Acts 21:24

Thursday, 2 November 2023

“Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. Acts 21:24

A more literal rendering of the Greek is, “Having taken these, be purified with them and spend upon them so that they will shave the head. And all will know that which they have been informed about you is nothing, but you yourself walk also, keeping the law” (CG).

Paul was just told about four men who had taken a vow. Now, to help Paul’s image before the people, ensuring that they could not make unfounded claims against him, it next says, “Having taken these.”

It is referring to the four men just mentioned. Their way of helping Paul is to include others who were not in question concerning their keeping of the law. Paul was to take them and “be purified with them.”

In being purified with those who were being purified after a vow, it was as if Paul had included himself in the vow vicariously. There is nothing in the law that specifically allowed this, but there was nothing to preclude it as well.

By including himself in the vow, it would increase the number (and thus the cost) of the sacrificial offerings required. The priests would certainly have no problem with this. More than just being purified and identifying himself with these men, the words of James continue, saying, “and spend upon them so that they will shave the head.”

This is just what the law required. First, the offerings were made, and then the head was shaved –

“Then the priest shall bring them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering; 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall also offer its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 Then the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering.” Numbers 6:16-18

James has suggested this for obvious reasons. If Paul were to join in the purification and also pay the expenses of the others, then it would be apparent that the charges against him were false and that he was, in fact, a law-abiding Jew.

It would be impossible to claim otherwise because he is accomplishing these things prior to any public accusations. The four men and the accompanying priest would be open witnesses to the fact. As this is so, James states it, saying, “And all will know that which they have been informed about you is nothing.”

This was not a minor point of the law that people might do out of cultural identification. Nor was it something so obviously required that even a non-observant Jew would still be sure to follow, such as not eating pork or failing to keep the Sabbath.

Rather, the Nazirite vow was a voluntary imposition upon oneself. It would be unthinkable that someone would lay this burden upon himself unless he truly respected the law and saw the benefit in assuming this burden. Therefore, James continues, “but you yourself walk also, keeping the law.”

The idea of walking is the conduct of one’s life. For example, one can walk contrary to the law, or one can walk in accord with the law. Therefore, to participate in the vows and sacrifices of these men was a way of ensuring people knew Paul was walking in step with Moses.

Of this verse, James Kypke (quoted by Meyer) says, “It was a received thing among the Jews, and was reckoned an act of eminent piety, for a rich man to undertake to bear, on behalf of poor Nazarites, the expense of those sacrifices which they had to offer when they shaved their heads at the expiration of their vow.”

Further, Vincent’s Word Studies says, “‘For a week, then, St. Paul, if he accepted the advice of James and the presbyters, would have to live with four paupers in the chamber of the temple which was set apart for this purpose; and then to pay for sixteen sacrificial animals and the accompanying meat-offerings’ (Farrar, ‘Life and Work of Paul’).  He must also stand among the Nazarites during the offering of the sacrifices, and look on while their heads were shaved, and while they took their hair to burn it under the caldron of the peace-offerings, ‘and while the priest took four sodden shoulders of rams, and four unleavened cakes out of the four baskets, and four unleavened wafers anointed with oils and put them on the hands of the Nazarites, and waved them for a wave-offering before the Lord’” (Farrar).

Life application: Walking, as noted above, indicates the way and manner of one’s life. If you believe you must walk according to Moses in order to be pleasing to God, then you are walking contrary to the gospel of Jesus, which says that Christ died for your sins.

Sin is imputed through infractions of the law. Christ never sinned under the law. Further, He gave His life up as the Substitute for our sins. To attempt to merit God’s favor by law observance means you are attempting to do so apart from Christ’s already accomplished work. As such, you have set yourself against Christ as if you are racing. Be advised that Christ has already won this race. Your attempts at meriting righteousness apart from Him means that you will be disqualified.

Rather, learn what it means to walk in Christ. From the book of Ephesians, Paul gives numerous thoughts on how we are to walk properly –

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as [f]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind.” Ephesians 4:17

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:1, 2

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8-10

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15, 16

These and many other charges are provided by Paul in his epistles. Never does he instruct his reader to be a law observer. Instead of self, walk in Christ and honor Him because of what He has done.

Lord God, may our walk in this life be pleasing to You by following in the footsteps of Jesus, who has accomplished all things necessary to reconcile us to You. Our walk is one of thankfulness and holiness in Christ. May we walk faithfully all our days, honoring Jesus and glorifying You through Him. Amen.