Act 21:19-20 | KingComments | STEP | With his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul’s third missionary journey ends, as does his public service as a free man. Until the end of the book, Luke describes in detail what happens to Paul because of his desire to win his Jewish brothers over to the gospel, or at least to remove every obstacle to win them over to the gospel. For this he is willing to submit to some Jewish customs. In order to win the Jews, he wants to become as a Jew to them, and to those who are under the law, as under the law ( ). He does it all for the sake of the gospel ( ). However, it seems that his purpose works the opposite. His desire to bring his compatriots the delivering gospel drives him into the hands of the hostile Jews and then into the hands of the Gentiles. This development ends with his imprisonment in Rome. Paul took the first steps in this development in his heart some time ago and put them into practice by his journey to Jerusalem. This has set in motion an irreversible process. The steps that follow flow from the previous ones. Paul is warmly received by the brothers in Jerusalem. That does not mean that they wholeheartedly agree with the course he is taking, but they accept him. The fact that they have their questions about Paul’s course of action is evident when he visits James the next day, where all the elders of the Jerusalem church have also come. James is the brother with the most influence in the church in Jerusalem. God has sanctioned that there is a church in Jerusalem that has remained entirely Jewish. He even inspired James by His Spirit to write a letter to that special group of Jewish Christians which we have as the letter of James in the Bible. The Jewish Christians distinguish themselves from their unbelieving Jewish companions in nothing else but the acknowledgment of the Messiah in Jesus. Furthermore, they continue to hold on to all Jewish statutes and customs. We should not condemn what God has endured for some time. Through James, these believers have freed the believers of the nations by the Spirit from putting themselves under the Jewish commandments and statutes. We have seen this in Acts 15 ( ). But when someone joins them and enters the sphere of their experience and practice of faith, we notice how great their influence is on those who join them. This will be shown by the actions of the apostle of the nations, who knows for himself that he is not under the law and can also be as a Jew to win them over to the gospel. After the usual greeting – which is more than a formality, it expresses connectedness – Paul opens things up completely. He speaks about God’s work among the Gentiles through his ministry. Undoubtedly the Lord wants to expand the hearts of Jewish believers through this. They are focused only on the development of Jewish Christendom and are hardly aware of what God works among the nations in their Gentile brethren.

‏ Acts 21:19-20

Paul Visits James

With his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul’s third missionary journey ends, as does his public service as a free man. Until the end of the book, Luke describes in detail what happens to Paul because of his desire to win his Jewish brothers over to the gospel, or at least to remove every obstacle to win them over to the gospel. For this he is willing to submit to some Jewish customs. In order to win the Jews, he wants to become as a Jew to them, and to those who are under the law, as under the law (1Cor 9:20). He does it all for the sake of the gospel (1Cor 9:23).

However, it seems that his purpose works the opposite. His desire to bring his compatriots the delivering gospel drives him into the hands of the hostile Jews and then into the hands of the Gentiles. This development ends with his imprisonment in Rome.

Paul took the first steps in this development in his heart some time ago and put them into practice by his journey to Jerusalem. This has set in motion an irreversible process. The steps that follow flow from the previous ones.

Paul is warmly received by the brothers in Jerusalem. That does not mean that they wholeheartedly agree with the course he is taking, but they accept him. The fact that they have their questions about Paul’s course of action is evident when he visits James the next day, where all the elders of the Jerusalem church have also come. James is the brother with the most influence in the church in Jerusalem.

God has sanctioned that there is a church in Jerusalem that has remained entirely Jewish. He even inspired James by His Spirit to write a letter to that special group of Jewish Christians which we have as the letter of James in the Bible. The Jewish Christians distinguish themselves from their unbelieving Jewish companions in nothing else but the acknowledgment of the Messiah in Jesus. Furthermore, they continue to hold on to all Jewish statutes and customs.

We should not condemn what God has endured for some time. Through James, these believers have freed the believers of the nations by the Spirit from putting themselves under the Jewish commandments and statutes. We have seen this in Acts 15 (Acts 15:1-31). But when someone joins them and enters the sphere of their experience and practice of faith, we notice how great their influence is on those who join them. This will be shown by the actions of the apostle of the nations, who knows for himself that he is not under the law and can also be as a Jew to win them over to the gospel.

After the usual greeting – which is more than a formality, it expresses connectedness – Paul opens things up completely. He speaks about God’s work among the Gentiles through his ministry. Undoubtedly the Lord wants to expand the hearts of Jewish believers through this. They are focused only on the development of Jewish Christendom and are hardly aware of what God works among the nations in their Gentile brethren.

Reactions to Paul’s Report

Paul’s account is received enthusiastically by James and the elders of Jerusalem. They glorify God. But then they immediately start talking about what worries them. They speak to him as “brother”, by which they consider him as one of them. Then they point out the large number of Jews who have believed. All these Jews are zealous for the law. All these Messianic Jews are unfamiliar with true Christendom and heavenly blessings because of their adherence to the law.

As has already been said, God endures this too, but for anyone who is familiar with true Christendom and heavenly blessings and nevertheless engages in how they experience faith, it is a danger. That is exactly what Paul does. Paul is now in the surrounding where all attention is focused on Judaism where the demands of the law apply. The atmosphere that prevails there does not correspond to the special mission given to him: to preach the glorified Christ. Nor can he do so, for this company is not open to it. Once again: God tolerates this Jewish Christendom. However, this does not mean that believers from the nations should behave in the same way, and certainly not the apostle Paul. But Paul cannot go back.

He is confronted with an accusation. In Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians have heard that he is teaching to forsake Moses. They also say what that forsaking consists of. Paul would teach that Jews among the Gentiles should not circumcise their children and that they should not walk according to Jewish customs. This means that he hits these Jewish Christians in the heart. He brings down the pillars of their faith.

Now these are evil rumors. Evil rumors have already caused a lot of trouble. They are uttered and passed on without questioning the truth. Many servants of God have already been put in a bad light because of this. Rumors are gladly listened to. Nehemiah, for example, has experienced this (Neh 6:6).