1. Reporting what God did (v15-20)
a) Paul knew trouble awaited him in Jerusalem (20:23, 21:23), yet he felt he had to go. When he got there, the
brethren received him & his traveling companions gladly.
b) The following day he met with James (half-brother of Jesus & key leader in the church) & all the elders
overseeing the church, and related/recounted details of what happened in his ministry to the Gentiles. “God had
done”- God is behind the success. Likely, he also presented the offering he had gathered from Gentile churches
(Romans 15:25-27, Acts 24:17).
c) The Jewish Christian leaders responded by glorifying God. There was no jealousy or suspicions of Paul. We
should glorify God upon hearing of great things God has done outside our church.
2. A plan to dispel rumors (vs. 21-25)
a) The Jerusalem church leaders brought up a concern & an idea. There were many thousands of Jewish believers in
Christ in & around Jerusalem, who were also zealous to keep the Law of Moses. These believers heard false
charges about Paul (probably from other Jews in areas where Paul traveled as a missionary): Paul had
forsaken/apostatized from Moses’ teaching, telling Jews not to circumcise their sons or to walk according to the
customs of the Law. People probably read into his teaching about freedom in Christ from the Law (Gal. 5:1-6,
Romans 2:28-29,6:14) & his approach to Gentiles (I Cor. 9:19, 21-23) to imply things Paul never said. Be careful
of reading into what someone says & slander.
b) They had 4 men who were under a Nazarite vow (Numbers 6). They called Paul to purify himself along with
them (a week with ceremonial washings on the 3rd & 7th days, Num. 19:12), and then pay the expenses for the
sacrifices that were required at the end of the Nazarite vow (Num. 6:13f). The men’s hair would be shaved &
placed under the peace offering (Num. 6:18). Benefactors showed their piety by assisting poorer people fulfilling
Nazarite vows (Paul had some wealth). This would demonstrate to the Jews in Jerusalem & the temple that there
was nothing to the charges against his teaching, but he conducted himself orderly & kept the Law as a good Jew.
c) These leaders reaffirmed the decision made in Acts 15 that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised or keep the
Law to be acceptable to God. Abstaining from meat sacrificed to idols, blood, strangled animals and fornication
were particularly offensive to Jews and practices that God-fearing Gentiles living with the Jews were called upon
to practice.
3. A riot to kill Paul (vs. 26-30)
a) Paul immediately went along with this suggestion (I Cor. 9:20). The next day he went to the temple to begin the
process of purification from defilement to participate in the completion of the Nazarite vows of the 4 men.
b) By the end of the week, Jews from Asia Minor (Ephesus v29, Feast of Pentecost time-20:16) began to stir up the
crowd & laid hands on Paul. They charged Paul with preaching everywhere against the Jews, the Law & the
temple. They added he also brought a Gentile into the temple based on the big assumption they saw him with
a Gentile (Trophimus) from Ephesus in the city. This was a serious capital offense charge. Around the temple
between the outer court of the Gentiles & the court of Woman were signs warning against Gentiles going beyond
that point, declaring they faced the penalty of death if they violated this. The Romans honored this. The mob was
provoked and they dragged Paul into the outer courtyard to beat him to death.
4. Rescued by Roman soldiers (vs, 31-35)
a) There was a Roman fort, the Fortress of Antonia, in the NW corner of the temple area. Romans soldiers watched
from these towers to guard against riots in the temple.
b) The commander of 1,000 troops took soldiers and centurions to stop Paul’s beating. Assuming he had done
something wrong, he bound Paul in chains and inquired about what he had done. When more chaos ensued, he
decided to take Paul back to the barracks to obtain a confession from him. The crowd was so agitated the soldiers
had to carry Paul. As with Jesus, the crowd demanded, “Away with him!” (Luke 23:18, John 19:15).
c) God used Roman soldiers to rescue Paul from certain death. He can rescue you.