Gevurot 21

1 1 And when it came about that we set sail, having parted from them, having run a straight course, we came to Cos. And on the next day we got to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

2 And having found an oniyah crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.

3 And having come within sight of Cyprus, and leaving Cyprus behind on our left, we were sailing to Syria and we arrived in Tzor, for there the oniyah was unloading its cargo.

4 And after having searched for Moshiach’s talmidim there, we stayed in Tzor shivah yamim. And Moshiach’s talmidim were telling Rav Sha’ul by the Ruach Hakodesh not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.

5 But when our yamim there were ended, we departed and everyone, including nashim and yeladim, were accompanying us as far as the outskirts of the city; and falling down on the beach, we all were davening.

6 And having bid them "Shalom," we embarked in the oniyah, and they returned to their own batim.

7 And when we had completed the voyage from Tzor, we arrived in Ptolemais, and, having given a "Shalom" greeting to the Achim b’Moshiach there, we stayed yom echad with them.

8 And on the next day, having left, we came to Caesarea; and entered the bais of Philippos, the maggid of the Besuras HaGeulah who was one of HaShivah [see 6:3]. And we stayed with him.

9 And Philippos was the abba of arbah banot, betulot, who were gifted in giving a dvar nevuah. [Ex 15:20; Judg 4:4; Neh 6:14]

10 And remaining there many yamim, a certain one came down from Yehudah, a navi, Agav by name.

11 And when he came to us, he took Rav Sha’ul’s gartel and, having bound his own feet and hands with it, Agav said, "So says the Ruach Hakodesh: this is the way the Yehudim in Yerushalayim will bind the man who owns this gartel, and they will hand him over to the Goyim.” [MELACHIM ALEF 22:11; Isa 20:2- 4; Jer 13:1-11]

12 And when we heard these things, we were begging Rav Sha’ul, both we and the locals, not to make any aliyah (ascent) to Yerushalayim.

13 Then Rav Sha’ul answered, "What are you doing weeping and breaking my lev (heart)? For I am prepared not only to be bound but to die al kiddush ha-Shem in Yerushalayim, for haShem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua."

14 And not persuading him, we remained silent, having said, "Let the ratzon Hashem be done."

15 And after these yamim, having made preparations, we were making an aliyah to Yerushalayim.

16 And also some of Moshiach’s talmidim from Caesarea traveled with us, bringing us for hachnosas orchim to the bais of the Cyprian Mnason, one of Moshiach’s talmidim of long standing [an early disciple].

17 And when we arrived in Yerushalayim, the Achim b’Moshiach there gave us a kabbalat panim welcome with lev same’ach.

18 And on the following day Rav Sha’ul was going in with us to Ya’akov [see p.848], and all the Ziknei HaKehillah came.

19 And having given them a "Shalom" greeting, Rav Sha’ul was explaining one by one the things Hashem did through his avodas kodesh as Moshiach’s Shliach to the Goyim.

20 And the ones who heard were saying, "Baruch Hashem!" And they said to him, "You see, Ach b’Moshiach, how many thousands there are among the Yehudim who have emunah [in our Moshiach] and they all have kanous (zealousness), are shomer mitzvot for the Torah [Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot].

21 "And these Orthodox Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim have heard a rumor informing them about you, that you teach the Yehudim living among the Goyim in the Golus to be shmad and to commit apostasy from Moshe [Rabbeinu, i.e., Orthodox Judaism], telling them to abandon bris milah for Bnei Yisroel and not to be shomer regarding the darkhei haTorah [“ways of the Torah,” i.e. the Sinai Covenant and its mitzvot]. [BAMIDBAR 6:2,5]

22 "What then is to be done? Certainly these Orthodox Jewish ma’aminim hameshichiyim [i.e., who have emunah in our Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua, Ac 21:20] will get word that you have come.

23 "This, therefore, do what we tell you. There are with us arba’ah anashim who are under a neder Nezirim.

24 "Go! Take these for hitkaddeshut (purification) and purify yourself with them and pay expenses for them, that they may cut their hair; then all shall have da’as that there is no emes to the rumor; then it shall be clear that you yourself are in agreement and frum regarding the darkhei haTorah and that you are charedi and shomer mitzvot, in the ranks of those who practice Orthodox Judaism." [BAMIDBAR 6:1-21, Mishnah tractate Nazir]

25 “And concerning the Goyim coming to [Orthodox Jewish] emunah, we have sent an iggeret with our decision that they avoid what is offered to elilim and dahm and what is strangled and zenut."

26 Then Rav Sha’ul took the anashim on the following day, and he went with them for hitkaddeshut (purification) and was entering the Beis Hamikdash, giving notice of the completion of the yamim of the tohorah until was offered for each one of them the korban. [BAMIDBAR 6:1320]

27 Now when the shivat yamim were about to be completed, unbelieving Yehudim from the Province of Asia [Ephesus], having seen Rav Sha’ul in the Beis Hamikdash, were stirring up all the multitude, and they laid their hands on him, [YIRMEYAH 26:8]

28 Crying out, "Anashim, Bnei Yisroel, help us! This one is the ish who is giving shiurim to everyone everywhere keneged (against, in opposition to) HaAm [Yisroel] and the Torah of Moshe Rabbenu and this Makom HaKadosh, and in addition also he brought Yevanim into the Beis Hamikdash and has defiled Makom HaKadosh HaZeh [the Beis Hamikdash]."

