Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 21:21
And they are 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.
21. and they are informed of thee ] More clearly and in accordance with modern English, the Rev. Ver. “ they have been informed concerning thee.” The verb is a very significant one, from which comes our English “catechize.” It implies, therefore, that the process of educating public opinion in Jerusalem about St Paul had been a diligent business. They had taught the lesson persistently till their hearers were fully trained in it. We can hence understand the great hostility which the Apostle experienced, and his strong language about these Judaizers. They must have had their partizans at work in preparation for his visit, and have poisoned men’s minds against him.
that thou teachest to forsake Moses ] The calumniators made use of the Apostle’s earnest words to Gentile converts, that they should not accept Judaism first as a door to Christianity, to bring a charge that, to Jews also, he spake of the law as no longer to be regarded. We can see from what we know of his words and actions how false this was, but at such a time and amid such a populace the charge would rouse great animosity, and have no chance of being refuted.
saying that they ought not to circumcise their children ] More simply (with Rev. Ver.), “telling them not to,” &c. This had so long been the mark of the Jew, and the expression “uncircumcised” meant something so abhorrent to his mind, that we cannot wonder that this is put in the forefront of the charge. For the sense of contempt and abomination in the name, cf. 1Sa 17:26; Eze 28:10; Eze 32:29-30.
neither to walk after the customs ] The customs being the ceremonial law of the Jews. There is quite a Jewish sound in the frequent Old Testament phrase “to walk after.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And they are informed of thee – Reports respecting the conduct of Paul would be likely to be in circulation among all at Jerusalem. His remarkable conversion, his distinguished zeal, his success among the Gentiles, would make his conduct a subject of special interest. Evil-minded men among the Jews, who came up to Jerusalem from different places where he had been, would be likely to represent him as the decided enemy of the laws of Moses, and these reports would be likely to reach the ears of the Jewish converts. The reports, as they gained ground, would be greatly magnified, until suspicion might be excited among the Christians at Jerusalem that he was, as he was reputed to be, the settled foe of the Jewish rites and customs.
That thou teachest all the Jews … – From all the evidence which we have of his conduct, this report was incorrect and slanderous. The truth appears to have been, that he did not enjoin the observance of those laws on the Gentile converts; that the effect of his ministry on them was to lead them to suppose that their observance was not necessary – contrary to the doctrines of the Judaizing teachers (see Acts 15); and that he argued with the Jews themselves, where it could be done, against the obligation of those laws and customs since the Messiah had come. The Jews depended on their observance for justification and salvation. This Paul strenuously opposed; and this view he defended at length in the Epistles which he wrote. See the Epistles to the Romans, the Galatians, and the Hebrews. Yet these facts might be easily misunderstood and perverted, so as to give rise to the slanderous report that he was the enemy of Moses and the Law.
Which are among the Gentiles – Who live in pagan countries. The Jews were extensively scattered and settled in all the large towns and cities of the Roman empire.
To forsake Moses – The Law and the authority of Moses. That is, to regard his laws as no longer binding.
To walk after the customs – To observe the institutions of the Mosaic ritual. See the notes on Act 6:14. The word customs denotes the rites of the Mosaic economy the offering of sacrifices, incense, the oblations, anointings, festivals, etc., which the Law of Moses prescribed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Thou teachest – to forsake Moses, c.] From any thing that appears in the course of this book to the contrary, this information was incorrect: we do not find Paul preaching thus to the Jews. It is true that, in his epistles, some of which had been written before this time, he showed that circumcision and uncircumcision were equally unavailable for the salvation, of the soul, and that by the deeds of the law no man could be justified but he had not yet said to any Jew, forsake Moses, and do not circumcise your children. He told them that Jesus Christ had delivered them from the yoke of the law; but they had, as yet, liberty to wear that yoke, if they pleased. He had shown them that their ceremonies were useless but not destructive; that they were only dangerous when they depended on them for salvation. This is the sum of what Paul had taught on this subject.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Informed of thee; instructed or catechised concerning thee; the zealots had made it their business to instil such aspersions and odious reflections against Paul, as if their accusations had been the fundamental truths of their religion.
Moses; the ceremonial law, given by his ministry.
