Acts 21:17-26

Arrival at Jerusalem: Paul's Nazirite Vow.

Acts 21:17 gives the general impression on both sides when Paul arrived; in Acts 21:18 he presents himself to James with his retinue, and finds the elders, i.e. the governing body of the Church (Acts 11:30), assembled to receive them. His report to them is given as in Acts 14:27; Acts 15:4. Nothing is said of the subvention from the churches of Macedonia and Greece. The elders have already been considering Paul's arrival, the painful impressions which prevail about him and doubtless occasioned the warnings received on the journey, and possible means of removing them. They represent multitudes of Jews who believe in Christ and yet are upholders of the Law and the customs. These Christian Jews have been told that Paul encourages all the Jews who live among Gentiles to desert Moses, to give up circumcising their children and all their distinctive practices. This must place the Jewish Christians in a painful position. Paul should consider this. The elders have thought of a plan to remove these misconceptions and establish his reputation as a law-abiding Jew. He is to associate himself with four men who have a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6*) to discharge, himself coming under the same vow and paying the expenses of the whole party. The person taking the vow let his hair grow and abstained from every form of wine and defiling contact, and, when the vow matured, presented offerings at the Temple (Numbers 6:13), and then shaved his head and put the hair in the fire of the sacrifice. Paul, having just arrived at Jerusalem, could not fully discharge such a vow, which took time (at least thirty days); but the considerable expense of the party of five, two lambs and a ram each, with additions, would show his sincerity as a supporter of the Temple and its rites. This on his part, and on the part of the Gentile Christians the careful observance of the rescript of ch. 15. will secure the position of the Law for all parties. Paul agrees; he goes next day to the Temple and adds his vow to theirs; it is to be for seven days (Acts 21:27).