the acts of the apostles-第56章

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compromise　by　counseling　him　to　pursue　a　course　which　in　their　opinion　would
remove　all　cause　for　misapprehension。

〃Thou　seest；　brother；〃　they　said；　in　response　to　his　testimony；　〃how　many
thousands　of　Jews　there　are　which　believe；　and　they　are　all　zealous　of　the
law：　and　they　are

404

informed　of　thee；　that　thou　teachest　all　the　Jews　which　are　among　the
Gentiles　to　forsake　Moses；　saying　that　they　ought　not　to　circumcise　their
children；　neither　to　walk　after　the　customs。　What　is　it　therefore？　the
multitude　must　needs　come　together：　for　they　will　hear　that　thou　art　come。
Do　therefore　this　that　we　say　to　thee：　We　have　four　men　which　have　a　vow　on
them；　them　take；　and　purify　thyself　with　them；　and　be　at　charges　with　them；
that　they　may　shave　their　heads：　and　all　may　know　that　those　things；　whereof
they　were　informed　concerning　thee；　are　nothing；　but　that　thou　thyself　also
walkest　orderly；　and　keepest　the　law。　As　touching　the　Gentiles　which
believe；　we　have　written　and　concluded　that　they　observe　no　such　thing；　save
only　that　they　keep　themselves　from　things　offered　to　idols；　and　from　blood；
and　from　strangled；　and　from　fornication。〃

The　brethren　hoped　that　Paul；　by　following　the　course　suggested；　might　give
a　decisive　contradiction　to　the　false　reports　concerning　him。　They　assured
him　that　the　decision　of　the　former　council　concerning　the　Gentile　converts
and　the　ceremonial　law；　still　held　good。　But　the　advice　now　given　was　not
consistent　with　that　decision。　The　Spirit　of　God　did　not　prompt　this
instruction；　it　was　the　fruit　of　cowardice。　The　leaders　of　the　church　in
Jerusalem　knew　that　by　non…conformity　to　the　ceremonial　law；　Christians
would　bring　upon　themselves　the　hatred　of　the　Jews　and　expose　themselves　to
persecution。　The　Sanhedrin　was　doing　its　utmost　to　hinder　the　progress　of
the　gospel。　Men　were　chosen　by　this　body　to　follow　up　the　apostles；
especially　Paul；　and　in

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every　possible　way　to　oppose　their　work。　Should　the　believers　in　Christ　be
condemned　before　the　Sanhedrin　as　breakers　of　the　law；　they　would　suffer
swift　and　severe　punishment　as　apostates　from　the　Jewish　faith。

Many　of　the　Jews　who　had　accepted　the　gospel　still　cherished　a　regard　for
the　ceremonial　law　and　were　only　too　willing　to　make　unwise　concessions；
hoping　thus　to　gain　the　confidence　of　their　countrymen；　to　remove　their
prejudice；　and　to　win　them　to　faith　in　Christ　as　the　world's　Redeemer。　Paul
realized　that　so　long　as　many　of　the　leading　members　of　the　church　at
Jerusalem　should　continue　to　cherish　prejudice　against　him；　they　would　work
constantly　to　counteract　his　influence。　He　felt　that　if　by　any　reasonable
concession　he　could　win　them　to　the　truth　he　would　remove　a　great　obstacle
to　the　success　of　the　gospel　in　other　places。　But　he　was　not　authorized　of
God　to　concede　as　much　as　they　asked。

When　we　think　of　Paul's　great　desire　to　be　in　harmony　with　his　brethren；　his
tenderness　toward　the　weak　in　the　faith；　his　reverence　for　the　apostles　who
had　been　with　Christ；　and　for　James；　the　brother　of　the　Lord；　and　his
purpose　to　become　all　things　to　all　men　so　far　as　he　could　without
sacrificing　principlewhen　we　think　of　all　this；　it　is　less　surprising　that
he　was　constrained　to　deviate　from　the　firm；　decided　course　that　he　had
hitherto　followed。　But　instead　of　accomplishing　the　desired　object；　his
efforts　for　conciliation　only　precipitated　the　crisis；　hastened　his
predicted　sufferings；　and　resulted　in　separating　him　from　his　brethren；

406

depriving　the　church　of　one　of　its　strongest　pillars；　and　bringing　sorrow　to
Christian　hearts　in　every　land。

