THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - Chapter 21 - Verse 25

Verse 25. As touching the Gentiles. In regard to the Gentile converts. It might be expedient for Paul to do what could not be enjoined on the Gentiles. They could not command the Gentile converts to observe those ceremonies; while yet it might be proper, for the sake of peace, that the converts to Christianity from among the Jews should regard them. The conduct of the Christians at Jerusalem in giving this advice, and of Paul in following it, may be easily vindicated. If it be objected, as it has been by infidels, that it looks like double-dealing—that it was designed to deceive the Jews in Jerusalem, and to make them believe that Paul actually conformed to the ceremonial law, when his conduct among the Gentiles showed that he did not—we may reply,

(1.) that the observance of that law was not necessary in order to justification.

(2.) That it would have been improper to have enjoined its observance on the Gentile converts as necessary, and therefore it was never done.

(3.) That when the Jews urged its observance as necessary to justification and salvation, Paul strenuously opposed this view of it everywhere.

(4.) Yet, that as a matter of expediency, he did not oppose its being observed either by the Jews, or by the converts made among the Jews. In fact, there is other evidence besides the case before us, that Paul himself continued to observe some at least of the Jewish rites, and his conduct in public at Jerusalem, was in strict accordance with his conduct in other places. See Ac 18:18. The sum of the whole matter is this, that when the observance of the Jewish ceremonial law was urged as necessary to justification and acceptance with God, Paul resisted it; when it was demanded that its observance should be enjoined on the Gentiles, he opposed it; in all other cases he made no opposition to it, and was ready himself to comply with it, and willing that others should also.

We have written. See Barnes "Ac 15:20,29.

{d} "we have written" Ac 15:20,29