29 —For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Rav Sha’ul and they had jumped to the conclusion and made the unwarranted assumption that Rav Sha’ul had brought Trophimus past the Soreg [barrier of the holy precinct] in the Beis Hamikdash.

30 —And the whole city was aroused and the people were rushing together, and they seized Rav Sha’ul, and they were dragging him outside the Beit Hamikdash; and immediately the delatot were shut.

31 And while they were trying to kill him, a report went up to a tribune of the Roman cohort that all Yerushalayim was in an oifshtand (uprising) uproar.

32 At once he took his chaiyalim and centurions and ran down to them, and when the rioters saw the Roman tribune and the chaiyalim, they stopped beating Rav Sha’ul.

33 Then the Roman tribune came near and took hold of Rav Sha’ul and ordered him to be bound with two sharsherot (chains), and the tribune was inquiring who he might be and what he had done.

34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another, and the tribune was not able to have da’as of anything definite because of the noise, so he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

35 And when Rav Sha’ul was on the steps, it came about that he was carried by the chaiyalim, because of the violence of the multitude,

36 For the crowd kept following and shouting, "Away with him!"

37 And just when he was about to be brought into the barracks, Rav Sha’ul says to the Roman tribune, "Is it permissible for me to say something to you?" And the tribune said, "Ellinisti Ginoskeis? (Do you know Greek?)

38 "Then you are not the Egyptian who recently stirred up an intifada and led out four thousand assassins into the wilderness?"

39 And Rav Sha’ul said, "I gufa (myself) am an ish Yehudi from Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. And I ask you to allow me to speak to the people."

40 And when the tribune had given permission, Rav Sha’ul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. And a great silence fell upon the crowd. Then Rav Sha’ul addressed the multitude in the language of the Hebrews.

Gevurot 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

Paul's voyage towards Jerusalem. (1-7) Paul at Cesarea. The prophecy of Agabus, Paul at Jerusalem. (8-18) He is persuaded to join in ceremonial observances. (19-26) Being in danger from the Jews, he is rescued by the Romans. (27-40)

Verses 1-7 Providence must be acknowledged when our affairs go on well. Wherever Paul came, he inquired what disciples were there, and found them out. Foreseeing his troubles, from love to him, and concern for the church, they wrongly thought it would be most for the glory of God that he should continue at liberty; but their earnestness to dissuade him from it, renders his pious resolution the more illustrious. He has taught us by example, as well as by rule, to pray always, to pray without ceasing. Their last farewell was sweetened with prayer.

Verses 8-18 Paul had express warning of his troubles, that when they came, they might be no surprise or terror to him. The general notice given us, that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God, should be of the same use to us. Their weeping began to weaken and slacken his resolution Has not our Master told us to take up our cross? It was a trouble to him, that they should so earnestly press him to do that in which he could not gratify them without wronging his conscience. When we see trouble coming, it becomes us to say, not only, The will of the Lord must be done, and there is no remedy; but, Let the will of the Lord be done; for his will is his wisdom, and he doeth all according to the counsel of it. When a trouble is come, this must allay our griefs, that the will of the Lord is done; when we see it coming, this must silence our fears, that the will of the Lord shall be done; and we ought to say, Amen, let it be done. It is honourable to be an old disciple of Jesus Christ, to have been enabled by the grace of God to continue long in a course of duty, stedfast in the faith, growing more and more experienced, to a good old age. And with these old disciples one would choose to lodge; for the multitude of their years shall teach wisdom. Many brethren at Jerusalem received Paul gladly. We think, perhaps, that if we had him among us, we should gladly receive him; but we should not, if, having his doctrine, we do not gladly receive that.

Verses 19-26 Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they gave the praise. God had honoured him more than any of the apostles, yet they did not envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not do more to encourage Paul to go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believing Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it was prudent in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fond of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Paul preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He preached Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, and repentance and faith, in which we are to make great use of the law. The weakness and evil of the human heart strongly appear, when we consider how many, even of the disciples of Christ, had not due regard to the most eminent minister that even lived. Not the excellence of his character, nor the success with which God blessed his labours, could gain their esteem and affection, seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselves to mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be against prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they did; and it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of giving way too much in this matter. It is vain to attempt to court the favour of zealots, or bigots to a party. This compliance of Paul did not answer, for the very thing by which he hoped to pacify the Jews, provoked them, and brought him into trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose than was intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity and uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincere compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.

Verses 27-40 In the temple, where Paul should have been protected as in a place of safety, he was violently set upon. They falsely charged him with ill doctrine and ill practice against the Mosaic ceremonies. It is no new thing for those who mean honestly and act regularly, to have things laid to their charge which they know not and never thought of. It is common for the wise and good to have that charged against them by malicious people, with which they thought to have obliged them. God often makes those a protection to his people, who have no affection to them, but only have compassion for sufferers, and regard to the public peace. And here see what false, mistaken notions of good people and good ministers, many run away with. But God seasonably interposes for the safety of his servants, from wicked and unreasonable men; and gives them opportunities to speak for themselves, to plead for the Redeemer, and to spread abroad his glorious gospel.