David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 21:27-36

When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. 31 And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, 36 for the mob of the people followed, crying out, “Away with him!”

The cartoon shows a pastor at his desk talking on the telephone. The caption: “Did Mr. Jones give $100,000 to our church last year? Give me 10 minutes and I’ll make certain he did.” As a pastor I got it: the pastor would call Mr. Jones and get the money from Mr. Jones since apparently he had not given it already. It’s like being asked if you did a good deed that you didn’t do: you wish you had done so.

The Jews from Asia had supposed that Paul had brought Trophimus (a Gentile) into the temple. This was a scandalous offense. According to Josephus there was an inscription, written in Greek and Latin on the wall that enclosed the inner court of the temple, It is a capital crime for strangers to enter. The accusation that Paul had done so caused an uproarious riot. Things were so out of hand that soldiers and centurions came to quash the outbreak and discover what was happening.

Luke does not say that Paul had or had not defiled the inner court of the temple in this manner, but the clear implication is that this was a false accusation. Although Paul was a Jew’s Jew, I can’t help but wonder if Paul wished he had done so. When Jesus died the curtain in the inner-inner part of the temple was torn in two, destroying the physical barrier separating even the priests from gaining access to the Holy Seat and presence of God. Paul had seen the Holy Spirit poured out on Gentile believers in visible demonstration of God’s favor. It was clear that there was no more distinction on God’s part between Jew and Gentile. Might Paul have wanted to show Trophimus (and the Jews) that all people should have access to the inner courts of the temple?

There is no way to know the inner state of Paul’s mind, so we cannot say whether or not the idea even entered his mind. But we can say this, entrance into the Jewish temple – even the inner courts and the Holy of Holies – would soon be a non-issue. In less than two decades the temple will be destroyed by the Roman emperor Titus. Access to God is gained through Jesus Christ, and the message of the Gospel had already been spread among the Gentiles.

On the one hand I might wish that I had done what Paul was charged with doing, but such a stunt would not serve the true Gospel message. And even though one might wish to have made the point – and to that extent be guilty as charged – the greater hope and desire of Paul is to share the Gospel message with all people. We will see that unfold in the coming events. Paul will use this riot and arrest as an opportunity to share the Gospel.

If the charge against Paul is that he never stops looking for an opportunity to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, he would be happy to be guilty as charged. What charge might I wish to stand guilty for? How about you?