up to him from below. Yet in the midst of so many dangers, how self-possessed is he, how tranquil!" [CHRYSOSTOM (or in his name) in HACKETT].
a great silence—the people awed at the permission given him by the commandant, and seeing him sitting as a listener. in the Hebrew tongue—the Syro-Chaldaic, the vernacular tongue of the Palestine Jews since the captivity.