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“Hear My Defense”

“Bearing Thorough Witness” About God’s Kingdom
- 11. What counsel did the elders give Paul, and what would have been involved in carrying it out? (See also footnote.)
  
  ¹¹ Hence, although the rumors were gross distortions, Jewish believers were still disturbed by them. For that reason, the elders offered Paul this direction: “We have four men who have put themselves under a vow. Take these men with you and cleanse yourself ceremonially together with them and take care of their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the rumors they were told about you, but that you are walking orderly and you are also keeping the Law.”c—Acts 21:23, 24.
  
  12. How did Paul show a flexible and cooperative spirit in his response to the counsel of the Jerusalem elders?
  
  ¹² Paul could have objected that the real problem was, not the rumors about him, but the zeal of those Jewish believers for the Mosaic Law. But he was willing to be flexible, as long as he did not have to compromise godly principles. Earlier he had written: “To those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, in order to gain those under law.” (1 Cor. 9:20) On this occasion, Paul cooperated with the Jerusalem elders and became “as under law.” In so doing, he set a fine example for us today to cooperate with the elders and not insist on doing things our own way.—Heb. 13:17.
  
  When no Scriptural principles were violated, Paul yielded. Do you?
  
  ROMAN LAW AND ROMAN CITIZENS
  
  Roman authorities usually interfered little in local government. Generally speaking, Jewish law governed Jewish affairs. The Romans got involved in Paul’s case only because the riot that erupted upon his appearing in the temple was a threat to public order.
  
  The Roman authorities had considerable power over ordinary provincial subjects. Things were different, however, when the authorities dealt with Roman citizens.f Citizenship afforded a person certain privileges that were recognized and honored throughout the empire. It was illegal, for example, to bind or beat an uncondemned Roman, since such treatment was considered fit for slaves only. Roman citizens also had the right to appeal the decisions of a provincial governor to the emperor, in Rome.
  
  Roman citizenship could be obtained in a number of ways. The first was by inheritance. Emperors occasionally awarded citizenship to individuals or to the free populations of whole cities or districts for services rendered. A slave who bought his freedom from a Roman citizen, a slave who was set free by a Roman, or a veteran of the auxiliary forces who was discharged from the Roman army would himself become a Roman. Apparently, under certain circumstances it was also possible to purchase citizenship. The military commander Claudius Lysias thus told Paul: “I purchased these rights as a citizen for a large sum of money.” Paul responded: “But I have them by birth.” (Acts 22:28) Hence, one of Paul’s male ancestors must somehow have acquired Roman citizenship, although the circumstances remain unknown.
  
  f In the first century C.E., not many Roman citizens would have lived in Judea. Only in the third century were all provincial subjects given Roman citizenship.
  
  “He Is Not Fit to Live!” (Acts 21:27–22:30)
  
  13. (a) Why did some Jews cause a tumult in the temple? (b) How was Paul’s life saved?
  
  ¹³ Things did not go well at the temple. As the days for the completion of the vows drew to a close, Jews from Asia caught sight of Paul, falsely accused him of bringing Gentiles into the temple, and incited a riot. If the Roman military commander had not intervened, Paul would have been beaten to death. As it was, the Roman commander took him into custody.

“Hear My Defense”

“Bearing Thorough Witness” About God’s Kingdom
- c Scholars suggest that the men had made a Nazirite vow. (Num. 6:1-21) True, the Mosaic Law, under which such a vow would have been made, was now obsolete. Still, Paul might have reasoned that it would not be wrong for the men to fulfill a vow made to Jehovah. Therefore, it would not be wrong for him to pay their expenses and accompany them. We do not know exactly what type of vow was involved, but whatever it was, it is unlikely that Paul would have supported the offering of an animal sacrifice (as Nazirites did), believing that it would cleanse the men of sin. The perfect sacrifice of Christ had stripped such sacrifices of any sin-atoning value. Whatever he did, we can be sure that Paul would not have agreed to anything that would have violated his conscience.

“He Is Not Fit to Live!” (Acts 21:27–22:30)