On　the　following　day　Paul　began　to　carry　out　the　counsel　of　the　elders。　The
four　men　who　were　under　the　Nazarite　vow　（Numbers　6）；　the　term　of　which　had
nearly　expired；　were　taken　by　Paul　into　the　temple；　〃to　signify　the
accomplishment　of　the　days　of　purification；　until　that　an　offering　should　be
offered　for　every　one　of　them。〃　Certain　costly　sacrifices　for　purification
were　yet　to　be　offered。

Those　who　advised　Paul　to　take　this　step　had　not　fully　considered　the　great
peril　to　which　he　would　thus　be　exposed。　At　this　season；　Jerusalem　was
filled　with　worshipers　from　many　lands。　As；　in　fulfillment　of　the　commission
given　him　by　God；　Paul　had　borne　the　gospel　to　the　Gentiles；　he　had　visited
many　of　the　world's　largest　cities；　and　he　was　well　known　to　thousands　who
from　foreign　parts　had　come　to　Jerusalem　to　attend　the　feast。　Among　these
were　men　whose　hearts　were　filled　with　bitter　hatred　for　Paul；　and　for　him
to　enter　the　temple　on　a　public　occasion　was　to　risk　his　life。　For　several
days　he　passed　in　and　out　among　the　worshipers；　apparently　unnoticed；　but
before　the　close　of　the　specified　period；　as　he　was　talking　with　a　priest
concerning　the　sacrifices　to　be　offered；　he　was　recognized　by　some　of　the
Jews　from　Asia。

With　the　fury　of　demons　they　rushed　upon　him；　crying；　〃Men　of　Israel；　help：
This　is　the　man；　that　teacheth　all　men　everywhere　against　the　people；　and
the　law；　and　this　place。〃　And　as　the　people　responded　to　the　call　for　help；

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another　accusation　was　added〃and　further　brought　Greeks　also　into　the
temple；　and　hath　polluted　this　holy　place。〃

By　the　Jewish　law　it　was　a　crime　punishable　with　death　for　an　uncircumcised
person　to　enter　the　inner　courts　of　the　sacred　edifice。　Paul　had　been　seen
in　the　city　in　company　with　Trophimus；　an　Ephesian；　and　it　was　conjectured
that　he　had　brought　him　into　the　temple。　This　he　had　not　done；　and　being
himself　a　Jew；　his　act　in　entering　the　temple　was　no　violation　of　the　law。
But　though　the　charge　was　wholly　false；　it　served　to　arouse　the　popular
prejudice。　As　the　cry　was　taken　up　and　borne　through　the　temple　courts；　the
throngs　gathered　there　were　thrown　into　wild　excitement。　The　news　quickly
spread　through　Jerusalem；　〃and　all　the　city　was　moved；　and　the　people　ran
together。〃

That　an　apostate　from　Israel　should　presume　to　profane　the　temple　at　the
very　time　when　thousands　had　come　there　from　all　parts　of　the　world　to
worship；　excited　the　fiercest　passions　of　the　mob。　〃They　took　Paul；　and　drew
him　out　of　the　temple：　and　forthwith　the　doors　were　shut。〃

〃As　they　went　about　to　kill　him；　tidings　came　unto　the　chief　captain　of　the
band；　that　all　Jerusalem　was　in　an　uproar。〃　Claudius　Lysias　well　knew　the
turbulent　elements　with　which　he　had　to　deal；　and　he　〃immediately　took
soldiers　and　centurions；　and　ran　down　unto　them：　and　when　they　saw　the　chief
captain　and　the　soldiers；　they　left　beating　of　Paul。〃　Ignorant　of　the　cause
of　the　tumult；　but　seeing　that　the　rage　of　the　multitude　was　directed
against　Paul；　the　Roman　captain　concluded　that　he　must　be　a　certain　Egyptian

408

rebel　of　whom　he　had　heard；　who　had　thus　far　escaped　capture。　He　therefore
〃took　him；　and　commanded　him　to　be　bound　with　two　chains；　and　demanded　who
he　was；　and　what　he　had　done。〃　At　once　many　voices　were　raised　in　loud　and
angry　accusation；　〃some　cried　one　thing；　some　another；　among　the　multitude：
and　when　he　could　not　know　the　certainty　for　the　tumult；　he　commanded　him　to
be　carried　into　the　castle。　And　when　he　came　upon　the　stairs；　so　it　was；
that　he　was　borne　of　the　soldiers　for　the　violence　of　the　people。　For　the
multitude　of　the　people　followed　after；　crying；　Away　with　him。〃

