Paul Arrives in Jerusalem - Acts 21

¹⁵ After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

¹⁷ When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. ¹⁸ The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹ Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰ When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. ²¹ They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. ²² What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ²³ so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. ²⁴ Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. ²⁵ As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

²⁶ The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

The whole effort from Paul based on the recommendations of the Jerusalem church is based on lies being told by others.  This whole effort is a political move to try to offset or minimize damage to the perception of Paul.  When Jesus returned to Jerusalem He made no such effort.  He was Himself and content in what He had done, what He had said, and in Whose will He was in. 

I probably do not understand this effort fully, but to me this is a mistake.  Paul should have just been Paul and depended upon God for his protection.  This seems to be an effort in deception.  Other than living, working, and preaching with Gentiles, I’m not sure Paul has lived outside of obedience to the law, and the part about Gentiles is somewhat debatable.  However, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 about winning people by being like them and not against what they know.  So maybe in this effort, Paul is being as a Jew so that he might win the Jews.

External appearances do not define internal beliefs.  Paul might go through rituals and acts, but in his heart he knows that Jesus is the Son of the Living God.  He will be opposed by those who do not believe this.  People, often unknowingly, see through the exterior physical and know what's in someone's heart.  When Jesus is there, people are often repelled or attracted and they may not know why unless they have Jesus in their heart also.