To walk, to live, to act in their course of life,
after the customs of their fathers, or the rituals of Moses.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. they are informed . . . thatthou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentilesthoseresiding in heathen countries.
to forsake Moses,&c.This calumny of the unbelieving Jews would find easycredence among the Christian zealots for Judaism.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they are informed of thee,…. By persons that came from the several parts of the Gentile world, where the apostle had been preaching; and by letters which came from the Jews in those parts, who were no friends to the apostle’s ministry:
that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses: or “apostatize from Moses”; that is, the law of Moses; that he taught the Gentiles not to regard the rituals of the law of Moses gave them no uneasiness; but that he should teach the Jews that were scattered among the Gentiles, and as many of them that believed in Christ, to disregard and drop the observance of them, who had been always brought up in them, this they could not bear; and that the apostle so taught, they had credible information: particularly,
saying, that they ought not to circumcise their children; though this does not appear; it is true the apostle taught that circumcision was abolished, and that it was nothing; yea, that to submit to it as necessary to salvation, was hurtful and pernicious; but as a thing indifferent, he allowed of it among weak brethren; and in condescension to their weakness, did administer it himself; in which he became a Jew to the Jew, that he might gain some:
neither to walk after the customs; either of the law of Moses, meaning other rites there enjoined, besides circumcision; or of their fathers, and their country, the traditions of the elders, which as yet they had not got clear of; the disuse of old customs is not easily brought about, or it is not easy to bring persons off of them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They have been informed concerning thee ( ). First aorist passive indicative of . A word in the ancient Greek, but a few examples survive in the papyri. It means to sound (echo, from , our word) down (), to resound, re-echo, to teach orally. Oriental students today (Arabs learning the Koran) often study aloud. In the N.T. only in Lu 1:4 which see; Acts 18:25; Acts 21:21; 1Cor 14:19; Gal 6:6; Rom 2:18. This oral teaching about Paul was done diligently by the Judaizers who had raised trouble against Peter (Ac 11:2) and Paul (Acts 15:1; Acts 15:5). They had failed in their attacks on Paul’s world campaigns. Now they try to undermine him at home. In Paul’s long absence from Jerusalem, since 18:22, they have had a free hand, save what opposition James would give, and have had great success in prejudicing the Jerusalem Christians against Paul. So James, in the presence of the other elders and probably at their suggestion, feels called upon to tell Paul the actual situation.
That thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses ( ). Two accusatives with (verb of teaching) according to rule. Literally, “That thou art teaching all the Jews among () the Gentiles (the Jews of the dispersion as in 2:9) apostasy from Moses.” That is the point, the dreadful word (our apostasy), a late form (I Macc. 2:15) for the earlier (cf. 2Th 2:3 for ). “In the eyes of the church at Jerusalem this was a far more serious matter than the previous question at the Conference about the status of Gentile converts” (Furneaux). Paul had brought that issue to the Jerusalem Conference because of the contention of the Judaizers. But here it is not the Judaizers, but the elders of the church with James as their spokesman on behalf of the church as a whole. They do not believe this false charge, but they wish Paul to set it straight. Paul had made his position clear in his Epistles (I Corinthians, Galatians, Romans) for all who cared to know.
Telling them not to circumcise their children ( ). The participle agrees with “thou” (Paul), the subject of . This is not indirect assertion, but indirect command, hence the negative instead of with the infinitive (Robertson, Grammar, p.1046). The point is not that Paul stated what the Jewish Christians in the dispersion do, but that he says that they ( accusative of general reference) are not to go on circumcising (, present active infinitive) their children. Paul taught the very opposite (1Co 7:18) and had Timothy circumcised (Ac 16:3) because he was half Jew and half Greek. His own practice is stated in 1Co 9:19 (“to the Jews as a Jew”).
Neither to walk after the customs ( ). Locative case with infinitive . The charge was here enlarged to cover it all and to make Paul out an enemy of Jewish life and teachings. That same charge had been made against Stephen when young Saul (Paul) was the leader (6:14): “Will change the customs ( the very word used here) which Moses delivered unto us.” It actually seemed that some of the Jews cared more for Moses than for God (Ac 6:11). So much for the charge of the Judaizers.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
They are informed [] . More than informed. They had been carefully instructed, probably by the Judaizing teachers. See on instructed, Luk 1:4.
To forsake Moses [ , ] . Lit., apostasy from Moses. Compare 2Th 2:3.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they are informed of thee,” (katechethesan de peri aou) “And they were (are) informed concerning you,” been taught to believe about you – It has been impressed upon them about you.
2) “That thou teachest,” (hoti apostasian didaskeis) “That you (Paul) are engaged in teaching apostasy;” It was a false report (rumor untrue) put into circulation by enemies of Christianity.
