Act 21:28-30 | RWP | e4.org | Help ( βοηθειτε ). Present active imperative of βοηθεω , to run ( θεω ) at a cry ( βοη ), as if an outrage had been committed like murder or assault. All men everywhere ( παντα πανταχη ). Alliterative. Πανταχη is a variation in MSS., often πανταχου , and here only in the N.T. The charges against Paul remind one of those against Stephen ( ) in which Paul had participated according to his confession ( ). Like the charges against Stephen and Jesus before him truth and falsehood are mixed. Paul had said that being a Jew would not save a man. He had taught the law of Moses was not binding on Gentiles. He did hold, like Jesus and Stephen, that the temple was not the only place to worship God. But Paul gloried himself in being a Jew, considered the Mosaic law righteous for Jews, and was honouring the temple at this very moment. And moreover also he brought Greeks also into the temple ( ετ τε κα Hελληνας εισηγαγεν εις το ιερον ). Note the three particles ( ετ τε κα ), and ( τε ) still more ( ετ ) also or even ( κα ). Worse than his teaching ( διδασκων ) is his dreadful deed: he actually brought ( εισηγαγεν , second aorist active indicative of εισαγω ). This he had a right to do if they only went into the court of the Gentiles. But these Jews mean to imply that Paul had brought Greeks beyond this court into the court of Israel. An inscription was found by Clermont-Ganneau in Greek built into the walls of a mosque on the Via Dolorosa that was on the wall dividing the court of Israel from the court of the Gentiles. Death was the penalty to any Gentile who crossed over into the Court of Israel ( The Athenaeum , July, 1871). Hath defiled this holy place ( κεκοινωκεν τον αγιον τοπον τουτον ). Present perfect active of κοινοω , to make common (see on ). Note vivid change of tense, the defilement lasts (state of completion). All this is the substance of the call of these shrewd conspirators from Ephesus, Jews (not Jewish Christians, not even Judaizers) who hated him for his work there and who probably "spoke evil of the Way before the multitude" there so that Paul had to separate the disciples from the synagogue and go to the School of Tyrannus ( .). These enemies of Paul had now raised the cry of "fire" and vanish from the scene completely ( ). This charge was absolutely false as we shall see, made out of inferences of hate and suspicion.

‏ Acts 21:28-30

Help ( βοηθειτε ). Present active imperative of βοηθεω, to run ( θεω ) at a cry ( βοη ), as if an outrage had been committed like murder or assault.

All men everywhere ( παντα πανταχη ). Alliterative. Πανταχη is a variation in MSS., often πανταχου, and here only in the N.T. The charges against Paul remind one of those against Stephen (Ac 6:13) in which Paul had participated according to his confession (22:20). Like the charges against Stephen and Jesus before him truth and falsehood are mixed. Paul had said that being a Jew would not save a man. He had taught the law of Moses was not binding on Gentiles. He did hold, like Jesus and Stephen, that the temple was not the only place to worship God. But Paul gloried himself in being a Jew, considered the Mosaic law righteous for Jews, and was honouring the temple at this very moment.

And moreover also he brought Greeks also into the temple ( ετ τε κα Hελληνας εισηγαγεν εις το ιερον ). Note the three particles ( ετ τε κα ),

and ( τε )

still more ( ετ )

also or

even ( κα ). Worse than his teaching ( διδασκων ) is his dreadful deed: he actually brought ( εισηγαγεν, second aorist active indicative of εισαγω ). This he had a right to do if they only went into the court of the Gentiles. But these Jews mean to imply that Paul had brought Greeks beyond this court into the court of Israel. An inscription was found by Clermont-Ganneau in Greek built into the walls of a mosque on the Via Dolorosa that was on the wall dividing the court of Israel from the court of the Gentiles. Death was the penalty to any Gentile who crossed over into the Court of Israel (The Athenaeum, July, 1871).

Hath defiled this holy place ( κεκοινωκεν τον αγιον τοπον τουτον ). Present perfect active of κοινοω, to make common (see on 10:14). Note vivid change of tense, the defilement lasts (state of completion). All this is the substance of the call of these shrewd conspirators from Ephesus, Jews (not Jewish Christians, not even Judaizers) who hated him for his work there and who probably "spoke evil of the Way before the multitude" there so that Paul had to separate the disciples from the synagogue and go to the School of Tyrannus (19:9f.). These enemies of Paul had now raised the cry of "fire" and vanish from the scene completely (24:19). This charge was absolutely false as we shall see, made out of inferences of hate and suspicion.

For ( γαρ ). Luke adds the reason for the wild charges made against Paul.

They had before seen ( ησαν προεωρακοτες ). Periphrastic past perfect of προοραω, old verb to see before, whether time or place. Only twice in the N.T., here and Ac 2:25 quoted from Ps 15:8. Note the double reduplication in -εω- as in Attic (Robertson, Grammar, p. 364).

With him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian ( Τροφιμον τον Εφεσιον εν τη πολε συν αυτω ). The Jews from Asia (Ephesus) knew Trophimus by sight as well as Paul. One day they saw both of them together ( συν ) in the city. That was a fact. They had just seized Paul in the temple ( ιερον ). That was another fact.

They supposed ( ενομιζον ). Imperfect active of νομιζω, common to think or suppose. Perfectly harmless word, but they did, as so many people do, put their supposed inference on the same basis with the facts. They did not see Trophimus with Paul now in the temple, nor had they ever seen him there. They simply argued that, if Paul was willing to be seen down street with a Greek Christian, he would not hesitate to bring him (therefore, did bring him, εισηγαγεν as in verse 28) into the temple, that is into the court of Israel and therefore both Paul and Trophimus were entitled to death, especially Paul who had brought him in (if he had) and, besides, they now had Paul. This is the way of the mob-mind in all ages. Many an innocent man has been rushed to his death by the fury of a lynching party.

All the city was shaken ( εκινηθη η πολις ολη ). First aorist passive of κινεω, common verb for violent motion and emotion. See also 24:5 where the word is used by Tertullus of Paul as the stirrer up of riots!

The people ran together ( εγενετο συνδρομη του λαου ). Rather, There came a running together ( συν-δρομη from συν-τρεχω ) of the people. The cry spread like wildfire over the city and there was a pell-mell scramble or rush to get to the place of the disturbance.

They laid hold on Paul ( επιλαβομενο του Παυλου ). Second aorist middle participle of επιλαμβανομα with the genitive (cf. επεβαλαν in verse 27).

Dragged ( ειλκον ). Imperfect active of ελκω (and also ελκυω ), old verb to drag or draw. Imperfect tense vividly pictures the act as going on. They were saving the temple by dragging Paul outside. Curiously enough both επιλαβομενο and ειλκυσαν occur in 16:19 about the arrest of Paul and Silas in Philippi.

Straightway the doors were shut ( ευθεως εκλεισθησαν α θυρα ). With a bang and at once. First aorist (effective) passive of κλειω. The doors between the inner court and the court of the Gentiles. But this was only the beginning, the preparation for the real work of the mob. They did not wish to defile the holy place with blood. The doors were shut by the Levites.