Paul Arrested in the Temple

Today we begin the final section of the book of Acts—Paul in prison. From his imprisonment in today’s reading, he is never a free man again through the rest of the book. Almost 1/3 of the book is devoted to Paul’s various trials and interactions with the authorities. The question is, Why? What is Luke trying to tell us?

Paul has arrived in Jerusalem despite the warnings he has received along his journeys that imprisonment and suffering await him there. He was insistent to complete his mission, which was to bring the money he had collected from the Gentile churches to deliver to the Jerusalem church. On his arrival, James and the other Jewish Christians warned him that the rumors were that he was telling Jews to stop following the Torah, and Paul goes to the Temple to allay their concerns.

There are thousands and thousands of Diaspora Jews in Jerusalem for Pentecost, including many of the Jews with whom Paul had argued in the various cities around the Mediterranean. A few days previously, Paul was walking around Jerusalem with a Gentile Christian rom Ephesus named Trophimus, and some of Paul’s Jewish enemies start the rumor that Paul had brought Trophimus with him into the Temple, a forbidden act. It isn’t true, but nonetheless when Paul does enter the Temple, a riot breaks out and a mob tries to kill him on the spot. The Romans intervene and take Paul into custody to protect him from the mob.

There is lots more to say about the final section of Acts, but I think one of the things Luke wants us to understand is that—just like Paul and Jesus before him—there will be times when Christians are unfairly maligned in public. When the happens to you, take courage and keep going.