3) “All the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses,” (apo Mouseos tous kata ta ethne pantas loudaious) “Away from Moses (to) all Jews throughout the nations,” on both the European and Asian continents. The false rumors of unbelieving Jews, now roving around in Jerusalem from Asia, found ready ears among Jewish Christian zealots in the Law in Jerusalem, Act 15:4-5.
4) “Saying that they ought not to circumcise their children,” (legon me peritemnein autous ta tekna) “Repeatedly telling them not to circumcise the children; His teaching was that such a religious or physical rite would not save them from their sins or help them retain salvation, Col 3:16.
5) “Neither to walk after the customs.” (mede tois ethesin peripatein) “Nor even to walk after the social ethics or traditional customs,” of the Jews, as a means of obtaining or retaining salvation, Gal 5:2-6; Gal 6:12-15; Rom 4:5; Rom 4:16.
POWER OF CUSTOM
In every part of the world man is too often the slave of custom; but in all the old countries of the East, where innovations have not been made, the people are most tenaciously wedded to their customs. Ask, why do you act thus? the reply is, “It is a custom.” Their implements of agriculture, their modes of sowing and reaping, their houses, their furniture, their domestic utensils, their vehicles, their vessels in which they go out to sea, their modes of living, and their treatment of the various diseases, are all regulated by the customs of their fathers. Offer them better implements, and better plans for their proceedings, they reply, “We cannot leave our customs; your plans are good for yourselves, ours are good for ourselves: we cannot alter.”
– Roberts.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(21) And they are informed of thee . . .This, it is clear, was the current version of St. Pauls teaching. How far was it a true representation of its tendencies? As a personal accusation it was, of course, easy to refute it. His rule of adaptation led him to be to the Jews as a Jew (1Co. 9:20). He taught that every man, circumcised or uncircumcised, should accept his position with its attendant obligations (1Co. 7:18-20). He had himself taken the Nazarite vow (Act. 18:18), and had circumcised Timotheus (Act. 16:3). It was probably false that he had ever taught that Jews ought not to circumcise their children. But fanaticism is sometimes clear-sighted in its bitterness, and the Judaisers felt that when it was proclaimed that circumcision was nothing, in its bearing on mans relations to God (1Co. 7:19; Gal. 5:6; Gal. 6:15), it ceased to have a raison dtre, and sank to the level of a mere badge of the national exclusiveness, which, in its turn, was assailed by St. Pauls teaching that all middle walls of partition were broken down (Eph. 2:14), and that Jews and Gentiles were alike one in Christ. If a Jew had asked, Why then should I circumcise my child? it would not have been easy to return a satisfying answer. If it were said, To avoid giving offence, that was clearly only temporary and local in its application, and the practice would die out as people ceased to be offended. If it were urged that it was a divine command, there was the reply that, as a command, it had been virtually though not formally repealed when the promises and privileges connected with it were withdrawn. It was the seal of a covenant (Rom. 4:11), and could hardly be looked upon as binding when the covenant itself had been superseded. Few Christians would now hold that a converted Jew was still bound to circumcise, as well as baptise, his children. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews did but push St. Pauls teaching to its legitimate conclusions when he said that the new covenant had made the first old, and that that which is decaying and waxing old is ready to vanish away (Heb. 8:13).
That thou teachest all the Jews . . . to forsake Moses.Literally, that thou teachest apostasy from Moses, the term used, with all its burden of evil import, adding weight to the charge.
Neither to walk after the customs.On the general import of this phrase, as including the traditions of the elders, as well as the precepts of the Law, see Notes on Act. 6:14; Act. 15:1.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“And they have been informed concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk after the customs.”
For some had been informed that Paul was teaching Jews who became Christians to cease being Jews, not to have their children circumcised and not to walk in the customs of the Jews. Such twisting of the truth, when men have been defeated in an argument, has been commonplace throughout the ages. It is amazing how thwarted men, even Christians, can so dishonour Christ, but it regularly happens. They had been told that he was teaching them to forsake Moses. (Do we detect the hand of the Christian Judaisers at work here? Defeated in their arguments they retaliate with lies). That this was untrue we know because Paul had had Timothy circumcised because he was half a Jew. And nowhere do we learn of Paul teaching Jews no longer to be racially, and by customary behaviour, Jews. He was not concerned with race and customs when he taught. He was only concerned with central truth. As long as their race and customs did not lead men astray from the truth they could hold to what they liked. And, as we have seen, we have reason to believe that Paul himself continued to observe Jewish customs. They had been his fashion of life from his youth up. What was good in them he wanted to retain (they were not a burden to Paul now that he saw that they were not an essential for salvation). And he knew that observance of them could aid the witness among Jews. What he would not do was impose them on others, or make them necessary for salvation.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
21 And they are 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.
Ver. 21. To remake Moses ] An odious and false imputation. All that St Paul taught was, that the legal rites and customs were only shadows of things to come, but the body is of Christ, Col 2:17 ; and that Christians should know and use their freedom in wisdom and charity, Gal 2:3 ; 1Co 8:13 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] they were sedulously informed (at some time in the mind of the speaker. The sense of the aor. must be preserved. Below, Act 21:24 , it is the perfect): viz., by the anti-Pauline judaizers.
