Why Did The Men of Israel Seize Paul in Acts 21?
As stated previously, the purpose of this booklet is to try to ascertain what was the dishonesty that Paul admitted to in 2 Co 12:16 & Ro 3:7.
Romans 3:7
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my LIE unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
2 Corinthians 12:16
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with GUILE.
Acts 21 is an interesting chapter in this regard. Acts 21 starts out describing Paul’s trip on his journey to Jerusalem. Acts 21:4 & Acts 21:10-11 document that Paul was warned twice by the Holy Spirit not to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:4
And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:10-11
And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
When Paul’s companions heard the second warning, they tried to persuade Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Paul’s response to their pleas is given in Acts 21:13. Paul publicly proclaimed that not only was he ready to be bound in Jerusalem, but he was also ready to die for the name of Lord Jesus in Jerusalem!
Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 21:17-25 documents his meeting with James & the elders at Jerusalem. After Paul told them about his ministry, they praised Elohim. James’ response is given in Acts 21:20-25. James told Paul that there were thousands who believed in YAHUSHA, & were zealous to keep YHWH’s Torah (His commandments, or law).
Acts 21:17-25
And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the Law: 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.
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 that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
James also told Paul that these zealously Torah observant followers of YAHUSHA had been informed that Paul was teaching everywhere against YHWH's Torah. He advised Paul to take part in a purification ritual with four men who had taken a vow. Paul didn’t say a word, & simply did as he was told. In Acts 21:27-35, Paul was recognized & seized by the Jews of Asia at the temple. They took him out of the temple to kill him, & Acts 21:28 gives the accusation of the crowd against Paul...
Acts 21:27-35
And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Who 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.
Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And 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.
The roman soldiers came to try to control the violent outburst, & Paul was given an opportunity to speak to the crowd in Hebrew. He gave a first person account of his road to Damascus experience in Acts 22, which only further enraged the crowd. Ultimately, Paul appeared before the Sanhedrin in Acts 23.
Acts 23:6-9
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a pharisee, the son of a pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit:but the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God...
When Paul perceived that the council consisted of pharisees & Sadducees, Paul claimed before the Sanhedrin in Acts 23:6 that he was being accused or charged because of his pharisaical faith, & because of his hope in the resurrection of the dead.
Yet clearly, one of the primary accusations made against Paul by the Jews of Asia in Acts 21:28 is that Paul was teaching all men against the Law or Torah of our Heavenly Father! They made no charge against Paul concerning his hope & faith in the resurrection! Their acccusation was that Paul had been teaching against the Law or the Torah to all men.
Acts 21:28
Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the Law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Their accusation against Paul was certainly valid. Paul’s letters contain no meaningful discussion of how to keep the Sabbath, the dietary instructions of Leviticus 11, or even YAHUSHA’s Good News of repentance for remission of sins. Paul’s letters also neglect to mention the four things gentiles were to avoid according to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15(blood, things strangled, sexual immorality, & idolatry)!
Instead Paul’s letters contain the recurring mantra that “we are not under the law”(Romans 6:14, Romans 7:4, Romans 7:6, Galatians 5:18, etc.). To this day, the majority opinion in modern Christianity is that Paul’s letters explicitly teach that Christian believers are not obligated to keep YHWH's Torah. As a result, the majority of Christian congregations disregard our Heavenly Fathers Sabbaths, His dietary instructions of Leviticus 11, etc. This effectively causes most Christian congregations to completely disregard & disobey YAHUSHA's Gospel of Repentance for Remission of sins, which clearly entails obedience to YHWH's Torah!
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 7:4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Romans 7:6
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Galatians 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Acts 23:6 clearly documents Paul giving false testimony or false witness to the judicial council of the Sanhedrin in a successful attempt to divide them in order to save himself. Isn’t this a perfectly good example of the dishonesty Paul the pharisee was admitting to & acknowledging in 2 Co 12:16 & Ro 3:7? Attorney Douglas Del Tondo wrote an article for his website in December of 2012 indicating that Paul was clearly guilty of giving false witness or lying to the Sanhedrin in an effort to divide their religious court & save himself.(1) Given that Paul the pharisee was a documented false witness, why should anyone waste their time reading his letters?
Sources
(1) Douglas Del Tondo, https://jesuswordsonly.com/recommendedreading/427-did-paul-ever-deliberately-lie.html
Romans 3:7
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my LIE unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
2 Corinthians 12:16
But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with GUILE.