In　the　midst　of　the　tumult　the　apostle　was　calm　and　self…possessed。　His　mind
was　stayed　upon　God；　and　he　knew　that　angels　of　heaven　were　about　him。　He
felt　unwilling　to　leave　the　temple　without　making　an　effort　to　set　the　truth
before　his　countrymen。　As　he　was　about　to　be　led　into　the　castle　he　said　to
the　chief　captain；　〃May　I　speak　unto　thee？〃　Lysias　responded；　〃Canst　thou
speak　Greek？　Art　not　thou　that　Egyptian；　which　before　these　days　madest　an
uproar；　and　leddest　out　into　the　wilderness　four　thousand　men　that　were
murderers？〃　In　reply　Paul　said；　〃I　am　a　man　which　am　a　Jew　of　Tarsus；　a　city
in　Cilicia；　a　citizen　of　no　mean　city：　and；　I　beseech　thee；　suffer　me　to
speak　unto　the　people。〃

The　request　was　granted；　and　〃Paul　stood　on　the　stairs；　and　beckoned　with
the　hand　unto　the　people。〃　The　gesture　attracted　their　attention；　while　his
bearing　commanded　respect。　〃And　when　there　was　made　a　great　silence；　he
spake　unto　them　in　the　Hebrew　tongue；　saying；　Men；　brethren；　and

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fathers；　hear　ye　my　defense　which　I　make　now　unto　you。〃　At　the　sound　of　the
familiar　Hebrew　words；　〃they　kept　the　more　silence；〃　and　in　the　universal
hush　he　continued：

〃I　am　verily　a　man　which　am　a　Jew；　born　in　Tarsus；　a　city　in　Cilicia；　yet
brought　up　in　this　city　at　the　feet　of　Gamaliel；　and　taught　according　to　the
perfect　manner　of　the　law　of　the　fathers；　and　was　zealous　toward　God；　as　ye
all　are　this　day。〃　None　could　deny　the　apostle's　statements；　as　the　facts
that　he　referred　to　were　well　known　to　many　who　were　still　living　in
Jerusalem。　He　then　spoke　of　his　former　zeal　in　persecuting　the　disciples　of
Christ；　even　unto　death；　and　he　narrated　the　circumstances　of　his
conversion；　telling　his　hearers　how　his　own　proud　heart　had　been　led　to　bow
to　the　crucified　Nazarene。　Had　he　attempted　to　enter　into　argument　with　his
opponents；　they　would　have　stubbornly　refused　to　listen　to　his　words；　but
the　relation　of　his　experience　was　attended　with　a　convincing　power　that　for
the　time　seemed　to　soften　and　subdue　their　hearts。

He　then　endeavored　to　show　that　his　work　among　the　Gentiles　had　not　been
entered　upon　from　choice。　He　had　desired　to　labor　for　his　own　nation；　but　in
that　very　temple　the　voice　of　God　had　spoken　to　him　in　holy　vision；
directing　his　course　〃far　hence　upon　the　Gentiles。〃

Hitherto　the　people　had　listened　with　close　attention；　but　when　Paul　reached
the　point　in　his　history　where　he　was　appointed　Christ's　ambassador　to　the
Gentiles；　their　fury　broke　forth　anew。　Accustomed　to　look　upon　themselves　as
the　only　people　favored　by　God；　they　were　unwilling　to

410

permit　the　despised　Gentiles　to　share　the　privileges　which　had　hitherto　been
regarded　as　exclusively　their　own。　Lifting　their　voices　above　the　voice　of
the　speaker；　they　cried；　〃Away　with　such　a　fellow　from　the　earth：　for　it　is
not　fit　that　he　should　live。〃

〃As　they　cried　out；　and　cast　off　their　clothes；　and　threw　dust　into　the　air；
the　chief　captain　commanded　him　to　be　brought　into　the　castle；　and　bade　that
he　should　be　examined　by　scourging；　that　he　might　know　wherefore　they　cried
so　against　him。

〃And　as　they　bound　him　with　thongs；　Paul　said　unto　the　centurion　that　stood
by；　Is　it　lawful　for　you　to　scourge　a　man　that　is　a　Roman；　and　uncondemned？
When　the　centurion　heard　that；　he　went　and　told　the　chief　captain；　saying；
Take　heed　what　thou　doest：　for　this　man　is　a　Roman。　Then　the　chief　captain
came；　and　said　unto　him；　Tell　me；　art　thou　a　Roman？　He　said；　Yea。　And　the
chief　captain　answered；　With　a　great　sum　obtained　I　this　freedom。　And　Paul
said；　But　I　was　freeborn。　Then　straightway　they　departed　from　him　which
should　have　examined　him：　and　the　chief　captain　also　was　afraid；　after　he
knew　th