] The dat. of the rule , or form, after which : see reff.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 21:21 . : the word seems to imply definite instruction, not merely audierunt , Vulgate. Hort refers to the term as implying here assiduous talking and lecturing, Judaistic Christianity , p. 107. , cf. Mal 2:15Mal 2:15 ( ) when the officers of Antiochus Epiphanes, in the time of Mattathias, tried to compel the people of Modin to forsake the law and to sacrifice upon the idol altar. : these words and those which follow were an entire perversion of St. Paul’s teaching, just as his enemies gave a perverted view of the Apostle’s supposed intrusion with Trophimus into the temple, Act 21:29 . The exemption from the Mosaic law was confined to Jewish converts, Act 16:3 , 1Co 7:18 . , cf. Act 6:14 , Act 15:1 . : only here in Luke, but often in the Epistles in this sense, cf. Mar 7:5 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
are = were. informed = instructed. See note on Act 18:26.
of = concerning. Gr. peri. App-104.
among. Greek. kata. App-104.
to forsake = apostasy (Greek. apostasia. Only here and 2Th 2:3) from (Greek. apo).
Moses. See note on Act 3:22. Mat 8:4. Here meaning the law, as in Act 6:11; Act 15:21.
saying that they ought. i.e. telling or bidding them. Compare 2Jn 1:10-11.
children. Greek. teknon. App-108.
neither. Greek. mede.
after = by.
customs. See note on Act 6:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21. ] they were sedulously informed (at some time in the mind of the speaker. The sense of the aor. must be preserved. Below, Act 21:24, it is the perfect): viz., by the anti-Pauline judaizers.
] The dat. of the rule, or form, after which: see reff.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 21:21. , they have been informed, they have heard it said) not merely by rumour, but owing to exaggerated statements, exceeding the real state of the case, they are persuaded of this.- , the customs) of the Jews.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
that thou: Act 6:13, Act 6:14, Act 16:3, Act 28:17, Rom 14:1-6, 1Co 9:19-21, Gal 5:1-6, Gal 6:12-15
Reciprocal: Mar 7:5 – General Joh 7:35 – the dispersed Act 21:28 – This is Act 26:3 – because 1Co 11:16 – such Gal 4:12 – be Gal 5:11 – why
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Act 21:21. Paul taught that no one was to be justified by the law of Moses. This teaching of the apostle was misunderstood and some thought that he also opposed the Jews who observed the old practices even though they did it merely as national customs. These elders understood Paul’s position on the subject, but many of the Jewish brethren did not, and they were informing him of the situation.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 21:21. And they are 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. This was, no doubt, the general opinion current among those Jewish Christians who had not personally come under the influence of Paul. A widespread feeling existed in Jewish Christian communities that the famous apostle of the Gentiles taught the chosen people to forsake Moses, to give up their cherished rites and ceremonies, to discontinue in their children that peculiar and time-honoured custom of circumcision which for so many centuries had distinguished the child of Israel from the child of the Gentile foreigner. This assertion was false. Pauls teaching here is best summarised in his own words to the Corinthian Church: Is any man called being circumcised? let him not became uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called (1Co 7:18-20). Paul never taught the Jewish Christian to abandon the law and the customs of his fathers. He himself, on the contrary, on several occasions conspicuously observed the strictest rites of Judaism; as, for instance, when he shaved his head at Cenchrea, when he lived as a Jew with the Jews, when, in the circumstances about to be narrated, he took upon himself the Nazaritic vow. Yet, as it has been well observed, fanaticism is sometimes clear-sighted in its bitterness, and the Judaisers felt that when it was proclaimed that circumcision was nothing in its bearing on mans relations to God, the day would come at no far distant date when circumcision would cease to be practised, and the time-honoured ceremonial law of Moses, which enjoined it as the initial and principal rite, would become a dead letter.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
We had Paul’s report to the church at Jerusalem, of the success which God had given him in his ministry amongst the Gentiles; this is related in the foregoing paragraph of the chapter.
