In Acts 20:23 the Holy Spirit made known to Paul that bonds and afflictions awaited him in Jerusalem (see note Acts 20:23¹). Now the Spirit took a further step to tell him, through some members of the Body of Christ, not to go to Jerusalem. Since Paul practiced the Body life, he should have taken this word and obeyed it as a word from the Head.

Wherever Paul went, he visited the brothers and stayed with them (vv. 4, 7). He was actually practicing the Body life of the church, living according to what he taught concerning the Body of Christ.

Again, the Holy Spirit told Paul beforehand, indirectly through a member of the Body of Christ, what would befall Paul in Jerusalem (see note Acts 20:23¹). This was again a warning in the nature of a prophecy, not a charge. It was again the Head speaking through His Body (see note Acts 21:4¹). Since Paul practiced the Body life, he should have listened to this speaking.

Including Luke, the writer. Here the Body of Christ, through many members, expressed its feeling, entreating Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But because of his strong will, manifested in his readiness even to sacrifice his life for the Lord (v. 13), he would not be persuaded, forcing the members of the Body of Christ to leave this matter to the will of the Lord (v. 14).

In Jerusalem.

This was the end of Paul's third ministry journey, which began in Acts 18:23.

See note Acts 12:17^1b and note Gal. 1:19¹.

Or, myriads, ten thousands.

Indicating that the Jewish believers in Jerusalem still kept the law of Moses, remained in the Old Testament dispensation, and were strongly under the Judaic influence, mixing God's New Testament economy with the outdated Old Testament economy (see note James 1:1³ and note James 2:10¹).

To forsake the law of Moses, not to circumcise, and not to walk according to the customs of dead letters are actually according to God's New Testament economy. But these were considered by the unbelieving Jews, and even by the Jewish believers in Christ, to be apostasy from God's Old Testament dispensation.

Some MSS read, A multitude must certainly gather, for they will hear that you have come.

Referring to the Nazarite vow (Num. 6:2-5).

To be purified with the Nazarites was to become a Nazarite with them, joining them in the fulfilling of their vow. The same word is used in the Septuagint in Num. 6:3 in describing the Nazarite's duties. To take the Nazarite vow was a purification before God.

The cost of the offerings, which a Nazarite had to pay for the completion of his purification (Num. 6:13-17). This was very expensive for the poor Nazarites. It was a custom among the Jews, and was considered proof of great piety, that a rich person would pay for the poor the expenses of the offerings.

To be done at the completion of the Nazarite vow (Num. 6:18). This shaving differed from the shearing in Acts 18:18 (see note Acts 18:18¹), which was for a private vow.

I.e., participating in their Nazarite vow (see note Acts 21:24^1a). To do this Paul had to enter into the temple and remain there with the Nazarites until the completion of the seven days of the vow; then the priest would offer the offerings for each one of them, including him. Surely he was clear that such a practice was of the outdated dispensation, which, according to the principle of his teaching in the New Testament ministry, should be repudiated in God's New Testament economy. Yet he went through with it, probably because of his Jewish background, which had also been manifested earlier in his private vow in Acts 18:18, and probably because he was practicing his word in 1 Cor. 9:20. However, his toleration jeopardized God's New Testament economy; this God would not tolerate. At this point he must have felt that he was in a predicament, and he must have been deeply troubled, longing to be delivered from it. Just at the time when their vow was to be concluded, God allowed an uproar to rise up against him, and what they intended to accomplish was blown away (v. 27). Moreover, by God's sovereignty Paul was rescued out of his predicament.

The mixing of Judaic practices with God's New Testament economy was not only erroneous in relation to God's dispensation but also abominable in the eyes of God. This gross mixture was terminated by Him a mere ten years or so later with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, the center of Judaism, through Titus and his Roman army. This rescued and absolutely separated the church from the devastation of Judaism.

God might have tolerated Paul's carrying out of a private vow in Acts 18:18, but He would not allow Paul, a vessel chosen by Him not only for the completing of His New Testament revelation (Col. 1:25) but also for the carrying out of His New Testament economy (Eph. 3:2, 7-8), to participate in the Nazarite vow, a strict Judaic practice. In going to Jerusalem, Paul's intention might have been to clear up the Judaic influence on the church there (see note Acts 19:21^1a, par. 2), but God knew that the church there was incurable. Hence, in His sovereignty God allowed Paul to be arrested by the Jews and imprisoned by the Romans that he might write his last eight Epistles (see note Acts 25:11^1c), which completed the divine revelation (Col. 1:25) and gave the church a clearer and deeper view concerning God's New Testament economy (Eph. 3:3-4). Thus, God left the Judaism-influenced church in Jerusalem to remain as it was until the devastating mixture was terminated with the destruction of Jerusalem. For Paul to write his last eight Epistles to complete God's New Testament revelation was far more important and necessary than for him to accomplish some outward works for the church.

I.e., the completion of the Nazarite vow (Num. 6:13).

See note Acts 2:22¹.

God's New Testament teaching according to His New Testament economy was indeed against the Jews, who opposed God's New Testament economy (Matt. 21:41, 43-45; 22:7; 23:32-36; Acts 7:51; 13:40-41), against the law of dead letters (Rom. 3:20, 28; 6:14; 7:4, 6; Gal. 2:19, 21; 5:4), and against the holy place, the temple (Matt. 23:38 and note Matt. 23:38¹; Matt. 24:2; Acts 7:48). Since Paul's ministry was to carry out God's New Testament economy, it could not please the Jews, who were possessed and usurped by Satan, the enemy of God, and were instigated by him to oppose and ravage God's New Testament move. Hence, it offended the Jews and was opposed to the law and the temple, for which they were zealous, and it stirred up their jealousy and hatred to the uttermost, so that they made a plot (Acts 20:3) to do away with Paul (vv. 31, 36).

The holy place, the temple.

Lit., made common.

The temple. See note Matt. 24:15⁴.

A chiliarch, in command of 1,000 troops or a cohort.

See note Acts 10:1².

I.e., Aramaic, the language then used in Palestine.