In these verses before us, we have the church’s reply to the apostle’s relation, They glorified God; first, for the great success given to the word of his grace amongst the Jews: Thou seest, brother how many thousands of Jews there are which do believe; the original runs, how many tens of thousands do believe; which intimates the great and wonderful success of the gospel.
Well might our Saviour compare it to a grain of mustard-seed, seeing it had spread itself far and near in so short a time. If we consider the smallness of its beginning, the despicableness of the instruments, the shortness of the time, the obstinacy and prejudices of the Jews against the gospel, and yet remark the vast number of thousands and tens of thousands of the Jews that did already believe, embrace, and entertain it; we need not wonder that St. Paul, 1Ti 3:16, reckons it as one of the greatest mysteries of godliness, that Jesus Christ was preached to the Gentiles, and believed on in the world. That is, that so many thousands both of Jews and Gentiles were brought to own him, and submit to him as Lord and Saviour.
Observe next, the advice given by the church at Jerusalem to St. Paul, concerning the Jews which did believe in that place. It seems the Jews, though they had received the gospel, yet thought that the ceremonial law must still be observed; therefore, in condescension to their weakness, and to prevent their taking offence, they advise the apostle, not as a thing necessary in itself, but as an expediency in reference to their weakness, and to conform himself to some of the Jewish ceremonies and purifications; for though they were not then needful, yet they were not then unlawful; they might then be used, when the use of them would any ways conduce to the gaining and bringing over the Jews to a love of Christianity. The synagogue was not hastily to be cast out of the church, like the Heathenish superstitions; but to die by degrees, and be decently interred.
Here note, That the law of Moses, as to its moral part, Christ continued as his law: the ceremonial part, as to the use os types and ceremonies, signifying him that was to come, this was abrogated at Christ’s coming; and the political part ceased, when the Jewish polity was dissolved: but the abrogation of the whole was not fully made known at the first, but by degrees; and the exercise of it long tolerated to the Jews.
Observe, lastly, The particular advise which they give the apostle, to go into the temple, and perform the legal ceremony of purification: We have four men which have a vow; them take, and purify thyself, that all may know that thou walkest orderly, and keepest the law. That is, “Seeing we have four men here which have a Nazarite’s vow upon them, the time of which vow is now expired, and they are to shave themselves ceremoniously in the temple; go thou with them, and perform the legal ceremony of purification there, that the people may know that the report of thee is not true; but thou, being a Jew, dost thyself keep the law.”
Here we may observe the truth of what St. Paul elsewhere declared, that to the Jews he became as a Jew, that he might gain the Jews, yea, become all things to all men, that he might gain some. A noble pattern for the ministers of the gospel to write after, in yielding, so far as we may without sin or scandal, to the weakness of others, in order to the furtherance of the great ends of our ministry among our people: To the Jews I became as a Jew.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
See notes on verse 18
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
21-26. They very judiciously advised Paul to adopt a procedure in connection with four Jewish brethren, who at that time had on them temporary Nazaritish vows, to fall in with them, becoming a Mosaic Nazarite for the time being [an institution peculiar to Jews only], thus rendering himself conspicuous before all the people for his literal observance of the Mosaic law. Here we have Pauls example, going unhesitatingly into religious ceremonies which were utterly null and void, merely to gratify the Jews, lest they might receive spiritual detriment by his example, illustrating the fact that while Paul preached to the Gentiles perfect spiritual freedom from ecclesiastical ritualism, when among the Jews he practiced it himself. These Apostolical decrees to the Gentiles (Act 21:25) to abstain from idolatry, blood and fornication, have a purely spiritual signification, culminating in entire sanctification. We are cleansed from all unrighteousness by the blood of Christ, which is symbolized by all animal blood, hence our abstinence from it. The blood has a spiritual and not a physical signification. No one is free from idolatry in some form or other till sanctified wholly, while fornication is the only sin which breaks the marital covenant and forfeits the Bridehood of Christ. Hence its specification here. Nothing at all is said about baptism, the eucharist or any other ceremony. Hence you see the pure spirituality of gospel salvation, temporalities all incidental and optionary.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 21
That thou teachest, &c. This was not true. Paul had taught that the Gentiles themselves were not bound to obey the laws of Moses, as a condition of admission to the Christian church; but he had not interfered at all with the continued observance of these laws by the Jews themselves.–To walk after the customs; to observe the customs of the Jewish law.